GIVING DAY

Together, we have started a journey for two young men at Nudgee College. Foundation Manager Ms Lindsay Khushal shares how this year’s Giving Day unfolded.

This Giving Day we were able to tell a powerful story.

We told the story of Old Boy Mr Stu Pola (NC 1981-85) and his son Mr George Pola (NC 2019-21), who is a proud recipient of the Jack Ross Bursary. It was an important story to tell, and it allowed us to make an enormous ask of the Nudgee College community – to raise enough money to enable us to start a journey for two boys through the Jack Ross Bursary. As a community with generosity at its absolute heart, you responded and we exceeded our target, raising just over $225,000 in 24 hours!

We were humbled by the support for Giving Day, which was received from far and wide; parents, both past and present, Old Boys, staff, students and friends of Nudgee College all came together to reach our collective goal. There was a strong sense of spirit, of paying it forward and of a dream of changing a young man’s life, together.

The College ensured that students were able to celebrate the Foundation’s goals, and come together with a strong sense of purpose and understanding of the importance of the Jack Ross Bursary. Thousands of dollars were raised through various fundraising activities, with the highlight being the opportunity to plunge their favourite teachers into cold water in dunk tanks that were set up on Wilkes Oval. Our sincere appreciation goes out to the teachers and their willingness to push themselves out of their comfort zone, getting wet on a cold day for such a wonderful cause.

Principal Mr Peter Fullagar thanked the community sincerely for their amazing response:

Giving Day enables us to continue to support the Jack Ross Bursary, which in turn enables us to support two young men who otherwise would not have come to Nudgee College. It allows us to support their families; families who oftentimes struggle to provide the education they want for their young men. Beyond Giving Day, the Jack Ross Bursary will continue in this College to maintain that rich diversity as something that we celebrate here. To do that, we need you to continue to support this bursary as best you can.

At Nudgee College, it is our absolute focus to honour those who went before us, to preserve our history and our heritage, and invest in the buildings and facilities we see around us. However, equally as important is to honour those to come, and with the continued provision of the Jack Ross Bursary, we are investing in the future of Nudgee College students and paying forward that generosity that lives so strongly in our community.

The Polas are just one example of the many deserving families who have received the Jack Ross Bursary and the long-lasting effect it has on their lives. Our hope is to continue this far into the future.

I would like to sincerely thank all of our volunteers who assisted on Giving Day in our Operations Room and I would like to make special mention of our Year 12 volunteers: Angus Williams, Hugh Smith, Akot Akot, Gus Rossl, James Chapman, Oliver Bryans, Elliot Browne, Edward Chapman, Luke Blackwell, Darcy Turner, Jim Collins, Harry Roati and Ryan Davey. Thank you also to our parent and Old Boy volunteers: Ms Susan Kewley, Ms Sarah Roati, Ms Belinda Plowman, Ms Carmel Nugent, Mr Saxon Mew (NC 19982002) and Mr Leo De Clara (NC 2015-21).

Finally, thank you to all of our generous donors who supported Giving Day. We are humbled by your generosity of spirit.

WRITTEN BY FOUNDATION MANAGER MS LINDSAY KHUSHAL