18/06/2024
Never underestimate the power of community spirit 💙🦅
NEWS // REFUGEE WEEK
16th - 22nd June is National Refugee Week and to help raise awareness, we’d like to introduce Metro Div 4 player, Jhon his and daughter, Ally, who plays in our U11 Eagles Girls team. Having them both playing in Narangba Eagles FC colours this season is a truly wonderful story of compassion and community…
Back in January, Helen Sheppard - a Group Coordinator for Moreton Bay Refugee Friends (a community support group operating under the national Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Programme CRISP) - was engaged in conversation with Club President, Darren Magin, about the possibility of the Eagles sponsoring Jhon and Ally as players in 2024.
In August 2023, Jhon and his wife, Eymy, along with Ally arrived in Queensland as refugees from Guatemala. They settled well locally with support from Helen’s team in providing accommodation, banking, health, schooling and English lessons.
Helen had informed Darren that engaging with the local community to support the family’s integration and resettlement is an important part of the programme. Once it had been confirmed that both Jhon and Ally were huge football fans and had both played for teams back in Guatemala, it was an easy decision to make. The club would agree to provide support by covering the family’s registration fees.
And then something amazing happened…
Kain Kennedy from long-standing club sponsor, Kennedy Brothers Air Conditioning, had heard the news and contacted the club with a simple statement, “I’d like to sponsor the family. I’d be more than happy for my business to cover Jhon and Ally’s fees this season in support of the CRISP programme.”
For those that don’t know Kain, you’re missing out! We knew he was a top bloke but this overwhelmingly generous gesture was above and beyond. Thank you Kain 💙💛
As a community focussed club, this entire heartwarming tale fits perfectly with this year’s Refugee Week theme, ‘Finding Freedom’… and we hope that Jhon and Ally do exactly that - on the football fields at Harris Avenue and beyond.