Youth Club scores at Origin time

LOCAL radio station 4LG’s Longreach Youth and Sport Club fundraiser on Monday was hailed a huge success by Club president Ted Burling, who was amazed at the final total of $2,596.

The crowd-puller? A Queensland State of Origin jumper signed by the 2006 team from game one, which included the John Hancock of Ilfracombe’s Matt Scott.

The jersey went for $800 to Matt’s sister Jo who plans to display it with pride on the wall of Ilfracombe’s Wellshot Hotel.

With the money going to a good cause Ms Scott said she would have gone as high as $1,000.
"I rang Matt last night (Monday) and told him what I had paid for the jersey.

"He said, ‘You have got to be kidding me’.
"For obvious reasons I had to have the jumper; there are very few of them out there.
"I’m going to get it framed and then it’s going to take pride of place on the wall at the Wellshot."

In bidding on the remaining 12 items, councillor Richard Murray bought return flights for two to Brisbane for $800 and two nights accommodation at the Sun Palms in Rockhampton for $155.

The Willersdorf family walked away with a Cowboys beanbag for $50 and Longreach mayor Pat Tanks bought a framed print by Kevin Best for $200, which boosted the final total over the $2,500 mark.

Along with the money raised on Monday it has been a week of good news for the Longreach Youth Club with 10 new computers finally up and running.

Longreach Shire Council youth development officer Wendy Hunt welcomed the arrival of the new technology as yet another string to the centres bow in offering youngsters appropriate support.

"The older kids are using them to surf the internet, log on to chat rooms and join forum discussions.

"The younger kids are mostly playing games; however anyone wanting to use them for homework or for school research projects will have priority.
"We are also looking into the possibility of running training sessions for adults, as well as for the younger ones, and the Youth Council are considering setting up an internet café."