Yesterday’s victory against North Melbourne has left West Coast six for six, sitting at the top of the AFL ladder still undefeated. But not only was the nail-biting match a success on the field, it was also a success off the field, with West Coast fans throwing their support behind Medibank Coats for a Cause for the second year running.
Thanks to the generosity of West Coast members and fans, more than 15,000 articles of clothing were donated at Patersons Stadium yesterday for WA’s homeless. The Coats for a Cause initiative, pioneered by Eagle great Don Pyke, saw the club encourage its members and fans to bring an article of clothing to the round six clash to be donated to those in need.
Click here to see a gallery of photos from the event.
West Coast fans answered the call in spectacular fashion, with Pyke astounded at the volume of donations and the sheer generosity of West Coast supporters.
“We’ve collected more than 15,000 articles of clothing, that’s over double what we collected last year,” Pyke reported.
“The past players who were stationed around the stadium accepting donations were absolutely inundated with jackets, coats, scarves and beanies.”
A number of Pyke’s former teammates came on board for the cause yesterday, offering their time to accept donations, as well as have photos and sign autographs for some nostalgic fans.
The West Coast legends included Dean Kemp, Phil Matera, Adrian Barich, Ashley McIntosh, Michael Brennan, Drew Banfield, Peter Wilson, Tony Evans, Chris Waterman, Dwayne Lamb, Paul Peos, Mitch White, Rowan Jones, Brett Jones and Nathan McIntosh.
“Coats for a Cause is a great way for the past players to be present, greet the supporters and thank them for their contributions in making a difference to those in need this winter,” Pyke added.
“It’s a simple way for us to support the wider community.
“Today we’ll be directing all the items to CharityLink. CharityLink is an organisation that aims to make a difference to thousands of disadvantaged Western Australians experiencing financial hardship or crisis. They’ll distribute these 15,000 items directly to the homeless or those suffering financial hardship.
“It is really a wonderful result, and fantastic to see the generosity of West Coast Eagles members and fans.”
The West Coast Eagles would like to thank its members, fans and former players for their generosity and for helping to make the Medibank Coats for a Cause match day another resounding success.
