Essendon Football Club will focus its next bushfire fundraising effort on the Bendigo region following the fire that ravaged the town’s western suburbs last fortnight.

Family Day will be held at Windy Hill this Sunday, 22 February from 10:30am to 2:30pm and monies raised will kick start the club's support for the region.

The 4km fire front affected over 333 hectares of land in Bendigo’s western suburbs, destroying 61 homes, 122 sheds and causing one fatality. Up to 700 people were directly affected by the Bendigo fires.

Essendon managing director, Peter Jackson, said the club chose to focus its fundraising efforts on the Bendigo region due to Essendon’s close links with the area and to ensure long-lasting support for those affected.

“The club obviously has a close link to Bendigo through our VFL affiliate, the Bendigo Bombers, who are based at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo. We have a responsibility to support that community along with the Bendigo Bombers,” Jackson said.

“Essendon’s links into the Bendigo community include the On the Ball program – a harm prevention program which keeps children connected through sport – for the past six years and we feel it is important for us to continue to show our support to these areas in a time when they need it most.”

All monies raised at Sunday's Samsung Family Day will be contributed to the Bendigo Bank Bushfire appeal.

There will be photograph and autograph opportunities for supporters, the full team will be presented their 2009 guernsey, players and coaches will hold Q and A sessions plus there will be family activities, food and more.

“Our players and staff understand the impact our football club can have on a community and it showed through the support rallied in Friday night’s Bushfire appeal game at the Dome,” Jackson said.

“We want to encourage our players, coaches, staff and supporters to continue in this philanthropic spirit as we work together to help rebuild a region.

“There is over $10 million dollars of replacement costs for the houses and we want to support these people as best as we can.

“Clearly we will let the community leaders decide how this money is best spent.”

Essendon are also supporting the bushfire fundraiser through the following initiatives:

· Auction of each players’ shorts and signed guernseys from the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal match on the club website – essendonfc.com.au,

· Displaying the Bushfire appeal phone number on players’ shorts during the Bushfire appeal game and also as coaches’ box signage

· Essendon Football Club in conjunction with the Telstra Dome will donate 25% of all money spent at Beyond Sport last Friday – the retail outlet at The Dome - to the Bushfire Appeal,

· Provided players to fundraising activities around the ground on Friday night as well as in the Dome’s telecast.

· Incorporate fundraising initiatives into Essendon’s Family Day at Windy Hill on 22 February.

· Add a $1 surcharge to each meal at the Windy Hill Venue for February with money raised going to the Bushfire Appeal. A gold coin donation will also be collected as part of their daily morning and afternoon tea services.

· Players have visited the Whittlesea staging area to assist families and children affected by the tragedy

NOTE:

All members, remember to bring your redemption cards to collect your 2009 members cap this Sunday.

Players will be rotating through the Membership tent so you may be able to collect your cap from your favorite player.