Adelaide Football Club will play host to South Australian farming families in a special match this weekend.
The club will recognise those families who are enduring extreme drought conditions by hosting them as special guests at its upcoming match against Gold Coast Suns on Sunday, July 20.
The state government and Grain Producers SA, in partnership with Primary Producers SA, SA Dairyfarmers Association and Livestock SA, have teamed up with the Crows to deliver the Drought Support Match, with complimentary tickets being made available for farming families.
As part of the match, the state government will contribute $100,000 toward the Rural Business Support Relief Fund, providing direct assistance to drought-impacted primary producers.
The club’s home match partner, Foodland, will also donate funds for Crows goals kicked on the day.
Crows chief executive Tim Silvers said the club wanted to acknowledge the state’s farmers and regional communities who were battling tough conditions.
“We know so many families and communities have been hit incredibly hard by the drought and we hope an afternoon at the footy will provide some brief respite, much-needed fun and a sense of togetherness,” he said.
“It’s the least we could do and especially given the support our club is fortunate enough to receive from members and fans living in regional areas.”
Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven said while the state government’s $73 million Drought Support Package continued to provide key support on the ground, events like this provided an opportunity for families to come together.
“It’s been an incredibly tough time for many in regional and rural areas, with the drought placing enormous pressure on families and communities across South Australia,” she said.
“While we know that only rain will truly break the drought, we remain committed to working together on practical support measures to complement those already announced.
“We are pleased to work together with the Crows on this fantastic initiative to show our support for farming families and let them know that South Australia recognises the challenges of drought and the tough times they are facing.”
Grain Producers SA chairperson John Gladigau said the match presented a vital opportunity to put the reality of the drought in front of urban audiences.
“This is a chance to take the message of this drought right into the heart of Adelaide and ask city-based South Australians and businesses to rally around our farmers,” he said.
“We’re grateful to the Adelaide Football Club and the state government for backing this initiative and we hope it helps raise not just money, but real understanding of what farming families are going through.”
South Australian primary producers have received an email with details on how to redeem their complimentary tickets to the match.
