Sydney – 23 May, 2008 – Sony Foundation Australia last night hosted ‘AFL: It’s a Serious Business’, a charity dinner which helped raise $180,000 for Youth Off The Streets’ GetReel program – a national drug and alcohol education initiative for young Australians.
Held at the Members Dining Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the event included a panel of four of the AFL’s most prominent business brains discussing the game’s topical issues. The panel consisted of Andrew Demetriou, CEO of the AFL, David Smorgon OAM, President of the Western Bulldogs, Jeff Kennett AC, President of Hawthorn Football Club and Eddie McGuire AM, President of Collingwood Football Club.
Raising essential funds for the national education program, the event brought together past and present AFL stars, with six tables hosted by current AFL players.
David Smorgon, Governor of the Sony Foundation said, “Sony Foundation is proud to be supporting Youth Off the Streets, which provides so much assistance to those that need help. Youth drug and alcohol abuse is an extremely concerning issue across the nation, and one that we need to take seriously. I would like to thank the panellists for dedicating their time to support this cause.”
The event raised funds for GetReel, an innovative national drug education program developed by Youth Off the Streets and supported by the Sony Foundation Australia. The competition is open to young people between the ages of 10 and 16 and asks them to design a 30 second TV advertisement targeting youth drug use or a related issue. Students are encouraged to work in teams of up to six to develop a message for other young people that they think will help reduce social and health risks associated with drug use.
An exciting aspect of the GetReel competition is that there is a real outcome. The winning teams will have their ad professionally produced, which will then be shown on national television, and they also receive Sony prize packs.