ABN: 55 216 612 582 Hickey Park, Babarra St Stafford, QLD, 4053 Ph: 07 33561151 PO Box 1086, Stafford, QLD, 4053 www.gorillas.com.au

Important Information for all involved with WG Gorillas.

Dear Players, Parents, Members, Sponsors, Supporters and Life Members of the Wilston Grange Gorillas Australian Rules Football Club,

We are writing to you as Presidents of both the Junior and Senior Clubs to further reinforce the importance of and the reasons why we are so insistent on everyone associated with our club (large and small alike) becoming a formal contributor to the Wilston-Grange Gorillas by signing up as a member at www.gorillas.com.au/membership.

(Please note, that youth/junior subs paid for kids to play footy do not include WG Gorillas club membership for parents/caregivers).

Firstly though, let us apprise you of some important facts and milestones: In the last five (5) years, the Junior and Senior clubs have individually and collectively achieved the following: The Senior Club has successfully: • re-joined the QAFL competition (the States premier competition) after a 25 years absence which now offers defined pathways for our junior and youth players to play at the highest level in community football……..without leaving our great club! • implemented a Masters (over 45 yrs) and Supers (over 33 years) program at the club, which currently comprises over 60 participants • implemented a senior female AFL team at the club which participates in the QWAFL, the State’s highest level competition for female AFL. We presently have45 participants • implemented the new u19s - COLTS, one of only 15 teams in the state. We presently have 40 participants • implemented AFL 9s at Hickey Park. We are now ’s biggest AFL 9’s club with over 300 participants and AFL 9’s has been growing at 100% per annum for the past three (3) years • achieved AFL Gold accreditation. The First such accreditation in Queensland and one of only nine (9) clubs Nationally • participated with the Inner North Sporting Community to build a strong local sporting entity that enables greater participation and funding opportunities for not only our clubs but for other local community sporting clubs • secured the QAFL and State Administrator of the year award through Brett Gillett’s efforts The Junior Club has successfully: • won five (5) premierships with three (3) of these in 2014 • placed each age group (U11, 12, 13, 14 & 16) into a Grand Final in 2014. The first time in the clubs recorded history • grown from 200 participants to approx. 450 participants (including Auskick) • implemented a new U15’s & U17s team in 2015

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______ABN: 55 216 612 582 Hickey Park, Babarra St Stafford, QLD, 4053 Ph: 07 33561151 PO Box 1086, Stafford, QLD, 4053 www.gorillas.com.au

• secured the BJAFL Administrator of the year award through Jo Jardine’s efforts in collaboration, the two (2) clubs have successfully: • Implemented a Joint Strategic plan to appropriately plan our clubs future, cement the culture of a unified club from Auskick through to Seniors (with male and female participation) and to grow the participation in AFL in the inner north / north west of Brisbane • procured $120k in State Govt. funding for lighting of additional training / playing facilities near to Hickey Park • worked with the BINSC to successfully negotiate over $1.5 million in grants from the Federal and State Governments to establish new facilities and the refurbishment of select areas of our existing facilities for the benefit of the BINSC and the Wilston Grange Gorillas • procured through Brisbane City Council the completion of stage one of our $650k car park. Stage 2 is due to be completed by 2017 • procured through Brisbane City Council and AFL a complete field upgrade valued at over $400k and which is scheduled to commence in in October 2015 We are both extremely proud of the above achievements as they represent an outstanding effort for a volunteer sporting organisation…..all sporting codes considered!. In our Strategic Plan we identified the need to service our Sponsors and Members with high standards of playing surface, amenities, roads and parking, food and beverage and most importantly increase the level of activity at our club to our highest level possible.

However, for this to be sustainable we need Memberships as Memberships cause people to become more contributing and connected people in and around our club. Membership also provides the integral financial support that allows us to continue to maintain and improve upon our great facilities which in turn attracts more Members, Players, Sponsors…thus securing the financial prosperity of our clubs for years to come.

Quality facilities require invigoration every five (5) years and we plan to build a sinking fund to do exactly that. We plan to ensure our club is forever improving on and off the field; making it the premier Inner North sporting facility for AFL and community sport. A place that Members will feel proud to call theirs!

We are realistic in our expectations around volunteer contributions with life as hectic as it is for all these days. We have come to the conclusion over the past three (3) years that volunteering cannot be relied upon as well as it has in the past and that successful clubs will be those who secure more financial strength through Memberships so that there is a greater pool of potential volunteers within / around the club and the capacity to outsource certain roles where volunteer participation is unable to be sourced.

We need every person at the Wilston Grange Gorillas to become Members. We need every person to make a financial commitment to our club for now and the future.

Our Members will receive preferential treatment and discounts at our club and through our Sponsors and Preferred / Non-Preferred Suppliers. Just about every trade and service you can imagine will be on

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______ABN: 55 216 612 582 Hickey Park, Babarra St Stafford, QLD, 4053 Ph: 07 33561151 PO Box 1086, Stafford, QLD, 4053 www.gorillas.com.au

offer and all with a Member discount. These will be local businesses who support us and we want you to support them as well. This is the only way it can work!

Gorilla Members are very easy to identify. They have club shirts, caps and Membership tickets. They have the right to stand proud in our Member’s only area at senior home games. Please, when you seek the services or products of one of our Sponsors, inform them that you are a WG Member and show them your Membership ticket to receive your discount. If you do not ask, you will not get the best Members price and or service.

Now you know just how important it is for you to become a Member ………. please, sign up and become a WGG Member – at the club bar or online at www.gorillas.com.au/membership

As an incentive to become a Member we will have a Members draw on Saturday at half time of the Seniors vs Broadbeach game (Saturday 16th May): All members will go into the draw for the first prize of a ten seater VIP box valued at $1500! Second Prize is ten tickets to reserved seating at a Lions game valued at $500 and third prize is $100 worth of credit at Victoria Park Golf Course for the driving range or Putt Putt.

We thank our partners The and Victoria Park Golf Course for these prizes. Each senior home game there will be opportunities for Members to part of special promotions and give aways from our valued business partners. www.gorillas.com.au/membership

Go The Gorillas!!

Rod Fidler & Brett Gillett Junior & Senior Club Presidents

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