With two weeks to go until Christmas, Melbourne City FC’s players and staff have brought some Christmas cheer during the Melbourne City Christmas Volunteer week.
Over the course of the week leading up to the Melbourne derby, City players and staff have visited the Starlight Express Room at the Monash Children’s Hospital, and prepared hundreds of meals at the FareShare kitchen in Abbotsford.
The hospital visit has become an annual event for Melbourne City and midfielder Nick Fitzgerald said the visit was something that has inspired him.
“We were able to meet a few kids who are going through some challenging times. We want to make sure that the kids know we are thinking of them and you can see their smiling faces,” Fitzgerald said.
“They’re an inspiration to us; they just get on with it with. They loved seeing us and to be able to give them a few gifts as well, it’s been great and the players really had a good time.”
City goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis also visited the Starlight Express room with Bruno Fornaroli, Manny Muscat, Bruce Kamau, Ruon Tongyik and Connor Chapman and said it put things into perspective for him and the group.
“It was a real eye-opener but special for us because every time we come down and share moments with the kids really means a lot,” Bouzanis said.
“To share the Christmas spirit with them and to be able to hand out a gift or a smile really means a lot to everybody at the football club.”
City also visited the FareShare charity kitchen in Abbotsford as Thomas Sorensen, Ivan Franjic, Neil Kilkenny, Luke Brattan, Osama Malik, Daniel Arzani and Tim Cahill gave a helping hand in the preparation of meals for the less fortunate this Christmas.
Cahill, who brought his son Shae to the event, said giving a helping hand at this time of the year is the least the group can do for those in need.
“This is my first Christmas here, and I feel so proud to be a Melbourne City player when we do activities that benefit our community,” Cahill said.
“The community ethos at the Club is awesome, and I just hope that our contribution will help bring a little bit of joy this Christmas.”
What you missed this week
