To celebrate this week’s Harvey Norman Women in League Round, Rugby League’s One Community has broken with tradition and today named a ‘Good Girl of the Month’ for June.
Mother of three Darlene Maher was today named One Community’s Good Girl of the Month in recognition of her upcoming trek of the Kokoda Trail, to highlight the important role women play across the game and to raise funds for the Joanne MacKay Breast Cancer Foundation.
Using Harvey Norman Women In League as inspiration, Maher, the secretary of the Thirroul Junior Rugby League Club and a member of the Dragons’ Crystal Bears Women in League program, says she was inspired to raise awareness of the important role women play in Rugby League after attending last year’s One Community Awards, which each year celebrate the off-field achievements of NRL and grass-roots heroes.
“I got thinking about what else we could do as part of the community,” Darlene Maher said.
“I wanted to include some fundraising and raise awareness that we’re part of a junior club, that we’re footy mums, that we’re women in league.
“With the challenges that everyone involved with the Joanne MacKay Foundation face, we thought what’s the biggest challenge we could set ourselves to highlight the amazing work they do and the resolve of the women and families they help.
“Trekking Kokoda came to mind and it just snowballed from there.”
With fellow Thirroul Juniors ‘footy mum’ Lisa Sciberras, the pair will undertake the trek from July 6 and will proudly wear Dragons Pink V Women in League jerseys to support their efforts to raise money for the Joanne MacKay Breast Cancer Foundation.
The Foundation, established by Dragons and Steelers legend Brad MacKay following the loss of his wife Joanne to breast cancer in 2002, works to improve the quality of life for families affected by breast cancer and has teamed with Maher and Sciberras to provide special Pink V caps for the trek featuring Joanne’s helping hand symbol on the front.
“Darlene’s mission reflects the passion women have for Rugby League and how their roles in the game support the community at many levels,” NRL Director of Community Relations, Trish Crews, said.
“Each year, Harvey Norman Women in League thanks the 40,000 female volunteers, employees and officials at the heart of the game and Darlene is a great example of these women.”
The Good Girl of the Month will continue to be awarded each month through One Community’s new Women in League e-Newsletter, titled ‘The Heart of the Game.’
As the Good Girl of the Month, Maher will receive one night’s accommodation including breakfast for two courtesy of NRL sponsor Holiday Inn.
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