WILLOWFEST president Anthony Telfer says that this year’s carnival is set to be the biggest yet.
Up to 150 former Willowfest players, including this year’s ambassador and former Australian Test player Ian Callen, are expected to converge
on Mildura in December for the 35th anniversary celebrations.
With one of Australia’s great cricket carnivals just over two months away, Globalwater have jumped on board again for the sixth consecutive year as the naming rights sponsor.
Telfer said Globalwater’s support of the carnvial had been exceptional.
“It has been phenomenal, without their support the carnival wouldn’t be where it is today and that is still in a growth stage, which is really exciting,” Telfer said.
“They’ve been a major financial contributor for us.”
This year’s carnival will provide cricketers with the chance to be able to raise much-needed funds for Mildura charity MASP.
Teams that enter this year’s carnival will be given two ‘tank banks’.
Telfer said Willowfest saw it as a good opportunity to raise some funds for MASP.
“I saw this as a way to further extend that through our partnership with Global and MASP, about having a good time and raising some money along the way,” he said.
“Each team will get two boxes, one for their own fines they can raise money with and they can then take the tank home with them.
“The other tank will be labelled with the MASP logo and they will carry that around with them.
“If they decide they want to put some money in towards MASP, they can do that, then they return that at the end of the carnival.”
MASP CEO Doug Tonge said he felt “chuffed” that the organisation could be involved in Willowfest for the first time.
“This is a terriffic event and it brings a lot of outside people into the community,” Tonge said.
“I’m really chuffed that MASP has the opportunity to be involved in that.”
Tank banks will be located at all of Willowfest’s sponsors to help raise funds for MASP.
