August 27, 2015
Footy hero Petero Civoniceva and local police are issuing a challenge to Murgon and Cherbourg children … catch us if you can!
Police officers and Murgon State High School students will be taking part in a sports and mentoring program at Jack O’Chin Oval at Cherbourg from 10:00am on Tuesday, September 1.
The “Catch Me If You Can” project is an initiative of the PCYC’s Indigenous Community Sport and Recreation Program.
It aims to use sports to develop and improve relationships between Indigenous school students, the wider community and police.
The first program was run at the PCYC in Logan, south of Brisbane, last year. Since then it has been expanded to cover North Queensland and the South Burnett.
Students are matched with a police officer of their choice and participate in team building activities and a friendly sporting competition.
Students and police officers get to know each other in a friendly environment with the aim of building positive, respectful relationships.
“Catch Me If You Can” ambassador Petero Civoniceva will be at Cherbourg, and may even lend his footy skills to the student team.
“The support from the Queensland Police service and the Cherbourg community has just been fantastic,” said Marty Ermer, the co-creator of the program.
“Without the enthusiastic support of the Queensland Police Service, Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council, Murgon State High School, Clontarf Foundation, South Burnett CTC, as well as local students, PCYC staff, teachers and Elders ‘Catch Me If You Can’ would not be the success story it is today.
“We hope the community will also come out and give our young people their invaluable support.”
“Catch Me If You Can” has already been held in Logan, Doomadgee, Aurukun and Cairns West.
