By Monkey1
September 17 2004

The Falcons players would like to invite you to join them for a party night on Wednesday 6 October, 7.30 in the west stand bar at Kingston Park. An opportunity to mix with the players and enjoy a night of music and nonsense is what the party night is all about. Celebrate the fantastic start to the season and help to raise money for a very worthy cause that is close to our hearts.

A chance posting on our very own message board resulted in the party night. Toastie & myself discovered that we are both bass players in local bands. We both had the same idea of a fundraising night for Soa, and this grew with the club offering support and the players getting behind the whole idea. I asked Epi to put the whole squad under a three line whip to turn up, he replied that it wasn’t necessary, they will all come anyway for something like this. They have already done so much for this appeal and they are determined to keep the momentum going this season.

Soa Otuvaka came to Newcastle from New Zealand as a teenager with close friend & fellow Falcons player Epi Taione. The Falcons flanker died of a brain tumour in March leaving wife Jenny and three year old son Eric, and one year old daughter Lily.

The players, club & supporters did a wonderful job in getting the benevolent fund up & running last season, but there is still a long way to go to provide the support that ordinary people may take for granted from life insurance that is just not an option for most younger players. We watch & support our players on the pitch with barely a thought as to what would happen if they were injured, or worse.

Jenny & the kids need our support, with half the family on the other side of the world, keeping everything together will not be easy.

The idea of the party is to have a bit of fun and to raise as much money as possible for the fund. Both bands will be playing, Blackie will be crooning, and you will not be fleeced every few minutes for more cash, the fundraising bit is purely from tickets, a quality raffle, and a tombola which has some cracking prizes donated by many generous people and organisations, and some not so cracking prizes for a bit of fun.

Tickets are a very reasonable £7.50 and can be bought from the club shop, and at the home games; Harlequins Sun 19th September & Leicester Sun 3rd October.

More prizes for the raffle & tombola would be much appreciated & can be handed in at the shop or at the club or supporters club stands at the home games. Anything from your prized Rolls Royce to a bag of lollipops would be appreciated.

A big thank you to you all, to the club, especially Mick Hogan & Mark Smith, and to the players, especially Epi for making this possible.

And if you are wondering why it is on a Wednesday night, well if you want the players to turn up they are rather busy at the weekends at the moment.