KEY POINTS:
All Black Doug Howlett went back to his old primary school yesterday to give back some of what he has gained to needy youngsters.
He has donated "quite a few thousand dollars" to a new charity that will pay for sports club fees and uniforms, school fees, books and stationery for 50 to 100 young people a year.
The Doug Howlett Outreach Foundation will also provide personal mentoring from Howlett himself, initially through letters and eventually through activities such as an annual camp.
"My parents were able to help me out. They were working-class themselves. They had to work for what we got," he said.
"Just as I have been given a lot of help for my career, I have decided that if I can help in some way to give kids opportunities and provide mentoring to some degree, I'd like to do that. This is a way for me to give back to sport."
Howlett, 28, an All Black since 2000, attended Auckland Grammar School after May Rd Primary in Mt Roskill. He and his fiancee, Monique Everland, are expecting a child later this year.
In 2005 Howlett and fellow All Black Ali Williams became founding patrons of the KidsCan Charitable Trust, which supplies food in schools to about 3000 hungry children a week.
KidsCan general manager Julie Helson will sit on an advisory board for the new foundation with Howlett, his father Simon Howlett, his business adviser Greg Dyer and adidas marketing manager Craig Waugh to select the young people who will get support.
Adidas will provide the youngsters with rugby boots or netball shoes, and Warehouse Stationery will provide the school stationery. So far the only actual cash has come from Howlett himself and an anonymous donor, but the foundation is seeking other sponsors and fundraising opportunities.
Initially funding will be only for youngsters aged 8 to 14 playing rugby, league or netball, but Howlett hopes to extend this to children playing other sports as soon as he can find further sponsors. Applicants can live anywhere in New Zealand.
Application forms available on Howlett's website can be filled in by the child's teacher or coach.
Ms Helson said the amount paid to each child would depend on local club and school fees and the costs of uniforms, books and stationery, but was expected to average around $250-$300. That would value the initial funding at $15,000-$25,000.
But Howlett said the financial help was less important than the inspiration he hoped to provide.
The Variety Club charity also announced "Gold Heart" scholarships this month of up to $5000 a year for three years to help children in need achieve their goals in sport, education and the arts. Applications close on April 8.
ON THE WEB
www.doughowlett.com
www.variety.org.nz
