Donations Flow in ahead of Toa Samoa Homecoming Fundraiser

Staff Reporters

APIA, SAMOA – 15 DECEMBER 2022: The President of Samoa Rugby League, Tagaloa Faafouina Su’a has confirmed that monetary donations have already been received in thousands of tala ahead of the Toa Samoa Homecoming TV and Radiothon on Saturday.

In announcing the details of the fundraiser on TV One, Tagaloa said some companies who have been approached paid straight away in their enthusiastic desire to acknowledge the team’s huge effort at the Rugby League World Cup last month.

He said that there is no targeted amount for the fundraiser but the funds will go towards meeting the costs of brining the players over, local expenses and logistics and he estimated the cost to be around $1.2 million tala.

This is other than any assistance that the Government will put in. The President said the Samoa Rugby League is also looking at making monetary donations to the players.

“It won’t be on the level they earn as players but it is a gesture to show our deep appreciation as these player sacrificed a lot to represent our country,” said Tagaloa.

Meanwhile details of the programme of events when the team lands in Samoan on the evening of 27 December have yet to be finalised. But they are looking at a celebration parade at Apia Park given there were 10,000 people who attend the Homecoming parade for the team in Brisbane last month.

Samoa Rugby League President, Tagaloa Faafouina Su’a and Secretary Tuiletufuga Fritz Tuiavi’i announcing the fundraiser in a press conference last night.

CELEBRATING SAMOA 2022 SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS & SUCCESSES
Tagaloa said the homecoming celebration should not only be for Toa Samoa. “But it should also be for our country to celebrate this year’s achievements of our sportsmen and women in other sports such as Weightlifting, Netball, Boxing and Manu Samoa Sevens that capped off the year with winning the Cup at the Capetown leg of the HSBC Sevens.”

The Toa Samoa Homecoming TV and Radiothon opens at 0800am on TV One on Saturday and runs through to 1000pm with a four hour interval in between.

Tagaloa said the fundraiser is mainly for the locals to support the team but does not rule out overseas supporters who can transfer their donations directly into Samoa Rugby League bank account. Donations will be accepted at the TV One station at Mulinuu and pledges can be made on both networks phones as advertised.

Toa Samoa will be on island for a week and will also travel to Savaii where many of the players originate from.