From winning signed jerseys to meeting with his favourite players, local Bulldogs supporter Paul Durston was thrilled with the experiences gained from the weekend's NRL clash in Bundaberg.
Paul said he couldn’t believe his luck when he was named the winner of two signed NRL jerseys at the clash against the Bulldogs and Cowboys at Salter Oval.
The footy fan and Bundaberg Lunchbox owner said it was the cherry on top of a busy week of catering and meet and greets with NRL players in the lead up to the big event on Sunday.
“It was super exciting; I could not believe how lucky I was!” he said.
“It was a great way to top off what was a massive week.”
The jersey prizes were part of the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Appeal raffle with plenty of rugby league supporters purchasing tickets at the game, raising over $3000.
The funds will be used to buy food hampers for local residents who need a helping hand to help make their Christmas special.
Paul said winning the raffle was another great experience he and wife Bronnie had shared during the week of NRL fever in the region.
The Bundaberg Lunchbox owners also had the opportunity to welcome players to their store while catering for the Fox Sports team on Sunday morning.
Current NRL player Corey Allan, former player Luke Goodwin and CEO Aaron Warburton were just some of the Bulldogs representatives who visited the Bundaberg Lunchbox during their time in the region.
“The exposure is priceless, having them come in and see them in our store was fantastic,” Paul said.
“The amount of community work the team did, from visiting schools and sporting groups to pubs and clubs, was just great and showed how invested they are in our region.
Paul said hosting the NRL clash in Bundaberg had provided the community with a range of priceless opportunities.
“To have an NRL team come to our small town is just phenomenal,” Paul said.
“As a Bulldog’s supporter, I cannot thank them enough for coming to Bundaberg, along with Bundaberg Regional Council.
“We can’t wait for them to come back next year and continue to see the game get bigger and bigger.”
