BUS driver Belinda Button will find herself surrounded by serious footy fans next Thursday (July 31), when the wheels of her bus go ‘round and ‘round for a particularly good cause.
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Busways is set to show its support for injured football prodigy Curtis Landers and his mates, as Mrs Button volunteers her time to drive local players to a special auction night for Curtis on July 31 at Club Forster.
Its all in support of the 15-year-old Forster Tuncurry Hawks player, who suffered an horrific injury to his neck on a Port Macquarie field in May.
Following the accident, Curtis’s good mate Charles Finnerty, and his team the Port City Breakers, have rallied to support the young man.
Mrs Button said she’d heard of his story and wanted to find a way to help.
She said his plight was particularly heart wrenching because of his young age.
“I was told that he was such a good footballer, and it’s horrible knowing he might never be able to do what he loves again - and all this at just 15,” Mrs Button said. Before moving to managerial duties, the mother of two spent plenty of time driving school buses.
But this, she admits, will be a trip to remember.
“They’re so excited,” she said of the troops to be charted next week. “They’re a great bunch of kids and part of a great community of footballers in the area.”
The 36-year-old said it was a privilege to be involved with the cause.
“You don’t get too many opportunities to help out,” she said. “But we are a part of this community, and Busways is more than just a remote service to get your kids to school and back.”
Thursday’s Curtis Landers Auction Night is being hosted by Ray Hadley and will include live crosses to the Footy Show on Channel 9.
It’s also expected some big-name guests will make an appeance.
Last weekend, Busways also supplied a bus to take Curtis’s team down to Westmead Children’s hospital.
To top off the visit, the NRL organised tickets for Curt, his family and entire team to attend the Bulldogs versus Tigers match on the same day.
After the game, Bulldogs and NSW Blues player Josh Reynolds would become yet another person to describe him as a “great kid”.
“Lovely to meet him awesome to see him smiling,” he wrote on the Curtis Landers: Road to Recovery Facebook page.
To show your support, donations can be made at www.juniorhawks.com.au.
