A CUP of tea kick starts the day for two Taree Tornadoes basketball players, Grace McCallum and Kaylah Thompson.
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Tomorrow is ‘20 Cent Tuesday’ at Jack & Co in Taree and Grace and Kaylah are asking everyone to buy a freshly brewed tea, a piping hot coffee or a sweet hot chocolate from the two Taree stores to support the Taree Tornadoes fundraising campaign.
"It’s simple to do", says Grace, "just buy a hot drink and 20 cents from every cup sold on Tuesday will be donated to Taree Tornadoes."
Grace and Kaylah are two of a growing number of junior basketball players in the Manning Valley and members of the under 14 girls representative team that made the finals of the Molten Waratah Northern Junior League.
During the competition the girls travelled to play teams in Armidale, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, and Lismore, and according to Grace, “we loved playing in so many amazing stadiums but it really showed that our basketball stadium needs to be improved.”
“An Anglican school in Coffs Harbour had a better basketball stadium than what we have for all the teams in the Manning Valley,” Grace said.
“I really noticed it and wish something could be done to make our stadium better. A better stadium would mean teams from all over NSW could come to play here and that would be great for Taree. I know mum and I spend a lot of money when I have to play in other towns.”
Kaylah hopes people will support the latest Taree Tornadoes fundraiser and says "it may also attract more sponsors."
"People should support the Jack & Co fundraiser because it will help to maintain the stadium facilities and assist with junior development," Kaylah said.
Grace, 12, has been playing for two years and cites the Perth Wildcats as her favourite team. Kaylah is 11 and has been playing for three years and loves the Cleveland Cavaliers.