IT'S been a nervous time for Georgia Tran this week as she waits for the dress she hopes to wear into tomorrow's Manning division two women's hockey grand final to arrive.
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Georgia, 19, will definitely start for Sharks in the division two match against Tigers while she'll be on the bench for the division one game, where Sharks play Town. However, Georgia won't be wearing the traditional club garb.
Providing her outfit arrives on time, Georgia will be decked out in an outfit to raise funds for Do It In A Dress, a movement to raise funds to help educate girls around the world.
According to organisers 130 million girls around the world are denied an education. Georgia wants to do her bit to right this wrong.
"I first heard of the fund raising effort through (Newcastle) uni,'' Georgia said.
"Education is something that I'm passionate about. That's why I'm studying to become a teacher.''
She's particularly concerned about the plight of girls in underprivileged countries. The organising group currently work in Sierra Leone and Uganda.
They point out a girl born in Sierra Leone is more likely to be married before the age of 18 than she is to finish high school - and only 16 per cent of girls complete high school.
"The website suggested ways to raise funds and sport is one of them. I think it's a privilege to be able to play sport and with our grand finals coming up, that seemed the perfect opportunity,'' Georgia explained.
So she signed up. However, at the time of going to press the dress Georgia has to wear still hadn't arrived.
"I've ordered it from Victoria, but because of the restrictions there's been delays in postage. I'm hoping it will be here in time,'' she said.
Georgia admits the idea to sign-on was 'a bit of a spur of the moment thing.'
"It only happened two weeks ago,'' she said.
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As such she's been limited somewhat in her fund raising drive - at the moment it's limited to her family.
Georgia's been given permission by Manning Valley Hockey Association to wear the dress in the grand finals. She concedes if it isn't here on time than her fund raiser will lack some impact.
"So I'm really hoping it gets here,'' she said.
If all goes to plan Georgia will give her fund raiser a push through social media. She'll also be wearing the dress to some university functions.
"I think that's fitting, because this is about education,'' she explained.
Georgia hasn't put a figure on how much she hopes to raise.
"It's such a great cause...any money I can make will help,'' she reasons.
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