Left, Josh Little presents Melbourne player, Rohan Bail with a Vietnam Swans jumper at the 2010 Asian Champs in Shanghai. Right, Garry West-Bail, father of Rohan, met up with Josh in Melbourne to discuss his fundraising initiative for KOTO in Vietnam next year.

Left, Josh Little presents Melbourne player, Rohan Bail with a Vietnam Swans jumper at the 2010 Asian Champs in Shanghai. Right, Garry West-Bail, father of Rohan, met up with Josh in Melbourne last week to discuss his fundraising initiative for KOTO in Vietnam next year.

Last week, former coach of the Swannies, Josh Little, who now lives in Melbourne, caught up with Garry West-Bail.

Garry is the former CEO of Queensland Hockey and ongoing father of Melbourne Football Club champion, Rohan Bail.

Garry is also preparing for a mega fundraiser for the Vietnam charity, KOTO (Know One Teach One) by running/cycling/walking from Saigon to Hanoi in October of next year.

Josh explains further below.

Back in late 2010, the Vietnam Swans travelled to Shanghai to take on the rest of Asia at the Asian Champs. Not only did the Club register its very first win at the Champs, we were also fortunate enough to cross paths with the Melbourne Football Club. The Demons travelled to China to take on the Brisbane Lions in the Shanghai Showdown which most of the Vietnam Swans attended. This was the perfect opportunity for the Swans to get in contact with Melbourne and repay one of its young guns, Rohan Bail, for donating his guernsey to the Swans earlier that year.

When the Swannies had the pleasure of meeting Rohan, we were all impressed with his well mannered nature and willingness to embrace the team.

Just over two years have passed and now, another member of the Bail clan, has crossed paths with the Swannies. This time, it’s Rohan’s father, Garry.

Garry is planning a big trip to Vietnam next year – but this is no ordinary visit! Garry has teamed up with KOTO and will be running, walking and cycling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to raise funds and awareness for the children in the KOTO program.

One of the KOTO Kids takes a screamer over Essendon Great, Garry O'Donnell, at a Swannies Auskick session at RMIT University, Saigon in March 2010.

One of the KOTO Kids takes a screamer over Essendon Great, Garry O’Donnell, at a Swannies Auskick session at RMIT University, Saigon in March 2010.

KOTO is an amazing organisation that takes in underprivileged children from all around Vietnam and educates them, teaches English skills and gives the children opportunities to work in the hospitality industry. KOTO has restaurants set up in both Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City.

Over the last ten years there have been over 400 graduates of this program, many of whom have succeeded in gaining employment in restaurants and hotels in Vietnam, other parts of Asia and Australia.

A number of Swannies have also worked for KOTO and we have run a number of Auskick programs for them as well, including one with Collingwood’s Nathan Buckley and Essendon’s Garry O’Donnell.

Planning is still underway for Garry’s fundraiser but it is estimated that RunKotoRun will start in October 2013. Garry has already started training for the event with daily runs, walks and bike rides.

The Swannies are keen to work closely with Garry to see how we can most effectively support his generous initiative. So, watch this space.

For further information, you can email Garry by clicking here or by visiting his website at www.runkotorun.com

Garry’s RunKotoRun sponsorship update

1. Intrepid Foundation will donate $1 for every $1 raised. Also promote on their website with a story and a donor section.
2. New Balance to be the project’s footwear and apparel supplier
3. The project will be launched at a KOTO fundraising dinner in Melbourne
4. Melbourne Football Club to support the project via a number of yet to be determined programs and / mediums (eg in house media /communication staff to ensure timely updates and stories. (Examples of similar promotions on the MFC’s website include Darwin and Kakadu trips.)

Story of related interest: Huyen realises her dream

Major sponsor of the Vietnam Swans, Wide Eyed Tours, posted some great news on its website two days ago:

“Back in December 2011 we posted a blog story about a young disabled girl, Huyen, who is from a picturesque little village in a remote valley north of Hanoi.  We have befriended Huyen and, on our motorbike tours, we visit her family to enjoy a home cooked meal.  Our generous travellers have been donating money so that Huyen can fulfill her dream of studying English in Hanoi.

“We are thrilled to let you know that Huyen is how studying English in Hanoi.” Click here for the full story.