Yileen Gordon has been working to promote positive messages around health and wellbeing for roughly a decade but every chance to meet and speak with children is still as important as the last.
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The former NRL Indigenous All Star and current South Sydney Rabbitoh has been at it again this week, speaking to school students around the region in the lead-up to the weekend's Charity Shield match at Mudgee.
Gordon and former Rabbitoh Ethan Lowe visited three schools in Wellington on Wednesday before heading to Mudgee for more seminars ahead of the annual pre-season clash between South Sydney and the St George Illawarra Dragons on Saturday night.
"It's been really, really good and I've loved every minute of it," Gordon said while at Wellington.
"It wouldn't be often people come out here and we're out here for the whole week.
"This inspires me every day. It's my job and I'm a mentor at South Cares and I come out here and kids might not get to see an NRL player or someone of that calibre so it's been really good to see the kids change and take onboard what we're saying."
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The Souths Cares school visits covered many areas this week.
As well as getting the chance to have a run around and work on some footy skills, the Rabbitohs trio spoke to students about mental wellbeing, healthy living, and staying safe.
"It's okay to feel unwell but it's as equally important to talk to someone," Gordon said of the seminar topics.
"The importance of eating well and getting the right amount of sleep plus some things around online safety. Letting them know Souths cares about them, basically."
South Sydney has always been a club with a passionate fanbase but their footprint in the western area has grown in recent years.
This marks the fifth straight year the Charity Shield has been played at Mudgee while the Rabbitohs will again return to Dubbo for an NRL premiership match this year after packing out Apex Oval for a clash with Penrith in 2021.
Gordon made the trip to Dubbo last year in the build-up to that one and he said it was special to see the hordes of fans in red and green everywhere he went.
"I see the support coming out in droves," Gordon said.
"Last year with the game in Dubbo against the Panthers there were the rhinos painted red and green around town.
"That just lit up my face. We were getting selfies with it and it was really good. It's really good they've returned the favour and jumped onboard with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and anything we do and bring out here to Wello and Dubbo."
Gordon added it was particularly important to connect with the Wellington and Dubbo region given the large Aboriginal population.
A club that has always had a strong Indigenous connection, the Rabbitohs have done plenty with the Wellington community in the past and have developed a relationship with the Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service.
"It's always a pleasure to go to Wello," he said.
Gordon will also play for the Rabbitohs' NSW Cup side in the curtain-raiser to the Charity Shield at Mudgee on Saturday.
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