Both a current and former sporting legend visited King Street Public School on Friday.
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Professional bull rider, Cody Heffernen, and former Newcastle Knights player, Mark Hughes, shared their stories with the students.
And, what contrasting tales they are.
Hefferen is Australia's top ranked bull rider and is back home for a couple of months.
He is currently ranked 41 in the world and it all began in Singleton.
On top of his to do list was to visit his old primary school and show the students some of the gear needed to handle and ride to an angry bull.
Surrounded by some of the school’s infant students Heffernen was happy to show them his championship belt buckles, riding chaps and bull rider vest.
Among the students were his nieces and nephews – Benji, Lane, Sonny and Kiarah Heffernan, and Tori and Peyton Montgomery.
Heffernen expects to be in Singleton until August and then return to his American base in Fort Worth, Texas.
While in recent years Hughes and his wife, Kirralee, have established a foundation to raise much needed funds for Brain Cancer research.
After the former professional Rugby League player who also played State of Origin for New South Wales received a life-changing diagnosis in 2013.
What followed this was an overwhelming level of support from family, friends and the community, which helped Hughes maintain a positive mindset throughout his treatment.
It was this support that led the couple to form the Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF) as a way of helping others in the same position and repaying those who had helped him.
Like their close friends, local business owners Lindy and Gregg Harris, who have been supported the couple throughout their cancer journey.
The One Agency owners were the driving forced behind the ‘Beanie Day’ at King Street.
Their staff manned the barbecue while Woolworths and Bakers Delight chipped by donating lunch.
The MHF Beanie Week is now an annual event that transpires between June 19-23 and it involves organisations, or individuals, picking a date to host an event.
KSPS’s Cindy Judge says they raised $320 and the kids had a wonderful time.
“It was a great way to bring awareness of this cause to our school community,” she says.
While at the school Hughes also presented pennants to their Upper Hunter PSSA rugby league representatives - Ryan Eastlake, Paris Forbes-Izzard and Naite Howlett.
“It was pretty special for the boys to receive them from Mark,” she explains.
