Rotary Club present charity funds, and essay prize to young author

The Rotary Club Mullingar recently made presentations to two local charities and one young prizewinning writer.

The two groups that have benefited are Cara-Phort Family Resource Centre, Ballynacargy, and The Muíriosa Foundation, Mullingar; and the writer is Lisa Smyth, Mullingar, a pupil at St Colman’s NS.

Representatives from the Rotary Club met representatives from the two charities and Lisa and her family at a reception in the Greville Arms Hotel earlier this month.

Rotary Club Mullingar funds are generated mainly from the annual Remembrance Tree (a fundraiser run along with North Westmeath Hospice), an annual golf tournament on the June bank holiday weekend, a table quiz, member subscriptions, donations, and other occasional events, such as the fashion show they hosted some years ago.

Denis Larkin, president of Rotary Club Mullingar, says they are looking for new members, and would like to lower the average age; they would also welcome female members.

Among their plans is a major project that depends on a number of pieces of the jigsaw falling into place – the purchase of a bus for St Mary’s Special School, which will be moving from its current location at Delvin to the St Finian’s College campus in Mullingar, when building work there is complete.

Denis said the bus represents a major investment, and they will present their funding proposal to the national Rotary Foundation, which they hope will add to the funds available locally.

He said they will announce details of that in time, when everything has been confirmed.

Denis added: “We want to thank our sponsors, we appreciate in particular the repeated support for our two main fundraisers, the Remembrance Tree and the golf tournament – without our sponsors, we wouldn’t be in a position to make the donations we make and the contributions we make.”

‘Rebuilding Sandland’

Lisa Smyth from Mullingar won the Rotary Club Young writers (junior category) All Ireland competition and came third in all of Ireland and the UK.

Her short story ‘Rebuilding Sandland’ is about two ‘sand children’, brother and sister Sandy and Mandy, whose sandcastle home keeps getting washed away by the tide.

They rely on children from the nearby campsite to come each day and rebuild their sandcastle home. They attract the children to the part of the beach with the best sand for sandcastles by making trails of shiny shells.

The story is inspired by Lisa and her brother Cillian’s days spent by the sea at Clogherhead, County Louth.

Cara-Phort

The team at Cara-Phort Family Resource Centre in Ballynacargy serve the surrounding area, offering support services through the ethos of community development. They work to promote social inclusion and reduce social isolation.

Among their aims are advancing outcomes including: ensuring people are active and healthy; achieving full potential in all areas of learning and development; that individuals are safe and protected from harm, have economic security and opportunity; and are connected, respected and contributing to their world.

Cara Phort FRC work in collaboration with other community groups, schools and statutory agencies in the area.

Mary Finnegan is chairperson of one of those, the Young at Heart Group, who organise two annual events for people to get together to exchange information, and enjoy dinner and entertainment.

They have 60 members and they provide a social outlet and positive attitude training for the elderly of the parish and the surrounding area. The Young at Heart Group ensure there is contact and support where required for older people in the community living on their own.

Contact: Anne Finneran, acting co-ordinator, development worker, Cara Phort FRC, Harbour Street, Ballynacargy, 044 9373060.

Muiriosa Foundation

The Muiríosa Foundation aim to provide citizens with an intellectual disability and their families a service that promotes individuals’ best interests and choices and that optimally captures the balance of empowerment and necessary safeguards.

Mullingar Respite currently provides supports for 55 individuals. There are 46 adults and nine children who avail of respite. From those, seven of the individuals are wheelchair users. Respite operates five nights of the week, and two weekends a month.

The Muiriosa Foundation are hoping to undertake two projects at Mullingar Respite; development of a sensory room within the main sitting room; and development of a sensory wheelchair user friendly garden.