Castletroy and District Lions Club

Castletroy and District Lions Club host Senior Lunch


There was singing, dancing and festive cheer at the annual Castletroy and District Lions Club Christmas Senior lunch at the Castletroy Park Hotel last Sunday.

More than 70 invited guests from The Park Village and the Monaleen/Milford Active Retirement group, enjoyed a delicious three course meal, then donned their party hats and danced to the music of Pat Keating and the Clampers band.

This is an annual event sponsored by the Castletroy and District Lions Club.

“We were delighted with the event, and that everybody enjoyed themselves. I would like to thank the staff who were so pleasant and cheerful and the food was delicious. Of course Pat and the band were fantastic and encouraged everybody to sing and get involved,” said Castletroy and District Lions Club President Ms Rita O’Donoghue.

Every Lions Club supports a range of projects in its local community, including health and youth and senior initiatives by organising fundraising activities, and every penny raised goes back into the local community.

Castletroy and District Lions host ASIST


Civil Defence volunteer Gary Shanahan would feel more confident to help someone in distress having completed the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) course which recently took place in the Castletroy Park hotel, hosted by the Castletroy and District Lions Club.

In Ireland more than 20,000 people have taken this course since it was development in 1983, more than a million people have taken the ASIST course, which is a two day workshop in suicide first aid. The Living Works’ ASIST programme was developed in Canada in 1983 and is a Health Service Initiative (HSE) started in 2003. Starting in Canada in the early 1980s, More than half a million people have participated worldwide – over 20,000 in Ireland. The NOSP was formed directly after the launch of Ireland’s first suicide prevention strategy; Reach Out: A National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention 2005-2014. The NOSP coordinates ASIST at a national level.

The course trains participants to reduce the immediate risk of a suicide and increase the support for a person at risk. It also provides opportunities to learn what a person at risk may need in order to keep safe and get more help and it encourages honest, open and direct talk about suicide as part of preparing people to provide suicide first aid.

Gary, who is a Swiftwater and Flood Responder Instructor joined the Civil Defence in 2010 said, “A huge part of what we do is search and rescue. Often the person we are searching for may be in a distress state with intent to harming themselves. Our goal is to find the person before any harm can come to them. Once found it is vital to keep the person safe until they receive the help they need. I knew from talking to others that have done this course that it would give me the skills to keep that person safe.”

The Civil Defence is largely made up of volunteers who come from all backgrounds. There are between 3,500 to 4,000 volunteers throughout the country. Each county is then managed by a Civil Defence Officer who are employees of the local authority. The Civil Defence college is based in Roscrea and the staff that work there are employed by the Department of Defence.

 “Apart from meeting some fantastic likeminded people, I feel I gained a lot from the course. It gave me the confidence to approach a person in distress. The skills I learned gave me a clear end goal and a structure on how to get there. It was emotionally tough at times but well worth doing,” added Gary.

 The Castletroy and District Lions Club host the ASIST every year. 

For people who are affected to www.yourmentalhealth.ie for further information on services and also the 24/7 free phone numbers for Samaritan’s 116123 and Pieta House on 1800 247 247

Gary Shanahan

 

Castletroy & District Lions Club aids Cliona’s Foundation


President of the Castletroy and District Lions Club Rita O’Donoghue, would like to thank all who helped and attended the table quiz in aid of Cliona’s Foundation at the Castletroy Park Hotel on Friday April 21.

Though incapacitated at the time of the event Ms O’Donoghue said the evening was a great success in helping to raise funds and awareness for Cliona’s Foundation.

Phil Deegan spokesperson for Cliona’s Foundation Photo by Jen Fuentes

Cliona’s Foundation is a Limerick based charity, established in 2007 by Brendan and Terry Ring, that provides financial assistance directly to parents of children with life limiting or chronic complex care needs throughout Ireland, to help with the non medical expenses related to caring for their child.

Following the death of their daughter Cliona, from an inoperable brain tumour, Brendan and Terry set up Cliona’s Foundation, in honour of their daughter. Since its launch, the charity has raised in excess of €1.25 million euro over the past 10 years and provided assistance to over 400 families in 29 Counties.

“We were delighted to get the call from Rita advising that the Castletroy Lions Club had selected Cliona’s Foundation as beneficiary of their Annual quiz. The Lions Club do tremendous charitable work and we have been very lucky to have benefitted from their fundraising activities in previous years.

“Cliona’s Foundation relies solely on fundraising events and private and corporate donations, so this event and the monies generated from it are very important to us, to enable us continue support families who need it,” said spokesperson for Cliona’s Foundation Phil Deegan.

Phil said events like this are important for the foundation, not only for benefitting from the money received but also for the opportunity to raise awareness for the work the foundation does, such as being the only charity in the country to provide this type of support across a broad range of conditions, from birth up to the age of 16 years

The money raised from this event will go directly towards providing assistance to a family of a child with a life limiting illness, to help alleviate the pressure and stress associated with the non medical costs, such as car parking charges, accommodation, travel expenses, childcare costs or specialised equipment.

“This week we were able to send out cheques to 8 families. For one of these families both children have a life limiting illness and are travelling abroad for treatment with one of them. Both parents have taken leave from work and will be incurring significant costs at home and abroad.

“Each year is a challenge in terms of fundraising, and while we are delighted our profile has increased significantly over the past 2 years, that has also meant an increase in the number of applications we are receiving on a weekly basis. Ideally we want to be in a position that we do not have to refuse any family that meet the criteria our support.

“It is the many thank you letters we receive back from families that reinforce for us the need that’s out there, the impact that our support has and the drive for us to continue on our journey,” said Phil.

The Castletroy and District Lions Club is a volunteer organisation that organises fundraising events with every penny raised going directly to good causes in local communities  All members of Lion Clubs International are committed to serving local communities.

www.clionasfoundation.ie

www.castletroydistrictlionsclub.wordpress.com

Phil Deegan spokesperson of Cliona’s Foundation and Ken Mc Cauley member of Castletroy and District Lions Club Photo by Jen Fuentes

Castletroy and District Lions Club hold Table Quiz in Aid of Cliona’s Foundation


Castletroy and District Lions Club are holding a table quiz in aid of Cliona’s Foundation at the Castletroy Park Hotel at 8.30pm on Friday April 21.

Cliona’s Foundation is a Limerick based charity, established in 2007 by Brendan and Terry Ring, that provides financial assistance directly to parents of children with life limiting or chronic complex care needs throughout Ireland, to help with the non medical expenses related to caring for their child.

Following the death of their daughter Cliona, from an inoperable brain tumour, Brendan and Terry set up Cliona’s Foundation, in honour of their daughter. Since its launch, the charity has raised in excess of €1.25 million euro over the past 10 years and provided assistance to over 400 families in 29 Counties.

“We were delighted to get the call that the Castletroy Lions Club had selected Cliona’s Foundation as beneficiary of their Annual quiz.

“Cliona’s Foundation relies solely on fundraising events and private and corporate donations, so this event and the monies generated from it are very important to us, to enable us continue support families who need it,” said spokesperson for Cliona’s Foundation Phil Deegan.

Phil said events like this are important for the foundation, not only for benefitting from the money received but also for the opportunity to raise awareness for the work the foundation does, such as being the only charity in the country to provide this type of support across a broad range of conditions, from birth up to the age of 16 years

The money raised from this event will go directly towards providing assistance to a family of a child with a life limiting illness, to help alleviate the pressure and stress associated with the non medical costs, such as car parking charges, accommodation, travel expenses, childcare costs or specialised equipment.

“This week we were able to send out cheques to 8 families. For one of these families both children have a life limiting illness and are travelling abroad for treatment with one of them. Both parents have taken leave from work and will be incurring significant costs at home and abroad.

“Each year is a challenge in terms of fundraising, and while we are delighted our profile has increased significantly over the past 2 years, that has also meant an increase in the number of applications we are receiving on a weekly basis. Ideally we want to be in a position that we do not have to refuse any family that meet the criteria our support.

“It is the many thank you letters we receive back from families that reinforce for us the need that’s out there, the impact that our support has and the drive for us to continue on our journey,” said Phil.

The Castletroy and District Lions Club is a volunteer organisation that organises fundraising events with every penny raised going directly to good causes in local communities  All members of Lion Clubs International are committed to serving local communities.

Tables of 4 are €40 and there will also be a raffle.

www.clionasfoundation.ie

www.castletroydistrictlionsclub.wordpress.com

Castletroy and District Lions Club host Christmas lunch for the Mature and Alone


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The Castletroy and District Lions Club hosted a well attended, successful lunch for the Mature and Alone at the Castletroy Park Hotel on Sunday December 4.

In the beautifully decorated ballroom where bauble laden Christmas trees, crackers and party hats added to the festive atmosphere, the friendly waiters and waitresses wearing Santa hats, served a large number of guests, a delicious three course lunch.

Having dined by candlight, there was much singing along to well known tunes, dancing and laughter as the guests were entertained by a talented local volunteer band, who get together for such occasions.