CARRAIGALINE LIONS CLUB RECOGNISED WITH COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD
A group of people who have built homes for older people and a youth centre as well as raising millions of euro in the process are the latest winners of the Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Award.
The Carrigaline & District Lions Club is one of the most active Lions Clubs in Ireland. It was founded in 1988 and has more than 50 members who volunteer their time to serve their local community and beyond.
The club has raised more than two million euro over the last 33 years. It built two sheltered housing developments for older and vulnerable people before turning its focus to the young people of the area. The one million euro Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre was officially opened in 2015; the 6,000 square foot building includes a youth cafe, activity and IT room as well as offices and meeting spaces.
General Manager of the Cork International Hotel, Carmel Lonergan said: “Lions are described as ordinary people doing extraordinary things and Carrigaline & District Lions Club is the perfect example of this. The club has become part of the fabric and heart of Carrigaline and the surrounding areas. Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre is a wonderful, state-of-the-art facility for young people and is a huge asset to the town. There are also 16 sheltered housing units that were built by Carrigaline & District Lions Club. It organises many fundraisers throughout the year including the very successful Christmas Food Appeal. The club is really making a difference to people’s lives and I am delighted that it has been chosen as the December winner of the Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Award.”
The awards are open to community groups and organisations in Cork from first-responders to community centres, victim support services to sports groups and those volunteering in the health and disability sectors.
The awards, which are sponsored by The Carrigdhoun Newspaper and Gerald McCarthy Giftware, will take place in a large geographical area in South Cork stretching from Rochestown, Douglas and Togher to Kinsale, Crosshaven and Passage West.
The judging panel comprises of a mixture of public and private sector representatives from the community.
The judging panel for this award was:
- Carmel Lonergan General Manager Cork International Hotel
- Nicola Radley Senior Executive Officer, Municipal District Operations & Rural Development at Cork County Council
- Aisling Killilea Bank of Ireland Manager Carrigaline and Douglas
- Vincent O’Donovan Carrigdhoun
- Jack White Carrigdhoun