Ballygarvan Woman Wins Community Spirit Award
Cork International Hotel is Continuing its Search for Unsung Heroes
Elaine O’Regan from Ballygarvan Community Association has been chosen as “The Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Award” winner for April. The association brings young and older generations together and also promotes the social, economic, cultural and environmental welfare of the entire community.
Elaine O’Regan has volunteered as secretary for the last five years and has played an integral role in the renovation of Ballygarvan Old National School building which is now home to the Community Centre. She dedicates her own time to cleaning, decorating and fundraising for the new centre.
This year, Ballygarvan Community Association is using funding awarded by Cork County Council to continue works on the centre, install new benches in the village as well as adding beautiful flowers and signs.
Elaine is the fourth winner of “The Cork International Hotel Community Spirit Award”. It was established to honour volunteers who are making a significant contribution to their community and sees a group or individual chosen every month with an overall winner selected at the end of the year. 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.
General Manager of the Cork International Hotel, Carmel Lonergan said: “We are delighted to see Elaine O’Regan win the fourth monthly Community Spirit Award. She does a fantastic job in helping to make her local village a wonderful place to live. It is great to be able to honour the work Elaine and the entire association does. These awards are a great way to pay tribute to the important community groups and volunteer organisations in our locality. So many people have pulled together over the last year and gone above and beyond and we want to recognise that.”
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