Mountmellick community supporting missions
Enjoying a cuppa at the Mission Alive Coffee Morning were Noel Coss and Sister Madaleine. Photo Denis Byrne.
Over €5,000 was raised last weekend for a Zambian orphanage, thanks to a great turnout for Mountmellick’s Mission Alive Group’s coffee morning.
The group held their second annual coffee morning, cake and plant sale last Friday, July 13 at Fr Noel Dunphy’s house.
Home baked scone and cakes, potted plants and raffle prizes were kindly donated, while the Mountmellick Knitting Circle outdid themselves by giving a beautiful knitted quilt as top raffle prize.
Donations were also made by St Joseph’s GNS teacher Ms P Phelan on behalf of her pupils who knitted and sold Easter Bunnies, and by Goretti Whelan, who held a neighbourhood barbeque in Debbicot, raising an impressive €1,100.
Chairperson Sheelagh Coyle was delighted with the great support.
“The support is very high because people know all the proceeds are going to the orphan project, there is no administration cost deducted. It seems to resonate with people, you read about charitable organisations that have CEOs getting salaries, but the orphanage is run by Sr Paula, members have gone out to visit and we get details where the money is spent,” she said.
Since the group formed ten years ago, they have contributed over €50,000 to the orphanage, run by Franciscan sisters. They have bought uniforms, books and educational aids and food. Most of the children’s parents died from AIDs. As uniforms are mandatory for attending school in Lusaka, they have also bought sewing machines for local women to run them up.
“Food has increased greatly in price there, that is why we started up the summer coffee morning. Our table quiz in early December is always very well supported,” said Sheelagh, who joined the group while teaching in St Joseph’s GNS, staying on after her retirement.
She thanked everyone who donated items, all the committee and helpers, and those who supported the coffee morning.
“Thanks also to Fr Noel Dunphy for the use of his house, the Sewing Guild and Mrs Thompson’s Charity Shop. The Mission Alive Group really appreciates the generosity of people towards this very worthy cause,” she said.
*The Mountmellick Library Knitting Circle. The knitters meet once a week and they do a mixture of charity projects and work on their own knitting projects.
The group has finished up for the summer months but will resume again in September. The knitters are always on the lookout for donations of wool for their knitting projects.
Anyone interested in taking part or donating wool can contact the library in Mountmellick on 057 8644588.
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Thursday 23 May 2013
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