Firemen go to the aid of children in Mombasa

TWO well-known firemen are gearing up for a charity trip to Mombasa to assist with the construction of a new home for blind children.
Kilkee Fire Station officer, Charlie McGrath and Ennis fireman, Danny Keller have been busy fundraising to help change the lives of blind children in Mombasa.
They will be part of a group of about 200 from Clare and other parts of the country who will head off to Kenya as part of the 2012 Building of Hope Project.
The crew of charity workers includes blocklayers, carpenters, electricians, tilers, painters, plasterers and labourers and is split into four groups of 50, who will be departing at different stages over the coming weeks.
The Building of Hope Project offers practical help, education, support and care to the less well off throughout the world.
Every volunteer and committee member raised €3,000 each over the past number of months and all funds raised are used solely for the project.
St Joseph’s Training School for the Blind chief executive officer, Brian Allen and his team have also freely given their expertise for the project. Brian and his staff will travel to Mombasa towards the final phase of the project to oversee the transition of the children to their new home.
Allen Flynn and his staff in the Old Ground Hotel have also made his hotels in Ennis and Kilkenny available to the committee at no extra cost.
A committee spokesperson said all the volunteers would experience first-hand the huge difference they make to the lives of these children.
Danny Keller, who is also a painter, was introduced to the charity by Dan Ryan, who spent some time working as a tiler on another Building of Hope project in 2009. This duo have raised €4,000 from fundraising ventures between them and have another €2,000 to collect.
Both will be heading to Mombasa on February 15 for 10 days, with Lorna Downes and Claire Liddy who are also part of Group Four. Other Clare volunteers include Ennis traffic warden Aidán Ó Murchadha and Danny’s wife’s aunt, Marie O’Neill.
They have organised a table quiz in the Alymer’s Rest, Ennis, on January 26 at 8.30pm and hope to secure about 20 tables.
Coláiste Muire, Ennis, is also conducting some fundraising events over the coming weeks.
Danny is looking forward to painting a school and a house for blind children once it is constructed by other tradesmen.
Ennis assistant fire chief, Tom Bourke, gave the duo and Danny’s colleagues in the fire service permission to use fire tenders and dress in official uniforms during flag day collections for the project in 2009 and 2010.
Danny said it was good to see the Clare Fire Service contributing to such a worthy charity.
“It is a very good cause for all the firefighters to get involved in. All the firemen have been very generous with their contributions, which has been a huge help. The community are also good to the fire service.
“I think it is good for children to see firemen raising money for charity and they love to get photographs with firemen during our flag days,” he said.
For further information on sponsorship, contact Danny at 087 9709011.