A FUNERAL planning service is one of the more unusual items which will be going under the hammer next month as part of an innovative fundraising effort in aid of a well known Clare charity.
Ennis Lions Club and Clare FM are partnering again to hold their third annual Radio Charity Auction with this year’s chosen charity Sláinte an Chláir, Clare Cancer Support. The local voluntary organisation provide extensive free services to people with a cancer diagnosis.
As well as the funeral service, other prizes on offer include vouchers for local businesses and an overnight stay in a five star Dublin hotel.
People will have the opportunity to bid on the wide variety of donated items and services online by registering in advance of the auction going live from October 7 at ennislionsclub.ie.
The live auction will be hosted by Clare FM on October 18.
While Sláinte an Chláir gets no government or HSE financial support they continue to provide an ever widening range of complementary and professional services, managed by a team of volunteers.
However they do employ fully qualified trained employed professionals to provide patient services – so funds are always needed, outlines Ennis Lions Club.
Members of the club have family who have experience of the care, comfort and professional services on offer in Kilnamona, and more recently in Raheen Community Hospital in Scarriff.
President of Ennis Lions Club David Goodstein recalls, “Apart from the physical supports our members spoke of the intangible value of Sláinte an Chláir– the peer support groups and the warm welcome as well as the perfectly pitched morale boosting self care days. We feel that is a golden nugget for people facing endless medical interventions and decisions.”
Having heard such positive stories from those members it was not difficult for the Lions project team to stand up and commit to raising funds so that Sláinte an Chláir could continue to benefit our local cancer sufferers so wholesomely.
Padraic Flaherty, operations manager at Clare FM was unconditional in reinforcing that support saying, “Clare FM have a strong partnership with Sláinte an Chláir, which has tirelessly supported so many.
“It’s a great choice on the Lions behalf and we look forward to hosting Auction 2024 to support them.”
Project Manager Hans Eisenberg enthused, “As well as the much sought after vouchers from our generous local businesses such as hairdressers, garages, boutiques, mobile valets, leisure centres and golf clubs this year we have some interesting new additions including a Funeral Planning Service and an overnight stay in a five star Dublin hotel.
“Check out our auction platform from October 7 to see the full range of items available.”
Ennis Lions Club are also urging local businesses, service providers and professionals to donate an item or service to the auction to ensure the greatest possible fundraising at the grand finale live auction hosted by Clare FM on October 18.
Anyone who wishes to pledge a donation for the event can do so my emailing act auction@ennislionsclub.ie.
Meanwhile, young people throughout Ennis are being urged to showcase their visions for peace in an international art competition. For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups and the Ennis Lions Club are inviting schools and youth groups to get involved.
Children are asked to create peace posters that will inspire the world through art and creativity. In launching the Peace Poster 2024 Lions Club International stated that for peace to be anything more than a possibility, we need to make it a priority.
This year, Lions Club International are asking young students globally to create a poster that speaks to our world’s infinite potential for kindness once we commit to pursuing the idea of peace without limits.
The competition is open to children aged 11, 12 or 13 years on November 15 of this year. The theme of this year’s competition is ‘Peace Without Limits’.
Judges will seek expressions of what peace without limits means to the artists, evaluating the posters on three criteria; originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme.
Ennis Lions are particularly delighted to partner with Art and Craft Co, Merchants Square, Ennis, who have generously sponsored a first place prize of a €100 voucher for the local winner.
That winner will receive entry into the International Peace Poster Contest where the prize is US$5,000 and an invitation to the award ceremony.
A further 23 Merit Award Winners globally will receive US$500 each.
“There has never been a more relevant time to put a focus on peace. We encourage schools to consider using this competition to bring that focus into their classrooms in a creative, imaginative and, we expect, inspirational way,” said Ennis Lions Club President, David Goodstein.
This is an individual entrant competition requiring original artwork being the work of one person only. Submission deadline for local entries is 12pm on October 25, 2024. Winners will be notified through their school or youth leader on October 30, 2024, and the winning poster will be submitted to the Lions International Contest before November 15, 2024.
Interested teachers and youth group leaders can get further details and terms and conditions of the competition by emailing info@ennislionsclub.ie.