Support sought for Gort charity fundraiser

A GROUP of South Galway teenagers are calling on businesses in the area to join with them to support a West of Ireland heart charity.
Gort No Name Club are holding an exciting, innovative and fun community project, which will bring people and groups together to raise money for the charity.
The club is appealing to Galway businesses and the community to support the alternative fashion show it will be staging on Friday, March 25 to raise funds for Croí, the charity that attempts to reduce the impact of heart disease and stroke on families living in the West of Ireland.
The aim of the project is to improve vital lifesaving facilities in South Galway and North Clare.
The show is being driven by the hosts and hostesses of Gort No Name Club. The event will take place at The Centre, Gort, from 7.30pm.
The project is particularly important to one of the hostesses, 16-year-old Aoife O’Shea. The Seamount College pupil is co-ordinating the initiative with the support of her local No Name Club.
“My father, a young healthy man, passed away suddenly in October due to a heart condition; a condition he did not know about, that showed no signs or symptoms but yet proved fatal.
“He was in an area where defibrillators and trained operators were available to him. Unfortunately, nothing could have been done to save his life.
“It is my aim to raise money to provide resources, to prevent what happened to me happening to someone else,” the young woman told The Clare Champion.
The initiative was launched last month at the No Name Club Eastern/Southern Region Conference 2011 in the Garda College, Templemore.
Members of the Gort Club were joined by Carole Goulding, No Name Club chairperson and Con Nolan, the organisation’s chief executive officer, at the launch.
Shop owners can enter eight outfits into the show in exchange for a voucher for their shop, which will be included in the raffle.
Gort NNC is also looking for people from local clubs, young and old, to showcase the clothing and be models for the night. An invitation is also being issued to local clubs, organisations and artists to deliver the entertainment during the event.
“This promises to be a new and exciting community project that will be accessible to all ages and a challenging and uplifting event in these financially tough times,” Trish Beakey, Secretary of Gort No Name Club says.
“It is our aim to bring Gort and the wider community together for a night of fun, entertainment and togetherness, all in aid of a very worthy cause.”
“Any support people could give to this cause would be much appreciated,” concluded Aoife.