ROTARY CLUB PRESENTS CHEQUE TO R.N.L.I.

On the three weekends prior to Christmas the members of Donaghadee Rotary Club took turns at playing Santa and distributing presents to children visiting Donaghadee Garden Centre. The Garden Centre supplied the presents. The children’s parents donated money to the R.N.L.I. for Donaghadee Lifeboat.  

On Thursday 2nd March 2006 Donaghadee Rotary Club President Peter Irwin and Victoria Kennedy from Donaghadee Garden Centre presented a cheque for £1800 being the money raised to Alan Couser and Shane McNamara from Donaghadee Lifeboat station.  

When thanking the Rotary Club and the Garden Centre for their effort in collecting the money Alan pointed out that there had been 10,000 lifeboat launches nation wide last year and that Donaghadee accounts for approx 25 every year. He added that if only one life is saved then it has all been worthwhile. He also mentioned that only 3% of their funds go on administration. Shane McNamara added that the Donaghadee Lifeboat had saved 19 people last year. The boat, although only 3 years old, has just completed extensive maintenance to keep it in first class condition.   Work included a repaint of the superstructure and remedial work to  engine mountings and a prop shaft which was slightly out of line as a result of the boat encountering very heavy seas in a call out. Victoria added that she was glad to see an increase in the money raised at the Garden Centre this year.

President Peter then thanked Rotarians Mark Brooks, John Kane, his wife Helen, and the member’s wives for the soup and cheese event last Sunday. He announced that £563 had been raised by the event.  

The Sergeant at Arms, Myles Geddis whilst in full oratory flow-collecting fines was for the first time forced to sit down speechless. This was as the result of a retort by that master of scintillating sarcasm and rapid repartee President elect Mark Brooks.

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