Golf fundraisers planned in aid of Athlone Meals on Wheels
Despite all of the challenges posed by the pandemic, Athlone Meals on Wheels has continued to operate and provide approximately 175 meals per day to homes in the town and rural areas around South Westmeath and South Roscommon.
To support this important local service, Athlone Golf Club is hosting charity days for Athlone Meals on Wheels, commencing with a Ladies' Open Day on Tuesday next, June 29.
This will be followed by Open Days for ladies and gents on Saturday and Sunday, July 3 and 4.
The 175 meals supplied by the service each weekday are prepared at its kitchen in Arás Bríd, on Excise Street, and delivered by volunteer drivers, many of whom are members of Athlone and Glasson Golf Clubs.
The service also has two vans delivering meals to recipients on the outskirts of Athlone, as far as Moate and surrounding areas on the Eastern side, and to Moore and Taughmaconnell on the Western side, at a cost to the recipients of €4 to €5 per day. The fundraising activities undertaken on behalf of the service helps to maintain these charges at an acceptable level.
This year, one of the Athlone Meals on Wheels vans needed to be replaced and its kitchen equipment had to be upgraded. Thanks to wonderful fundraising of €5,500 by Garrycastle GAA Club, as well as by Alkermes staff and management who donated the proceeds from their cancelled Christmas celebration, and Medtronic Athlone which included the service in its philanthropic initiatives, these additional costs are well on the way to being covered.
The Meals on Wheels committee said this last year had been a difficult one for the service in that the vital personal contact with service users had to be curtailed.
But thanks to the generosity of many people and businesses in Athlone, it's been able to offer little gifts from time to time to help brighten people's days.
Athlone Sweets was extremely generous with its products. Argos staff supplied little treats. Tesco included Athlone Meals on Wheels in their fundraising, and Aldi provided goods at reduced rates. The Polish Community made beautiful masks for everybody and supplied sanitising stations.
The Athlone Meals on Wheels committee is extremely grateful to all who supported the service over the past year in many different ways, especially the volunteer drivers and those who gave gifts and personal donations.
The staff of the service have been extraordinary this year, adapting all of their working practices and social life in line with HSE guidelines on the Covid pandemic, thus ensuring the continuation of the service.
The committee thanked Athlone Golf Club for hosting the upcoming charity days. The main sponsor of the event is PwC Ireland, with additional sponsorship from local business including Collins Spar, Roscommon Road, Smith's SuperValu, Monksland, Brennan and Mc Nally's Centra, Castlemaine Street, and Seery's Cash and Carry, Athlone.
Hopefully many local club members will come and enjoy a lovely golfing experience at the club and in doing so will support the Meals on Wheels service for our senior citizens in Westmeath and Roscommon. Thanks to the sponsors, there will be prizes for ladies and gents and for golfers of all abilities.
To book a slot on the time sheet, log on to the BRS system on the website athlonegolfclub.ie , or call the pro shop on 09064 46008.