Photos: Kilkenny Observer newspaper
On Friday of last week, The Kilkenny Observer received an invitation to attend a coffee morning at St Mary’s Day Care Centre at Haughney Green.
An invitation we were delighted to accept.
The invite came from former Brewery employee Eamon Corcoran, who, along with his wife Mary were raising funds for Kilimanjaro direct.
Kilimanjaro Direct (KD) is a charity that has built 14 houses and a primary school in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
The school is run on donations alone. KD provides food and education for twenty two impoverished children. The ethos of the charity is that 100% of all donations go directly to the running of the school and not one cent is taken for expenses or administration fees.
The driving force behind the charity is former Presentation convent teacher Sheila Ryan, who now spends her time fundraising for, and working with those in need.
In 2007 and the charity, Kilimanjaro Direct, was born. Since then a school, the Liberty English Medium Primary School, has been set up and 14 homes have been built.
A message was sent on the morning from Sheila which read: “I am so grateful to people for their support and donations”, thank you all.
One of the first to arrive at the coffee morning was Mayor David Fitzgerald.
David said that it never ceased to amaze him how so many people are prepared to help others. “Such is the case here at Mary’s Day care centre with this coffee morning for Kilimanjaro Direct” said the mayor and he congratulated all involved for both organising and supporting the cause.
Organiser of the event Eamon Corcoran thanked all who attended and said that both he and Mary were thrilled with the response.
Mary thanked Supervalu and Lidl from Loughboy for their support and also Marguerite Walsh, Marie Dowd and Laura Mealy for their assistance on the day
Mary Wong and Ben Delaney sold Marys fab jewellery which contributed to the coffers.
