The Committee of Claregalway Leisure Centre held their annual Craft Fair in the Centre on the 18th November. A very successful day was had. Crafts on display included pottery, jewellery, knitwear, decorations, stained glass, slate mirrors, and many Christmas items. There were also novelty draws such as guess the weight of the cake, and the number of sweets in the jar. Children were catered for with face painting and hair braiding, and a very popular lucky dip. Local items on sale included the fundraising calendar produced by the Centre this year with all proceeds going towards the refurbishment of the showers, toilets and kitchen area.
The newly launched local directory was also on sale, as were the beautiful Christmas cards featuring paintings by local schoolchildren which are being sold by the Parents Association of Claregalway NS as a fundraiser. Local artists Paula Evans and Margaret Lenihan exhibited paintings, many of which are scenes in the parish. A lovely Christmas atmosphere was created with the décor of the hall and the seasonal music. The committee also ran a cake sale, and a raffle, with the proceeds going to the upkeep of the Centre. Refreshments were on sale, and many people ended their shopping and viewing with a cup of tea and some apple tart and cream. Profits from the day go towards the upkeep of the Leisure Centre.
The committee would like to thank all those who came along to help set up the hall, to those who gave of their time to man stalls, sell tickets and help clean up afterwards. A special word of appreciation is due to the sponsors of the prizes in the raffle—Cregmore Construction, Walsh’s Fireplaces, Michele Rohan, and McGreals Supermarket. Thanks also to all the local people who donated cakes to the cake stall. It is vital to the life of the community that the hall continues to be maintained and ran, as it is an invaluable resource for all in the area.
The committee would also like to extend their thanks to all those who helped out with the recent bag packing fundraiser in Tesco’s, especially the youngsters who were so hard working and enthusiastic. All of the proceeds going towards the much needed refurbishment of the hall.
It has been a long standing ambition of the committee to update the toilets and showers, and to re-do the kitchen area. The community centre is in almost continuous use, and the costs of maintenance, insurance, heating and electricity are growing all the time. Over the last year the committee have been trying to raise funds to pay for the refurbishment. The fundraising calendar is still on sale locally. Please make sure you buy one, and help support this worthy cause.
Siobhán Lynskey, Secretary
