Emergency services pull their weight in fundraiser

Members of the Gardai, Fire and Ambulance Service in Meath took part in a hugely successful fundraiser for St Mary"s Special School, Johnstown, last Friday. Some 30 members of the emergency services were involved in the 'Pulling Together" event which saw the team pull the Meath Fire Service Emergency River Boat from the Silver Tankard on the N3 Navan- Kells Road to Johnstown Shopping Centre. The bucket collection on the day raised €13,800 and some 700 sponsorship cards are also in circulation among the combined emergency services, the teaching staff, SNAs, logistical staff, the school board, parents and friends of the school, as well as in pubs, hotels and coffee shops throughout the county. The amount raised in sponorship will be known in the coming weeks when all the cards are returned. Funds raised will go towards the purchase of special equipment for St Mary"s Special School classes at the Bailis Resource Centre. Some of the funds will also be used to send seven pupils to Poland for an exchange programme. This is the first time that an exchange has been attempted by the school and they are hoping to bring seven children from Poland to Ireland next year. The 'Pulling Together" event was inspired by four teaching staff at the school who approached a member of the emergency services to seek their support to raise funds. The event was organised by Brian Havern from Navan Gardai, John McCullough and Mick Smith from the Meath Fire Service and Mick Rogers from the Ambulance Service. Garda Havern explained that they had visited the school, which has 67 pupils and 50 staff, and saw all the good work being done. They also realised how much the school relies on fundraising for equipment and plans were soon underway for the fundraiser. The bucket collection on the day was organised by parent Fiona Casey with the help of parents and also involved members of the local community. The boat-pull team began their task at the Silver Tankard on Friday morning and pulled the boat along the Kells Road and out to Johnstown. The aim of the boat-pull was also to raise public awareness of the Meath Fire Service River Boat which can be deployed within five minutes of an emergency and has a crew of eight trained divers. The boat-pull finished at Johnstown, where two classes from St Mary"s School are being taught in the Bailis Resource Centre, and a street party took place which was organised by the staff. The Garda Band also entertained the crowd. Afterwards, the boat-pull crew did a lap of the town with an ambulances, fire appliance and Garda vehicles. A celebrity benefit night will also take place at Reilly"s Market Bar in Navan this Friday, 26th June, where a four-course meal with a glass of wine can be enjoyed for €50, with €40 being donated to St Mary"s Special School. There will be entertainment from Michael Hayes of RTE"s 'How Low Can You Go?" and 'Fair City" and music by Simon Fagan, as well as a big raffle in aid of the school.