The closing date for inclusion of articles and photos in the next newsletter is fast approaching. If you have anything you would like to include in the next newsletter – photos, stories, family announcements or news atricles which may be of interest to other SOFT members – please e-mail them to Terry Matthews, the newsletter co-ordinator, at soft.newsletter@yahoo.ie before 31st January.
Just a quick reminder that the next general committe meeting will be held on the 30th January in O’Loughlins Hotel, Portlaoise at 11:30 sharp.
If you are unable to attend please contact the Chairperson, Carmel Reilly or the Secretary, Clare Carty in advance of the meeting.
The remainder of the meetings will be held in March, June, September and at the AGM.
Exact dates will be posted here when available.
Dear Members,
As you probably know 2009 was a busy year for SOFT Ireland and we are delighted to have achieved so much. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for their help and support during the year and look forward to working together in 2010.
Many of our members suffered bereavements during the year and this will be a difficult and emotional time for them. We should also remember the families who have been affected by Pataus and Edwards Syndrome and heard about these conditions and SOFT Ireland for the first time. As you light your candles for your own special child this year, please think of these families also.
The newly designed Christmas cards have been very well received this year and I would like to thank all those who participated in the competition and congratulate all the winners.
As ever, fundraising is a very inportant part of our organisation. Thank you to all those who organised and / or supported fundraising events or made donations last year. We would not be able to continue to support our members and new families without your continued contributions.
We published our first newsletter in almost 2 years and you should have received this in September. Closing date for receipt of articles, stories, photos etc for the next issue is January 31st 2010 and all items should be sent to our newsletter co-ordinator Terry Matthews (soft.newsletter@yahoo.ie)
I hope you, your families and friends enjoy the Christmas season and wish you all the best for 2010. I look forward to seeing you at SOFT Ireland events during the year.
Carmel Reilly
Chairperson
Just a reminder that our Christmas Cards are still available.
The new design cards are available in variety packs of 10 – 1 of each design – for €7.50 or individual designs may be purchased for €1.00 each or 6 for €5.00.
Please contact Michael & Michelle Griffin at 044-9335674 or mobile 087-9693850.
You can also place your orders by e-mail. The address for all merchandise enquiries is soft.merchandise@yahoo.ie
Our Spring Break 2010 will take place on the weekend of 26th to 28th March. The venue has yet to be confirmed but you may wish to note the dates in your diary. Details of the weekend will be posted here when available and letters will be sent out in February.
The next SOFT Ireland committee meeting will be held on Saturday 30th January in O’Loughlins Hotel, Portlaoise at 11:00 am. Full attendance by committee members would be appreciated. If for any reason you are unable to attend please contact the Chairperson Carmel Reilly or the Secretary Clare Carty in advance
The 2009 AGM is fast approaching and we are looking forward to seeing you all there.
The Agenda for the weekend is as follows…..
Friday 6th November.
9.00 pm Informal get-together in the bar area.
Saturday 7th November.
10.00 am Registration in the Ennell Suite
10.15 am Chairpersons address
10.30 am Opening Ceremony
10.45 am AGM Commences
12.00 pm Guest Speaker – Catherine McGeachy
Afternoon Free
6.30 pm Meet in Ennell Suite for dinner at 7 pm.
Fancy Dress for children.
Don’t forget to bring a spot prize for the raffle.
Sunday 8th November
11.30 am Meet in Ennell Suite for Closing Ceremony.
Directions to Bloomfield Hotel
Travelling West on the Mullingar by-pass take the exit for Tullamote (N52). At top of slip road turn left. Continue straight through first three roundabouts. You will then see a turn to the right signposted for Belvedere house. Take this turn but not into Belvedere, instead continue straight on past the Golf course which is on your left. Bloomfield Hotel is the next turn left.
Travelling East on the by-pass, again take the Tullamore exit (N52). Turn Right at top of slip road and continue as above.
Travelling from South via N6 take the Mullingar/Tyrellspass exit. Follow the signs for Mullingar, turning left at the sign for Belvedere House, past the Golf course and then left into Bloomfield Hotel.
Just a reminder to parents of children who are travelling to Lilliput – please bring a change of clothes!!!
Christmas Cards will be on sale over the weekend. The cost is €7.50 for a pack of ten – one of each of our winning designs.
Mant thanks to all who participated in our Christmas Card competition. With lots of lovely entries it was very dificult to choose the winners. However Mary O’Brien has selected the following designs for our new range of cards.
Edel Reilly, Age 6, Athlone, Co Westmeath
Evan Kelly, Age 6, Co Kilkenny
Fionnán Henry, Age 7, Athlone, Co Roscommon.
Emma Healy, Age 8, Kilmeedy, Co Limerick.
Lauren Reilly, Age 9, Athlone, Co Westmeath
Kate Moore, Age 9, Tralee, Co Kerry.
Ashling Monaghan, Age 11, Maynoth, Co Kildare.
Niamh Rispin, Age 11, Navan, Co Meath.
Emma Judge, Age 12, Crossmolina, Co Mayo
Shane Kennedy, Age 14, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
Christmas Cards will be on sale from early October. Please contact Michael & Michelle Griffin (044 9335674) for further details. We will also have our full range of cards for sale at the AGM in Mullingar.
Congratulations to all our winners and your prizes will be winging their way to you all shortly.
The next general committee meeting will take place on Saturday 12th September in O’Loughlins Hotel, Portlaoise. The meeting will commence at 10:30am sharp and your attendance and punctuality would be much appreciated.
All committee members are asked to bring written reports outlining the status of any items they are working on as this will save time during the meeting and ensure everything is properly recorded.
Final draft of the proposed handbook has been circulated to all committee members. Please review it prior to the meeting so we can discuss and amend as appropriate at the meeting. These will be the final changes which will be make to the handbook so all imput will be much appreciated.
If for any reason you are unable to attend, please contact Patrick Farrelly or Carmel Reilly as soon as possible. Any items you wish to have included in the meeting in your absence can be discussed at this time.
Eddie Dillon, Glanmire, Co. Cork presenting a cheque for €8510 to Martina O’Reilly & Patricia Grehan of SOFT Ireland, for proceeds raised in the recent Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon.
Eddie, along with Bord Gáis colleagues, family & friends, entered a number of teams in the relay event and all ran in memory of Eddie’s baby son Cathal, who died soon after birth in August 2008.
Baby Cathal was born with Patau’s Syndrome / Trisomy 13 and lived for two short days under the fantastic care of the doctors and staff at Cork University Maternity Hospital.
His condition was undetected during pregnancy and came as a huge shock to his father Eddie, mother Karen and siblings Robert (aged 6) and Shauna (aged 3).
But the two precious days they spent with their baby boy are engrained forever in their hearts and are especially poignant around this time – Baby Cathal’s first birthday and anniversary. Eddie and Karen are proud to be able to contribute the proceeds of Eddie’s involvement in the marathon to SOFT in Cathals memory.
Brendan O’Riordan Crossing the Finish Line for SOFT Ireland on Behalf of Team Blue Flame
Team Blue Flame
Back Row – Deaglán Healy, Adrian Ahern,Brendan O’Riordan
Front Row – Eddie Dillon, Glynn Aherne
Shauna, Robert and Baby Cathal
