€13,000 raised in Drogheda for gorta Haiti Humanitarian Relief Fund
March 15th, 2010
The people of Drogheda and the North East surpassed themselves last month when they came out in force to raise much needed funds for victims of the Haiti earthquake. €13,000 is the remarkable figure The Cecilian Singers choir group, along with many other talented local choirs, musicians and singers raised on the night.
Held on February 12th in the TLT Concert Hall & Theatre, the night’s entertainment also included fantastic performances from the Drogheda Brass Band, St. Peter’s Male Voice Choir, Sonata, The Tredagh Singers and special guest appearances by Tenor Dean Power and Soprano, Sinead Campbell-Wallace.
The woman who put the whole thing together, Chairperson of the Cecilian Singers, Susan Mullen said she was "bowled over by the generosity of the people in the town and everyone that donated their time and energy to the cause". Phil Conyngham, chairperson of the Louth gorta committee and recent recipient of the Drogheda Women of Worth award for her work in the Community, accepted the cheque on behalf of gorta.
Phil thanked everyone for their support, including all of the singers and musicians involved, Tommy Leddy for kindly donating the TLT Concert Hall & Theatre, and also Ciaran Leddy from the Drogheda Sound shop. She assured the people of Drogheda that “100% of the monies raised will assist the victims of the earthquake in rebuilding their lives”.
When Haiti was struck with the earthquake that injured 300,000, claimed the lives of over 230,000 others, and left an estimated 600,000 homeless, gorta responded by announcing the creation of a €250,000 gorta Haiti Humanitarian Relief Fund. The initial response was to partner with the Irish Red Cross and provide an immediate €50,000 towards the provision of emergency medical supplies for the alleviation of suffering. Since then, thanks to the generosity of the Irish people, further funds have been committed for a much needed sanitation programme, and gorta continues to monitor and support the situation.
Through the partnership with the Red Cross, and other specialist organisations on the ground in Haiti, gorta will ensure that a community-based approach will be adhered to so that those affected will be supported in driving their own recovery.
