Vartry Rowing Club raises €14,000 for Cancer Care
The Flogas-sponsored Vartry Rowing Club in Wicklow has raised €14,070 for St. Vincent’s Cancer Care Foundation and presenting the cheque to the Foundation’s voluntary ceo John Hickey were (front) team captain Paula Keating, club chairman George O’Brien and team captain Garrett Whittington, along with (back row, l/r) Dave Collard, Thomas Corkish, Kerrylee J. Hempenstall, Leanne Manning, Thomas Hamill, Jason Dunne, Dale Flaherty, Liz Collard, Joe Quinn, Pascal Ryan, Jordan Ryan, Jim Kenny, Marie Fahy, Laurie Keogh, Hilda Cullen and Mary Doyle.
Vartry Rowing Club used the biannual Celtic Challenge last May as a platform to raise money for St. Vincent’s Foundation, the fundraising body for St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group which raises funds in aid of research and patient care. The Celtic Challenge is the longest open sea race of its kind in the world and Vartry Rowing Club came second in this year’s competition.
George O’Brien, chairman of Vartry Rowing Club said, “ The people of Wicklow were incredibly generous in supporting us and we are very grateful for their support in raising funds for this very worthwhile cause.”
Despite all the success, Vartry Rowing club is still without its own clubhouse. George said, “Other rowing clubs around the country have their own club house and facilities and Vartry, which is arguably one the most successful, does not. We are petitioning Wicklow County Council for a clubhouse for Vartry Rowing Club to form part of its plans to develop the harbour as it is a wonderful club that gives so much back to the community where it is based.”