There is now just over three weeks to go to the staging of the 17th North West 10k in Letterkenny.
The North West 10k sponsored by Donegal Daily and Brian McCormack Sports was launched this evening
Organisers estimate that around 3,000 runners and walkers will take part in the charity event on Sunday, May 5th which this year has two new sponsors DonegalDaily.com and Brian McCormick Sports and Leisure.
The three main benefiting charities this year are the Special Needs Accessible Playpark group (SNAP); Donegal Mountain Rescue and the Friends of Letterkenny General Hospital who are working hard both individually and as a team to raise as much money as possible for their respective causes.
On Saturday week, April 20th the three groups are pooling their manpower resources to host a number of fundraisers in and around Letterkenny town. The New Dunnes Stores, Tesco’s and TK Maxx car parks as well as the Centra Shop at the Mountain Top will be the main bases for the charities on the day.
There will be face painting, balloon animals and blood checks as well as a variety of fancy dress costume appearances around town and other surprises. The Mountain Rescue and Autism Assistant dogs including now famous Buddy will be added attractions on the day. In addition there will be a car and bus touring the town filled with balloons with prizes for guessing the right numbers.
North West 10k Chairperson Grace Boyle has welcomed the support of the new sponsors this year DonegalDaily.com and Brian McCormick Sports and Leisure in ensuring the charity race and walk’s continued success.
Special Needs Accessible Playpark planned
SNAP is planning to provide a Special Needs Accessible Playpark in Letterkenny and the committee has set themselves a target of August to have the facility up and running at the Bernard McGlinchey Town Park.
SNAP is currently in the midst of huge fundraising drive which has received a significant boost with the news that the new organization is to benefit from this year’s North West 10k.
Chairperson of SNAP Samantha Robinson says there many children with special needs not alone in the Letterkenny area but across the county who will benefit from the new play area. The new facilities will be incorporated into one of the existing children’s play areas. The objective is that those with disabilities can play in the same areas as others who are able bodied.
The infrastructure will include a wheelchair accessible roundabout, swings, sensory panels, mirrors and musical equipment dotted around the site.
Susan Duffy a teacher at the Little Angels School, which caters for children with special needs says there can be no excuse in the modern era for not having a play area in Letterkenny Town Park suitable for those with disabilities. Deirdre McCormick from Kilmacrennan who has a son Conor who has special needs has a similar story. “All the other kids can use the play area here but Conor can’t. I have two other boys who even say to me that there is nothing for Conor to play on here” Deirdre says.
The Special Needs Accessible Play Area group (SNAP) was formed last September by three women Karen Kirwan, Priscilla McGinley and Marie Tease. The group is delighted that Letterkenny Town Council is lending their support to the project. The group would see the planning developments at the Bernard McGlinchey town park as the first phase in providing comprehensive recreational facilities for children with disabilities in Letterkenny, which would also cater for those affected right across Donegal.
The official launch of the SNAP play area is scheduled to take place on the weekend of Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th of August when there will be the spectacular scene of 100 people parachuting down to mark the arrival of the new equipment in another of the charity fundraising initiatives. However, before that there is a lot of hard work to be done in terms of fundraising to make that dream become a reality.
A complete absence of playing facilities for children with special needs at the two town parks in Letterkenny wont’ be the case for much longer provided that the people of Donegal come out and support the fundraising initiatives of SNAP including the huge series of events planned for Letterkenny on Saturday, April 20th.
SNAP also has a charity shop at 3 Oliver Plunkett Road just opposite Letterkenny’s Central Library. All donations would be greatly appreciated and will go towards supporting the project in the Bernard McGlinchey Town Park. SNAP Charity can also be followed on Facebook.
The website at www.northwest10k.com is now open to take on-line entries for the North West 10k which takes place on Sunday, May 5th in Letterkenny. Entry fee is 15 euro for the run and 10 euro for the walk.
For further information on the event which is sponsored this year by Brian McCormick Sports and Leisure and DonegalDaily.Com visit www.northwest10k.com.
