This article is from page 4 of the 2013-11-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
AFTER much online campaigning and voting, Kilrush’s Ian Lynch has made it through to the final of the Calor Community Champion 2013.
The only Clare man in the national contest, he in now in the final six for a prize that would see two local charities – West Clare cancer centre and suicide awareness – benefiting by € 7, 500.
He was nominated for the award initially by his sister Lorraine for his “selfless volunteering work across the region for a number of years”.
He is a volunteer member of Kilrush RNLI since 2001 and set up emergency defibrillator groups in Kilrush and nine other towns and villages across West Clare.
“While establishing these groups, Ian trained as a CFR trainer to allow him to provide communities with this service free of charge, to drive membership,” a spokes person for sponsors Calor Gas said.
He is also a member of Kilrush Town Council since 2009. Ian received over 4,900 votes in the public vote on the Calor Ireland Facebook page.
The former mayor of Kilrush and his fellow finalists will now go forward to the judging panel led by TV and radio personality Síle Seoige and including legendary GAA and sports broadcaster Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh and Mary Geraty from Calor. The Calor Community Champion 2013 will be announced on November 20.
“Calor would like to say a big thank you to all those across the Kilrush area and West Clare who supported Ian and the second year of the Community Champion initiative, and wish all of our finalists the very best of luck, you are truly an inspiration to us all,” the Calor spokesperson said.