AOH Charity: Lighting A Candle Rather than Cursing the Darkness

One of the three pillars of our motto is “Christian Charity” and
that is needed now more than ever. Despite the fact that our Division has been hit hard by this pandemic, and we all have felt the effects to different levels, our members have stepped up in ways that should make us all proud. In addition, through the good stewardship of our charity funds
over the years, we have been and continue to be in a position to help those needing our help.

In adapting to current conditions, we conducted a ‘virtual’ 50/50 drawing in the Fall, replacing the hugely popular Pot O’ Gold drawing and parties. Sean Walsh, Neil Cosgrove and John Kelly worked through new (well – new for us!) ways of exchanging money and conducting the drawing virtually. Sean had a core “sales team” that included Merrick Rhodes, Dennis Madigan, QuintonVan Wynen, Jr., Dermot & Joan Moore, Charlie Reedy and Eddie O’Dea.

The three main winners are people you all would know (numbers were posted in the pub – and no, none of them were on the raffle team!). The roughly 350 tickets we sold netted over $8,500 for our Charity fund.

At the same time, Pete Dunne, Larry DeGenarro and team once again asked us to “dig deep” for our grass roots ‘Family Fund’ charity where individual donations provide the elements of Christmas that these families would otherwise go without. Here, too, the need was never greater and we served more families than any prior Christmas, spending upwards of $8,000.

Still – there is more to do. At our November and December meetings, we voted to donate $2,000 to local food and hunger charities – donating $1,000 to Rockland Meals on Wheels (who serves many of the same clientele who would have otherwise attended our Thanksgiving luncheon), $500
to Rockland County Catholic Charities and $500 to the St. Aedan’s food pantry.

The charities that we have always supported continue to need our help, too. As in past Christmas seasons, we donated $1,000 to the Freedom For All Ireland Christmas Appeal, as well as a $1,000 donation to Camp Venture.
It’s a job that never ends, but we would be poorer for not taking it on.

Thanks to everyone –including so many not listed above – who make the Hibernian difference.
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