Westmeath Community Games: promising start to 2020 season
A promising start to our 2020 Community Games season with our first meeting held in head quarters in Mullingar last Sunday evening with all Areas well represented.
Our Chairperson Emily Wallace opened the meeting and welcomed all Area delegates. Meetings were held with inactive areas across the County during the autumn and the committee were delighted to welcome three new areas into active participation within the County for 2020. Rochfortbridge, Bellview/Springfield Mullingar and Moate bring the total number of Areas active in Westmeath for the coming year to 24.
Last year Westmeath had over three thousand children from six to sixteen years registered with Westmeath Community Games not withstanding the large number of volunteers in each area and those numbers are set to grow into the coming year which very positive for Community Games within our County.
The 2020 Area list includes: Milltown/Empor/Moyvore, Collinstown/Fore, Multyfarnham, Castledaly, Ballymore/Boher, Gainstown/Milltownpass, The Downs, Taughmon/Turin, Kinnegad/Coralstown, Drumraney/Tang, Tubberclair/Glasson, Tyrrellspass, Rosemount, Mount Temple/Baylin/Retreat, Castlepollard/Finea, Streete/Rathowen, Coole/Whitehall, Dysart/Loughnavalley/Ballinagore/Castletown, Ballynacargy/Sonna, Athlone East, Kilpatrick, Rochfortbridge, Moate, Bellview/Springfield. A full list of active Areas and maps are available to view on our Facebook page.
There will be Community Games delegate training for areas in the coming weeks with full details of dates, times and venue to be sent to Areas from Karen Walsh our County secretary, we are encouraging areas to have at least one representative at these training events and full information packs will be provided to bring back to your area.
Areas are to ensure all Garda vetting for volunteers are up to date and forms can be downloaded directly from www.communitygames.ie, with a full range of resources and templates available. With the start of a new year please ensure your Area contact details are up to date and contact our County secretary Karen with your committee contacts at westmeathcgsecretary@gmail.com.
Westmeath Community Games are looking for local business or persons to provide sponsorship to team events for the coming year, please contact Westmeath community Games directly at westmeathcgsecretary@gmail.com or your local area committee for further details if you wish to get involved.
Area co-ordinators and deadline dates for entries for events were discussed at the January meeting for the coming year with specific emphasis on the May Festival Events. Cross Country/Marathon and Mixed Distance Relays will be co-ordinated by Gainstown/Milltownpass Area. Mini-Rugby co-ordinated by Ballynacargy/Sonna, Coole/Whitehall with Streete/Rathowen to co-ordinate Indoor Soccer, and Table Tennis co-ordinated by Milltown/Empor/Moyvore.
Many other events have yet to have a co-ordinator assigned and further information will follow in the coming weeks. Areas are to contact the designated area co-ordinators for dates and venues of events with further information to be emailed to all Area secretaries.
The May festival will be held from Friday May 29 to Sunday May 31 and the August festival from Friday August 14 to Sunday August 16, with both festivals being held again at The University of Limerick. Please ensure all competitors from your area are free to travel and represent our County before entries close.
We are encouraging you to get involved with your local area for 2020 and grow awareness of Community Games, there are 214 different disciplines, with everything from drama, swimming, choir, and talent events, which ensures children from six to sixteen with help from your Area and volunteers can showcase their talent and have the opportunity to represent their families, their Area, and our County at National level.
We in Westmeath Community Games wish to facilitate our children with your help and ensure they enjoy the experience in a safe, fun environment. Get involved today in your local area, its as much fun for the big kids as the small.
We would like to wish all our Areas and their volunteers the very best for 2020. Our next county board meeting for delegates will be held Sunday February 23 at 7pm. Follow us on Facebook for further information @westmeathcommunitygames.