Kinnegad the venue for food and health course

On Monday morning of this week, September 8, the first of a series of food and health courses kicked off at Serenity House, Kinnegad, co-ordinated by Karen Scarnicchio, who is based at Athlone Community Taskforce.Serenity House was chosen by a number of locals in Kinnegad ideal location to house the project, which is a joint initiative between Westmeath Community Development Ltd. and HSE Dublin/Mid-Leinster.Over a dozen ladies gathered at the Kinnegad venue on Monday morning to hear Ms. Scarnicchio"s thoughts on 'Healthy Food Made Easy', in the first of six two and a half hour sessions.The program is aimed at supporting people who are interested in healthy eating, particularly where cost is a consideration.The course includes a good deal of practical cookery, sensible suggestions and ideas and tips for shopping on a budget. The main goal of the program is to help improve people"s access to good quality information, which can be put into practice in everyday life.The program is 'community peer-led', with people having received training as food and health instructors.Session 1, entitled 'Getting the balance right', and will be followed by five more sessions: 'Focus on fat', 'Fibre in your diet', 'Family foods', 'Healthier shopping', 'Bringing it all back home'. Participants will be presented with certificates on October 13.For more details, contact Karen Scarnicchio on (09064) 6493906 or karenfoodandhealth@yahoo.com. Alternatively, you can contact Cara Cunningham, the community dietician on (044) 9353220.Tuesday social nights at Serenity House resumed on Tuesday night of this week, and if anyone wants to take advantage of free transport to and from Serenity House to any of the social nights, phone (044) 9375629 or (044) 9374186.The late Rosanne Darby, KinnegadOn Thursday, August 21, the death of Mrs. Rosanne Darby (née Darby), formerly of 1 Killucan Road, Kinnegad, took place.Kinnegad native Rosanne (83) - or Rosie as she was known to many of her friends - passed to her eternal reward in the care of the nurses and staff of the St. Camillus Nursing Centre, Killucan.She was predeceased by her husband, William John Darby, in 1999, and is survived by her sons and daughters, daughters in law, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friends.Her remains were removed from the St. Camillus Nursing Centre to St. Mary"s Church, Kinnegad on Saturday, August 23, where Requiem Mass for the repose of her soul was celebrated by Right Rev. Msgr. Eamon Marron. Rosanne was laid to rest at St. Finian"s Cemetery, Clonard.A September weddingCongratulations and best wishes to Geraldine Baker, Kinnegad and Ger Plunkett, Cloncrave, Killucan, who are set to marry at St. Stephen"s Church, Tyrrellspass on this coming Thursday, September 11.Following their nuptial Mass, a wedding reception will be held at the Old Darnley Lodge Hotel, Athboy, where Geraldine and Ger will celebrate their marriage in the company of all their family and friends.Three draws on the horizon in Clonard?There"s a distinct possibility that Clonard GAA and Community Council will have to open up a third lotto draw, as the jackpot for the second now stands at €9,000 after another weekend without a big winner.Two jackpots - €12,800 and €9,000 - have yet to be won, and if the €12,800 limit is reached for the second draw, an unbelievable third jackpot kitty will have to be opened.Last week, the numbers drawn were 9, 17, 19 and 23, and the match three winners were Bernard Dowling, Nico Walsh, Skippy, P.J. Neary and Maura Loughrey, who share €150.In nearby Kinnegad, there was also no winner of the €6,200 jackpot in the weekly Coralstown/Kinnegad GAA Lucky Numbers Draw. The numbers drawn were 1, 8, 21 and 25, and the five match three winners - each of whom share €40 from the €200 pot - were Donie Coffey, Noel Weir, Packie Molloy, Sean Maguire and Eileen Cleary.Raharney United prepare their field of dreamsLocal soccer club Raharney United has applied to Westmeath County Council seeking permission to go ahead with their planned clubhouse development on the club"s cowpark lands at Higginstown, Killucan, which were acquired last year.The club seeks permission for a change of use of lands from agricultural to recreational, and for the construction of a dormer style club house incorporating dressing rooms and all ancillary site services including parking, a proprietary treatment plant and percolation area.The proposed club house is part of an ambitious plan by the popular Raharney club to develop state-of-the-art facilities at their Higginstown venue.