Platinum Clubhouse Newbridge, Co.Kildare, Ireland.
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September 2003 Newsletter

Editorial

Welcome back to all our members who have been away for a while on holidays etc. We missed you all.

Congratulations to Ray who is reverting to his own job of Area Manager following his year as Manager of Platinum Clubhouse. Best wishes for the future Ray...

platinumclubhouse@eircom.net


We've Been On Holiday

This is Des here. I have been away from the Clubhouse for a couple of months. So nice to be back. Myself and Bridget went down to Tralee on the 11th of July. We stayed for two days and off we went to Castlegregory which is on the Dingle Peninsula. We spent a week there. I got a bit of swimming in. Friends of ours had also taken a house there so I had good fun with some of the children. From there we went to my wife's sister Mary. They have a house in south Cork. It is beside the sea, so I got a bit of swimming in. We have two children & they have two children, so we played some games with them. Altogether we were two weeks away. Then in August we went to Edinburgh. Linda will be interested in this. We stayed in a hotel six miles from the city. We went into the city every day. The city is very historical. We visited where Mary Queen of Scots resided. Scottish history reminds me of Irelands history, full of oppression from the British. We did a tour of the city by bus and saw all the interesting places. I would recommend Edinburgh to anyone. So that's all the news.

Des


Hi folks, It is a while since I was on holidays but it was brilliant. I went to Majorca with my better half at the end of May. The weather was brilliant and of course the lovely blue skies were matched by equally blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The beaches are so long and so clean. At approx one in the morning there was a tractor driving up & down the seafront in front of our apartment sweeping the beach. I had a great time and the nicest part of all was the fact that it was a surprise. We only went to book the holiday on the Wed. or Thurs. & flew out on Sunday. Best holiday of my life…

Tom


Basic Computer Skills

Tutor: Fiona Conlan The six week, two hours a week course every Wednesday in Newbridge library. First we joined the library, so we could use the computers at a given time. The staff were very helpful and welcoming. Course Details: First we used Word 2000 formatting text– write letters, C.V. and saving on floppy disk. Then we added graphics using clipart gallery. Windows Explorer is where you use the Internet. We opened files and folders and created new folder for our text, which we save on floppy disk. Excel is like a calculator where we add, subtract, multiply and divide on spread sheets. I am thinking of buying a computer, I think it will help me in my studies to be a chef. Also I am a member of the library where I can get tapes, CDs, videos and books.

Michael


My Trip to Galway

On Wednesday 6/8/03, I went on the Westport train to Galway , with a two hour change over at Athlone. I was met at Galway station by my cousin Kathleen and her two children, Aaron and Alanna, who I was staying with. On Thursday I went to Roundstone with Michael who sells vegetables at a market there. I had great fun selling vegetables to all the housewives. By the end of the day we had sold off all our stock of apples, oranges , potatoes, lettuce etc. I have to say Roundstone is one of the nicest places I have ever seen in my life. On Friday, I did the market in Kinvara. On Saturday we went on a tour of Clare and had a nice meal in a hotel in Ballyvaughan. On Sunday I visited all my relations in Galway. That weekend there was a festival in Kinvara and on Sunday night Kathleen and myself went to see a Blues Band in Winkles pub, which was very good. I enjoyed my few days in Galway and with a sad heart I boarded the train home on Monday to Kildare.

Philip


Employment Unit

As it is September we are concentrating on Education. Some members will begin an ECDL course in VTOS on Monday 15th September. We would like to wish them all the best. We have applied for an education grant to Kildare County Council and we are awaiting a reply on this. Also we have a new proposed work site and the employment team are working on this. There will be a First Aid course starting this autumn and some members will tackle this and to all who do, we wish you all the best. Over all we are extremely busy in this unit.

Carmel


My Experience As A Special Olympic Volunteer Continued Part 2

Sat. June 21st 2003 — The long wait was over, bearing in mind all the instructions given us in advance. I enthusiastically set out at 7 am for the Shelbourne Hotel, R.D.S, Dublin. I felt a little bit anxious. What if I can’t manage the task I’m assigned to. What If I can’t communicate with an athlete due to a language barrier ? what if I’m late ? etc.
In hindsight that happened to be all unnecessary anxiety. The motto of team 2003 was “One Team, One Goal, One Chance, to show the World the best that can be.” We all did our utmost to live up to that Goal. Everywhere was awash with bright colours on arrival at the R.D.S., as there was a variety of uniform colours. The Games Volunteers wore Emerald Green, the Medical service team wore Red, the Event services and Safety team wore Sunflower Yellow, officials Black and White, and delegation assistants Sky-blue. With those colours we were all asked to wear beige Skirts or Trousers. We signed in giving our volunteer number and name. Our accreditation cards were checked and we were given 3 food vouchers: morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea
.

Once inside we made our way to the appointed location & very soon our Team leader made announcements as to where and with whom we would be working. Being a member of the Opening Eyes Team, I was working with opticians. As soon as the doors were opened the athletes started pouring in and no time the place was a hive of activity - I’ve never seen anything like it. So many people were so busy. What amazed me most was how well organised everything was, firstly they all got into queues to have their particulars written down.
From there on they moved through the various stages of eye testing, each stage done by a different optician. I was working almost at the end of the line where the final decisions were made as to whether they needed glasses or not. Many of them did need glasses and some with more serious eye infections were also detected. At the very end of the line there was a team making the glasses (If that’s the correct expression). Which meant that when they left the building they were wearing their glasses. They also got a complimentary pair of designer sun-glasses donated by an Italian Company called Safilo.
Speaking for myself, I can honestly say it was the most rewarding weeks work I’ve done. Meeting all the athletes was an unforgettable experience. We must have met someone from nearly every country and island in the world, even from those exotic places that we would love to go on holidays to, but some of us can only dream about them. Conversing with many of them didn’t turn out to be such a problem after all, as a lot of their particulars were on their accreditation which they wore around their necks. There were interpreters also. As the week wore on many had won medals and even if they didn’t speak English, they understood that their medals were being admired and that they were being congratulated. Pozdravlyau (Poz-Dra-Vla-u) how does my congratulations in Russian sound? It would bring to tears to your eyes to see the way their faces used to light up with happiness, pride and joy with their win.

Eileen D. to be continued...


Announcements

Get Well wishes to: All our members who are unwell.

Birthday Wishes to: Eileen M, Christopher, Seamus, George, Ray C, Robert, Paula, Aidan Mc D, Michael Mc D.


Holidays 2003

I left Ballyshannon for Kilflynn Co. Kerry, which is a small village off the Listowel to Tralee Rd. I was in a self-catering house for a week during which time I travelled around 1,000 miles.
I travelled to Ballybunion, Connors Pass, Listowel, Ring of Kerry, Waterville, Killarney, Gap of Dunloe and Healy’s Pass.

I left Kilflynn for Macroom on August 2nd. While there I travelled to Gougane Barra, Glengariff, Bantry, Allahies, Mallow [races], Clonakility, Skibireen, Dunmanway, Ring of Beara and Country Park, Millstreet.
We arrived home on August 9th. We came home via Killarney as we had time to spare. The following day we went to the races on the Curragh. The final day we went up towards Wicklow. We finished up in Glendalough.

Patricia



Q What happened when Croke Park was flooded?
A: They brought on a sub.

Q How long should a person’s legs be?
A: Long enough to reach the floor.

Joe was driving along the dual-Carriage-way. The guard stopped him and told him he was doing 80 mph.
To which he replied I couldn’t be, sure I am only left home 20 minutes.

Q What do you call a pup that lies too close to the fire?
A: Hot Dog

Q What can speak every language and never went to school?
A: An echo.

Q Why did the boy keep running around the bed?
A: He wanted to catch up on his sleep.

Q Why did the onion cry?
A: Because he cut himself.

Q What did the cat say when he was put in prison.
A: Let me meowt of here.

Patricia


Disclaimer:
The views, opinions and beliefs expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of Platinum Clubhouse.
Any articles, items or pictures in this newsletter may only be reproduced following permission from Platinum Clubhouse.

Contributors:
Eileen D. Patricia, Philip, Des, Tom, Carmel, Michael

Editorial Team:
Tom, Cathy, Caroline, Stephen D


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