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Manorhamilton Rangers
Football Club,
Bee Park,
Manorhamilton.
13th
January 2009
Dear Parents/
Supporters,
An emergency
meeting of the
committee was held and a decision was taken to highlight financial
difficulties which now face the club and its very existence. This
club was founded in 1980 and has gone from strength to strength with
the help of the local community and has become an integral part of
the community with a strong emphasis on getting children involved in
the medium of sport. We are the only soccer club in Leitrim with an
underage structure which caters for boys and girls from U8 to U18.
All of our coaches and managers give their time voluntarily to the
club.
A decision taken
by the committee which resulted in Manorhamilton Rangers FC
acquiring what was known as McGowans field in Manorhamilton adjacent
to the Bee Park. This was the last piece of green area beside the
Bee Park and the committee felt it would be advantageous to the
community for this green area to remain as a sporting area and for
sporting facilities to be developed on it to benefit the people of
Manorhamilton and the outlying areas. Planning permission was
obtained to build a state of the art all weather Astroturf pitch
with floodlighting for use by the various local sporting clubs,
groups and schools.
The cost of this
green area was €370,000. A mortgage was taken out by the club to
facilitate the purchase. The club is also servicing debts which have
arisen as a result of previous improvements to the soccer club in
the Bee Park in the region of €76,500.
The monthly cost
of servicing the current debt has been met by the committee for the
past twelve months met this cost through various fundraising events.
Since November 2008 the income level of the club has virtually
ceased. We have been unable to meet repayments. The banks have
issued warning letters in relation to the debt and the club is on
the brink of collapse as a direct result.
The clubs
application to the National Lottery 2008 was refused on the basis
that legal matters were not completed.
The situation the
club finds itself in is one which must be tackled immediately. The
club will fold should the banks foreclose on loans. This
would have a serious effect for the future of sporting facilities in
this area and the underage players attached to this club.
As a result of an
emergency meeting a decision was taken to set up a 300 members Club.
Persons would be asked to commit to joining a “300 members club” for
a period of twelve months initially by agreeing to a standing order
payment of €20 a month (€5 a week) or by a cash payment of €20 a
month. Members would then be entered into a draw for a cash prize of
€500 each month.
This members club
would be set up with immediate effect. It would secure the short
term future of the club and ensure that the community and more
importantly the underage players will have the facilities in the
future that we deserve.
Please find
attached standing order form or if you wish arrangements can be made
to collect cash €20 per month or €5 weekly. Details can be got from
any committee member.
The committee can
not put it any clearer that the future of this club will be decided
on the response of the community to this appeal. The situation is
extremely serious but can be overcome with your financial
assistance.
Eugene Gilgunn,
Secretary
David Cummins,
Chairman
Joe Cleary,
Treasurer
Bernadette
Cleary, Youth Secretary
Joe Keany, Child
Protection Officer
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