Rebels’ Bounty – a winner in the first draw
The Rebels’ Bounty Draw for 2021 is now closed, and it has been a resounding success, for which Cork GAA needs to take considerable credit.
Cork clubs have netted €1.9m from the draw, a figure that led Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan to label the fundraiser an “incredible success”. The benchmark for Killavullen GAA Club, in line with all junior clubs in Cork, was 55 ticket sales at €100 each, which goes directly to Cork GAA and any advance of sales of that number stays entirely with Killavullen GAA Club. Killavullen GAA Club had 104 members of the old County Board Draw in 2019 / 2020.
Killavullen GAA Club was utilising the draw to raise some funds for the following activities; Improve the lighting in pitch 2, so that more teams can utilize the fantastic grass based surface especially in the winter months, when daylight fades early. Prevent rainwater from the hill in Killavullen running into the sand based training area and car park. Clean and re-seed the lower bank of the main field, after removal of the diseased Leylandii trees.
More long term, Killavullen GAA Club intend to investigate the potential for the following more strategic projects, and need to have a healthy cash reserves to carry out any of these actions. Additional two dressing rooms so as to have changing facilities / welfare units for the increased playing cohort, both male and female in Killavullen GAA Club grounds. Provide an additional astro turf training area, separate but adjacent to the existing unit to cater for larger training pods and usage. Investigate options in the environs of Killavullen village for an additional pitch, to purchase so as to supplement our existing arrangement.
Killavullen set an ambitious target of 200 units of sales. That target seemed far-fetched when we set out at the start, with 104 participants from 2020. But juvenile parents were asked to contribute, a letter was sent to all parents setting out our stall and a greater participation rate from our junior players sought. Our supporters and friends of Killavullen GAA at home and abroad were asked if they want to participate.
We are glad to report that we have met that target of 200 sales which is phenomenal, we didn’t just exceed the target, we smashed it out of the water. As of March 25th, at the closing date, we have 221 people committed to the draw which is incredible.
The draw in its current guise suits Killavullen, we are a very progressive and motivated junior club, which has plans to improve. Improve on the playing field, improve our facilities and improve our administration.
SO WHAT WORKED FOR US?
Some observations – We added 123 new members, which is fantastic and a great deal of parents of our underage players, 38 people choose to utilise the Cork GAA website for their payment options, 17 people paid through the Killavullen GAA website.
That is 55 people who paid electronically, and that was due to a combination of factors, but it helped that Cork GAA run a very savvy media campaign, and we followed in the club, with making electronic payments easier, and also describing what we intended to do on our website very succinctly.
Increasing our cohort of sellers was the big difference, and the media campaigns etc, with letters to the parents / WhatsApp messages / and reaching out to others in the parish. Ultimately, we need to get people more invested in our club, to make the GAA club meaningful to non GAA players.
Some other observations would be that the format of the draw was a big incentive to a club like ours, everything above 55 sales was ours to keep. Now we must work hard to retain, and grow these sales for next year. There are opportunities if we want to grasp them. Thank you, for your continued support
The local winner was Lorna Sinclair, who won €250, and congratulations to Lorna. Lorna bought her ticket from Gary Lane, one of our junior players.
LORD MAYOR’S AWARD FOR NICKY ROCHE
Congratulations to Nicky Roche who was the recipient of a Lord Mayor’s Award last week for community work in the North Cork region, for the work that he organised in our community for cleaning up the bridges in Killavullen in 2020. Nicky’s effort in organising a team of volunteers to strip the ivy from the Railway Bridge on the New Line road, the pervasive ivy on the Blackwater River bridge, at the northern entrance into our village, and for cleaning and exposing the stonework and craft of the Brown Bridge are to be commended.
Nicky was nominated for this work by Mary Magner and recommended in the Cork County Council environs by Cllr. Frank O’Flynn.
Nicky deflected the praise away from himself and more towards the team of helpers, but it took Nicky’s initiative to bring the group together. Nicky is always available to help out any local cause, in any way he can, and he is to be commended for his civic spirit.
CLUB MEMBERSHIP
It looks like we may have a return to underage training at least by April 12, if rumours emanating from government circles are to be believed.
For 2021, Killavullen GAA intend that membership can be paid online if necessary through the club website, or through the Central GAA website – www.foireann.ie. Our club members will be able to login to Foireann and pay the relevant club membership subscription for themselves or a dependent. After the successful transaction, the member will be registered for the current season.
It is important that all underage and adult players are registered and have their subscription paid before any activity commences on the GAA field, otherwise no insurance is available.
CLUB SPONSOR