GMIT donates 30 gourmet meals for Lions Club radio auction

Students from the College of Tourism & Arts (formerly the Hotel School) in Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) have volunteered to prepare, cook and serve a Gourmet Dining Experience for thirty guests in aid of Galway Lions Club for the fifth year running. The meal will be auctioned off to the highest bidder during the Galway Lions Club ‘live’ radio auction in December.

Cáit Noone, Head of the College of Tourism & Arts, is delighted the college can once again support this initiative and give something back to the greater Galway community. “Both GMIT and Galway Lions Club are celebrating their 40th Anniversaries in 2012, and what better way to mark the occasion than by supporting this great local organisation. Everyone involved gives up their time and energy to help others who are disadvantaged in our community and region”.

The GMIT students will prepare the 30 five-course gourmet meals under the supervision of college lecturers Martin Ruffley and Colin Gilligan, and serve the meals in one of GMIT’s training restaurants on Thursday, 21 February, 2013.

The prize may be divided into two or three lots enabling two or three groups of 15 or ten, respectively, the opportunity to make separate bids at the auction. All proceeds go directly to the Galway Lions Club Christmas Appeal.

GMIT has been supporting the Galway Lions Club for over thirty years through a range of fund-raising activities such as the making and sale of Christmas puddings to staff and friends of GMIT, street collections, fashion shows, the gourmet meal prize and other events led by members of staff from the College of Tourism & Arts.

The Galway Lions Club live radio auction takes place on Galway Bay FM’s Keith Finnegan Show in early December. The Lions Club supported over 700 families and individuals in Galway last Christmas and will do the same again this year.

Culinary Arts lecturer Martin Ruffley says the GMIT students are delighted to be involved. “In addition to raising funds for the Lions Club, students benefit greatly from being involved in such a worthwhile event. It gives them experience of organising and hosting a large fundraising event – this is a skill they can bring with them once they graduate from GMIT.”

Galway Lions Club President Tony Kavanagh says: “Galway Lions Club very much appreciates the generous contribution of the students and staff of GMIT to our fundraising efforts over the years.”