On August 15th the hugely successful ‘Ball Run’ organised by Waterford Hospice captured the imagination of the public who dug deep to support the worthy cause amid a carnival atmosphere.
Altogether 4,000 balls were sold and on Saturday afternoon the Mayor of the City & County, Cllr. John Cummins was on hand at the junction of Stephen Street and Patrick Street to set the race underway. The owner of the appropriately coloured blue and white winning ball was Evelyn O’Brien, and for her support she netted a prize of €500.
Marie Cummins of Waterford Hospice described the event as a “fantastic success” and the “best to date.”
She explained how the 4,000 numbered balls were loaded into a unit on the back of a Greenstar bin wagon before being released by the Mayor to complete the downhill journey in less than a minute. Wooden barricades were put in place to prevent potential wayward balls going off course and at the end of the hill the balls were brought to a halt by another barrier.
From start to finish the street was closed for approximately half-an-hour in aid of the worthy cause.
Speaking at the event the Mayor of the City & County, Cllr. Cummins pointed out that this year marks the 27th year of the Hospice Movement service in Waterford. “I am aware of and grateful for work carried out by the dedicated team of nurses and therapists who provide palliative care to over 100 patients in their own homes on a 24/7 basis,” added the Mayor as he set the ball race in motion.
In addition to raising money for the construction of the new Palliative Care unit Waterford Hospice also funds the home care service locally to the tune of €400,000 annually.
A version of this article first appeared in the Waterford News & Star.
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