A deserving charity will benefit from a day full of events this weekend when the PREDA Run for Freedom and Fun for Freedom events are held in the city.
Father Shay Cullen established Preda Foundation in Olongapo city, the Philippines in 1974 to promote human rights, justice and peace. Believing that poverty, violence and child abuse are barriers to peace and give rise to extremism, he strives to eliminate child abuse and promote respect for children's rights by striving to change the unjust economic political and social structures and attitudes that allow such abuse.
The Preda projects (www.preda.org ) are to educate for peace, free children from brothels and jails and give them a chance to recover in therapeutic homes and be reintegrated and have a happier life free from abusers, traffickers, violence and abuse.
Last year hundreds of runners and walkers of all abilities descended on Galway racecourse for the PREDA run and this year, it is hoped that greater numbers will turn out for not one, but two events to support the work of PREDA being held in the city.
PREDA is the charity best known for being championed by Hollywood actor Martin Sheen and singer Damien Dempsey. and the funds raised by the Galway events will help them make a massive difference in the lives of thousands of Filipino children.
The activity starts at Galway racecourse at Ballybrit at noon when hundreds of runners and walkers will take to the course for the Run for Freedom 5k event. Registration opens at the course at 10am.
Taking part in the event will be former international star Catherine McKiernan, members of the victorious Galway senior and intermediate camogie squads and a host of other celebrities including comedian Maeve Higgins.
Registration takes place in front of the main stand from 10am on the morning of the run. The run will be held on the road surrounding the race track and will consist of two 2.5k laps. The event is being organised by volunteers so all the profits will be used to help with the rehabilitation of the rescued children and also to help promote the message of PREDA to a wider audience nationally.
PREDA is also assisting with the typhoon relief effort in the Philippines and has a team of social workers assisting children who have lost their family in the natural disaster.
Refreshments will be available on the day at Ballybrit and organisers and sponsors such as ourselves here in the Galway Advertiser are asking people to come along and support his worthy cause.
Entry to the racecourse is through the Ballybrit road entrance. And there will be plenty of free parking.
However, the fun does not stop there, because later that night, the Fun for Freedom event takes place for PREDA when comedian Maeve O'Higgins and Gearoid Farrell will host a show in the Roisin Dubh with all proceeds going to PREDA.
Maeve who will be taking part in the run earlier has guaranteed that all her audience will laugh even if she has to personally tickle each and every one of them.
Tickets for the Fun for Freedom gig cost €18 with a special reduction for Freedom runners.
Available from The Roisin Dubh and OMG, Shop Street or online at http://www.roisindubh.net
You can make a difference to someone's life over the course of one day by taking part in the Run for Freedom and laughing yourself silly at the Fun for Freedom gigs. Go on, get off that couch and give yourself a special feeling by the end of Saturday.
