GMIT Hotel School gourmet-giveaway in aid of Galway Lions

Author: Press Office

Date Article Written Thursday 1 December 2011

GMIT Hotel School students have volunteered to prepare, cook and serve a gourmet dining experience for thirty guests which will be auctioned off to the highest bidder during the Galway Lions Club ‘live’ GBFM auction on Friday 9 December.

The GMIT students will prepare the 30 five-course gourmet meals under the supervision of college lecturers Martin Ruffley, John Long and Colin Gilligan, and serve the meals in one of GMIT’s Hotel School training restaurants on Thursday 2 February 2012.

The Galway Lions Club live radio auction takes place on Galway Bay FM’s Keith Finnegan Show which will be broadcast from the Eyre Square Shopping Centre on Friday 9 December from 9am.

This is the sixth year that GMIT Hotel School students and staff have donated this gourmet prize to the Lions Club Christmas auction. The prize may be sold in one lot of THIRTY people, divided into two or three lots enabling two or three groups of FIFTEEN or TEN people, respectively, the opportunity to make separate bids at the auction. All proceeds go directly to the Galway Lions Club Christmas Appeal.

Students from GMIT have been supporting the Galway Lions Club for over thirty years through a range of fund-raising activities such as the annual making and sale of Christmas puddings to staff and friends of GMIT, street collections, carol singing, fashion shows, the gourmet meal prize and other events guided by staff from the Hotel School.

Cáit Noone, Head of the Hotel School, is delighted the school can once again support this initiative and give something back to the greater Galway community. “Each year from October to December our students take time out from their studies to find ways to fundraise for this great local organisation. Everyone involved gives up their time and energy to help others who are disadvantaged in our community and region”.

Culinary Arts lecturer John Long says the GMIT Hotel students came up with this idea some years ago and have continued to offer this meal experience since. “Students benefit from being involved in such a meaningful event as part of their civic engagement within the wider community. Organising and hosting these events helps develop skills the students will continue to use in their chosen career paths”.

Galway Lions Club President, Mr Seamus Staed says: “The continued support of the GMIT Hotel School is most important to the efforts of the Lions Club throughout the year and particularly at this time of year. Last year we helped out 700 individuals and families and we know that this year the overall environment is even more challenging”.

For further information on the GMIT Hotel School gourmet giveaway, please contact GMIT lecturers Martin Ruffley, tel. 091 – 742295, martin.ruffley@gmit.ie John Long, tel. 091 – 742381, john.long@gmit.ie or Colin Gilligan, tel.091 – 742402, colin.gilligan@gmit.ie