Greyhound’s Help Out Guide Dogs
Updated : May 6, 2009
The sport of greyhound racing is throwing its weight behind this year’s Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind Shades Week. 30 per cent of every €10 admission to greyhound racing stadia up and down the country will be donated directly to the charity which breeds, trains, supplies and supports guide dogs for the blind and assistance dogs for families of children with Autism.
“There is a natural link between our sport and this great charity which provides such a valuable service,†said Adrian Neilan, Chief Executive of the Irish Greyhound Board. “This week long initiative involving 11 greyhound stadia nationwide will aim to raise much needed funds for the organisationâ€. There will also be the facility for race goers to donate directly during the week with ‘Shades’ badges on sale at each stadium.â€
The Irish Greyhound Board supports the Retired Greyhound Trust and also assists in raising approximately €7 million each year for charities, sports clubs and community organisations through fundraising nights.
“This is a first for us in terms of donating directly from admissions over a specific period,†added Neilan, “but ‘Shades Week’ is so popular and so well known that when we raised the possibility of helping with stadium managers, staff, race goers and the greyhound racing community there was an immediate positive response.â€
The participating stadia include: Shelbourne Park, Harolds Cross, Galway, Tralee, Waterford, Cork, Mullingar, Limerick, Youghal, Dundalk and Newbridge and the event was launched by Roy Keane who has been the charity Patron for a number of years.