“Michaela Foundation”

Thursday 16.06.2011

The Michaela Foundation – Tyrone Clubs’ ‘Run for Michaela’

The concept for ‘Run for Michaela’ arose from a desire within the Tyrone GAA community to show its support for the Harte and McAreavey families and to remember Michaela’s life in a positive manner.

Our ‘Run for Michaela’ allows everyone to show their support for the Michaela Foundation, on a localised, yet collective community basis.  We wish to support its desire to promote and support the positive health and well-being of our young people.

St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon (where Michaela was a teacher) alongside Tyrone clubs will host a non competitive series of 10K and 5K walk/run events.

Noel Donnelly, Drumquin GAC devised and co-ordinated the concept in close association with the families, County Chairman Ciaran McLaughlin and the Chairmen of the local District Councils. He will complete the 10k run schedule, uniting the collective spirit Tyrone GAA’s contribution to Michaela’s enduring legacy.

The proposed summer schedule of events which will begin on the 25th June in Tattyreagh and culminate on Sunday 31^st July with the Errigal Ciaran club.

It is anticipated that participants will donate £10 per runner/walker or small family at each event but all donations will be gratefully accepted.  The full schedule is avaliable on the Tyrone GAA website at http://www.tyronegaa.ie

The following is released by the families as a summary of their concept for the ‘Michaela Foundation’

‘Michaela Foundation’

“Michaela Foundation”, is inspired through the life of Michaela McAreavey, who died 10th January 2011.

We believe the foundation is needed to raise awareness for young people especially, that they can live their lives to the maximum whilst retaining control in it. We believe by promoting this message and providing support in this area, we can help promote a happier, healthier and more confident mindset for people which will enable them to deal more effectively with the pressures of modern day challenges.

Our aim is to promote an ideology which encourages people to make positive life choices based on their true feelings and not through societal norms or peer pressure.

Short/Medium Term Aims

Our future plans for the group include raising awareness of our key message through holding fund raising events and information events. These events will enable us to get our foundation off the ground and help us generate funding which will enable us to organise better equipped resources.

We intend on setting up and hosting a website that will provide people with useful resources and information on future events.

Long Term Aim

A longer term plan is to build a centre which will provide us with a hub for our key objectives. We see this centre being used by cross community groups across Ireland, where people can reflect on their lives, talk to trained facilitators and provide support for their life objectives.