After last week’s Celtic Foundation bucket collection at Celtic Park, my 12-year-old, who was collecting, was amazed that someone put a £20 note in his bucket. He wanted to know why people do things like that.
There are lots of possible reasons. It’s the right thing to do, there are many in our community who are need, and who we would happily help if they were standing beside us. A lot has to do with upbringing, not everyone believes fraternal help services the common good, but for some, it’s part of their core values. More precisely, it’s part of the values they acquired when they took to do with their football club.
In the early decades of Celtic Football Club, people literally ‘clubbed’ together to build the first, and then second, Celtic Park, mostly without pay. An informal collection of labourers dug foundations and shovelled earth to create bankings. Many got involved years after Walfrid left for pastures news, but the way in which the community claimed ownership of the club, without actually owning a share, of course, gave you and me an enormously privileged heritage.
We have a back narrative which most 21st century organisations could never dream of attaining.
I know that £20 is a lot of money to put into a bucket, but this year I’ve seen many people do this, and so much more, in the name of Celtic.
A year ago the CQN community told Mary’s Meals that we would build a school kitchen for them in Malawi. We booked the Kerrydale Suite for CQ10 and hoped we could sell more than 30 tickets. The night was sold-out and you raised over £23,000. Before the night was finished the two guys from Mary’s Meals knew they had enough money to build three school kitchens!
The money was soon put to action, all three kitchens were completed by May. Each day over 2000 primary-age children eat what is often their only meal of the day in a facility you paid for, prepared with utensils you bought.
The UN reckon Malawi is the 17th poorest country on the planet, but it is fertile for development work. 93% of the money raised by Mary’s Meals reaches the target communities. The kids being fed in CQN kitchens for the last 7 months are heavier and healthier than before. School attendance has increased by over 30%, so kids who previously had to labour for food are now getting an education instead.
They will have better life-choices as adults and more of them will be alive long enough to become adults.
The CQNers who started our charity activities nearly a decade ago are the golfers, they did so again in July, then there was the runners, the badge collectors and the many who were just touched by one story or another and stepped forward.
One of the reasons many of you should be proud of yourself is the Kano Foundation. Kano – Martin Kane – was one of the original CQNers, who got up in the middle of the night in Perth W. Australia to watch his team, and argue with his pals on here. When he suffered an enormously debilitating illness a community grew up around him, which became the Kano Foundation, and has since brought thousands of kids to see Celtic.
This week we learned Kano is seriously ill in hospital, so the seasonal cheer is tempered.
Whatever your memories of 2014 are, they will also be tempered by the challenges Wee Oscar and his family went through. I know there are people who made an enormous difference to his life who first read about him here. The stories of the work they put in will never be told, because that’s the way they want it, but they made a profound impact on the world.
2015 has a hard act to follow, but we’ve told Mary’s Meals we’ll build them another school kitchen, and we’ve just told Celtic to book the Kerrydale Suite for Friday 13th March for CQ11. It’s St Patrick’s weekend, it’s League Cup Final weekend and it’s the week of the 50th anniversary of Jock Stein taking over; it has the making of a memorable night…..
Why do people put £20 into a bucket, why do thousands give anonymously throughout the year, why do hundreds go above and beyond the call of duty? If you think Celtic is a football club, you’ve not been paying attention. It is the most powerful social movement most of us will ever become involved with.
It’s an absolute pleasure to be part of the family and humbling to see it in action.
Have a great Christmas, you deserve it.
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coatdykebhoy
20:32 on 24 December, 2014
E-mail me if you want be good to catch up lennybhoycfc@gmail.com
Don’t let them get you down.
Also Ghuys please remember a good friend of mine, Jim Byrne who sadly passed away tonight 19:00 in Monklands Hospital. A great Celtic Man.
Got the call as I was going out the door to Mass.
Really got to go.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Christmas in Dubai. Merry Christmas to all CQNers.
Just in from a great multicultural Mass and nice to see a few Scottish tims there too.
As am expatriated Whinhall man nice to see some references to Coatdyke.
Off furra game of Fifa on the wee man’s new PS4.
Hail Hail.
ACGR, thanks for reposting that, really brought the spirit of Christmas present.
Mrs Doc laughing at that, or was it my singing!
Merry Christmas Paul67 and family, and to all who read and share on CQN and your families. Just finished a huge breakfast on Christmas morning in Waikanae with my NZ fabily , start of a long day of eating drinking and fun. Pressies just about to start. Have a great one CQN. Hail Hail.
Horrid…,
There will be a few different rangerses and none will ever achieve or be acknowledged as the same club ever again, dead, finished, deceased. People who enjoyed football will still enjoy football, football is not under threat, the administration that facilitates gross malfeasance is under threat.
Your %’s don’t include people who don’t give a monkeys about football, those who defend triumphalism with no sporting motivation.
You want that ?
Neil Canalamar
By the rivers of Babylon
Oh I remember Sion
BoneyM CSC
ACGR – thanks for that. I’ve just sent it on to my 2 Bhoys with the suggestion that they start a wee sing song in the pub they’re in!
I understand there’s word going round asking folks to turn off their Christmas lights at 9.00pm (Celtic Park Time) for 2 minutes and to remember the tragedy in George Square.
Pass it on (quickly)…
Given that the SFA Board decision today was “unanimous” rather than “majority” does anyone know the make up of that Board?
Right, lights aff…..
Lights off here
hh
Jobo baldie demands to know, “Who are these people??”
Lights back on…
beatbhoy – oops, I now see what I did there ;-)
beatbhoy – to be honest I was just curious whether oor Campbell sits on that Board.
Lenntbhoy
Sorry to hear of your loss.
HH
ACGR
Cqn should record that for Mary’s meals ;))
HH
I had an American and English fellow staying with me for a couple of days, eventually over the course of the evening the subject turns to Celtic, I spent too long explaining all things Celtic when it would’ve been easier to point them to today’s leader. Paul your leader today on the charitable ethos really hit the spot.
To all who read this blog I hope you have a happy Christmas, best wishes to you all.
Ha Ha Horrid henry, AKA (peter lawell), just throw in a contrived statement ie, grenade that we need them ,then don’t even reply to any retorts. what a feckwit ,we don’t need or want sevco in any shape or form anywhere near Scottish football.What you are saying is you are quite happy to have your head smacked with a mallet for £1, but wouldn’t accept being smacked with a cucumber for 50p. Give “me” all the 50p’s you can hit me with, they are not needed or ever will be by me or any non money grabbing lowlifes like you.Ps RIP Sevco.
Merry Christmas
God Bless All Here
Sad & Happy Times
Count Your Blessings
U
Lennybhoy
So sorry to hear about your mate. May he rest in peace.
Not long back from Mass where I had the massive honour of giving out the Eucharist for the first time.
Emotional and blessed at the same time.
Jobo
There were 7 board members present.
I don’t know if that would be all of them, including Mr EBT.
Hail Hail!
Good evening all.
Had a real busy day and evening. Just settled down to a wee white vino.
Lennybhoy
So sad about your mate. May he rest in peace.
To all other CQNrs, including our wonderful host and his family, and Celtic supporters world wide, a very merry, happy and peaceful Christmas. KTF.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Paul67
It’s a bit like the quote from The Godfather/Sopranos, “Just when I thought I was out, you pull me back in!”
Thank you for reminding me why I’ve stuck around here for so long. There are just so many decent, caring and warm people that populate these pages.
You and these good folk are the beating heart of Celtic.
Lennybhoy…
Thoughts and prayers for your pal & his family, it’s times like this we should all realise how lucky we are, God Bless
Coatdykebhoy like yourself I am new to this place but take as you read it and it’s not a bad place too be
well done to everyone at cqn re fundraising efforts
well done to auldheid and TD67- my fav posters
well done to Ronnie and the team for a decent start in a transitional period
well done to every ibrox director in the last 25+ years for killing your club by trying to hang on to Celtic’s shirt tails by hook or by crook
well done to Celtic fans for ensuring our club is a phenomenon
The next 5 years will be mega
HH
Nally81…great post mate…have a great christmas…
long time lurker.love this site.Paul 67 a big thank you and
happy Christmas to all CQN’s .let the people sing…
Hamiltontim
Best wishes from myself, Kerri and Meghan to yourself and the lovely Minx. Hope you have a happy, peaceful and Holy Christmas. Also congratulations on your Eucharistic duties.
Sadly Meghan won’t be back here for CQN11 but Kerri and I would love to join you and Minx at a table if we could fix it. I’ll hopefully catch Malorbhoy on Saturday to see if he and his good lady will be there.
Listening to a podcast of Superscoreboard – first time in 20 years plus. Gone seriously downhill since the days of Richard ‘Ibrox’ Park and Jimmy Sanderson. Quality of host and panelists ……mmmmmmmm…
Waiting for the Cammy Fraser question…….
overseasbhoy
Jimmy Sanderson “were you at the game caller”.
Those were the days!
Hamiltontim
Congratulations, when my mum wasn’t fit enough to make mass one of our neighbours came to the house to give her communion, I don’t care whether people believe or not, each to their own but trust me for the ones who believe what you participated in tonight was a honour, hope you and all the family have a great Christmas
Doctor dicks midnight surgery ;))
He was still a fud
HH
“Christians from across the world are gathering in the West Bank town of Bethlehem to mark Christmas Eve in the place they believe Jesus was born”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30596539
I have noticed over the last few years at Christmas time the BBC has revised its interpretation of Christ’s birthplace from the unquestionable to dubious.
I expect this may be the controlling influence from secularism and atheism within the corporation.
I believe the other great religions have no issue with the integrity of Christ’s birthplace.
I have yet to read anything from the BBC about Mecca the place where Muslims believe Mohammed was born.
On that note I wish all the posters on CQN of all persuasions a very happy Christmas the day Christ the saviour was born in Bethlehem or thereabouts.
HH
Big Archie, welcome to the madhoose, enjoy, and keep posting.
I’m presuming you are not one?
HT, well put, we are in complete agreement, despite the occasional days I log on and off quickly, this blog is something I enjoy, just for the camaraderie and the banter(biting my knuckle at that point).
But, of course for everything else that comes with it, the people on here.
This place has made my life a little better for being part of it.
If Leftclick and Lennubhoy are now Roasters they are in good company:-)
Paul67, as I have said before, Thanks.
eldiegobhoy
Just read your post to my superior and we’d both be disappointed if we couldn’t arrange that for March mate.
God Bless and have a happy and holy Christmas.
LennyBhoy, condolences to you and the Family of your friend.
coatdykebhoy
19:11 on 24 December, 2014
the answers to both questions are no ! i knew michael hannaway , used to drink in his fathers bar !
————————————
The same Michael that went to St Bernard’s primary in Shawhead?