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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gerryfaethebrig
Cheers mate I just feel very, very honoured.
Have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous new year.
Doc
I was honestly going to chuck it.
And then Paul gives you a wee reminder :-)
Right, wrapping time!!
Big owneys has been the same joint for over 50 years………peters bar has recently re-opened under a different name………….horseshoe bar is still the same noisy with loads of characters…………..and that geezer who owns the Italian restaurant opposite, Guidi is still chargin over a fiver a pint.
Jimmy S
“Caller, are you accusing me of mendacity?”
“Naw, Jimmy, but ah think yer lying!”
HT
Eminem?
xxx
Glad Paul67 had the timely intervention HT, you would have been a huge loss to this blog.
There is also so much more to CQN than blethering on here.
Loved this song when I was younger
But for all the wrong reasons.
I wiz in lurv wi Nina. ;))
http://youtu.be/ozQ_bns_dKQ
HH
XMAS SONG…………
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ln01p1M2cH0
Thindimeboy
Article in e edition of the Guardian about the place of Jesus’ birth. Interesting.
More interesting…Hibees 7/2 Sat v
The Ramgers.
Happy Christmas all.
GodBless the bereaved after Friday.
Hope poor lady fromDumbarton can get the strength to cope with loss of her parents and lovely daughter. What a tragedy .
‘I have yet to read anything from the BBC about Mecca the place where Muslims believe Mohammed was born.’
outstanding! worthy of FF
back to sunday school.
Doc.
Thank you.absolutely not one!
Cqn has been part of my life for years but
Enjoyed lurking.Met an old Mucker Lennybhoy on
Michael Hannaway bus Euro game weeks ago
And was told to get posting.
let the people sing….
bigshuggy
Aye a evangelical scholar rev saying he was not born in a stable either !
Cant see this catching on
HH
Big Archie, so you know LennyBhoy?
A top banana, and now a full blown Roaster to boot, according to CowieBhoy.
HT
Congratulations on your Eucharistic minister debut.
My Auld Da has had the honour for many years.
Lennybhoy
Condolences in the loss of your friend.
Well that’s it. Christmas time again.
Bairns tucked up , canny wait for Santa.
A happy and holy Christmas to all CQNers.
God bless
Bigshuggy
Some great presents in the house tonight, thanks to your fitba’ predictions.
I just bet the other team! Quids in!
Hope you get the Hibees one right, of course!
Merry Christmas to you and yours Big Mhan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HwHyuraau4Q
Fairytale of New York
Hail Hail Bhoys and Ghirls
Have a lovely Christmas day.
Lennybhoy sorry to hear of your friends passing. May he rest in peace, and his, family find peace this Christmas.
Hamiltontim how dare you think of flouncing. : ) Peace be with you.
Hail hail big Archie.
whitedoghunch
And your point caller …?
Just pointing out foundations of Christianity are questioned by the BBC yet Islam is not
There was no offence meant towards Muslims
Btw I was a regular Catholic at Sunday School in Partick got a penny carmel and the sing songs were fun
Had parents who respected all faiths God bless em
Posted this earlier, but long enough gap now.
Jethro Tull. . . . Ring Out Those Solstice Bells.
Turn their hand to anything, those boys!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGcd_hIhtQ
Doc.
We go back long way.
I caught earlier posts with coatdyke bhoy.
I believe Lennybhoy thought that was me.
Will enjoy some exchanges when the old fella
Is on.let the people sing….
My bhoy came in from Vigil Mass….tells me that Father gets weans up on altar to ask them what present would they like to give to Baby Jesus for Xmas…” A tenner in a caird” comes the first response…..suppose it could have been worse.
Merry Christmas CQN well done all who help others,thats what were all about,god bless folks
Thindimebhoy
my take on such matters are not for here or now,
away to sit in a cave/manger/gazebo until tmrw
best always
Happy Christmas all. Just returned from Mass. So, a very happy Christmas to one and all.
A very Merry Christmas to all on CQN
This place sums what being a Celtic supporter is all about.
wdh
Best wishes old buddy.
The girls are still talking about Cincsentis!
Easily my least favourite time of the year :O) but merry xmas CQN
The Ramones – Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)
http://youtu.be/4Y5GtaTrPHM
whitedoghunch
Happy Christmas wherever you are
HH
Just back from SECC, I’m getting to old for for some of those rides.
Going to have a glass of red or two and then hit the sack. Is there a fold mass in Ek tomorrow?
Very best wishes to all on Cqn wherever you may be on this Christmas eve.
HH!!
Folk
The_huddle
Great stuff. Wasn’t expecting Da Bruddas tonight.
Johnny struggling, stuck in first gear on his F1 strat!
EDB
catch up for a beer soon
Jim Reeves – Senor Santa Claus:
http://youtu.be/ktIiJhu43tY
Is vigil mass different from midnight mass?
Great leader Paul67.
Wishing you, yours and everyone on CQN a peaceful and happy Xmas. Not much of a festive sort myself and working nightshift tonight so Bah humbug ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16brcl-0jm4
HH
Yep Run DMC :o)
RUN-DMC – Christmas In Hollis
http://youtu.be/OR07r0ZMFb8
A vigil is technically the day before an event but us normally taken as the evening before .
Midnight is a Mass beginning at midnight so any Mass beginning before midnight is a vigil.