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The Newsletter of Northern Ireland Children's Enterprise

Mayor of Lisburn James Tinsley awarded completion certificates for the NICE program "Citizenship in a Divided Socxiety" to students from Fort Hill

       At the presentations the young people talked about what the course meant to them personally. Some teachers also spoke praising the programme and the positive impact on building good relations between the two communities. Deputy Lord Mayor Kelly talked about the impact NICE was having in schools, and how impressed she was with the learning that had taken place. Ms. Kelly also talked about the importance the City Council have put on promoting good relations between people in the City, and endorsed the work of NICE, assuring us of her personal support for the programme. Lisburn Mayor James Tinsley also highly recommended the programme and the work the young people were doing in their respective communities.

       Our date is Tuesday, September 2, the day after Labor Day, with an 11:30 am shotgun start. If you would like to join us, or have a friend who might like to receive an invitation, please give a call to (845) 526-2571.

       Our 16th Annual NICE Boston Golf Outing will be held again this year at TPC of Boston in Norton, MA on Monday, July 21. TPC is a signature Arnold Palmer course design, part of a nationwide network of world-class golf courses owned or operated by the PGA Tour. TPC of Boston is the home of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Jack Nelan and Carmel McCavana

During our awards dinner at Olde Oaks this year, a special presentation was made to Jack Nelan in honor of his and his family's 25 years of service to the NICE program. As Carmel McCavana pointed out in her remarks, Jack and Cathy's home has been an open house for visitors from Belfast for twenty-five years. She said “I would also like to pay tribute to all of Jack's extended family because you don't just get Jack with the package, you get his thousands of relatives from all over Ireland and the States. His cousin Aine Kitt Brady, TD, ran a function for us in Ireland a few years ago where the guest of honor was President Mary McAleese. Maura Kitt, another cousin, has been knocking on doors for us over the last 20 years helping us to secure funds from various sources and is currently helping us raise funds in Ireland. Jack's sister Pat Wagner helped us enormously at our outing at Bear Lakes for eight years, and his nephew Ken Wagner ran a golf outing last summer at The Fox Club in West Palm Beach, FL. Jack's son Brian is the latest recruit; he was involved in the committee last year for Winged Foot and Meaghan was always there to be a friend and encourage the numerous young people staying at the Nelan's every summer. Of course behind every good man is an even greater woman and Cathy has had a lot to put up with over the years, so many thanks to Cathy also.” They are training grandchildren Colleen and Steven, Maureen's children, to take up the mantle in the years ahead.

       Because of your generosity, when all the tickets are sold the donation to NICE will be $15,000 and first prize would be $10,000. If you would like to support our program and take a chance, just send your check for $100 to NICE at 202 Lake Shore Rd, Putnam Valley, NY 10579. Good luck!

The group on a teambuilding session
prepares for the trip to Serbia

       During their stay we discovered the similarities in the work both organisations are doing to promote reconciliation in deeply divided societies. Our young people learned a tremendous amount from the two students, Danijela and Vanja, and we began to explore the possibility of an exchange program. This year we plan to bring a group of 14 young people from Belfast to Serbia in August. The Serbian group intends to come to Northern Ireland next April.

       This upcoming visit to Serbia by our students underscores the international work that NICE continues to pioneer. The lessons learned in Belfast society can be used to promote reconciliation and mutual understanding between divided societies throughout the world.

Sad News

       Last fall while driving from their home in Pocassett, MA to their winter home in Naples, Amby was killed in a car accident. Amby's wife Marilyn was also severely injured in the accident but showed her indomitable spirit as she came with their two daughters to our annual golf outing at Quail Creek in March. We wish Marilyn all the best in her continued recovery.

       Tom and Kathie Collins have been perennial friends of NICE for 25 years. Each year the chaperones who accompanied the children visiting from Belfast would stay at their home for the summer. All of our host families will remember TC as the chef at our annual summer picnic. He was always surrounded by smiling children at these events, and he had a nickname for everyone.

       TC died in a tragic automobile accident near his home last year. TC was a kind and loving man, and a most unforgettable character, and he and Kathie remain in our thoughts and prayers.

Happy News

Grace Loughlin

       We welcome Grainne back to the office; she has been missed while she was home attending to Grace's every need. As she told us while out on maternity leave: “Grace is a happy, funny, relaxed wee angel, and I am absolutely loving motherhood. She is making it very easy for me. Our days are filled with playing and washing (no one warned me how much washing one little person needs), walks when the weather lets us and visiting friends when the weather doesn't let us walk!”

NICE founder Don Murphy and wife Mary Jo recently welcomed their first grandchild. Declan Donal Murphy has just celebrated his first birthday. He lives in Naples, FL with parents Don Jr. and Marina, not too far away from his grandparents' winter home. Declan was in fine form when he met some of the NICE staff who traveled to Naples just to meet him (the Quail Creek golf outing was conveniently taking place that week).

Mary Jo, Declan and Don, Jr.

Chris LaCroix, Alec McAuley,and Kevin Sullivan at Winged Foot	Colette Greene greets our golfers at Olde Oake in Louisiana

      The next outing was held in March at Quail Creek Country Club. Once again our great committee in Naples raised nearly $40,000 for the NICE program. Our co-chairmen John Dee and Frank Ronnenberg lead a fantastic group of people who are wonderfully supportive of our program. You would never know that Kevin Devine had recently retired with all the work he did to make the outing such a success. We had a lot of great donations for auction items, and many generous donations from friends and businesses in the neighborhood, including some of the staff at Quail Creek. Most of our golfers and donors have been supporting this outing for 11 consecutive years. Thanks to all!

Pints for Peace

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