A NOVEL way of fond raising has been introduced by the Samaritans in Limerick to pay off the mortgage on their centre there.
Some 300 invitations have been sent to interesting characters" associated with the city and county, offering them the chance to be included in a quality hardback book celebrating the positive aspects of Limerick.
The "catch" however, on the back of each invitation is that the people concerned must pay £350 each to have their profile included. The payment can be in the form of sponsorship to be acknowledged in the book.
"Limerick Lives will be a celebration of the positive developments and rejuvenation which abounds in Limerick today. It will comprise a collage of short lighthearted interviews and intriguing photographic studies of city and county personalities from all walks of life.a according to the invitations.
While the main objective of the project is to raise funds, an underlying motive is to bring together the talent and positive energy which abound in Limerick people according to Ms Catherine Slater, deputy director of Limerick Samaritans. This will counteract the negative image often associated with Limerick city.
"For the project to succeed, we need to secure at least 100 entrants so all nominations and offers to sponsor individual profiles from the public will be very welcome" said Ms Slater.
"Apart from the subscription fees, the only other real restrictions are that the individuals being profiled have a strong personal association with Limerick city or country, and an interesting story to tell.a
It is planned to publish the book in 1997 in time for the 800th anniversary of Limerick receiving its city charter.