Latest news with #youthgroup
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Why would 35-year-old CEO Gareth Sheridan want to be entombed in the Áras for seven years?
You can probably name the big May 2015 referendum, the one about same-sex marriage. Now name the second proposal put to voters that day. It was the effort to reduce the presidential candidacy age from 35 to 21. Even two months out, seven in 10 were against it. More than half the youth group it was targeting were against it. In the end nearly three-quarters of the people voted No. As crazily time-wasting notions go, it could have been worse. Nearly 20 years beforehand, an Oireachtas joint committee had recommended a reduction to age 18. In 1937, Éamon de Valera referred to the president's role and powers as requiring 'the exercise of a wise discretion'. Surely only an insufferably self-important little twerp would deem themselves qualified at 21? It's also true, as Yes advocates were wont to argue, that the age barrier would have rendered Jesus Christ and Michael Collins (dead at 33 and 31) ineligible for the job, but why on earth would such busy, transformative young men have wanted it anyway? READ MORE The same question could be asked of Gareth Sheridan . Why would the 35-year-old co-founder and chief executive of an $80 million Nasdaq -listed company about to hit serious paydirt – Nutriband – want to be entombed for seven years in the diplomatic fustiness of the Áras ? His first outing post-announcement on Sunday was to Tullamore Agricultural Show, where there was a team and badges in evidence but little gladhanding by all accounts. It might have been just a practice run. Like every serious US presidential candidate, Sheridan has a book nicely timed for campaign season. From No to Nasdaq is the autobiography of a Terenure teenager who paints houses to buy a Nokia 3310, a TUD business and management student who spots a gap in the market (patch treatments for delivering medications and pain relief), emigrates to the US and drives an Uber to pay the bills while his wife works as a nanny to snitty rich kids, all while gaining US citizenship, dodging Wall Street sharks, being sued by US Securities and Exchange Commission regulators, and getting listed. He remains in the bottom five per cent of executives on the Nasdaq in terms of compensation – and that's how it should be, he told Hot Press in an pre-announcement interview last week, 'because we're not quite ready. Next year when we get FDA approval, we can see what the company is in a position to spend and afford'. That's when the company's first big product, an abuse-deterrent technology with the FDA-approved fentanyl patch, will be rolled out. The company he co-founded and leads is in big expansion mode and on track to become a billion-dollar business. [ Gareth Sheridan's presidential nomination is by no means certain Opens in new window ] In the context of Sheridan's presidential ambitions announced elsewhere just a few days later, that's the puzzling part. All this excitement – including his goal 'to put manners' on US Big Pharma – is due to unfold during his intended presidential term. Yet at 35, and after seven years in the US, he has chosen to step aside as chief executive to seek a seven-year sentence as Ireland's ceremonial president. There is a manifesto of sorts which so far resembles a Dáil hopeful's manifesto, focused 'on the pragmatic politics' of our old friend, 'common sense'. He had become obsessed, he said, 'with how we can fix this housing issue', and had been meeting lots of people who happened to include lots of county councillors. 'The system is broken. It's part and parcel of successive governments and their lack of foresight and preparation ... I've met with councillors and their frustration level is crazy,' Sheridan said. A couple of them flatteringly asked if he would put housing at the top of the narrative and have a crack at the Áras, he told Hot Press. From which he inferred that it was time for a younger candidate 'to keep these issues on top of the narrative'. And – as he says repeatedly – he's young. No-one could argue with the need to light a fire under housing policy, but this implies, a) that it hasn't dominated every national and local narrative to death for years and, b) that President Michael D Higgins could have tried a bit harder. That forceful, emotional speech three years ago – when Higgins described housing as 'a disaster' and 'our great, great, great failure' – notwithstanding, probably. Sheridan uses the word 'figurehead' for the job so is clearly aware of the limitations. Yet he has been working at it 'for well over a year', finding the time for face-to-face schmoozing with councillors crucial to his nomination. Which means he was dabbling deep in Irish politics well before last November's general election, with time enough to pack all that effort into a run for the Dáil and possible ministerial office from which to wield the fix of real executive power. There is the puzzle. [ 'Don't underestimate this guy': Who is Gareth Sheridan, the pharma millionaire running for president? Opens in new window ] The other question is why the Irish electorate would vote for a relatively unknown businessman to be its North Star. The 2011 candidacy of businessman Seán Gallagher – who almost made it to the Áras as an Independent until his campaign imploded on live TV – resonated because the economy was in ruins, leaving a gaping wound in the national psyche. Gallagher offered a fix, focusing on entrepreneurship and self-reliance. It wasn't poetry but it was a sorely needed dose of positivity. Since Gallagher served as Nutriband president for four years from 2018 to 2022, it's hardly a stretch to think that Sheridan might have at least noted Gallagher's nomination tactics, not to mention his business pitch, as a template when he says things like, 'We need to start looking forward. That's a mentality thing that needs to change.' But Sheridan has been remarkably adamant that he got no advice from Gallagher and told RTÉ that they 'parted ways ... after a year or two'. An advantage of being young is that there are fewer skeletons to fall out of the cupboard. Gareth Sheridan's candidacy will reveal as much about this Ireland as about the man himself. It will get interesting.
CBC
7 days ago
- General
- CBC
Cambridge temple helps local police collect backpacks for children in need
The youth group at the Radha Krishna Mandir and Cultural Centre in Cambridge has been collecting backpacks for young people in need. It's part of the Waterloo Regional Police Service's backpack challenge. The youth group has been collecting backpacks for three years now. Yashmita Narine is a youth outreach member from the Hindu temple. She says the youth group collected a record number of backpacks this year by rallying up support from temple-goers of all ages. "Three years ago we were able to do 300. I think last year we got to 1,200," Narine said. This year, with the help of people at the temple, they've gathered 1,400 bags, which they donated to police on Monday. "When we started the group, it was just a bunch of high school kids," Narine said. "A lot of these youths that were in need were our age and so it kind of hit home for us having to know that so many kids need backpacks to go to school every year," Narine added. "They're pretty essential." The annual Waterloo Regional Police Service aims to to collect 5,000 backpacks this year. Along with backpacks, the challenge also collects various school supplies and gift cards. Cherri Greeno, the director of corporate affairs for the police service, says the program is going strong into its eigth year because of community support. She said so far, more than 3,000 families have signed on to receive a backpack. "It's really about giving every child a fair start to the school year. It's about boosting their confidence so they can put their focus on learning and really send them back to school with a smile, feeling confident, feeling proud and ready just to start a successful school year," Greeno said. WRPS surpassed its donation goal last year by collecting around 6,500 backpacks for children in need. People who want to make a backpack donation an drop off school supplies at any division throughout Waterloo region until the end of this week.
Sky News
7 days ago
- Sky News
Angry locals from Welsh town under investigation for online comments after mistaking youth group for asylum seekers
Why you can trust Sky News Residents of a south Wales town are under investigation after they mistook a youth group visiting a summer camp for an influx of asylum seekers. Gwent Police has launched a probe into "inappropriate and offensive" comments made online after a video was shared on Facebook last week claiming to show illegal immigrants in Newbridge. However, the bus contained members of a charitable youth group from across the UK that had been enjoying a trip to CRAI Scout Activity Park. The visitors, some of which were from Scotland, included children, families, teenagers, and group leaders. The video, which also alleged police were guarding the site, has since been deleted. Temporary Chief Superintendent Jason White said: "The video was removed but some of the posts contained inappropriate and offensive language and enquiries into the nature of the posts are ongoing. "While that work takes place, there are some mistruths circulating on social media which we'd like to correct. "The group featured in the video were visiting from another part of the country to attend a frequently used Scout camp in Newbridge and many of the people in the video are children. "The site is not used to house anyone on a permanent basis. The site is used by our dog handlers to train our police dogs when not used for visits and our officers are not guarding the location. "So, with that in mind, we're asking everyone to consider the tone and sentiment of their language but also for people to think twice about what they might read online and look for trusted voices within our communities." CRAI Scout Activity Park is a campsite and activity centre. ScoutsCymru said: "CRAI Scout Activity Park is an inclusive and welcoming campsite and activity centre in the South Wales Valleys offering a range of outdoor activities for youth and community groups. "We are aware of a racially aggravated incident targeting under-18s who were leaving after visiting our activity centre and are working closely with the police to address this situation. "We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone on site and will continue to take immediate and robust action against any behaviour that threatens this." In response to ScoutsCymru's statement on Facebook, one woman took aim at the "village idiots" who mistook the visiting group for migrants. Another woman wrote: "Where are the hundreds of comments on this post? Too ashamed to show themselves up now.
CBS News
03-07-2025
- CBS News
Family sues Washington County church, alleging teen was sexually assaulted at youth group for those with special needs
A Washington County church is the subject of a civil lawsuit. It accuses the church of not doing enough to prevent an alleged sexual assault of a child with special needs. According to the attorney representing the family who is suing The Bible Chapel Ministries, they want to make sure that no one goes through the pain and trauma that they went through. The lawsuit filed in the Court of Common Pleas says a 13-year-old with Down syndrome was sexually assaulted while attending a youth group event at the non-denominational church in January. "It's even more troubling. It makes the event even more traumatizing and even harder to overcome," attorney Veronica Hubbard said. According to the lawsuit, an adult on the autism spectrum who also participated in the special needs ministry assaulted the child. Other children were apparently present and reported it to youth group leaders, who intervened after more than five minutes. The victim's family wasn't notified until the child was picked up after the youth group event. On its website, Bible Chapel said its special needs ministry is to allow people to attend church with no worries and all staff and volunteers are rigorously screened, cleared and trained. "They trusted the church. They thought that this was a safe space for my client to go to and that wasn't the case," Hubbard said. Court papers said the alleged assault happened while there was no supervision. The perpetrator's father was to have continuous supervision of him because of past behavior, including another alleged sexual abuse of a youth member on the church playground. The lawsuit alleges no report was made to ChildLine until the victim's mother and therapist called. Hubbard said her clients fear this could happen again. "That's her biggest concern. Making sure the people who didn't prevent this from happening are held accountable and to make sure this doesn't happen to vulnerable people in the future," Hubbard said. Bible Chapel Ministries provided this statement: "Earlier this year, a student with special needs engaged in inappropriate behavior with another student with special needs during Student Ministry. Upon noticing the behavior, the students were immediately separated, families were notified, and the matter was reported to Childline/Child Protective Services and local authorities. The student who initiated the behavior was also suspended indefinitely from all youth activities. Authorities have since completed their investigation and affirmed that we responded appropriately. "We have, and will continue to, handle the incident in a manner consistent with our values, providing our full cooperation and care for all involved. While litigation is underway, we cannot share further details, but we remain committed to God's Word to serve all involved." There is no timeline yet for when the civil trial will take place.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Tragedy as teenage girl, 15, who 'lit up every room' is killed outside her church
A 15-year-old girl from Georgia was killed in a tragic accident outside her church just moments after attending a youth group, according to her family and local officials. The victim, identified as Aleia Kuhn, was struck in the parking lot of Philippi Baptist Church in Henry County in what authorities have described as a heartbreaking accident with no criminal intent. Aleia's death has devastated the tight-knit community in eastern Georgia, where she was known as a vibrant, kind-hearted teenager who 'lit up every room' she entered. In the days since her death last Wednesday a vigil was held outside the church in the same parking lot where the teenager died. Hundreds turned out from across the community to pay tribute to the popular girl. Her mother, Amanda Schroeder-Kuhn, called her 'my backbone and my heart,' and said her daughter 'loved so big' and lived with a deep faith. The exact details of the accident remain under investigation, but authorities have only confirmed that it occurred in the church parking lot as Aleia was leaving. The teen was just weeks away from celebrating her 16th birthday. 'She was my backbone and my heart,' her mother, Amanda Schroeder-Kuhn wrote on Facebook in a tribute to her daughter. 'I wasn't ready for Him to want her back already. 'She was too good for this earth and her testimony and love for Jesus will live through me forever. I don't know how to live a life without her so all the all the prayers are being felt and giving comfort to all her friends and family.' An obituary painted some more personal details about Aleia including how she loved Nerd Clusters, Kinder chocolate, and salt & vinegar chips. She had a love for Chick-fil-A, especially if it was with 'all the ranch.' 'She loved with her whole heart. She forgave fast. She made people feel seen and safe, every single day,' reporter Kaitlyn Ross shared in a moving tribute on 11Alive. 'No one was ready. And no one ever will be.' Youth group leaders at Philippi Baptist Church say Aleia was the kind of student who lifted others up and that if a kid sat alone, she would go to sit with them. In the days since the accident, the Kuhn family has been surrounded by an outpouring of love with hundreds paying their respects online. Caring for a Cause, a local nonprofit, launched a memorial fund to support funeral services and the family's needs during their time of grief. 'Aleia's life was short, but her impact was immeasurable,' her family wrote. 'Though our selfishness wants her back, we know that if she had the choice, she wouldn't come back. Heaven is too beautiful, and her joy there is complete.' She leaves behind her loving parents, Chris and Amanda Kuhn; her brothers Corben and Colter Kuhn; and a large extended family of grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, classmates, and church friends - all shattered by the sudden loss.
