Garda Stacey Looby saying goodbye to Navan
Meath will lose an inspirational hero next week, when community garda, Stacey Looby, departs Navan Garda station after eleven years.
Stacey has won the hearts of the people of Meath with her Trojan work over the years, looking after the vulnerable in the community and raising €20,000 for seven charities.
Stacey is now off to pastures new in Athlone, which is closer to her home town of Banaher, Co Offaly.
She loved working in Navan. “I really enjoyed it here, particularly the last three years as a community garda.
“The people are lovely. The community is great and Navan O'Mahonys and Walterstown GAA have been wonderful to work with.
“I want to thank the people of Meath for all their help,” she said.
Last year, Stacey was named an Inspirational Hero in the Gala Retail and Virgin Media National Inspiration Awards.
She was nominated for her hard work, dedication and positivity during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Her amazing efforts focused on the elderly, from arranging shopping and collecting medicines, to surprising those cocooning alone with birthdays to remember.
In fact to date she delivered 23 birthday cakes during the pandemic.
She was also behind an appeal for children to make Easter cards for those in nursing homes. Originally hoping for around 100 cards, she received over 500.
Stacey organised a Go Purple Day to raise funds and awareness for domestic violence and was personally thanked by the Tanaiste Leo Varadkar for her work in this regard.
Garda Looby was the brainchild behind the first annual Go Purple event in Meath last year, which has now spread through other garda stations across the country.
Garda Looby started the event in 2020 to raise awareness of the support groups available to people, after a stark rise in domestic cases were reported nationwide in lockdown.
She was sent a video of the Tanaiste recognising her efforts from outside Government buildings.
In the short video, he says: "I just wanted to do this video to mark Go Purple Day. As you know Go Purple is all about raising awareness of domestic violence which unfortunately there is an epidemic of in this country and it has got worse during this pandemic period.
"I really want to particularly mention community Garda Stacey Looby, who got this initiative going and now it's become a nationwide event so thank you for all your work that you do today and everyday and your colleagues as well."
Stacey has raised over €20,000 for seven charities.
Temple Street Children's Hospital, Sean Cox Rehabilitation Fund, Meath Women's Refuge, Men's Aid as well as Nahyan's High 5, Mike Leddy and Colm Eogan.