A very enjoyable night was had on Friday 11^th Sept 2009 when, in front of a large gathering of club members, guests and supporters, Ms. Mary O’ Rourke T.D. officially opened Athlone Sub Aqua Club’s Training Room, Meeting Room and Search and Recovery Command Centre. These facilities were primarily funded through an extremely generous donation received from the Athlone Branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI). The Training Room has been named in memory of Walter and Ruth Borner RIP who at the time of their tragic death some years ago were members of the IWAI. Speakers on the night included Billy Henshaw, Chairman, IWAI (Athlone Branch); Dermot Browne, Missing in Ireland Support Services; Finbar Murphy, President of the Irish Underwater Council, Fr. Declan Shannon, Coosan Church and Mark Cooney, Town Mayor. Fr. Declan Shannon also used the occasion to bless the club's facilities Thanks goes to the following club members for their assistance towards making this event a huge success: Aidan Henry, for performing an excellent job as MC; Peter Chatterton for keeping order on the car parking and to Eric Nugent for providing the PA system. Thanks also to Stephanie Keating, Geraldine Fogarty, Deborah Riley, Anne Marie McMahon, Bianca Hedgewald and Sebastian’s mum Mrs. Letocha for doing a brilliant job catering for the large numbers that attended on the night.