Displaying items by tag: Fundraising
“Hurry to the Curry” Fundraiser Returns in Aid of Arklow RNLI
Following a two-year break, Arklow RNLI’s Hurry to the Curry fundraiser returns on Friday 27 January at the Arklow Bay Hotel from 8pm.
Also known as Dan’s Lifeboat Special, the event has gone from strength to strength and continues to be one of the most enjoyable and well supported nights out in the events calendar, the lifeboat station says.
Culinary masterpieces prepared by Anne and her team of volunteers range from hot curry dishes and a wonderful array of fresh sea food — prawns, lobster, crab, monkfish and salmon— to cold-meat platters, vegetarian dishes and salads of all kinds.
Advice is to come to the bash good and hungry: “It’s the best value meal you’ll have had since [the last] event and quite simply the best craic to be had on the east coast.”
There are spot prizes galore and some lovely raffle and auction items. Music will be provided by the Joe Dolan Experience followed by a DJ till late. There might even be some special guests.
Arklow RNLI’s crew are pulling out all the stops to ensure a magical night is had by all. Lifeboat press officer Mark Corcoran says: “Without volunteers like our fundraising team and our lifeboat crew who still to this day give of their own time, our lifeboat couldn’t function and continue to be rescue ready. We would love to see everybody at the Arklow Bay Hotel on Friday 27 January.”
Tickets are €20 and are available from the Arklow Bay Hotel and Arklow RNLI Fundraising committee members, or you can email [email protected].
Fethard RNLI’s friends in the Baginbun-based sea swim group Hooked on Swimming are doing the 12 Swims of Christmas in aid of the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.
This Sunday 11 December they will be holding a coffee morning from 10am at The Hall in Fethard-on-Sea in Co Wexford to raise funds for their local lifeboat via a raffle with some great prizes.
But even if you can’t be there on the morning, donations towards the swimmers’ €5,000 goal can be made via their GoFundMe page HERE.
Santa SCUBA Dive for RNLI Returns at Bulloch Harbour This Sunday
This Sunday 11 December, SCUBA divers dressed in Santa suits will once again dive into the sea water at Bulloch Harbour in Dalkey to raise money for the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea.
The annual diving event has raised over €20,000 to date since it was started in 2014 by Karen Kenny of Dublin University Sub Aqua Club.
This year divers will assemble at the harbour at 10am with the first subaquatic Santas entering the water at 11am. Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s D-class lifeboat will also be on site, subject to weather and operations, to support the festive dip.
But anyone can take part wherever they may be, the organisers urge, calling on supporters to jump into the sea, a lake, a river or even your bath, all to raise funds for the RNLI.
All you need to do is wear a Santa hat, Santa suit or even just a Christmas bow and make a donation, no matter how small.
East Coast Rowing Clubs Rowed 3,200km and Raised More Than €20,500 for Young Girl’s Cancer Treatment
East Coast rowing clubs pooled their efforts to row more than 3,200km in 24 hours and raise more than €20,500 in aid of a young cancer patient from Blackrock.
As previously reported on Afloat.ie, St Michael’s Rowing Club members spearheaded the challenge to support nine-year-old Alice Hayes, who was diagnosed earlier this year with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare, aggressive, and complex cancer of the nerve cell.
Gareth Witthington and Nicola Fitzgerald of St Michael’s in Dun Laoghaire — who organised the event last Saturday 26 November — hoped to raise €7,500 in the joint effort between all 11 rowing clubs on the East Coast, relay rowing on ergometers to hit a target of 3,171km in 24 hours.
The final totals far exceeded their expectations, with the total distance rowed at 3,228km and funds raised nearly three times what was targeted.
And the funds will make a significant contribution to the care of Alice, whose family need to raise a total of €550,000 to get her access to life-saving cancer drugs in a clinical trial in New York next year.
“We are delighted with the superb performances by our membership, the wider East Coast clubs, overseas rowers who joined from the United States, Finland and the United Kingdom, Cormac Devlin TD who showed his support by rowing alongside the St Michael’s, the CBRE Global Work Place Solutions office challenges and a dig out from the Dun Laoghaire Sea Scouts who got us over the line,” Witthington said.
“Congratulations to all! We set ourselves the target of €7,500 and between online and offline fundraising the total currently stands at over €20,500!
“This is an incredible amount of money that will go towards getting Alice the help she needs, and we were so moved that Alice came down to row with us on Saturday for a little while.
“To say we are gobsmacked about how much was raised is an understatement!”
Together, the East Coast rowing clubs said they wish to thank all their members and supporters for uniting for this challenge “and proving once again that there is great strength and generosity in unity”.
The GoFundMe page to support Alice’s care is still accepting donations.
St Michael’s Rowing Club give thanks to the following:
- East Coast Rowing Council
- Stella Maris Rowing Club
- St Patrick’s Rowing Club
- Vartry Rowing Club
- Bray Rowing Club
- Dalkey Rowing Club
- Fingal Rowing Club
- Wicklow Rowing Club
- Skerries Rowing Club
- Greystones Rowing Club
- Supervalu Dun Laoghaire
- UCD
- Monkstown Boxing Club
- CBRE Global Work Place Solutions
- Texaco Newtown Park Avenue
- Sea Scouts Dun Laoghaire
‘All in a Row’ Marathon Charity Challenge on River Liffey Aims to Break 1,000km Rowing Target
The ‘All in a Row’ charity challenge for 2022 is coming to the Dublin’s River Liffey on Saturday 3 December with teams looking to smash a target of 1,000km rowed in eight hours.
Forty skiffs, four Dragon boats, kayaks, canoes and currachs will all be on the water to raise funds for RNLI lifeboats and the Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit.
Organisers are hoping to exceed last year’s target of rowing 1,000km during the event on the river, which will start from St Patrick’s Rowing Club at the Tom Clarke Bridge (formerly the East Link Bridge) and finish at the Ha’penny Bridge.
The challenge is being undertaken with the aim of showcasing the River Liffey as one of Dublin’s best amenities while raising funds for two vital water-related charities. The event raised €20,000 in 2021.
The action gets under way start from 8.30am on Saturday 3 December and at 1pm all boats will gather on the Liffey at the Sean O’Casey footbridge where wreath-laying ceremony, attended by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, will take place to commemorate all those who have lost their lives through drowning.
Many Dublin rowing clubs have their home on the River Liffey and are a regular sight on the water. At the port end of the river is St Patrick’s Rowing Club, Stella Maris Rowing Club, East Wall Water Sports Group and Poolbeg Yacht and Boat club. Ringsend Basin is home to the Plurabelle Paddlers (Dragon boats) and the Dublin Viking Dragon boats.
At the other end of the city, beyond Heuston Station, there are many river rowing clubs and kayaking clubs including Phoenix Rowing Club. And rowing clubs from other parts of Ireland will also join in the challenge.
Competitors are asked to raise sponsorship for the event, and for spectators and supporters there is an iDonate page where one can give towards two very worthy water safety and rescue causes.
Newcastle RNLI Launches Festive Castlewellan 10K, 5K and One-Mile Fun Run to Raise Funds for Lifeboat
Newcastle RNLI has launched a festive 10K, 5K and one-mile fun run to help save lives at sea.
Appealing to the seasoned athlete as well as families and fun runners wanting to get some exercise while getting into the Christmas spirit, the event will take place on Sunday 11 December around the Castlewellan Lake on a mainly flat terrain.
The 10K and 5K events will be chip-timed with prizes for the winners and an iconic RNLI all-weather lifeboat medal for all participants.
The one-mile Christmas dash, meanwhile, is open to everyone and suitable for those bringing families and those with prams and/or pets.
While fun runners won’t be timed, they too will receive a Christmas medal for their efforts. There will also be prizes for the most festive costumes.
For those who can’t do the run on the day but would still like to take part, there will be a virtual option. Simply do the 10K in your own time, send Strava/Garmin or equivalent evidence of completion to RNLI community manager Nuala Muldoon at [email protected] and you will receive a medal in the post.
Speaking ahead of the event, Muldoon said: “This is a wonderful Christmas event with options to be competitive in either the 10K or 5K, to enjoy the fun run with family or friends, or do it in your own spare time virtually.
“We want people to really get into the Christmas spirit by dressing up, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying a well-deserved mince pie and some Christmas fun at the finish line.
“All proceeds raised from the Castlewellan event will go to Newcastle RNLI. Every time a RNLI crew launches, they are determined to save every one. But they can’t do that without the generosity of the public who support events such as these and raise vital funds.
“By taking on the Castlewellan 10K/5K or one mile fun run, participants are helping to keep our volunteers safe. Every penny they raise makes a difference. It helps the charity to recruit and train volunteers and could fund the kit they need to protect themselves. It helps ensure a lifeboat is ready when the call comes and it enables our safety advice to reach as many people as possible so they can stay safe by the water.”
In 2021, lifeboats at Northern Ireland’s 10 stations launched 297 times bringing 370 people to safety, seven of whom were lives saved.
During the lifeguard season, RNLI teams located on 11 beaches along the Causeway Coast and in Co Down responded to 330 incidents, coming to the aid of 384 people, one of whom was a life saved.
To register for the Castlewellan 10K/5K and one-mile festive fun run on Sunday 11 December, click HERE.
Rowing Clubs Unite for Epic 24-Hour Challenge in Aid of Young Cancer Patient
East Coast rowing clubs are undertaking the challenge of rowing around Ireland in 24 hours on indoor rowing machines in aid of Alice Hayes, a nine-year-old girl from Blackrock who has been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, an aggressive type of cancer.
Alice is a bright, beautiful, and brave young girl whose world was turned on its head in April of this year when she was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma.
Neuroblastoma is a rare, aggressive, and complex cancer of the nerve cells. Chances of relapse are high, and it carries low survival rates.
“We’re certain she will beat these odds,” say St Michael’s Rowing Club in Dun Laoghaire, who are leading the initiative, “but she needs our help.”
This marks the first time that all 11 rowing clubs along the East Coast — St. Michael’s, Skerries RC, Fingal RC, Stella Maris RC, St Patrick’s RC, Dalkey RC, Bray RC, Greystones RC, Wicklow RC, Vartry RC and Arklow RC — are undertaking a joint fundraising initiative.
Members of the clubs, their families and friends will attempt to row a total of 3,171km in 24 hours on ergometers. Under the watchful eye of St Michael’s captains Gareth Witthington and Nicola Fitzgerald, the challenge will take place on Saturday 26 November from 10 am. The aim is that each person doing the challenge will row for a 30-minute session, which will see people rowing through the night.
The family needs to raise a total of €550,000 to get Alice access to life-saving cancer drugs in a clinical trial at the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center in New York. The funds need to be raised by this Christmas to ensure that she is enrolled in the next available trial group in early 2023.
Clubs hope to raise at least €7,500 for the great cause, and a GoFundMe page has been set up for donations. If anyone would like to join the challenge and row on one of the ergometers in Dun Laoghaire, email [email protected].
Lough Ree RNLI marked a significant milestone on Monday (17 October) when a cheque for €100,000 was presented as the local community contribution to the overall €1.2m cost of the new lifeboat station on a site donated by the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.
The presentation was made by Michael Ganly, chairman of the Lough Ree RNLI Appeal Committee to Anna Classon, the RNLI’s regional head for Ireland.
On her first visit to the new lifeboat station, which was opened this past June, Classon said she was “really impressed by the partnership between the RNLI and the IWAI and to see two great organisations sharing resources for the benefit of the community”.
The community contribution was the result of a fundraising campaign which ran for more than 12 months and was supported by community groups, the corporate sector and a host of individuals for the lakeside community and beyond.
Presenting the cheque, Ganly said: “The work of people like committee secretary Pauline Irwin and all others involved was crucial to the success of the venture.”
The new lifeboat station has been very active this year and has been a particular asset to the 46 volunteer crew as the charity and its lifeboat Tara Scougall have responded to 46 callouts in the year to date.
Reflecting on the successful fundraising campaign, Lough Ree RNLI treasurer Vincent Rafter thanked “all the GoFundMe campaigns, tests of endurance and anonymous donors who contributed amounts large and small to this special community initiative”.
Union Hall RNLI Receives $500 From Irish Emigrants in San Francisco
The volunteers at Union Hall RNLI received a cheque recently for over $500 from a group of Irish emigrants in the USA.
Volunteer fundraiser Pamela Deasy travelled to Kinsale recently and met John Farley, who resides in San Francisco, and his friend John O’Mahony, a volunteer deputy launching authority at Kinsale RNLI, to receive a cheque on behalf of McCarthy’s Bar in San Francisco.
McCarthy’s Bar is owned by Eileen McCarthy from Drinagh in West Cork, and its patrons last year raised over $5,000 in aid of the Kinsale lifeboat, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.
John is a lifelong supporter of the RNLI with first-hand experience of their work after he, his sister and his niece were rescued a number of years ago when their boat broke down off the Old Head of Kinsale.
Deasy said: “On behalf of all our team, we wish to thank Eileen and John for thinking of us in Union Hall. This donation will help us greatly.
“With three callouts in the last two weeks, this donation will help with training costs for our volunteers, as it costs roughly €1,557 per crew member annually.”
Earlier this week, experienced sea kayaker Jon Hynes set out on a journey with a difference — paddling the entire Cork coastline solo in aid of a charity very close to his heart.
Three years ago Jon’s wife Alayne was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since made a full recovery, thanks in no small part to the support services provided by Cork ARC Cancer Support House.
Jon says that he vowed from the day of Alayne’s diagnosis that he would use his sea kayaking skills to give back to those who helped his family through the most challenging of times.
And now he’s doing just that, tackling all 935km of Cork’s jagged mainland coastline in a kayak he’s also rigged with a 1sqm sail “so when conditions favour I have the added challenge and fun of sail kayaking”.
Jon has already made incredible progress in the four-plus days since setting off on this adventure, claiming an “excellent run” via Roaringwater Bay and Baltimore — and putting in three massive 50km-plus days on the water.
But that’s not so surprising to anyone familiar with his 1,500 round-Ireland paddle in 2015, the subject of an award-nominated documentary as previously reported on Afloat.ie.
He aims to reach the end of the route in Youghal by lunchtime tomorrow (Monday 18 July) and any new contributions towards his €5,000 fundraising goal will surely give him the push he needs to get there.
“I am really excited to deliver this fundraiser,” Jon says, “the gratitude that I feel towards everyone across all the medical services in helping my wife survive breast cancer runs deep.
“In particular, though, I want to acknowledge by my kayaking paddle strokes just how much I appreciate ARC House, their fantastic team and their range of services.
“Cork is a beautiful place to live and thrive, but it is comforting to know that service like Cork ARC house is there when someone has a cancer battle on their hands. Thank you for supporting my fundraiser for Cork ARC.”
Keep up with the latest on Jon’s adventure on his Facebook page HERE.