Sport and Charity can be a powerful combination but it takes hard work from both sides to make it effective. That was a clear outcome from the Sport for Business Members Round Table on the subject of Sport and Charity held earlier this year.
Each week we will highlight particular projects or initiatives from within Ireland and further afield that illustrate just how things might be done as well as they can be. This week we focus on Special Olympics and Ramble Aid.
Special Olympics hit the Streets, and the workplaces, and…
This Friday, April 26th, Special Olympics Ireland will hold its National Collection day on the streets and in the workplaces of Ireland.
The Collection Day is the biggest annual fundraising event the organisation undertakes and will see 4,000 volunteers cover 200 plus locations between 7am and 7pm.
The public can support Special Olympics on the day by donating to one of the on-street collectors, donating online or by texting the word SPECIAL to 50300 to donate €2.
Many companies have gathered teams of volunteers together to collect in local business parks and many more companies have organised corporate coffee mornings to raise funds. The National Collection Day is supported by Eircom.
“We have a wonderful and committed volunteer force, who have given so generously of their time to raise funds for Special Olympics Ireland,” said Jim Barry, Chairman of Special Olympics Ireland’s Collection Day committee. “Every single cent donated will go straight to Special Olympics so that they can continue to change the lives of people with an intellectual disability throughout Ireland”.
“Eircom is very proud to continue to sponsor the Special Olympics Ireland Collection Day,” added Carolann Lennon, Chief Commercial Officer at the company. “It is a truly worthy cause which provides fantastic support for the athletes. Funds raised on Collection Day help the athletes achieve their sporting dreams; so I am encouraging everyone to come out and support the day either by giving their time to collect or by donating.”
Special Olympics will hope to avoid the thunderstorms and torrential rain that reduced the Irish Cancer Society Daffodil Day Appeal by as much as 50%. The long range forecast is for some rain but nothing like there was then.
Special Olympics will be updating collection details throughout the day on Facebook & Twitter
Ramble Aid Launched
Ramble Aid, a 5k series for charity which is organised by South Dublin County Sports Partnership, takes place on Friday May 3rd in 3 regional parks in Dublin – Tymon (Tallaght/Templeogue), Griffeen (Lucan) & Corkagh (Clondalkin). Costing only €5 the event is open to all members of the public be they runners, walkers, young children on bikes or wheelchair users. Proceeds go to Teenline, Beacon of Light and Jigsaw, local charities promoting youth mental health, particularly in the battle against youth suicide.
The idea for Ramble Aid originated 2 years ago when Thos Mc Dermott, Co-ordinator of the South Dublin County Sports Partnership saw the TV images of people in Somalia walking miles for water and thought of doing a charity walk from Tallaght to the reservoir at Bohernabreena in the Dublin Mountains. John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council and a Board member of Concern, liked the idea so it took off.
Last year the Sports Partnership decided to change the focus to local issues and switched the event to a 5k run/walk/cycle/wheelchair events in the 3 local parks. 600 people participated and with the proceeds 3 defibrillators were bought and donated to local sports clubs.
With no traffic in view or roads to cross it offers a great way to explore the parks involved and with the nominal charge of €5 to make it financially accessible to all this initiative is a great example of how community wide health events can be created. Partners include the local Credit Unions, Lions Clubs, the local newspaper (The Echo) and Dublin City FM. RR Donnelly Printers are also involved through printing posters free of charge and volunteering staff time. For full details and to register for the event go to www.rambleaid.ie.
Each week we will highlight particular projects or initiatives from within Ireland and further afield that illustrate just how things might be done as well as they can be. This week we focus on Special Olympics and Ramble Aid.
Special Olympics hit the Streets, and the workplaces, and…
This Friday, April 26th, Special Olympics Ireland will hold its National Collection day on the streets and in the workplaces of Ireland.The Collection Day is the biggest annual fundraising event the organisation undertakes and will see 4,000 volunteers cover 200 plus locations between 7am and 7pm.
The public can support Special Olympics on the day by donating to one of the on-street collectors, donating online or by texting the word SPECIAL to 50300 to donate €2.
Many companies have gathered teams of volunteers together to collect in local business parks and many more companies have organised corporate coffee mornings to raise funds. The National Collection Day is supported by Eircom.
“We have a wonderful and committed volunteer force, who have given so generously of their time to raise funds for Special Olympics Ireland,” said Jim Barry, Chairman of Special Olympics Ireland’s Collection Day committee. “Every single cent donated will go straight to Special Olympics so that they can continue to change the lives of people with an intellectual disability throughout Ireland”.
“Eircom is very proud to continue to sponsor the Special Olympics Ireland Collection Day,” added Carolann Lennon, Chief Commercial Officer at the company. “It is a truly worthy cause which provides fantastic support for the athletes. Funds raised on Collection Day help the athletes achieve their sporting dreams; so I am encouraging everyone to come out and support the day either by giving their time to collect or by donating.”
Special Olympics will hope to avoid the thunderstorms and torrential rain that reduced the Irish Cancer Society Daffodil Day Appeal by as much as 50%. The long range forecast is for some rain but nothing like there was then.
Special Olympics will be updating collection details throughout the day on Facebook & Twitter
Ramble Aid Launched
Ramble Aid, a 5k series for charity which is organised by South Dublin County Sports Partnership, takes place on Friday May 3rd in 3 regional parks in Dublin – Tymon (Tallaght/Templeogue), Griffeen (Lucan) & Corkagh (Clondalkin). Costing only €5 the event is open to all members of the public be they runners, walkers, young children on bikes or wheelchair users. Proceeds go to Teenline, Beacon of Light and Jigsaw, local charities promoting youth mental health, particularly in the battle against youth suicide.
The idea for Ramble Aid originated 2 years ago when Thos Mc Dermott, Co-ordinator of the South Dublin County Sports Partnership saw the TV images of people in Somalia walking miles for water and thought of doing a charity walk from Tallaght to the reservoir at Bohernabreena in the Dublin Mountains. John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council and a Board member of Concern, liked the idea so it took off.
Last year the Sports Partnership decided to change the focus to local issues and switched the event to a 5k run/walk/cycle/wheelchair events in the 3 local parks. 600 people participated and with the proceeds 3 defibrillators were bought and donated to local sports clubs.
With no traffic in view or roads to cross it offers a great way to explore the parks involved and with the nominal charge of €5 to make it financially accessible to all this initiative is a great example of how community wide health events can be created. Partners include the local Credit Unions, Lions Clubs, the local newspaper (The Echo) and Dublin City FM. RR Donnelly Printers are also involved through printing posters free of charge and volunteering staff time. For full details and to register for the event go to www.rambleaid.ie.
If you know of a sporting event with a strong and innovative charity connection please do let us know by sending details to us through our contact page.
Sport for Business articles are free to view for a time limited period before being added to our comprehensive archive of over 1000 articles on the commercial world of Irish sport.
You can receive our Daily News Digest free of charge delivered by email each morning before 8am. Simply let us know who you are and join our group of more than 1,000 individual leaders in sport and business.
