Local TY students praised for fundraising efforts

Local transition year students have been praised for helping to collect over €5,000 for the Concern Turkey-Syria Earthquake Emergency Appeal.

The collection, which was coordinated by local Concern representative Brian Fagan and supported by Deputy Robert Troy, saw TY students from Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar Community College and Loreto College take to the streets of the town on the morning of Friday February 24 to raise funds for the appeal in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that claimed over 57,000 lives. In total, the students collected €5,055.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Brian Fagan praised the students for giving freely of their time to help raise money.

He added that by donating to Concern people could be assured that their money is going where it is needed most.

“They are working directly out there and are an excellent organisation. I worked with them years ago.

“It's better to have the money going to an organisation that knows what it is doing. We collected here in the shop [Brian's Treasure Chest], on the streets and outside Dunnes Stores in Harbour Place.

“People are very generous. It was an appalling disaster, the havoc that was wreaked out there. I worked in Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake. The place was literally flattened completely. I am assuming Turkey was pretty much the same.”

Deputy Troy also praised the students for their fundraising efforts.

“We raised €5,055 for a very worthy cause and it wouldn't have been possible without the support of the students. They can take great pride in the fact that they made a huge contribution to a global effort that is currently ongoing to bring about some sense of normality and support to a crisis stricken region.”