Shannon company Element Six and its employees have presented Mid-West based charity Cliona’s Foundation with the proceeds of last year’s entire fund-raising endeavours.
Three separate fund raising events – a charity cycle, cake sale and Christmas lunch – and a weekly ‘bake’, all run by employees in 2017, raised over €8,000 but a matching contribution by the company has now brought the total amount going to the charity to €16,748.
Cliona’s Foundation was chosen as the staff’s 2017 designated charity because of the support it provides to three year-old Fionn Barry, who has spent most of his young life in hospital being treated for Infantile Spasms – a debilitating and life limiting illness that requires 24hour care. Fionn’s father Trevor Barry works as part of the maintenance at Element 6.
Receiving the cheque this week, Trevor said that the generosity of colleagues and the company had touched him and his family deeply. “We’ve got incredible support for Fionn but I am so touched by what my colleagues at Element Six have done and, indeed, what the company has done. It’s such a fabulous gesture from all concerned. Fionn has an ongoing battle on his hands, there’s clearly great people on his side.”
Said Brendan Ring, co-founder with his wife Terry of Cliona’s Foundation, “Element Six and its staff have given a great example of just what can be achieved by social clubs if they put a charity programme in place. I would encourage as many companies as possible to do this, regardless of what charity the money goes to.”
Said Grainne Loonam, Element Six staff charity committee leader, “Last year was the first year that we actually put in place a designated charity programme and we are delighted with the outcome. When you get to present a cheque like we have now to Cliona’s Foundation, it makes it all worthwhile.
“We had great support across the staff but having the company back us in the way it did made a huge difference as well. We had great fun doing the events as well. Everyone played a part in what’s been a really positive experience.”
Funds from Cliona’s Foundation are used to pay for the ‘hidden costs’, including accommodation, food, petrol and other miscellaneous expenses incurred by families who must take sick children to hospitals or other medical facilities for frequent treatments. The Foundation was set up by Brendan and Terry Ring following the death of their daughter, Cliona, from an inoperable brain tumour in 2006 when she was just 16 years old.