Schools

Big-hearted Dundalk animal-lovers set up fundraiser for koala bears in Oz

St Vincent’s School has always had a big heart when it comes to animal rescue.

Many in our school community are the proud owners of animals to whom they have given a second chance, from cats to dogs, horses to turtles.

We introduced the wonderful ‘Finn’ to the school community in August of last year and our ‘Caring for Animals’ Junior Cycle short course this year for first year’s has proven to be very popular.

During the last term, many of our senior students were learning about climate change across a number of subjects. The Australian bushfires were wreaking havoc in New South Wales in Australia at the time and Leaving Cert students Lucy McManus and Emma Hearty were learning the seanfhocal ‘Is fearr beagán cabhrach ná mórán trua’ meaning ‘A little bit of help is better than a whole lot of pity.’

It was the far from a ‘perfect’ storm but one which inspired Lucy and Emma, both huge supporters of Dundalk Dog Rescue, into action.

Upset by the images of burnt koala bears that pervaded the media at the time, they started a fundraising campaign in the school to effect the change that they wanted to see in the world.

The girls approached the school management team who gave them the “thumbs up” to kickstart a fundraiser for the Port Maquarie Koala Hospital in New South Wales.

They very easily enticed Ms. Leanne O’Doherty and the Mc Auley room students to sell buns to the staff, while the exceptionally talented Ms. Louise Challoner designed a sensational Koala themed cake for raffle.

Additionally, Lucy and Emma collected vouchers from Mise Beauty, Kodak, The Temple Hairdressers and The Moment Cafe to add to a hamper for raffle.

Emma and Lucy organised the troops from all year groups to sell (and buy) sweets and chocolate, create awareness posters and bookmarks about animal welfare and, in particular, highlight the plight of the koalas. They effectively spread the word that our community would not sit idly by merely expressing concern but would constructively act upon it.

The girls persuaded Ms.Butler and Mr.Hegarty to shop for supplies. They lobbied their subject teachers to free them up for a triple class and coaxed Ms.Donaghy, Mr. Thompson, Ms. Mc Creesh, Ms.Wallace, Ms.Daly, Ms.White and both Ms.Mc Nultys to serve tea, coffee and biscuits to all sixth years during a games morning in the hall. The girl’s efforts raised a whopping €1088 and thanks to Lucy, Emma and all of the animal lovers of St. Vincent’s and we now have 43 adoption certificates from Port Macquarie Koala Hospital who rescue our little furry friends after roadside accidents, infestations, predator attacks, disease and fire.

We are exceptionally proud of our kind hearted students and we wish Emma, Lucy and all of the class of 2020 lots of love and luck in the future as they venture forth into their new lives after secondary school. If we hear stories about these ladies travelling to The Outback when restrictions are lifted, nobody will be all that surprised.