Heart of gold winners are a credit to their families
By Hayden Moore
ROLE models are usually pinpointed as those who have experienced a lot over the course of a long life, but each year at the Tallaght Person of the Year awards through the Heart of Gold category – they break that mould by highlighting the selfless efforts made by those under 18.
The Heart of Gold category proves year on year that those selfless acts of kindness and volunteering goes beyond age, and this year was no different with the four nominees chosen.
Heart of Gold winners Jodie Darcy and Jamie Birchall
All four of the young nominees were presented with the award due to their acts of bravery, courage and determination.
Five-year-old Jamie Birchall from Glenview, picked up the award for playing his role as a junior volunteer with Sensory Fun with Friends, showing great love and understanding for his brother Christopher who has Down Syndrome and autism.
Killinarden’s Jodie Darcy is also part of Sensory Fun with Friends and picked up her award for having a great understanding of autism and specials needs, with her big brother Glenn being non-verbal and autistic.
Another of the winners is Jacob Garner, the seven-year-old is an environmental advocate who helps clean up his local area in Springfield with his granddad when they go to their nearby greenspace to pick up dumped rubbish.
The final winner of the special Heart of Gold award was Katie Black from Jobstown, who helps students in St Mark’s Community School and St Anne’s in Fettercairn with how to beat and prevent bullying.
The four winners of the award proved that Tallaght will continue to produce generation after generation of loving, caring and selfless individuals for many more years to come.
