Pre-schoolers pull up their ‘odd socks’ and raise €510 for charity
By Mary Dennehy
MORE than 100 Tallaght kids pulled on their odd socks this week and raised €510 for Down Syndrome Ireland – and awareness and acceptance among the younger generation of people with learning disabilities.
Pre-schoolers from the Farm Playschool in St Mark’s Youth and Family Centre on Cookstown Lane paid €1 each to wear odd socks, while their parents, families and friends came along to odd sock day and supported the fundraising drive for Down Syndrome Ireland by buying cakes and raffle tickets.
The event was organised by Fettercairn parent Emma Tuite whose niece has Down’s syndrome and is supported through the Louth and Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.
Emma told The Echo: “My little niece is 15 months old and she gets amazing support from Down Syndrome Ireland, which provides physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, general support for her family and when she’s older, home schooling among lots of other things.
“Down Syndrome Ireland is run for parents by parents and each year they ask members, if they can, to fundraise €500 to keep the services going – so, I thought I’d help out and with great support from the staff at The Farm playschool and all of the parents and children we raised €510 for the Louth and Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.”
She added: “The day was also about raising awareness among the younger generation of Down’s syndrome.
“These little pre-schoolers will be heading to big school soon and with more and more children with Down’s syndrome and special needs going to mainstream school, it’s important that young children see all the kids in their class as being in the same league, and able to achieve their dreams.”
Special thanks went to Dunnes Stores and Tesco in The Square, the Bread Shop in Old Bawn, Spar Kiltipper, SuperValu Fortunestown, Centra Springfield, the Butcher’s Kitchen Springfield and SuperValu Enfield for their support.
For further information visit www.downsyndrome.ie
