Congratulations to all involved in the Beneavin De La Salle Sleep In. Thanks to Mr Sweetman who con-ordinated the event and to all of the teachers who agreed to run the Sleep In.
As you are well aware homelessness is a huge problem in our community of Dublin and the event managed to raise over 4,000 Euro for the Simon Community. Simon helps those who are unfortunate enough to be homeless in very practical ways and this money will certainly go a long way to help the men, women and children who had to sleep under the stars this Christmas.
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Linked to this event Ms Robinson teamed up with Localise Peace Corps and its CEO Derek Cleary to link in with a Simon Shelter in Dublin. Derek identified 24 residence of the shelter and asked them what would help them through Christmas and beyond in practical ways. Derek gave Ms Robinson and her team of Transition years the list of names and a list of what each needed. The team organised a non uniform day on the same day as our sleep in and this raised over 500 Euro!!! So the transition years and Ms Robinson could go shopping……They made up parcels for the 24. They made sure to get exactly what they needed, not rubbish that would not serve them well and then they wrapped the gifts from our College. They made arrangements then, to go and visit the shelter with our gifts. The transition years were tremendous over the course of this event but non more so than when they were faced with the challenge of presenting these gifts to the residents of the Simon shelter. They managed this with dignity and respect and brought all of the Lasallian teaching with them on this task…..truly Men for Others. Congratulations to all involved.
This is what Christmas is all about but more than that – this is what our new year is all about, being there for each other, being there for others.