September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and The National Retained Firefighters Association of Ireland are undertaking a Joint Charity Cycle with visiting members of the New York Fire Department (FDNY). Participants will cycle a total of 360.1kms/223.4 miles. They will visit Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford and Cork, taking in Fire Stations right along the route, with a grand finale at the 9/11 Memorial Garden in Kinsale.
The cyclists aim to raise money for Friends of Firefighters in New York City, Ireland’s National Children’s Cancer Charity & Aoibheann’s Pink Tie (www.aoibheannspinktie.ie)
The Commitment: To put the fire out on Children’s Cancer and to honour those that were lost on 9/11, and those we have lost since on both sides of the Atlantic
The Route:
Mon 9th Sept: Embassy Residence of United States of America, Phoenix Park
Memorial Bray Firefighters
Greystones Fire Station
Wicklow Town Fire Station
Arklow Fire Station
Gorey Fire Station
Tues 10th Sept: Enniscorthy Fire Station
Wexford Town Fire Station
New Ross Fire Station
Passage East
Dunmore East Fire Station
Tramore Fire Station
Dungarvan Fire Station
Wed 11th Sept: Youghal Fire Station
Midleton Fire Station
Cobh Fire Station
Passage West
Carrigaline Fire Station
Kinsale Fire Station
9/11 Kinsale Memorial Gardens – Grand Finale approx. 6pm
The Background to this Long-term Fundraising Project by NRFA:
The committee of the National Retained Firefighters Association of Ireland plays an important part in communicating the messages from the 2500 Retained Firefighters across the country. When their members said they wanted to support a charity it was very important that as a committee we choose the right charities to support.
They have chosen Aoibheann’s Pink Tie as their long-term charity partner, with a particular focus on long-term goals for the Aoibheann’s Lighthouse Project and this year’s main fundraising event is a Joint Charity Cycle which raises funds for both Aoibheann’s Pink Tie and for the Friends of Firefighters in New York City.
Friends of Firefighters in New York City is a not-for profit organisation that provides independent, confidential, and free mental health counselling and wellness services to active and retired FDNY firefighters and their family members.
The Aoibheann’s Lighthouse Project is a vital service, giving families from every part of Ireland who have a child receiving vital cancer treatment in Hospital, clean, safe, purpose-built accommodation for the period of their child’s cancer treatment.
This is the culmination of 10 years of fundraising with Aoibheann’s Pink Tie, which began after the death of Jimmy Norman’s daughter Aoibheann. That fundraising has resulted in the purchase and renovation of a house – Aoibheann’s Lighthouse – in Drimnagh, Dublin, funds for which were boosted considerably with the continuing proceeds of Strip and Dip – a huge fundraising initiative by Deirdre Featherstone, herself a cancer survivor.
Said Jimmy Norman, Co-Founder, Aoibheann’s Pink Tie “We are delighted to announce the continued support of the NRFA in supporting our charity. Huge thanks to Steven McFadden, and the teams in the NRFA for doing this to raise much needed funds for us to provide our ongoing services. This year’s joint project is particularly exciting for us in terms of this wonderful association, and we are very proud to be joint recipients of this fund-raising, together with Friends of Firefighters in New York City and to accompany them on their journey around Ireland.”
Statement by NRFA
NRFA firefighters have a caring ethos, a spirit of volunteerism, and a need to achieve something real. Most people know somebody who has been touched by fire much like cancer so we the firefighters of Ireland are here to help with both current and future APT projects like this.
About the NRFA
The National Retained Firefighters Association is a representative body for all retained firefighters. They are not a trade union – they are an association. They are a body that works solely on behalf of all firefighters in Ireland. It is their wish to serve the community as best they can by empowering their 2,500 members and by using the resources available to them. As firefighters they need a voice, and their association is as important as the work they do for communities across Ireland.
Friends of Firefighters Facebook
