Fasting and Festival Fun

Concern Worldwide launched a new marketing campaign in 2010 to revamp its 24-hour Fast event, describing it as ‘the fast that thinks it’s a festival’. Our boys in Cólaiste Éanna need little coaxing when it comes to fund-raising events and are always ready to lend a hand, but the incentive of a ‘Fastival’ further elevated the levels of enthusiasm among the Religion teachers and students alike and we energetically embarked upon the task.

A large cohort of students from first to sixth year, along with their teachers, took part in the Concern Fast last November. Our well-seasoned fund-raisers signed up with enthusiasm and set about knocking on doors and coaxing money from friends, teachers, neighbours and family alike.

After much hard work raising funds, the boys began their 24 hours of fasting and as always, they did so in good spirits and were a great support to each other on the day.  The students were very proud of their efforts and celebrated as the sum of €2,500 was raised. There was further excitement and celebration in May when the news arrived that we had won a ‘Fastival’ for our school to thank us for our fund-raising efforts and our continuing support in raising much needed funds for Concern.

On the 28th of September 2011 (the second hottest day of the year) Concern arrived and set up in Cólaiste Éanna for our ‘Fastival’ fun. Great sport was had by all as students participated in numerous activities including sumo wrestling, horizontal bungee, world cup soccer and many more life sized games, then paused for a well-deserved and much needed ice-cream from the ice-cream van provided for the day. The students were further entertained by the D.J. who added the soundtrack for the day.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are eager and invigorated about raising funds for Concern again this year by participating in the fast on November 10^th, 2011.