By Claire Corrigan
Daffodil Day takes place this Friday, 11 March with many businesses throughout Mullingar decorating their shop windows using a “yellow theme” in support of the fundraiser.
Daffodil Day is the biggest and longest running fundraising day for the Irish Cancer Society, Ireland’s national cancer charity. On Daffodil Day thousands of volunteers around Ireland sell daffodil pins and flowers (on streets, in businesses, homes and shopping centres) to raise money for the Society’s free nationwide services for those with, and affected by, cancer in Ireland
The charity event will see the Daffodil Day committee, some of whom are cancer survivors themselves, be out in force selling daffodils and pins in Mullingar and the surrounding areas.
Over 100 volunteers will be located throughout the town at numerous locations including SuperValu, Mullingar Regional Hospital, Aldi, Tesco, Bank of Ireland and Miller and Cook.
The local schools have also been getting involved and are organising various events to highlight and fundraise on the day. St. Colman’s National School will be selling fresh daffodils from 10.30am in the morning while St Finian’s College took part in a drawing competition with a daffodil theme, now on display on Shaw’s Hardware & Furniture’s shop window on Pearse Street. Multyfarnham National School and Columba College, Killucan also ran Daffodil Day events and a number of businesses across the district will be hosting coffee mornings in aid of those who are suffering from the disease.
A coffee morning for Daffodil Day will also take place at Áras an Mhuilinn on Mount Street.
A spokesperson for the Mullingar Daffodil Day Committee said that those undergoing cancer treatment greatly benefit from the funds raised. “Often people who put money into a Daffodil Day bucket do not know the impact that their support has on the life of another person. The reassuring phone call, the lift to chemotherapy treatment, the night of nursing care that their contribution makes possible, this is what Daffodil Day is all about.”
The Daffodil Day Committee say they are looking forward to seeing everyone on 11 March and want to thank the people of Mullingar for their support now more than ever. The committee would also like to say a very big thank you to their many volunteers.
