Athlone Institute of Technology’s Humanitarian Society is holding a table quiz in Scribes, the campus bar, on Tuesday October 22. The quiz is open both to students and those from outside the college, and costs €12 per team of 3-4 people. A raffle will also be held on the night, with prizes from the AIT Students Union, AIT Fitness Suite, McSharrys Pharmacy, McGorisks Pharmacy, Boston Barbers, and Kilbeggan Distillery.
The funds raised by the Humanitarian Society will be donated to the La Sainte Union mission in Haiti. This mission facilitates a food and education programme which feeds and educates 100 children on a daily basis. Located in Port-au-Prince, it has a strong link with Athlone as two of its full-time volunteers are Sisters from the Bower Convent, Sr Maria Hawkes and Sr Helen Ryder.
This is the society’s first year in operation and its first ever fundraising event. All the members are really excited about the event and have received a lot of support from local businesses.
The Humanitarian Society formed at the end of the last academic year as a response to the void of societies within the campus. It was hoped to form a society which would offer students an opportunity to engage with other students right across the academic spectrum within the college. They are hoping to achieve this through a series of altruistic events like fundraisers and using it as a platform for societies, charities, and campaigns to voice their concerns on a broad range of humanitarian issues at local, national, and international level. Several other events are planned; they are currently in contact with the Turn off the Red Light campaign by the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and are also planning a Shave or Dye event for the Irish Cancer Society in the second semester.
The group wish to become more involved in the local community in Athlone, and would ask anyone involved in humanitarian work, from helping the elderly to volunteering abroad, to contact them.
The society can be contacted via email at [email protected] or on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/aithumanitariansociety
