We decided that bag packing would be a good way to raise money. We drafted letters to give to local supermarkets in Tralee. We have recently been in contact with the shops. They have been very helpful to us.

I've have been organising a bake sale for the 19th of January, along with Annie O'Dowd another 100minds participant. The event will be held in Tralee, in our parish centre. We have drafted letters to give to local businesses for sponsorship, such as to local bakeries for any cakes, buns, pastries. I've been ringing up and getting in contact with my friends and family to get them involved in the baking and helping out on the day of the bake sale. Everyone has been very helpful and supportive so far.

Preparations for the bake sale are going good! Shops have responded positively about our letters. Cash and Carry in Tralee, Buy-Lo, Dawsons Resturant and the farmers market have all got back to us with donations to sale for the bake sale. We've been onto our friends to clarify that they can bake for us still. Things are looking good for our bake sale this Sunday!

The bake sale was a huge success today. We raised €806 from today's bake sale event. Annie O Dowd, another 100 minds and I organised this event. We got a lot of support from our friends and family with the baking for the event. A lot of local businesses in Tralee were very generous and supportive too which was a great help, such as Cliffords Cash and Carry, Buy-Lo, Supervalu and many other local bakeries. I was very happy with the outcome of todays event. We had teas and coffees which made it into social event for the local community.

This weekend we had our second fundraising event. We bag packed in Dunnes Stores in Tralee on Friday and Saturday. Despite the fact the weather was the worst during the weekend and many people weren't out and about, we still had a fantastic outcome. On Friday we fundraised €491 in just four hours, on Saturday we fundraised an amazing €1116. An astonishing total of €1607 from the two days. We had fantastic support from our family and friends who volunteered for this event too.

Never have I see Dunnes as quiet, this was due to the horrible weather. It was miserable outside but despite this all our hours we spend there paid off. People were very generous and kind to us when they seen the money was for such a good cause. During the bake sale and the bag packing people told us about their experiences at Temple Street Children’s Hospital. It made it so rewarding knowing that all the work we put into planning the fundraising events was for such a good cause. There were many happy stories, showing how grateful they are of the work being carried out in Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

I felt so proud knowing that I had fundraising this amount of money. I reached my initial target and surprised myself by how much I managed to fundraise.

In order to get the word about our fundraising event, we arranged to have a write up in the “Tralee Outlook” and “Killarney Outlook”. Magazines which we knew many local people read on a weekly basis. It was the perfect way to let people know what we were doing.

As this is a Dublin based project, not many people in Kerry knew what the 100minds project was. In the write up we stated the fact that 100 students were coming together to raise €1000 each with the objective of fundraising €100 thousand euro for Temple Street. Once people read about my fundraising aims friends, family, neighbours made donations.

The article also had information letting people know about our Bake Sale event in our local Parish Centre and about the weekend we planned on Bag Packing in Dunnes Stores.

On the day of the bake sale, a photographer from the Kerry's Eye, our local newspaper came to the event. A reporter from the newspaper called me the next day to find out about our goals. Under the picture there was an article once again getting the word out about our fundraising.

As a result of my participation in this project, I realize how important advertising and getting the message out is.