Hi everyone and welcome. My name is Claire Lynch and I am a first year Science student at UCD! The 100-Minds goal this year is together to exceed even higher heights for this project than ever before and raise up to €150,000 in 100 days. We are all a group of young, unique, innovative Irish students and together we have been chosen to work to collectively raise this money. By thinking critically about the challenge ahead, putting a strategy in place and working as a team we can prove that even some of the biggest challenges faced can be conquered when we work together. My goal as a proud member of the 100 minds team is to raise at least €1,000. Every single euro of these donations goes to two amazing Irish charities- Barnardos (http://www.barnardos.ie ) Blossom Ireland (http://www.blossomireland.ie ) I am currently organising a "Winter Wonderland" themed Ball that is aimed at all first year students of colleges over Dublin. This Ball is being held in the Doubletree Hilton Hotel on the 20th of December. Tickets are on sale through Eventbrite web site - http://www.eventbrite.ie/e/winter-wonderland-first-years-ball-tickets-14281112191 Tickets are selling quickly! I am very excited about this event and I hope it raises much needed funds for 100 Minds’ chosen charities. I aim to raise in excess of €1,000. the raffle prizes will be for those with €50 tickets. I have also recently set up "afters" tickets, these will be €20 for the first 40 sold and then €25 for the following. These tickets will allow students to attend the ball but only miss out on the dinner and the raffle and arriving at the ball at 10:30pm There are three ways in which YOU can help me raise money for the charities. 1st By donating directly to my 100 minds account 2nd Purchase ticket for Ball (if you are in first year) 3rd By donating prizes for raffle during Ball. Tickets are selling very well. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Burlington Road, has been very helpful and have encouraged me in our goal to raise the maximum for our charities. They are even sponsoring one of our spot prizes on the night.

I will be using this profile over the next 100 days to keep everyone updated on my progress. Alternative to attending the Ball, I urge everyone to try and make a donation. Your donation, no matter how big or small, will make a massive difference for so many children in Ireland. Every little helps. All you have to do is to go to https://www.100minds.org/2015/231/claire-lynch and click "DONATE NOW" in order to make a donation. Any money raised will go straight to the charities themselves so you can be sure that they will receive your donation.