Tralee sleeps out to raise cash for homeless
PEARSE PARK in Tralee was a hive of activity early on Saturday evening as over 30 people set up their chairs, rolled out their blankets and settled down for a night of sleeping rough outdoors, all to raise funds and awareness for the homeless services in Kerry.
It had been a long road to this night for the organisers of the ‘Under the Elements’ campaign as local woman Marion Coffey, Julie Fitzpatrick, Charlene Tidings and Marilyn O’ Shea looked to raise as much funds as possible for what is Kerry’s only emergency accommodation shelter, Arlington Lodge.
The night saw hardy members of the public spend from 6pm on Saturday evening to 6am Sunday sleeping rough outdoors and morning trying to find a spot on the ground where they might get a few hours sleep, something which didn’t prove as successful as they’d hoped.
“There were just over 30 people with us who slept out for the night and to be honest with you, it wasn’t comfortable at all. It got very cold from about 3am onwards and people started getting very uncomfortable, they were tossing and turning. Some people did manage to get some sleep alright, but not me personally, I just couldn’t relax,” said Marion, talking to The Kerryman on Monday.
“It managed to stay dry for the night at least which helped and we had great supplies of hot water and tea and things like that, but for people without our provisions, it’s obviously a lot tougher,” she added.
“I have huge sympathy for anyone who sleeps rough like that constantly, I’d do it if I had to but obviously, the actual homeless out there, especially women they must feel very vulnerable and if they have kids too, to have to mind them on top of that, it must be exhausting,” she continued.
All funds raised from the campaign – where adults paid €10 and teenagers €5 to register – will go to Arlington Lodge and towards renovating a house for a person with disabilities.