SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR FRONT-LINE STAFF
WHAT started as a simple idea to help front-line workers has grown into a nation-wide campaign of support to those who are helping battle Covid-19.
Every single morning and afternoon staff at University Hospital Kerry and at Tralee Garda Station receive their freshly brewed cup of coffee to keep them going on their long hard shift and it is all thanks to The Green Wave campaign. In Killarney Community Hospital Staff and the local garda station receive also receive a cup of coffee while the staff at the Bon Secours in Tralee have also had their own very special delivery of fresh coffee.
The Green Wave is a social and emotional movement started to help support front-line staff. The initiative has been set up and is being run by Kelly Crichton and the team at Elite Event Management in Killarney. They are doing so on a voluntary basis and their vision is for front-line staff to feel an outpouring of gratitude and support from the public to help bolster their resilience and to make life a little bit more bearable for front-line staff.
“We asked doctors and nurses what they wanted and the idea of coffee came up and we talked to a few coffee shops and the idea was born,” explained Oliver Kirwan of Elite Event Management.
Fundraising began and soon the Green Wave campaign swept across the country with coffee drops been undertaken in a number of counties across the country.
In Kerry, Maddens Coffee shop in Tralee and the Bookshelf Coffee shop in Manor are both delivering to front-line workers in Tralee while in Kilarney The Shire is delivering coffee.
The coffees are purchased thanks to funds donated from the local community.
To date €13,000 has been raised and over 6,000 coffees have been delivered.
“The staff really appreciate it,” says Oliver.
“It is now in locations across the country - Dublin, Limerick and Cork.”
Such is the success of the Green Wave that it featured on Ireland on Call on RTE and on the Six O’Clock Show on Virgin One and the team behind the campaign, who are usually organising are events, are hoping that they can continue to provide coffees to those on the front-line. Donations are vital and everyone is urged to donate, even just enough for one cup of coffee for a front-line member of staff who may need it.
The campaign is also helping local coffee shops who need support as well during the current crisis.
Aside from donations the community are also asked to support the campaign by putting up posters and spreading the message across social media. They are also urging people to show their support by wearing their county colours or green on Friday’s and post pictures on social media. Posters are also available to be put up as well to show support.
“We are urging the public to get behind this, get your green on every Friday and put it on social media – we need to show our support and gratitude for these awesome people. If you can, donate the price of a cup of coffee and we’ll get it to them.,” said organiser, Kelly Crichton.
Donations can be given to htwww.gofundme.com/manage/ the-green-wave.