D2K charity cycle raises €96,000
AFTRER six glorious years and hundreds of thousands of euro raised, the famed D2K cycle event is to end - but is that the end of the story?
This year’s event saw the Dunleer to Galway road taken, with previous events baring the name, D2K, Dunleer to Kilkenny.
The mastermind behind it all is Paul Lannon, his wife Sandra and a team of volunteers who have for the past six years staged the annual charity cycle.
Last Friday, they held the final presentation night in the Grove and announced that pver €96,000 was raised for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease cause and ‘Paul’s Fight for Life.’
Paul has spent the last seven and a half years living with MND but his lust for life knows no bounds.
As part of a fundraising drive to help him in his battle, the cycle was born six years ago and has united a community.
On Friday, Charlie O’Donoghue and Liam McCarthy were presented with awards for being the only two people who completed all six D2k’s .
But for Paul, he intends sitting back from the event, but acknowledges the impact it has made.
‘We will not be running the D2K next year but I hope someone in the area will see the benefit it will have for a charity and take it on,’ he told those gathered at the presentation night.
He thanked everyone who supported the event over the last six years. ‘Because of your hard work and commitment, you have allowed me fulfil my life as best I can,’ he stated.
He thanked Sandra for ‘ keeping him going’ while others spoke of Paul being a true inspiration.