COVID may be contagious but so is hope says Eugene as he spreads hugs for SOSAD
Community Activist Eugene Garvey has come up with an ingenious idea to raise funds for three suicide awareness/ prevention charities, PIPS, SOSAD and Pieta House.
COVID has seen the mental health crisis in our country deepen even further with a number of local tragedies highlighting the problem and the woeful lack of resources needed to tackle it.
‘I wanted to do something to help raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention and after talking to the three charities, came up with the ‘Hug A Bear’ campaign,’ said the Louth man.
‘ The idea is that people take photos or videos of themselves hugging a teddy bear, maybe with a message, or not, saying who the hug is for, post it on social media tagging and challenging others to do likewise and donating to the ‘Hug a Bear’ GoFundMe page.’
Explaining how he came up with the idea, Mr. Garvey said that as children some of our problems were lessened by getting a hug.
‘When we comfort someone we give them a hug, it makes you feel less alone and that someone cares. Hugs can be very powerful,’ he adds. ‘Unfortunately with the current restrictions in place many people could do with a hug or want to give one but can’t. There are also people we hold in our hearts that we will never be able to hug again. This is an opportunity to send a virtual hug while helping to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention’.
Of course, sometimes our problems become too big for hugs to cope with and we need organisations like PIPS, SOSAD and Pieta House.
They do amazing work and help so
many people each year but they also need our help sometimes and now is one of these times.
‘I am asking everyone young and old to dust down their old bear, if you don’t have a bear use a pillow or even hug a tree. Take a photo or a video, write a message and use #HugABear #Hug4Hope. Challenge others to do the same and go to https://www. gofundme.com/f/hug-a-bear and donate what you can.
‘All donations will be split evenly between the three charities but if you comment a preference on the GoFundMe page then that will be honoured.
For further details please contact Eugene Garvey on 086 070 5262