UCD Science Day: Remember the fundraising 'kissathon' in Dublin last year in aid of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children? Participants in the UCD Science Day tried to break the world record for the highest number of kisses in an eight-hour period.
This year's record-breaking attempt is to burst the highest number of balloons in a 10-second period. The event takes place this Saturday at Iveagh Gardens near St Stephen's Green from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Already 2,000 people are lining up to take part, according to the chairman of UCD Science Day committee, Eoghan Toomey.
It's just one of many events organised by the committee with the proceeds, as always, going to Our Lady's Hospital's oncology unit and cancer research.
To date, UCD Science Day has raised over €700,000 for the hospital.
That figure is expected to reach €780,000 by the end of this month when the fundraising season peaks and ends.
UCD Science Day was set up 16 years ago. Its fundraising initiatives are by now well known as many of the events are synonymous with fun.
The "begging" season starts in September and culminates this month with events around the country ranging from cycling tours to parachute jumps, campus concerts and games, to the science ball and science day collections and, of course, the very popular Jock Walk.
The latter sees students, armed with collection buckets, going about in a lab coat and underwear... and plenty of goose bump flesh. This initiative alone raised €6,000 last year.
"Every year the committee is tasked with being creative in its ideas to come up with something that's new but also fun," Toomey said. He became a volunteer fundraiser two years ago through his love of cycling. He cycled to Cork with three friends. The following year 30 people cycled to Galway and raised €18,000. Last Friday the ranks swelled with 100 cyclists making the Galway trip, raising €25,000 and beating last year's cycle takings.
"Overall, we hope to raise over €80,000 from all of the events this season. We're on target but the next two weeks will be important as the big events take place," said Toomey.
"In the past two years we've raised €125,000- €72,000 last year and €53,000 the year before. It's the biggest amount ever raised by any faculty."
Recently, Toomey and six committee members went to Crumlin hospital to see the recently opened €12 million oncology unit.
"The experience was kind of mind-blowing," he said. "We went to the cancer unit and got to meet some of the kids. We expected a massive building with top of the range equipment but the place was small and cramped, but very clean and tidy.
"One of the rooms had four children in it with one or both parents with them. There was very little room for them to move about.
"I was surprised at that as children need space to play in," he said. "We also got to meet the staff who were very friendly and upbeat considering the job they do."
The visit to the hospital made him realise the importance of their work. "There is no Government funding for new units or buildings, or for new state-of-the-art equipment which many units really need. All the money for the new oncology unit came from private investment," he said.
What made him get involved in fundraising? "It was something I just found out about as a first year student. The committee generally targets first years, and that's why I was approached and asked to get involved. My family has also been very encouraging, as have all of the parents."
Toomey' term as chairman ends later this month when he starts preparing for his final exams. But now, he is busy finalising plans for the UCD Science Day highlight - the concert taking place tomorrow evening in UCD Concert Hall: the line-up includes Picturehouse, Dave's Radio (of You're a Star fame), and the new and much-hyped band 66e.
In the meantime, have your purses at the ready for the street collectors. They'll be out in force over the next two weeks.