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SPLASH OUT for Mental Health with Lisas Light at Peoples Park
SPLASH OUT for Mental Health – Limerick Person of the Year 2015 and Founder of Lisa’s Light, Katie Whelan pictured above. Photo: Alan Place/FusionShooters.
SPLASH OUT for Mental Health is taking over People’s Park on Saturday, September 17 at 2pm sharp to promote Lisa’s Light and help fundraise for The Community Crisis Response Team in West Limerick.
The main aim for the event is a day to relax, let loose and bring out your inner child for some fun while promoting positive mental health. There will be a water balloon fight with 5000 water balloons. For the younger children, there will be face painting and all of their favorite characters. Katie Whelan, Founder of Lisa’s Light came up with the idea in a meeting with local Councilor, Daniel Butler.
In 2015, March 24, Katie Whelan, launched the Lisa’s Light campaign, in memory of her cousin Lisa who tragically died 3 years ago by suicide, to help promote positive mental health in Limerick. She did this by using boxes with lights in them to portray messages of hope such as ‘Every Day is a New Beginning’, ‘It’s the Little Things’ and ‘Look Up, Look Forward’. As a result of her courage and determination in Lisa’s Light, Katie also was awarded Person of the Year 2015 in Limerick.
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Since then, Katie has been busying herself balancing life being a student of the University of Limerick and working on future projects for Lisa’s Light. I Love Limerick got to catch up with Katie Whelan about her life and SPLASH OUT for Mental Health.
We asked Katie about why she decided to have 5000 water balloons in People’s Park for a water fight for her fundraiser SPLASH OUT for Mental Health. “I mean who doesn’t love a water fight?” said Katie “I decided that a family orientated fun day would be a great way to bring people together and that it would be entertaining for all ages. People needed something to look forward to after all the holidays were over and school was back.”
The event will be free entry but of course people can ‘throw something into the bucket if they want to’ and all proceeds go to the Community Crisis Response Team in West Limerick. “They actually physically respond to anyone in crisis all around west Limerick, they are just amazing individuals and I am delighted to be able to help.” Said Katie.
I Love Limerick asked Katie about any other upcoming events for Lisa’s Light. “Well we have the chance to be included on the Limerick Monopoly Board which is very exciting and also I am speaking at the NORTHSTAR FAMILY SUPPORT service of hope in October which is my favourite night of the year and lastly I’m working on promoting positive mental health through sport so I can’t wait to get that going.”
According to Katie, her experience so far with Lisa’s Light has been a serious mix of absolutely amazing and sometimes very hard. “Overall though I can’t imagine life without ‘Lisa’s Light’. It’s so good to know Lisa’s memory is being used to promote positive mental health and hopefully prevent suicide. The feedback is great so as long as people support me, I’ll keep doing what I do.”
Katie, who is only 19-years old has made a great achievement so far and will continue to make Limerick proud from her amazing work. We wish her the best of luck from everyone at I Love Limerick!
Follow Lisa’s Light on Facebook and Twitter.
For information on the SPLASH OUT for Mental Health event click here.
For more coverage on Mental Health from I Love Limerick click here.
To watch Lisas Light being launched on March 24, 2015 check out our video below!
For more information about Lisas Light watch our video below!
Watch Katie Whelan getting her award for Limerick Person of the Year 2015 below!
