NCBI Brings Light to Dublin Airport!
Release Date: Dec 10th, 2001
The National Council for the Blind of Ireland's Tree of Light is a beacon of hope and light at Dublin Airport this Christmas, thanks to Aer Rianta and NCBI's other supporters, who have sponsored many of the bulbs. The Tree of Light was officially switched on by Robert Hilliard, Aer Rianta Director of Dublin Airport, and Desmond Kenny, Chief Executive of the NCBI, today (Monday 10 December).
Recent developments in the Aviation Industry strengthened the NCBI's determination to keep that ray of light and hope shining for the estimated 800,000 people who will arrive at and depart from Dublin Airport this Christmas. 210 companies shared their Christmas spirit with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland this year by sponsoring 240 bulbs, in order to raise much needed funds to support the work of the National Council for the Blind of Ireland.
The Tree of Light project was the brainchild of NCBI's Chief Executive, Desmond Kenny, who wanted to highlight the relationship between light and sight loss in an aesthetic manner in 1997. Each year since then, the Tree of Light has returned to Dublin Airport in pride of place.
"We wanted this year's tree to be bigger and brighter than ever to celebrate our 70th Anniversary", explained Desmond Kenny. "To commemorate the year of NCBI's origination - 1931, we have covered the tree in the same number of bulbs. The tree, which stands beside Corbalis House at the Arrivals Roundabout in the Airport, is 70 feet tall to mark 70 years of providing quality services to visually impaired people."
This year, for the first time, donor companies were acknowledged on the NCBI's website www.ncbi.ie and a direct link inserted from it to the sponsors’ own websites. "It is one small way of thanking all our wonderful supporters, who make the Tree of Light possible " - said Marjorie O’Hara, Fundraising Manager with the NCBI, at the switch-on ceremony of the Tree of Light.
As with previous years, donor companies also have their sponsorship acknowledged on a VMS display unit, which displays the names of each donor company, so that the passing public is aware of who is supporting this cheerfully seasonal project.