An Cosantóir February 2020 www.dfmagazine.ie
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REPORT & PHOTOS BY CPL LEE COYLE, 114 INF BN
O
verseas service is busy and challenging for personnel involved, with most of their time taken up with operational
tasks like patrolling, checkpoints, and securing vital installations. When the possibility of a few hours downtime
does arise, it tends to be filled with training, catching up with family, reading, or watching a TV. It is a time that
most people use to switch off, recharge and clear their minds for a short period.
With that being said, many personnel regularly give up that personal time to organise or take part in a charity event. For
decades, such events have been a staple of DF overseas missions, demonstrating the kindness, compassion, and selflessness
of our personnel, and their commitment and dedication to helping others.
One such charity event that took place recently was a 'move a million' event organised by members of 114 Inf Bn serving
with UNIFIL in Lebanon. This gruelling (that is the only word to describe it!) event saw four individuals move one million kilo-
grams in a single day.
The person behind the idea, and main organiser, was Sgt David Murray, 6 Inf Bn, Custume Bks. He told us: "The Friends of
Cancer Centre in Belfast were a great help to my mother before her untimely death in 2015. When I deployed to UNDOF not
long after I raised money for charity by doing an endurance event that consisted of completing 10,000 push-ups in less than
nine hours.
"I decided to do something similar on this trip with UNIFIL. This time I decided to move a million kilos. We also decided to dedi-
cate the event to the memory of Pte Gary Kelly from 28 Inf Bn."
Each of us had a
charity to heart……
