From March 1st-7th all members of the Bower community; students, staff and families took part in a fundraiser for a very worthy charity, Focus Ireland. The aim of “Fitness for Focus” was to get as many people as possible outdoors and active, while raising money for an important cause. During this period of lockdown staying active and bringing the school together in a positive way, albeit virtually, was a very important initiative.
Throughout the pandemic we have learned to adapt in many new ways, from being separated from family and friends to online teaching and learning. 5th year student Gracie Loftus was very mindful of how this has meant extra hardship for many families throughout the country. In 2019 nearly 4,300 children were supported across Focus Ireland Services and Gracie’s brainchild of “Fitness for Focus” was her way to help those less fortunate in society. 
Spot prizes were up for grabs in a variety of categories and the girls were encouraged to send in their snaps to the school’s social media. This really added to the sense of togetherness and community. Throughout the week the school’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages was filled with smiling faces, beautiful landscapes, cute pets and some very creative outfits. The Cutest Pet category saw some great submissions – dogs, cats, ponies, donkeys, and lambs all featured. The girls showed their creative and comedic sides with some very inventive outfits each day and this really added to the excitement and fun of the week. Sibling photos were also a big hit and it was great to see the familiar faces of former Bower girls joining in the event.
A fantastic €2,455 was raised during the event. Thank you to all who played a part; from the enthusiastic walkers and runners to those who donated so generously to Focus Ireland. Even though we were bound by the pandemic restrictions, the week allowed many to smile and laugh and enjoy being part of the Bower community. This was all down to one girl and an ingenious idea. Well done Gracie.