At Praxis Care, our mission is simple yet profound: to walk alongside individuals living with learning disabilities, mental health challenges and autism, empowering them to live with dignity, purpose and choice.
This September, four courageous staff from the Mullingar Residential Service are stepping out of their comfort zones — and into the sky! Trading their shift shoes for skydiving suits, the team are taking on the ultimate challenge to raise money for the people they support every day.
One of the skydivers is Sarah O’Hora, Team Leader at Mullingar Residential. Sarah has been in her role for around three months, and she’s already showing her commitment to the people she supports in a big way.
We caught up with her and asked a few questions about the fundraiser, what inspired her to get involved, and how the money raised will help the Mullingar service.
Q: What’s your name and role at Mullingar?
A: My name is Sarah O’Hora and I work as a Team Leader in Mullingar Residential.
Q: How long have you worked here?
A: I have been in this role just coming up to 3 months.
Q: What made you want to take part in the skydive?
A: I’ve always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie and love challenging myself, so the idea of a sky dive instantly appealed to me. But more importantly it’s a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness and funds for Praxis Care. Taking part in something exciting like this not only pushes me out of my comfort zone but also helps shine a light on the amazing work we do every day.
Q: Is this your first time doing something like this?
A: It’s not my first time doing something like this – I’ve always been drawn to extreme sports and pushing my limits. I’ve actually done a skydive before, and I loved every second of it, so when the idea came up to do it again while raising funds for Praxis Care, I jumped at it – literally, as I am very passionate about my role.
Q: How are you feeling about the jump?
A: I’m feeling really excited about the jump, I’m just hoping the weather is on our side so we actually get to go ahead on the day. It’s such a big moment for my co-workers and I and I can’t wait to take the leap.
Q: Why is raising funds for Mullingar important to you?
A: Since joining Praxis Care 3 months ago, I’ve really settled in and have been lucky to work alongside such great colleagues and, most importantly, the amazing people we support. Raising funds is so important because it allows us to go beyond the basics – it helps provide opportunities, experiences and little extras that make a big difference in people’s lives.
Q: How will the money raised help the people you support?
A: The money raised will go straight back into supporting the people we work with. For example, we’re currently fundraising for a new car. We also recently had funds to get the Mullingar Men’s Shed to make us wheelchair accessible raised garden planters, which means everyone can get involved in gardening together. Beyond that, donations help us to organise outings, activities and other experiences that really add to the quality of life for the people we support.
Q: What would you say to encourage people to donate?
A: Come on – if I’m brave enough to jump out of a plane you can be brave enough to donate a few euro! So please dig deep… the higher the donations, the softer I’ll (hopefully) land!
💜 Support the Mullingar Skydive Fundraiser
You can help Sarah and the team make a real difference by donating here:
Donate to Praxis Care Mullingar Parachute for a Purpose