Gala raises 8 million yuan

The 2012 Gary Player Invitational Charity Gala Dinner, held on Oct 29, was themed "Live with Love for a Better Tomorrow". Provided to China Daily

Big charity event in its sixth year has collected 50 million yuan so far

More than 8 million yuan ($1.27 million) was raised at a charity gala for AIDS-affected children on Oct 29, bringing the total funds donated through the program over the past six years to 50 million yuan.

The initiative, the Gary Player Invitational, was jointly sponsored by beverage giant Coca-Cola China and the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STD (sexually transmitted diseases) and AIDS.

Hosted for the sixth consecutive year, the event was marked by a charity gala themed "Live with Love for a Better Tomorrow" this year. The event was attended by celebrities and spokespeople for AIDS Prevention assigned by the Ministry of Health, as well as Coca-Cola partners and key customers.

"We are happy to see the great achievement of GPI in benefiting AIDS-affected children over the past five years and are happy to be part of it," said David G. Brooks, President of Coca-Cola Greater China and Korea. "With the legacy of 126 years, Coca-Cola is dedicated to giving back to the community, and endeavors to make a positive difference through collaboration with business, government and community as well as through the contribution of our staff. Working together with our partners, we aim to champion sustainability and promote a better future in the community."

Over the past five years since 2007, the GPI has raised more than 42 million yuan in funds and has benefited more than 9,062 AIDS-affected children across four provinces and autonomous regions - the provinces of Yunnan, Hubei and Anhui and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region - through long-term living allowances, financial aid, medical assistance and psychological counseling. In addition, a total of 205 AIDS-affected families including 710 AIDS-affected women in Yunnan province have received support, with housing aid for 21 families and university scholarships for 43 AIDS-affected children from the area, according to Coca-Cola.

"It is a great honor for the Player Foundation and myself to collaborate with Coca-Cola to support sustainable community development and make a positive impact on the lives of AIDS-affected children. I hope that through this initiative we are able to give AIDS-affected children a better future," said Gary Player, the golf legend who initiated the program with Coca-Cola and has raised funds for the care of AIDS-affected children around the world since 2002.

Dubbed as the Black Knight, Gary Player is regarded as one of the best players in golf history. The 77-year-old had 165 tournament wins worldwide over the past five decades. He is also a renowned golf course designer with more than 325 projects throughout the world.

The Player Foundation, launched by Gary Player, aims at providing quality education, nutrition, medical care, transportation and extra-curricular activities to less fortunate children living in rural areas of South Africa. So far, through several annual events staged in the United States, Asia, Europe and South Africa, the foundation has raised more than $25 million for impoverished children globally.

Li Chaolin, president of the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STD and AIDS, said that, in China, AIDS-affected children need long-term support in terms of living, education and medical assistance to rekindle their confidence in life.

"I am very pleased that with the support of Coca-Cola we are implementing sustainable programs to help AIDS-affected children live a brighter life," said Li.

"This is not the first GPI event I have attended, but what makes this year special is a trip to Xinjiang organized by Coca-Cola to participate in helping AIDS-affected children. Coca-Cola's sustainable efforts over the last six years have brought great changes in that area. My experience in Xinjiang reinforced my belief that every small effort counts and that we can make a big difference by working together," said Malaysian singer JJ Lim, who flew to Xinjiang in September to pay a visit to AIDS-affect children and families there.

"I gained a lot from that trip," he recalled. "When I was playing with those kids and singing with them, I started to think I should dedicate more time, aside from money, to help those really in need."

Coca-Cola says the GPI program is an important part of its ongoing efforts to give back to the community and is a perfect example of how Coca-Cola is collaborating with partners, government and society to develop solutions to complex challenges and make a positive impact on the community.

The company has so far contributed more than 200 million yuan to promoting sustainable development and improving people's lives in China.

mazhenhuan@chinadaily.com.cn