Gary Player Invitational 2013 names charity beneficiaries

The event takes place at the Lost City Golf Course and The Palace Hotel on Saturday, 16 and Sunday, 17 November 2013.

The Player Foundation, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, has raised over R500-million for charities across the globe through the GPI, an annual series played across four continents and featuring top professional golfers, celebrities and business leaders. Funds raised at the black-tie auction at The Palace of the Lost City on Friday, 15 November, will be shared between the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Wings and Wishes.

High transport costs

Wings and Wishes, established in 2006 by staff at the Coca-Cola Sabco bottling company in Port Elizabeth, transports critically ill children and an accompanying adult to specialised government hospitals around SA to receive lifesaving medical treatment. Funds raised at GPI 2012 enabled Wings and Wishes to fund 1,500 air and bus tickets to the value of R2.2-million, saving the lives of many children whom otherwise would not have been given a chance to live because the high costs of transport placed treatment out of their reach.

The Wildlands Conservation Trust in partnership with Qhubeka uplifts local communities by establishing "green jobs" for the poor and unemployed, focusing on recycling and encouraging the growing of indigenous trees, through community-based 'Waste-preneurs' and 'Tree-preneurs'. Wildlands operates in 60 communities, growing over 1,200,000 trees and collecting over 6,000,000 kgs of recyclable waste annually. The waste and trees are bartered by community residents for livelihood support items, such as bicycles, building materials, school fees and food.

"Since February 2013, 911 Waste-preneurs have started collecting PET (plastic) and have collected over 40,000 kg - the equivalent of 1,200,000 PET bottles. This staggering achievement is real testimony to the impact of this wonderful project, made possible by the GPI and Coca-Cola. As we speak the first batch of 47 bicycles are being handed out to the waste-preneurs who have earned them. By the time we get to the 2013 GPI this figure will have escalated significantly," said Wildlands CEO Dr Andrew Venter.

Recycle more, waste less

Wildlands sources the bicycles for its waste-preneur and tree-preneur programmes from Qhubeka, World Bicycle Relief's programme in South Africa which has distributed more than 40,000 bikes across the country, 26,000 of them to schools.

Therese Gearhart, president of Coca-Cola Southern Africa, said Coca-Cola was proud to be associated with the GPI and Wildlands: "We are in a unique position to help communities in remote villages and townships thrive by enabling them to earn a living collecting recyclable waste and growing trees. We want everyone to recycle more, waste less and help the planet."

Black Knight International CEO Marc Player said: "Our foundation, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, has raised an amazing R500-million for charities across the globe. We look forward to a successful event at Sun City to bring a brighter future to those in need."

For more information on the event, go to www.garyplayerinvitational.com.