Accor employees from around Asia Pacific are
winging their way to Thailand, touching down this weekend on the
island paradise of Phuket to commence final preparations for the
“Accor Race to Survive 2010”.
The Phuket-based event will kick off on
Monday 22 March 2010 as participants run, swim, bike and canoe
over four grueling days (22 - 25 March) of fun-filled competition
to raise funds for Accor Yim Kids Foundation, established by the
company to improve the social well being of Thai children.
According to Accor Director of Operations
- Thailand, Paul Stevens, months of hard work are coming to
fruition and participants are chomping at the bit for the race to
begin. “With only days to go, the Race to Survive teams are
buzzing with excitement! Last minute touches are being ironed out
and this unique event looks ready to fly. The feedback from the
teams from around Asia Pacific is that their training has gone
well, as has their fundraising with an overwhelming amount raised
thus far,” Mr. Stevens, said.
At press time the “Accor Race to
Survive Phuket 2010” had risen to nearly US$120,000 from the fund
raising activities of 23 competing teams comprised of Accor
employees. The organizers are confident that this tally will
continue to grow as the event nears commencement.
Michael Issenberg, Chairman and COO of Accor Asia Pacific, said, “This
major fundraising event would never come this far without our
devoted participants and like-minded sponsors. I am humbled by the
overwhelming support we have received, and proud that we can
improve these children’s lives and make a difference creating
lasting smiles upon their faces.”
Many of the team members participating in the
race are hoteliers, not professional athletes, but all are
training hard and truly committed to the fundraising event. Each team is required to
raise a minimum of US$7,000 as their entry fee and donate their
time and energy to participate in this significant fundraising
event, bringing attention to the cause and showcasing Thailand as
a world-class tourist destination. As well as team fundraising and
public support the success of Accor’s Race to Survive for Yim Kids
is reliant on the sponsorship and generosity of corporate
sponsors.
The funds
raised will support four projects:
-
Support the cost for children’s education in the Mercy Centre’s
Bangkok slum school. There are around 300 children at the school
and the cost for each child to receive a proper education is
approximately US$57 per child per year.
- Support the health
and medical-related cost for 63 orphaned and abandoned children
with HIV/Aids at the Mercy Centre.
- Assist communities in Koh
Lon by expanding their sustainable fishing program to improve
their livelihoods, enabling the children from these communities to
continue their secondary-level education in Phuket.
- Provide
education funds to help the children of sea gypsies and rubber
tree tappers in Phuket whose livelihoods and way of life have been
affected by the Tsunami in 2004.
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