The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
PREPARATIONS for the 2016 ZITF Charity Golf Challenge are on course with over 60 players having registered to take part in the tourney including Japanese Ambassador, Yoshi Hiraishi. ZITF marketing and public relations manager Stella Nkomo said Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha will be the guest of honour at this year’s event. Nkomo urged golf players in both private and public sectors to register for the one day golf tourney scheduled for 28 April at the Bulawayo Golf Club.
“We are looking forward to close to 120 players teeing off in the charity event whose draw has been set for Monday, 25 April. Now in its fifth year running, the charity event is aimed at offering an additional networking platform to ZITF participants, at the same time fulfilling the company’s corporate social responsibility goal to ensure that each ZITF Company-organised event gives back to the community,” said Nkomo.
The tournament is co-currently held during the annual Trade Fair, which will this year run from 26 to 30 April, and on average, attracts between 100-120 players every year including local and international top executives from private and public organisations as well as Government ministries.
Net proceeds from the event are awarded to a local charity organisation with non-governmental institution Bulawayo Island Hospice providing professional palliative and end-of-life care to the terminally ill, who are this year’s beneficiaries.
In previous years recipients have included Khayelihle Children’s Home, Ekuphumuleni Geriatrics Home, Tsholotsho Flood Victims as well as the Esandleni Sothando (a local girls initiative).
“The Hospice used to enjoy tremendous support from local industry has not been spared from the effects of Bulawayo’s de-industrialisation and an upsurge in the prevalence of cancer cases has led to the inability of its current resources to meet the physical, psychological, social and spiritual expectations and needs of patients, clients and their families.
“It has a skeletal staff of four nurses and one social worker providing clinical and psycho-social care to upwards of 150 patients. Due to a shortage of resources, the organisation’s operations have also now been confined to a 20-mile radius from the CBD,” said Nkomo.
Registration fees are $60 per player which includes green fees, halfway lunch and entrance to the cocktail event to be held on the same day. The play format will be 4BBB Stableford, own pairs drawn into foursomes.
