Maggie Tang
NINE InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) hotels in South China combined Friday to launch the 2008 Project Hope program at InterContinental Shenzhen to raise at least 750,000 yuan (US$107,000) for a quake-resistant primary school in Sichuan and a school in Guangdong.
The fund-raising drive, with the theme, “Teach the Kids,” aims to support financially disadvantaged students by providing education funds, teacher training and educational facilities.
The charity program marked IHG’s third-year of cooperation with the China Youth Development Foundation. The project this year would pay special attention to children in disaster areas in Sichuan, according to David Markham, regional general manager of IHG South China.
“Thousands of children lost their homes and families in the devastating earthquake. We cannot allow these children to lose the opportunity of education as well,” said Markham at the launch ceremony.
Markham launched the program in a dramatic way — by hitting a golf ball onto a target on a wall.
Starting from Saturday, all guests who stay with the nine hotels, four of which are in Shenzhen, will be invited to donate 10 yuan to the Project Hope charity fund. Two specially designed mouse mascots will be on sale at the hotels’ front desks.
The highlight of the program will be a charity golf tournament at Mission Hills Golf Resort on Sept. 12, followed by a gala award dinner and a charity auction on the same day.
The program invites sponsors in three categories: platinum, gold and silver, with the sponsors being asked to give 38,888, 28,888 and 18,888 yuan in cash in their respective categories. Each sponsor will be rewarded with a hospitality and advertising package.