Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The 2010 Saadiyat Beach Classic, hosted by Gary Player (SBC), raised significant funds for children in need across the globe and 2011 looks even more promising.
The 2011 tournament kicks off on 24 January with an impressive field including tournament host and golf legend Gary Player, Ryder Cup winning Captain Colin Montgomerie, world number 8 Paul Casey, world number 10 Ian Poulter and Italian sensation Matteo Manassero. The funds raised from this year’s event will benefit The Player Foundation, The Ability Centre for Special Needs and the Emirates Autism Centre in Abu Dhabi.
Autism and special needs programs all over the globe find it difficult to secure private funding even during global economic booms and have been especially hard hit over the past few years. That is why the SBC is quickly becoming vitally important in helping fund programs for children in need in The Middle East and globally.
In 2009 the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and Gary Player sat down to discuss what could be done to help at risk children and from those conversations the Saadiyat Beach Classic was born. TDIC has gone to great lengths to make the tournament a success and has never waivered from the tournament’s goal of helping children.
Lee Tabler, the CEO of the Tourism Development and Investment Company, said he expects the Saadiyat Beach Classic to raise “substantially more” than last year.
“We can bring in the best players from all over the globe, put on a fancy event and have a great time, but in the end this tournament has to help children, especially those who need special schooling, attention and physical therapy. I can not put into words just how important this is to me. Children are our future and those kids who have been born into unfortunate circumstances, or are afflicted with conditions like Autism or Cerebral Palsy need and deserve all of the help we can provide.” Said Gary Player.
“The SBC is a wonderful event and I am honored that TDIC has asked me to host and participate in this tournament. This year will be better than last year and next year will be better than this year. I am so excited to go back to Saadiyat Island. I can’t wait!”
The Ability Centre for Special Needs and the Emirates Autism Centre will use the funds raised from this year’s tournament to purchase equipment needed to treat special needs children, increase the number of students and pay teachers. The Ability Centre is one of only a few
facilities in Abu Dhabi that accepts students with Cerebral Palsy and the funds from will go a long way in helping the Centre continue its important work.
The Emirates Autism Centre provides its students with individualized, one-on-one instruction which is vitally important when dealing with children with Autism. It is a completely private facility which receives no government subsidies and nearly all of the parents do not earn enough to pay the yearly tuition. The directors are confident that the funds will help to subsidize tuition payments and are hopeful that some of the important programs such as sports and music can be improved and/or re-launched.
The Player Foundation helps at risk children across the globe build better lives and operates the Blair Athol School outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. There, needy children are provided with an education, nutrition, exercise and a safe haven from the poverty and violence of their community.
The Saadiyat Beach Classic raises funds through donations and with a charity auction and gala dinner held at the Emirates Palace. Some of the items up for bid this year include a Tiger Woods autographed personal driver, special Gary Player memorabilia, three specially commissioned art pieces and a couture dress made to measure by designer Rami al Ali.
Thanks to Abu Dhabi based newspaper The National (www.thenational.ae) for information and images related to this press release.
Contact:
Guy DeSilva
Media Director
Black Knight International
+1 561 624 0300 x642
guy@garyplayer.com