It was an extraordinary end to the annual Gary Player Invitational (GPI) global charity series as celebrities, professional golfers, and acclaimed businessmen gathered at South Africa’s Sun City Resort to close out the series in 2013. Following the finale, The Player Foundation raised nearly $2.5 million for underprivileged children across the globe during its 30th anniversary of giving.
Through the successes of each of the GPI events covering four continents, The Player Foundation continues to add to its total funds that now well exceed $50 million raised to provide hope for a brighter future for disadvantaged youth.
“We continue to work tirelessly to improve education for underprivileged children and provide aid for impoverished communities around the world,” said Marc Player, Black Knight International CEO. “Thanks to the support of our generous sponsors, participants, and celebrities, The Player Foundation has once again experienced a record year.”
The growth and global impact of the philanthropic endeavor was not predicted when Marc Player established the Foundation seeking to improve the lives of needy children in 1983.
Primarily funded through the GPI Series staged by Black Knight International, The Player Foundation was able to provide support for numerous organizations this year that included BerenbergKids, the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STDs and AIDS, Wings & Wishes, the Wildlands Conservation Trust in partnership with Qhebeka, as well as many others.
Among those contributing to the golfing icon’s benevolent cause through their participation in the Augusta, London, Shanghai, or Sun City events were golfers Retief Goosen, Tony Johnstone, Cheyenne Woods, Carly Booth, Ian Woosnam, Guan Tianlang, Tano Goya, Brandon Stone, Hennie Zuel, notable celebrities Ronan Keating, Jeffrey Donovan, Kevin Sorbo, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, JJ Lim, Anton Du Beke, Anthony Anderson, Carmine Giovinazzo, Brian McFadden, Herschelle Gibbs, Vogue Williams, as well as Unathi and Thomas Msengana.
“Our GPI events continue to grow year after year and with exciting developments in our 2014 series, we continue to have great hope for the future of The Player Foundation and the impact we are able to make,” commented Marc Player.
Upon the completion of the 30th anniversary milestone, The Player Foundation continues to aspire to creating a brighter future with goals of raising a $100 million endowment to benefit the education of needy children and betterment of impoverished communities.
“I have always felt that contributing to others in need is an essential ingredient in life,” said Gary Player. “I could not be any more pleased with the work we are doing across the world with monies raised at these events. As we move into 2014, I only hope to continue expanding our impact and raising additional funds to benefit those less fortunate.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact Grace Lipscomb-Vine, Media Coordinator, Gary Player Group, at +1 864-477-2720, or grace@garyplayer.com
ABOUT BLACK KNIGHT INTERNATIONAL
Established in 1983 by Marc Player, Black Knight International is a global holding company for The Player Group and the constantly expanding family of Gary Player® brands. With a powerful presence in North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Black Knight is a multicultural and multilingual company offering branded services for the leisure and real estate industries. This rapidly growing firm is diverse and infused with the same tenaciousness and drive as Gary Player, world renowned iconic golfer. The holding company divisions include: Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, Black Knight Enterprises, Black Knight Solutions, Black Knight Capital, Gary Player Academies, and The Player Foundation.
ABOUT THE PLAYER FOUNDATION
The Player Foundation was established in 1983 by Marc Player. What began as an effort to provide education, nutrition, medical care and athletic activities, for a small community of disadvantaged children living on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa has now blossomed into an organization that circles the globe bringing aid to underprivileged children and impoverished communities.
The Foundation is funded primarily by four Gary Player Invitational events presented through Black Knight International. Pairing celebrities and professional golfers from the PGA and Champions Tours with businessmen and international sports figures, the annual tournaments are staged in the United States, China, Europe and South Africa. The proceeds of these tournaments and other special events provide funding for an ever- expanding number of institutions around the world, including the Blair Atholl Schools in South Africa, the Pleasant City Elementary School in Palm Beach, the Masizame in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, and AIDS infected children in Baoshan, a drug-infested city located on the China-Burma border. Since its establishment, The Player Foundation has donated over $50 million dollars to the support of children’s charities, the betterment of impoverished communities and the expansion of educational opportunities throughout the world.
Gary Player, acknowledged as a world-class humanitarian, believes that the strength of our future depends upon the abilities of our children. “I have found that the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others does not thrust itself upon us,” Player says, “But we do not need to look hard for it either. When you spot the chance to give back to the world, act on it. You will have made life better, for others, and for yourself.”
The Gary Player Foundation is a non-profit 501 C (3) organization managed by Black Knight International in Palm Beach, Florida.
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