Club promises $10m for disaster fund
The Board of Stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club yesterday announced a $10 million backing for a series of fund-raising activities to aid the relief of victims of the Boxing Day tsunami disaster in South Asia Region. The club has called on donations from the public, racing fans and its staff to help the world aid effort for survivors of the natural disaster, which has already claimed more than 120,000 lives.
In addition to the previous emergency donation of US$250,000, the Jockey Club has pledged to match donations - dollar for dollar up to HK$10 million - to help relief operations in affected areas.
Collection boxes will be placed at 116 Off-Course Betting Branches and three Clubhouses today and tomorrow, as well as the two racecourses during today's big New year race meeting.
Jockey Club chief executive, Lawrence Wong Chi-kit, said: 'We are shocked to see the massive loss of human lives - caused by this natural disaster.
'By leveraging on the wide network of our Off-Course Betting Branches, we hope the fund raising activities will remain unaffected even on public holidays when banks are closed, and will thus help to relieve the needs of the victims in the region as soon as possible.'
Opening hours of all the Off-Courses Betting Branches will be extended to 11:30 pm tomorrow night to align with the fund raising charity show Operation Relief 2005, to be held on the day.
Donations can be made in cash or by crossed cheques, payable to 'The Hong Kong Jockey Club' for South Asia Relief'.
The Club has also called on the support of its 22,000 full-time and part-time staff by putting collection boxes at its office buildings. Staff can also make direct transfers to the donation bank account specially established by the Club.
All funds raised by the Club, together with the its matching donation and those raised by the charity show, will be apportioned to five organisations, namely Hong Kong Red Cross, World Vision, Oxfam, The United Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Salvation Army.
Ten per cent of the total donations will be apportioned to assist local residents who are affected in the tragedy.
