PM’s Golf will round off year

 By KYMLIE KARANI

THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) will end its fundraising events for the year with the Prime Minister’s Corporate Golf Challenge in Lae on July 14.

The event has enjoyed strong support from former and acting prime ministers Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and Sam Abal.

The annual challenge is a major fundraising event used by PNGOC to garner corporate support for the national team’s preparations for any international meet including the Mini Pacific Games, Pacific Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.

Within this year the PNGOC formerly known as the PNG Sports Federation & Olympic Committee, raised more than K774,000 from the Trukai Fun Run T-shirt auctions while raising K160,000 from the Port Moresby PM’s Golf event in May, an amount which exceeded previous totals.

PNGOC secretary-general Auvita Rapilla thanked Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for his patronage of the event and his participation in Port Moresby earlier this year. 

She also acknowledged the assistance of support sponsors of the event: The National, Air Niugini, Coca-Cola, Courts, Coral Sea Hotels and the various prize sponsors and also the teams who have confirmedtheir participation for the Lae leg of the challenge.

She also extended her gratitude to the teams that made the first challenge in Port Moresby in May a success.

This year, as the event goes to Lae, some of the teams out of 22 that have registered so far are major sponsors The National, Coca-Cola, Coral Sea Hotels, Markham Culverts, Bank South Pacific, Boroko Motors, KK Kingston, Super Value Store, Kina Securities, Eda Ranu and defending champions Goroka Coffee Roasters.

Team registration is K3,000 and all funds raised will go towards Team PNG’s preparation and participation at the Mini Pacific Games in Wallis & Futuna from Sept 2-12.

Registration is still open for organisations who wish to put in a team.  Those interested can contact Denise Girey or Andrew Molen at the PNG Olympic Committee office on 325 1411 or 325 1449 or email: [email protected]/ [email protected] or [email protected]. 

Invitations are also open for companies wishing to be ‘Hole’ sponsors.