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A high-class four-ball of (left to right) Dubai Duty Free’s Colm McLoughlin, Frey’s Clive de la Roche, L’Oréal Produits de Luxe International’s Eric Tarral and Aer Rianta International-Middle East’s John Sutcliffe won Sunday’s annual Gebr Heinemann & Hugo Boss golf tournament that precedes TFWA World Exhibition.
Held at the Cannes Mandelieu course in brilliant sunshine (at least after seven holes or so – the day began in fine but chilly conditions), the event attracted 112 players from 26 countries this year.
Maintaining a recent tradition, the organizers asked each player to donate 100 Euros to a nominated charity. Together with a matching donation of 4,000 Euros from Gebr Heinemann, some 15,000 Euros was raised for The Help Allliance (www.Help-Alliance.com) a relief organization founded by Lufthansa flying staff in 1999 and currently focused on eight projects.
This year’s donation will fund one of those eight – the Indian Sponsorship Circle, which offers abandoned children in India a better life. Gebr Heinemann’s Managing Director Harry Diehl (below) spoke movingly about how many children, whose parents cannot cope, send them away on a train, hoping someone will save them and give them a better life. Many eventually arrive via the now famous track number 5 in Mumbai – where many are taken into care by the Indian Sponsorship Circle.
“Many thanks in the name of the children from track number 5,” said Silvio Lombardo (pictured below second from left with Claus Heinemann, Gunnar Heinemann and Harry Diehl) from The Help Alliance as he accepted the cheque.
As always, this was a brilliantly organised tournament. The owners, management and staff at Cannes Mandelieu (so gracious the day before in hosting the MIS-HIT trophy organised by The Moodie Report) were at their best again and the organisation from the Gebr Heinemann and Hugo Boss teams was typically flawless.
May this tradition last as long as one of the many Colm McLoughlin or John Sutcliffe drives that pierced the fairways yesterday. It’s the perfect opening to Cannes week – and it helps some of the world’s neediest children.
[Scorpio Distributors’ Bruce McGuire with Nadine Heubel cross the river that divides the Cannes Mandelieu golf course].
[The Moodie Report Publisher Martin Moodie – right – with his teammates Charlie from Hugo Boss , Nadine from Gebr Heinemann and Bruce from Scorpio].