26 May 2015 – The San Fernando Race Foundation held an auction and charity dinner on May 15 at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RYKYC) in Kellett Island, Causeway Bay to raise funds for a Filipino orphanage in San Fernando, La Union. The event was attended by the Foundation’s members, RHKYC members, diplomatic corps, business community and Filipino community members.
The auction and charity dinner is the culminating activity of the biennial San Fernando Race which took off last April 01. The auction raised close to HK$500,000 which will be used to fund the San Fernando Foundation’s scholars from elementary to college.
The San Fernando Race Foundation is a registered charity in Hong Kong and is financially administered in Hong Kong. Since 1987, the Foundation has supported the Home of Loving Faithfulness, a home for underprivileged children in San Fernando, La Union. In recent years, the event charity had supported 32 children.
Among the items auctioned were vacation packages, wine tastings and artworks donated by San Fernando Foundation members, RHKYC members and supporters.
Randy Bunkwarmer, the well-travelled bear and mascot of the San Fernando Race, was auctioned off for HK$15,000 to a RHKYC member who will be his custodian for the next two years. .
Aside from the funds raised, RHKYC and the Hebe Haven Yacht Club donated clothes, books and toys to Faith Rescue Home. The Honorary Consul of Mozambique also donated a check for the charity.
For the first time, the Philippine Consulate General invited friends from the diplomatic corps and the Filipino community specifically to introduce the event and encourage them to actively support and participate in such a worthy and noble cause. Invitees to the fun affair were encouraged to wear their brightest and loudest shirts.
In her opening remarks, Philippine Consul General Bernardita L. Catalla thanked the Foundation’s members, RHKYC and the attendees for their kind and generous support. She said the Consulate General will promote the event to the Filipino community in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong–San Fernando Yacht Race started in 1977. With the support of the Philippine Department of Tourism, RHKYC sailors, joined by their peers from Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, enjoy going south from Hong Kong leading them to the shores of northern Luzon, Philippines. The latest race was held on April 01.
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is one of the oldest clubs in Hong Kong and one of the largest yacht clubs in the world. The Club is now on its 166th year of social and competitive sailing and rowing activity.
Members of the RHKYC represent all walks of life from different countries with interest in either rowing or sailing. Current membership stands at 12,000, of which 5,300 are active members worldwide. END