Sports stars swap codes Frucor & 40 Hour Famine

MEDIA RELEASE March 14, 2002

Sports stars swap codes for Frucor and the 40 Hour Famine

Hockey celebrities hit the green today to help Frucor Beverages boost funds for World Vision's 40 Hour Famine.

Hockey stars Mandy Smith and Anna Lawrence played in the 3rd Frucor World Vision Charity Golf Tournament in Auckland today.

The celebrities attracted a field of more than 70 corporate clients and supporters helping Frucor make a $7000 donation to World Vision through $100 per guest contribution to the cause.

Through its brand Just Juice, Frucor Beverages has sponsored the famine for more than a decade and the golf tournament furthers the company's commitment to, and relationship with, World Vision.

World Vision's 40 Hour Famine this weekend is the 27th for New Zealand. Last year 120,000 young New Zealand Famine participants raised more than $2.56 million for developing world projects.

The theme of this year's 40 Hour Famine is Your Weekend, Their Life, with the emphasis on Emergency Relief projects. World Vision's Famine Manager, Geoff Sharp, says with Afghanistan and other emergency issues top of mind, the young people are responding well, and registrations are pouring in.

"As I speak at schools and youth conferences, there is a tremendous empathy on the part of school pupils and students, for those who are living in difficult circumstances. Maybe it is an effect of the current global situation but there seems to be an awareness of how awful it would be to live through war, drought, famine, or earthquake. And there seems to be a corresponding awareness of how great our lives are here in New Zealand, how many resources we have, and how safe and secure we are by comparison. The support from our sponsors, especially Just Juice, is especially vital as it adds that extra level of awareness for the famine" he said.

World Vision's Sanjay Sojwal, who also played in the tournament, and is visiting New Zealand for the 40 Hour Famine, assesses humanitarian issues. He is responsible for reporting on the plight of victims of war or natural disaster in the Asia/Pacific region.

Mr Sojwal is among the first World Vision aid workers in action during a calamity. Recent assignments have included periods in Afghanistan, East Timor, the earthquake in Gujarat (India) that killed 20,000 people, and Cyclone Orissa (India), which was the worst cyclone in meteorological history, claiming the lives of thousands.

Handing over the donation to Sanjay Sojwol, Frucor Beverages' chief executive officer - New Zealand, Carl Bergstrom, said he was pleased Frucor could support the organisation through its sponsorship and golf tournament.

ENDS

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