Barney’s Tavern Charity Golf Day Supports CRF

November 30, 2017

The Barney’s Charity Golf Day 2017, held on 2 November at the Humewood Golf Club, was a resounding success, proudly attended by OLLI, a life-sized fibreglass rhino.

“Thanks to all the participants, we were able to raise R26,625.00 for this year’s charity recipient, the Chipembere Rhino Foundation, a local registered non-profit and public benefit organisation working to protect and preserve the diminishing number of rhino in Southern Africa,” says Craig Mittens, co-owner of Barney’s.

After a very successful first Charity Golf Day held last year in May in aid of the Walmer Angel Project, Barney’s Tavern, one of Port Elizabeth’s longest-running landmark pubs – known for its good food and vibes – decided to make it an annual event.

“The aim of the golf day is to support a different charity each year, thus giving back to the community that we live in,” adds Mittens. “A friend of ours, Greg Harvey from the local Wildschutsberg Game Reserve, recently lost five precious rhinos, which really brought home the need for aggressive and active rhino conservation. We are thrilled to be able to raise this donation for Chipembere.”

Barney’s Tavern was founded at Gold Reef City in 1985 by Gus Ferguson. Barney’s opened its beachfront tavern in 1991, and a year ago also opened in the suburb of Lorraine, Port Elizabeth.

At the recent handover event held on 10 November at the new Barney’s Tavern store on the corner of Willow Road and Circular Drive, Lorraine, the monies collected for the Chipembere Rhino Foundation (CRF) were officially handed over to Richard Pearse, a lifelong CRF volunteer, committed and trained nature conservationist and skilled Specialist Guide, who is part of the Game Rangers Association of Africa, FGASA and TACTRAC on behalf of the CRF.

“It is a privilege to be the beneficiary of this year’s Barney’s Charity Golf Day fundraiser. We also appreciate the platform to introduce our Foundation and its rhino conservation projects to the participants,” says Pearse. “With the support of the community and organisations like Barney’s, every South African can contribute to protecting our iconic rhinos from poaching by professional crime syndicates, which drastically reduces their numbers and threatens their survival, a tragedy for these ancient animals and for all South Africans.”

The selection of CRF as this year’s recipient was inspired by renowned SANParks Honorary Ranger, Wayne Bolton, whose enthusiasm for making a difference has touched the lives of many people. Bolton, from One Land Love It (OLLI), and his family, created a rhino poaching awareness campaign, in which three generations of the family cycled around the country, spreading the message that protecting our natural heritage is the responsibility of all generations.

“Our world is faced with conservation crises that see iconic species teetering on the brink of extinction,” says Bolton. “If we can’t stop the relentless decimation of our rhino, what hope do we have for the future of our wildlife? Our #JointCustody campaign challenges ordinary people, businesses and organisations to collaborate. This generation holds the power to turn the tide against poaching. We have One Land – Love It… this is OLLI’s simple call to action.”

“Thank you to Craig Mittens from Barney’s and his team for a highly successful golf day,” comments Brent Cook, the founder of the Chipembere Rhino Foundation. “The monies received from the fundraiser is a significant boost to rhino conservation in the Eastern Cape and we look forward to applying it to our key projects that are growing and making an impact on the ground where it counts.”

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