AustCham Lao tee off in Luang Prabang to support Vientiane Rescue

AustCham Lao hosted its annual charity golf day at the Luang Prabang Golf Club on November 30, raising US$3,500 to support free emergency services provided by Vientiane Rescue.

Representatives of AustCham Lao join sponsors for a photo at an annual charity golf day held at Luang Prabang Golf Club in late November.

The event attracted 30 players and was supported by Whessoe Lao and Acteus Group as gold sponsors, and with Homm Souvannaphoum, Khopfa Mekong Cruise, The Lao Distilling Co., Tiger Trail, Villa Wanika, Luangsay Residence, Grasshopper Café & Yoga, Carpe Diem and Sa Sa Cruise as prize sponsors.
AustCham Lao Executive Director Oliver Purvis-Smith organised the event with the help of an Australian golf coach living in Vientiane, Shane Barron, and owner of Gary’s Irish Bar in Vangvieng, Gary O Donoghue.
Mr Purvis-Smith said, “It was a great day of golf, and we had a great group of players, with many coming from the DGA Group. Our main goal was to have fun and help raise money for Vientiane Rescue. They are an incredible volunteer organisation, doing fantastic work, so we were honoured to support their efforts in Laos.”
“We couldn’t have done this without the assistance of our sponsors, who have provided invaluable assistance via financial donations and prizes for the players.”
Founded in 2010, Vientiane Rescue is a volunteer ambulance and rescue organisation and is Laos’ first ambulance service. They have since grown to a team of 350 volunteers, relying entirely on donations to provide their services free of charge.
Attending the event, the founder of Vientiane Rescue, Sébastien Perret, said, “Last weekend, AustCham Lao demonstrated how much they care about supporting local initiatives such as our volunteer’s daily dedication on Laos’ roads, rivers and buildings on fire.”
“It is heartwarming to know that we have AustCham on our side, as they have assisted us a lot with branding and marketing, so we can focus on investing in purchasing equipment, training and fuel for our vehicles.”
Throughout the day, sponsors were able to showcase their products and services while having the opportunity to network and broaden their connections.
Yann Bary from Acteus Group, a gold sponsor, said, “It is always a pleasure for Acteus Group to provide support to Vientiane Rescue through different channels, and this year was a great opportunity to meet with other like-minded sponsors. We look forward to the next event being filled with fun and sportsmanship for a good cause.”
Michael Simcock from Whessoe Lao, another gold sponsor, said, “We all had an excellent day, and the event was well organised by AustCham. We were honoured to be a part of it once again.”
AustCham Lao thanks Anong and Mr Lu from Luang Prabang Golf Club for being supportive hosts on the day and Sanakeo Boutique Hotel & Spa for hosting many of the golfers.
At the event, Celine Peyraud Rochat, the only female player in the tournament, won the golden cup.
Meanwhile, Steve Gimpel and John Connolly collected several prizes in various competition categories, with each player also receiving a prize for their participation.
AustCham Lao, the longest-standing foreign chamber of commerce in Laos, was established in 2005 and is continuously regarded as one of the most active foreign chambers.
AustCham represents a large number of Australian businesses, as well as Lao and international companies who do business with Australia while working closely with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and maintaining a strong relationship with the government of Laos.
In addition, AustCham advocates for responsible business conduct and leads by example, including by raising money for different causes in Laos, such as Vientiane Rescue.
AustCham again wishes to thank its sponsors for the golf day and for making the event successful.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update December 10, 2024)