Monday, May 14, 2007

HAND-UP; NOT A HAND-OUT

The posters are up. The countdown begins. On April 21st, the first of five elimination tournaments will be held in Guihulngan. The top thirty of that district’s best and brightest young chess players will quality to come to Dumaguete City and complete in the first ever Filipino-Foreigner Friendship Foundation’s Summer Chess Tournament. The top prize; a full year’s tuition and books at a local University. This elimination tournament will be quickly followed by elimination rounds in Tanjay (25-26 April), Zamboanguita (28-29 April), Dumaguete City (2-3 May) and culminate with the finals to be held at Foundation University (5-8 May). One hundred and twenty of our finest young people have a chance to build a future and change their destiny.

Previously, young Oriental Negros chess players had to compete at the national level and place in the top three finalists to win a similar prize. Thanks to the generosity of both Filipinos and Foreigners we can now reward excellence right here at home in Dumaguete.

Starting with the award winning, Governor George P. Arnaiz, the list of local dignititaries involved is mind blowing. The elimination tournaments will be supervised by volunteers from our academic fraternity such as Dr. Propetosa Lima (Tanjay City) Dr. Maria Milagros Velez (Bayawan City) Mario C. Andong (Bais City) Lecerio Napao (Dumaguete City) and Aleli R. Abne (Oriental Negros). Oriental Negros Club 64, a volunteer organization and local chess club, under the experienced direction of its Secretary Florendo Zamora will supervise the entire tournament. Foundation University’s Dr. Mira D. Sinco through her son Victor “Dean” Sinco has generously offered the campus facilities for the tournament finals. Even the Land Bank has supported the event by providing a secure two party account to guarantee all donations are ONLY used for the event prizes. The administrative costs will be paid by the Foundation members. There are hundreds of volunteers both young and old working hard behind the scenes to make this event happen.

A rich father, in Augusta Georgia, once asked me what business he should buy for his son, who was graduating from high school. I told him, “If you love your son, you will make him work to build his “own business” Charity solves the immediate problem, but it often robs the recipient of his pride, self-confidence and a sense of self-worth. When you reward hard work and excellence; you build pride, self-confidence and character. With these tools young people have a good chance for success in life. It is our mission to see that our best and brightest have the chance to acquire and use these tools.

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