KLM AirCares supports relief organization 'Right to Play'

KLM AirCares, the charity sponsorship program of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is to support the relief organization Right to Play from July 1 until September 30, 2004.

Right To Play is a relatively new organization founded by former Olympic speed skating champion Johan Olav Koss. The organization strives to help underprivileged children, including refugees, former child soldiers, and AIDS orphans, by promoting their physical and mental development through sports and games.

Right to Play currently runs 45 programs in 18 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

The Right to Play program will feature in an inflight video shown to passengers, and will be covered by KLM's inflight magazine Holland Herald. Passengers can make donations on board via their credit cards, and KLM's frequent flyers can donate frequent flyer miles via the KLM AirCares website. The organization can use these miles to purchase free tickets for staff traveling to projects around the world. KLM AirCares supports four different organizations each year.

Apart from the activities undertaken by KLM AirCares, Right to Play has also been adopted as the charity of choice for the KLM Open Celebrity Am golf tournament. This event, which will see amateurs playing against sporting and other celebrities, will be held at the Goyer Golf & Country Club in Eemnes on August 2, prior to the KLM Open golf tournament. The event will round off with a charity dinner, with entertainment provided by leading artists. During the dinner, a selection of items donated by celebrities and professional golfers playing the European Tour will be  auctioned. The proceeds of the Celebrity Am tournament, the charity dinner, and the auction will be donated to Right to Play.