Builders Helping the Community

• Proeksa Meas
• 31 December 2015
• Construction Focus
• 2143 Views

Established in Cambodia in early 2011, Lighthouse Club Cambodia chapter hosts the gathering monthly to raise funds to support those in the construction industry, including students with limited resources. It also serves as an arena where guests can promote good relations and build business networks.

The May 8th meeting welcomed around 50 local and international members and guests and was hosted at the Quay Hotel by HSC Co., Ltd. an air-conditioning system, painting, decoration and sanitary product suppliers.

Last year, the club helped three students at the Royal University of Fine Arts with tuition and other expenses who had had to drop out. This year, in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific region branches, the club has embarked on a new charity program starting with two students and increasing to 10 students in five years.

“These students will have their fees paid for five years and given a monthly stipend to cover personal expenses,” said Colin Rogers, Lighthouse Club Cambodia President and General Manager of RTD Enterprises, a supplier of home appliance brands in Cambodia.

To expand the club’s impact on the community, the team is looking at a program to build housing for construction workers, and hopes to start it this year.

Lighthouse Cambodia hopes to have 75 members by the end of this year. Its mailing list already contains over 200 names, mostly foreigners. They are currently trying to attract more Cambodian members, and more are joining every month.

Besides the monthly get-together, Lighthouse began organizing an annual charity gold tournament last year. The first tournament took place in May at the Garden City Golf Club and was well attended.

“The event will now become an annual activity with the next one being planned already for end of January 2015,” said Rogers. “There is a trophy and prizes for the winners and runners-up. Many of the holes have special prizes and in addition we have a big lucky draw.”

The entrance cost for next year’s tournament will likely be US$150 and will cover the cost of play, caddies, golf carts, breakfast and lunch. It is open to anyone, including people from outside Cambodia.

“At this time we’re in discussion with several interested parties in order to select the main sponsor for next year. The tournament will be named after the main sponsor,” Rogers said.

To bring more club members on board, the committee organizes several events during the year and the next one will be decided at the next committee meeting.

“We give the sponsor the opportunity to choose the meeting place. We’re happy to move around and do so frequently. The sponsor needs to contact the venue and agree the budget,” he said. “Normally we recommend US$300 for beer, wine and finger foods.”

Construction and Property Magazine, published with support from the Cambodia Constructors Association (CCA), representing building professionals in Cambodia, sponsored the club’s June meeting at Kolap Sor Hotel’s Sky Bar. The event on June 12 attracted over 40 local and international guests within the construction industry.

The event saw many new faces, especially foreign businesspeople that flew to Cambodia to attend the Malaysian trade exhibition hosted at Diamond Island from June 10-12.

The Lighthouse Club was established in England in 1956 with the aim of promoting fellowship among members who worked in or were associated with the construction industry and to provide charitable assistance to those in need within the industry.

Today the club has chapters in over 50 countries around the globe, including 12 chapters in the Asia-Pacific Region, said Stephen Tennant, president of the Lighthouse Club Asia-Pacific Region.

The Lighthouse Club Cambodia usually meets on the second Thursday of the month. The team gets a sponsor to pay for the cost of the event and members and guests pay an entrance fee. The money collected from members and guests goes into the charity account.

The Lighthouse Club Cambodia, part of a global network of professionals in the construction sector, meets monthly to collect funds from members to provide scholarships to poor students and help others in need.