Last weekend was the annual Helps Golf Tournament fund-raising event. It was a rather luxurious affair as the tournament was held at La Reunion golf resort outside of Antigua. It has an insane course. It’s back nine ride right up to the skirts of the Fuego volcano. And, boy is it active. In one day it erupted twice in short burps of ash and steam. The course is beyond hilly, I’d say mountainous, with blind approaches and bewildering downhill drives.
The purpose of the tournament was to secure new markets for Helps products and new sponsors. With all of the wealth, luxury and comfort, I was quite out of my element. It only plays to the extreme disparity in wealth and position in Guatemala. While some golfers arrived in their shiny Range Rover’s, Cayenne’s, Land Cruiser’s and BMW’s, some opted for a more subtle arrival–via helicopter.
The Helps staff gave inspired speeches and retold incredible stories of the people they were helping. The president of Helps, Steve Miller, gave an impassioned speech to the audience members and challenged them to step up and be a part of the future of Guatemala.
On the other side, it was a nice respite to enjoy the comforts of such a huge and gorgeous resort. Some pictures:
