Sri Lanka: Gold-plated miniature bat to raise funds (13 December 1998)

13 December 1998

Sri Lanka: Gold-plated miniature bat to raise funds

by A.C. de Silva

An elegant goldplated miniature cricket bat in the form of a key tag has been put out for sale by Rican Lanka Private Limited in order to raise funds to care for the underprivileged children in Sri Lanka.

To market a miniature cricket bat for sale needs careful planning and Rican Lanka Chairman Suresh Michandani together with Sri Lanka chairman of cricket selectors Duleep Mendis could not have thought of a better person than that elegant world class batsman Aravinda de Silva, whose signature on the 24 carat goldplated bat should turn out to be a best seller.

The bat has been lowly priced at Rs. 100 though it worth much more. "We have to pay the normal taxes and the cost of manufacture and taxes etc put together without packing it costs around Rs. 35," said Mr. Suresh Michandani at the launch of the bat last week at Hilton JAIC Tower in Union Place with Deputy Minister of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs and Sports and cricketers Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Romesh Kaluwitharana and chairman of selectors Duleep Mendis in attendance.

For cricket fans, the purchasing of this bat, will entitle them to participate in a raffle draw for which ten rich prizes will be offered for fans to watch the World Cup cricket tournament in England next year.

There will be ten tickets for the matches that Sri Lanka will play. That's not all - the organisers Rican Lanka also offers ten return air tickets to London for the winners.

So, here's an opportunity to cricket fans to watch the World Cup tournament where Sri Lanka will make every effort to retain the Cup that they won in 1996 in Lahore, Pakistan.

Jeevan Kumaratunga said that sports has caught everyone's mind these days and this venture of helping society through sports should be commended. He said that Sri Lanka's cricketers brought glory to the country by winning the World Cup and using the bat as a symbol to collect funds for the sake of the underprivileged children is a praiseworthy effort.

Aravinda de Silva - who is a world renowned batsman, has a soft heart when speaking about the less affluent children. He spent his birthday at the Deaf and Blind School, treating the children there with all the goodies and he is bound to raise quite a sum in his latest effort.

He called on all parents to share the joy of this Christmas by giving to charity. "I hope the parents will put it into the heads of their children how important it is to support underprivileged children," Aravinda de Silva said.

Duleep Mendis praised the effort of Aravinda de Silva in helping the poor children. "He was brilliant in the World Cup," Mendis said.

The cricket bat will be marketed through the chain of Singer Limited outlets countrywide and Singer's Marketing Manager Jaliya Jaysuriya said that his company was delighted to market the bat because it was for a good cause.

The raffle draw for the tickets for the World Cup matches will be held on April 20. So, cricket fans, here's your opportunity to witness the World Cup and also support a worthy cause.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)