Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World in Durban has for the fourth time clinched the annual Tsogo Sun Gaming CSI Award, this time sharing it with Blackrock Casino in Newcastle for CSI efforts during the 2010/11 financial year.

The award honours Tsogo-owned casino properties for their social upliftment projects.

Says SUNCOAST Executive Director Mike Dowsley: “Our employees, through SUNCOAST’s Community Upliftment Project (CUP), have been instrumental in giving of their time and energy to ensure we plough back into the community. For them this is a very special accolade.”

SUNCOAST supports the Chesterville based Vukukhanye Community Upliftment Initiative as its main CSI beneficiary. Vukukhanye addresses child and family welfare related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the historically disadvantaged area of Chesterville.

(Left: SUNCOAST’s monthly staff volunteer projects with Vukukhanye Community Upliftment Initiative in Chesterville ensured it another top spot in the annual Tsogo Sun Gaming CSI Award.)

SUNCOAST’s work with Vukukhanye includes the Tertiary Education Bursary Project launched in 2009; the Sport for All project that provides sports equipment and kits for over 100 children; as well as monthly staff volunteerism campaigns including mentorship programmes and maintenance of school buildings, sports grounds and other facilities.

Blackrock Casino was a worthy joint winner, with its work in the Madadeni / Osisweni region involving its principal CSI partner St Anthony’s, a home for 100 children from birth to 18 years old.

But even beyond their principal beneficiaries, both casino complexes still strive for more far-reaching impacts.

SUNCOAST supports various charity initiatives such as the Sunflower Fund’s Bandana Day, the East Coast Radio Winter Warmth campaign, the CANSA Shavathon and Night of 100 Stars gala dinner, as well as charity projects like the complex’s Celebrate 150 fundraiser to provide computers to schools last year.
 
Meanwhile Blackrock’s other charity and socio-economic development initiatives have included: providing office and studio space free of charge to the Newcastle Community Radio Station; sponsorship of various community events; donating food parcels to the Arbor Park Primary School feeding scheme; and support of initiatives such as East Coast Radio Winter Warmth, Mandela Day, the South African Feeding Scheme, Blood Bank Annual Walk, East Coast Radio Toy Story, CANSA Shavathon and CANSA Relay for Life

For the 2011/12 year the Tsogo Sun Gaming CSI Award will see fiercer competition with 14 properties now represented across seven provinces after the merger of Tsogo Sun Gaming with smaller rival Golf Reef Resorts.

Both SUNCOAST and Blackrock report they’re up for the challenge!