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Hasselt volunteers offer golf cart shuttles to ease Pukkelpop festival burden

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Volunteers will use electric golf carts to shuttle Pukkelpop festival-goers between parking lots and the festival grounds.
  • The shuttle service is a collaboration between the festival and the Kiewitfonds, with donations supporting the fund's projects in developing countries.
  • This service aims to ease the burden of carrying camping gear for attendees, with all voluntary contributions going to charity.

Festival-goers attending Pukkelpop can now avoid a long trek with their camping gear thanks to a new shuttle service. Volunteers from the Hasselt-based Kiewitfonds are operating electric golf carts to transport attendees between parking areas and the festival site.

Pukkelpop wanted to set up a fun initiative themselves to support the festival-goers.

— Luc VertessenVice-chairman of the Kiewitfonds explaining the festival's desire for a supportive initiative.

The initiative, a collaboration between the festival and the Kiewitfonds, allows visitors to make a voluntary contribution. All proceeds will directly support the fund's projects in developing countries, primarily in South Africa. This partnership builds on the Kiewitfonds' existing involvement with the festival, including assistance in parking areas.

Luc Vertessen, vice-chairman of the Kiewitfonds, explained that the festival organizers wanted a "fun initiative" to support festival-goers and chose the fund for its charitable work. "It was their explicit wish to have the proceeds go to a good cause, and that's how they came to us," he said.

It was their explicit wish to have the proceeds go to a good cause, and that's how they came to us.

— Luc VertessenVice-chairman of the Kiewitfonds on how the collaboration with Pukkelpop came about.

For four days, 16 volunteers will operate four golf carts, focusing initially on camping parking lots due to battery limitations. The service will extend to day and VIP parking areas. While the fund cannot charge for the service as it would constitute a taxi service, they are relying on voluntary contributions. Vertessen added that they aim to make the rides enjoyable, possibly by playing requested songs.

Strictly speaking, we are not allowed to ask for anything ourselves, because then we would be a taxi service. So it is a voluntary contribution.

— Luc VertessenVice-chairman of the Kiewitfonds clarifying the donation system for the shuttle service.

The Kiewitfonds supports various projects, including care for children with severe disabilities and providing solar panels and computer labs for schools in South Africa. This initiative offers a convenient service for festival attendees while simultaneously raising funds for vital international aid.

We will certainly do our best to make the rides as pleasant as possible. Maybe we will work with requested songs during the rides.

— Luc VertessenVice-chairman of the Kiewitfonds on enhancing the experience for shuttle service users.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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