Unite For Japan Fundraising Concert

[Sao Jiang Mai]

I do hope I am allowed to post this. Two young people contacted me (Japanese American) over a week ago wanting to organise a small concert to raise funds for Japan. This is NOT a Citylife or business thing at all, but I offered our help and our garden to hold the event. So, on the 2nd of April there will be a fundraiser at Citylife garden (email [email protected] for map and directions) where ALL profits will go to Second Harvest Japan, an NGO working for long term relief in Japan. Basically everything is donated, so there are no costs involved and ALL monies received will go to Japan. We have so far received donations for posters, which we will start sticking up around town, light and sound and stage, and an AMAZING (yes, I know caps are annoyng, but it is amazing!) 300,000 baht's worth of donated prizes for auctions and raffle tickets (20 baht a ticket) including nights at Amari Bangkok, at Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-la, dinner at Le Crystal, paintings from Art Space, spa packages, handbags from Miguel La Salle, even three months free rental at a JJ Market unit and more more more. All of this will go on the night and you can get great deals and steals. Payap university as well as many other musicians are donating their entertainment. Glass Onion is running a bar at cost and tons of Japanese and other restaurants are also going to be selling food at cost. This is an incredible amount of giving being done by Chiang Mai, and all so far in only a week. So, now we just need people to come! Great music, great fun and for a great cause. Plese come along Sunday 2nd April between 4 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. Oh, by the way, the monies collected will initially go into a new bank account at D Foundation (yes, in full disclosure, I am a director, but we didn't know where else to put it in for now, and the Foundation is heavily audited) and we will immediately transfer it all over when we tally up the numbers. If you have other suggestions on how to do this we will be happy to listen (we tried to ask the Japanese Consulate, but I think they are too busy). Anyway, this is really really a great cause and I do hope that I am allowed to post this and that you all bring your friends and family for a great day. Oh, I almost forgot the most important bit! 300 baht entrance ticket. And yes, it too ALL goes to the Second Japan Harvest. Thanks! Pim

[DavidOxon]

Sounds great . . . . I'll be there

David

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Sounds great!! Thank you for posting.

Hope the forum can bend the rules a little bit and let this one run.

[Greenside]

Three more here and we'll spread the word.

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Thank you all! As I mentioned, there is no business interest involved at all, just incredible support from the community. Yea Chiang Mai!

[Greenside]

Here's the poster for the event.

You can download a copy to use in helping spread the word for this important effort by going here or link to it in emails or on social networking sites. There is a smaller copy you can send as an email attachment.

[Rice_King]

Sounds like fun and all for a good cause. Count me in.

[manarak]

Generous action!

But am I the only one surprised that Japan cannot cope with its evacuees, orphans and homeless people by itself?

Money doesn't stink - do you think the domations will change the "Japanese only" a bit?

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Update!

Great news. The name Unite for Japan is ringing soooo true. We have received, mostly unsolicited, over 700,000 baht's worth of donated items for the silent auction and to give away with 20 baht each raffle tickets. Room nights at Amari BKK, Mandarin Oriental CM, Four Seasons, dinner vouchers at Le Crystal, Auberge, drinks vouchers for Cafe del Sol, 175,000 (!) baht's worth of furniture from Onyx, Ed and Tom donated a flight for two for a scenic tour of CM on a piper aeroplane, BKK Airways donated two tickets to BKK, and more and more. If anyone is interested you can email Steve Yarnold who is in charge of the silent auction at charityrooftopparty (at) gmail.com to get teh list of items if you want to bid on them prior to the event (he will notify you if you win), or you can just come along for 300 baht a ticket and bid on teh night (bidding closes at 7.30 on Saturday, though email bidding closes same time on Friday). We have set up an account at the D Founcation (requests for audited accounts can be made after event) where the money will be held until we collect all auction payments, then it will go to Second Harvest Japan. The Christian Communications Institute has donated lights, stage, sound system, bands from folk to broadway, irish music to jazz have donated their time and we even have Bee The Star (apparently he is a hearthrob) donating his - er used - waistecoat! So, please come if you can. Parking may be a problem depending on numbers...but it is less than five minutes walk from Prasertland with tons of parking spaces.

[elektrified]

Generous action!

But am I the only one surprised that Japan cannot cope with its evacuees, orphans and homeless people by itself?

Money doesn't stink - do you think the domations will change the "Japanese only" a bit?

Sure Japan is a rich Nation. But it's the thought that counts. Doing something for someone other than ourselves. Karma.

[DavidOxon]

Sadly, most of the non Thai musicians have pulled out due to the threat of arrest for playing by immigration dept

D

[millwall_fan]

Mrs Millwall_fan fan and I will try to get there, in any event we support your endeavour wholeheartedly, as Elektrified says, its as much a gesture of solidarity with people who've been to hell and back as it is about raising money.

On David's point: Let's hope someone with some clout points out to Immigration/police or whoever was responsible for last weeks reprehensible actions at Guitarman, the result of their actions!

[Greenside]

I'm sure there will be enough local musicians to keep us happy . The weather seems kind today and I'm looking forward to it.

[Paagai]

Generous action!

But am I the only one surprised that Japan cannot cope with its evacuees, orphans and homeless people by itself?

Money doesn't stink - do you think the domations will change the "Japanese only" a bit?

Sure Japan is a rich Nation. But it's the thought that counts. Doing something for someone other than ourselves. Karma.

I don't want to detract from the great support being generated here for the people of Japan, and the efforts of the organisers. But, I'm sure most people in Chiang Mai felt last week's earthquake, with it's epicentre around the town of Tarlay in the southern Shan state, close to Mae Sai.

Because no injuries or damage were sustained in Chiang Mai the result of that quake have been quickly forgotten by Chiang Mai residents, and it has already dropped from view in the international media, due in part by the efforts of the Burmese government to cover up the story and deny access to aid workers and journalists. Reports from inside Shan State put the real death toll at over 200 with more than 3000 made homeless. A shortage of fresh water is already leading to outbreaks of disease. Check out some of the reputable SHAN news websites such as Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N) the up to date status.

As I said, I have no wish to detract from the efforts here, just to ask people to spare a thought for those closer to home who also need help urgently!

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Thanks for everyone's support. We raised 340,000 baht on the night to send to Second Harvest Japan. Unfortunately some of the people who bid on items have yet to pay up, so we are still short and waiting for around 40,000, but if we don't collect them in the next couple of days we will send the 300,000 baht over first and hurry to collect the remainder. If you bid on an item please come and collect/pay so we can send the much needed money over to Japan. Again, thank you everyone for an amazing effort. When all the money is sent, we will publish the transfer receipt online as proof as payment. As to helping the Shan earthquake victims, do you know where we can go to donate items? What items would be most urgently needed? Thanks! Pim