Fund raising night for West Sumatra Earthquake

On November 7th, more than 200 people gathered at the Country Fair Building Auditorium, San Francisco, for a great cause. They came to raise funds for victims of the recent West Sumatra Earthquake, Indonesia.
 
It was a charity night and there were several performances by different individuals as well as bands of singers and musicians. One of the most interesting performances was a chant-like performance called "Tari Saman"  by a large group of students.
 
There were also food stalls with a galore of food, which was reminescent of a vibrant "pasar malam" (night market) scene. There were various kinds of traditional "kuih," bachang (rice dumplings with meat fillings), meat and vegetables dishes, noodles and Indonesian desserts, all priced affordably.
 
To support the event, Teddy Usman, President of IPA (Indonesian Professional Association) and his team conducted a silent auction. Among the items that were put up for auction were traditional handmade "wayang golek" dolls, keychains from Indonesia, a Kodak camera tripod and a Jasmine guitar. Representatives from MPBA attended the event to show their support for our neighboring country. They participated in the silent auction and successfully bid for the guitar at the very last minute! Everyone had a great time, and it was all for a great cause.
 
By the end of the night, about $3,000 was raised, thanks to the generosity of all who attended! All proceeds will be donated to one or more of the following nonprofit organizations: Mercy Corps, Surfaid International, and World Harvest.

Submitted by Jane Aw

Edited by Angela Woon

11/07/2009