By Linda Revilla
For the regional fundraiser event Big Day of Giving, ACC usually has a party/open house featuring ACC bands, food, arts demonstrations and exhibits, and last year, a craft and vendor fair.
Because of the pandemic, we made the choice to do it all online. Our informal motto was “go big!” We broadcast an epic five-hour live telethon on Facebook that brought $150,000 in donations. This is more than double the amount raised last year.
Three masked MCs, Mike Marando, Linda Revilla, and Scott Okamoto, interviewed local dignitaries such as Council Member Rick Jennings, My Sister’s House ED Nilda Valmores, APAPA’s Yen Marshall and CC Yin, and more. In-house live guitar music by ACC Memory Care Nurse Manager Michael Deneau added to the excitement on the set and provided quite the ear worm with his rendition of “Times Like These.”
Musical guest acts were Skyped in live. Shirley Stassi transfixed the audience with a beautiful hula. Ukulele was well-represented by Judge William Shubb; Dennis & Janet Fisher; and Dani Joy. ACC guitar duos Asian Pair (George Connor & Mary Nakamura) and Gary Yee and Jane Nakagawa also performed. Koichi Mizushima with daughter Ellie, and singer Alexi Ishida were other highlights, bringing youthful energy to the show. ACC volunteer instructor Joaquin Ngarangad led a trio in dancing/exercising to a disco number- all the while wearing masks. ACC Culinary Services Manager James Hutchins flambéed a steak as part of his demo that had one viewer comment, “it was torture to watch because we couldn’t taste that steak!”
There was a mix of entertainment and information on ACC programs and services. The telethon was to raise funds to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on ACC’s operations. Our efforts to keep everyone safe and adhere to the shelter-in-place orders means pausing programs such as the Lifelong Learning & Wellness classes, limiting transportation by ACC Rides to critical rides, halting move-ins at Greenhaven Terrace and Maple Tree Village, and taking extra sanitizing precautions and increased use of personal protective equipment at all sites, especially the Care Center. All of this has impacted ACC economically. Facebook showed 2,100 cumulative “views” of the telethon on the day it was broadcast, May 7, 2020. Since then, the recording on Facebook has gone viral, with 5,000 more views! No doubt, the appearance by Broadway stars Welly Yang and Dina Morishita, who shared two beautiful songs, and special guests Lisa and Laura Ling with their father Doug Ling are reasons why the broadcast has had repeated views. Ted Fong, ACC consultant, was the “man behind the curtain,” aided by volunteers Garret Ashizawa and Nina Fong, and staff Perfecto Bravo and Michael Yang. The success of the telethon has ACC planning future live online events. ACC TV anyone?
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