Benefit
concert raises thousands for Gulf states
By
Christine Sobodos
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
A night of jazz music and auctioning a number of donated items raised thousands
of dollars Friday at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center to help rebuild the
gulf states torn apart in the recent hurricanes.
Cal State Long Beach’s American Marketing Association (AMA) used to attend
a national conference in New Orleans, but had to relocate to Orlando, Fla.,
after the hurricanes.
“
When such a terrible thing happened to a city that had been so hospitable to
us, we felt like we had a call to action,” said Executive Marketing Coordinator
Shabnam Irilian.
They connected with a non-profit organization called Rebuilding Together to
form an alternative spring break trip April 9-15, where 35 students and faculty
members will go down to Lake Charles, La., to help with the rebuilding efforts.
In an effort to raise money for this trip, AMA planned and organized the Gulf
States Rebuild Benefit Concert. The evening was hosted by KKJZ radio personality
Megan Marlena, and began with a slideshow that included pictures of the national
conference in New Orleans before the hurricanes and pictures of the destruction
afterward, with images of people piling on buses leaving behind piles of cars
submerged in water and broken pieces of homes. It continued with performances
from three jazz bands: CSULB’s Jazz Ensemble, The Jeff Jensen Band and
Johnny the Bossman.
“
It’s such a good cause,” said Jeff Jensen of The Jeff Jensen Band. “New
Orleans has a lot of soul. I would love to see it back to the way it was.”
Throughout the course of the evening, attendees walked around the lobby signing
up for the items in the silent auction and visited the booths with information
about the hurricane and how to help. Among the many items being auctioned were
a signed Clippers basketball, a “Xena” replica sword, a wedding
gown and a number of gift baskets and gift
certificates.
In addition to the money raised from ticket sales, the silent auction and guest
donations, a large amount came from donations from various companies. Countrywide
Financial, for example, agreed to donate dollar-for-dollar the amount raised
from the entire evening. Another company, Clark Construction, presented the
students in the American Marketing Association with a check for $10,000, bringing
smiles and tears to the shocked students on stage. Many other companies in
the community helped out by donating money as well as many of the items auctioned
off in the course of the evening.
All of the money collected Friday will be donated to Rebuilding Together and
used in the rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast. Rebuilding Together will
be supplementing the food, lodging, transportation and t-shirts for the students
going on the alternative spring break trip, according to Rebuilding Together
Director Michele Chapel.
With the money raised from the show and the donations from the many contributors,
AMA was able to exceed its goal of $15,000 for hurricane relief and its trip
to Louisiana this spring.
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