Big Mike’s Anime Festival

Every year in July, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation raises money through the AIDS Walk. Last year, my wife, and one of my best friends, , participated and raised about $1500+ between them for AIDS research. I thought this was a great cause and I have long donated money to AIDS research, personally. I think everyone can agree that raising money for such a cause is a good thing.

A week ago, I was chatting with a friend and he asked me when I was going to start running my own anime convention. Interestingly enough, he was the millionth person to ask me because I seem to be getting that question A LOT. I figured, hey, if people want me to run one, it seems like people want to go to it if I do. I think somehow there’s a guaranteed audience right there, but I didn’t really want to do for profit, yanno? If we were going to raise some money, I wanted the proceeds to go somewhere that needed it and so I’ve chosen to combine the idea of running an anime-related event and a donation to the AIDS Walk.

So, here is my plan:

  • Hold an anime marathon in San Francisco, at the Red Vic Movie House
  • Find 20 people to donate $100 each ($2000 total) in seed money to cover the venue.
  • Sell the remaining 127 seats at $35 each for a 12 hour show.
  • $35 times 127 people is $4,445 which would go straight to the AIDS Walk for my wife’s team.
  • We’re calling it “Big Mike’s Anime Festival” on the advice of others.

The event would be held two weeks before Anime Expo on a Saturday, to help ease the cost. Plus, I think people can do $35 for charity given enough notice, and they get: 12 hours of anime with good friends, a special badge (which I’ll create), and a ‘program guide’. If we do this every year, I think we can start helping to make a difference.

Who’s with me on this?

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7 comments

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    • lyricaldanichan on August 13, 2007 at 14:38

    Wow that sounds fun, but sitting in a movie theatre for 12 hours straight watching anime is gonna be stinky.. perhaps you can get lysol to donate too? 😛

    • jetblack on August 13, 2007 at 14:40

    Febreeze and an intermission should help 🙂

    • bekki_n on August 13, 2007 at 16:56

    Sounds great! I wish I could be there, but I’ll settle for telling everyone I know 😀

    • lyricaldanichan on August 13, 2007 at 19:01

    Too bad you can’t burn incense :O

    • bardicwench on August 14, 2007 at 04:26

    Sounds great… I won’t be able make it unless I win the lotto, but make sure to send me more info so I can at least donate toward the AIDS Walk.

    Doing things like this for Charity is great… I raised $600 by doing a (planned at the last minute) raffle at Penguicon last year, and I know that I’m going to end up doing something again this next year to help. That’s not much compared to your $4,445 that hopefully you’ll raise, but it’s a start. 🙂

    • staplerx on August 28, 2007 at 22:08

    Tell me when, I can get you $100. I can also help with other things if you need it.

    • foogod on September 2, 2007 at 19:40

    Hey there.. as I mentioned last night, this sounds like a good idea to me and I’d be happy to throw in for one of those $100 spots. Let me know the details when things get more solidified, etc..

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