It's not explicitly clear how many vouchers are in one book. Should be ten? Also, is Fargo cafe inside Green Lake park?

Hi Alex

In one book (Hongbao) there are ten tickets and tickets are now on sale at all participating venues. Fargo is in the green lake, please use the google map link below to find the venues.

Google Map:
goo.gl/maps/RyUY8

Excellent idea, but is the Hong Kong Red Cross the best way to make contributions? I have no criticism to make of them but it is the case that a lot of charitable organizations spend more than perhaps they should on admin, staff salaries, etc. I really think those who are organizing this important effort should perhaps check out different possible routes for assisting those in need. My general impression is that, in the Haiti relief effort, Medicins sans frontiers (Doctors without Borders) and the Cuban medical relief effort produced particularly good results with less cash going to overhead etc.

An expandable map with the event venues has been added above.

Hi Alien

We all decided together after a meeting and asking peoples opinions to use the Red cross Hong kong, we used them last time we did this kind of fund raiser for the Tsunami.

A lot of people are giving their own time and money to organize this event in the best way that we can. We just hope you can all get behind us have a fun day and raise as much money as we can to help.

do you have a douban/weibo page or anything else in chinese about this event?? I would like to tell my students about it!

Hi Sbarella

Yes we have a Douban page just finished and i will post the link tonight.

Agreed with Alien. The project is a cool initiative, and it's a nice way to have fun while donating a portion of what you are spending at bars to the people in need but I wouldn't make it my primary choice for giving as much as possible since it's only 66% of the price of the vouchers that are going to the HK red cross, and from there, the donation will again be cut down significantly.

@Alien and yankee00...bunch of grinches. 2/3 is still more than nothing.

hi all..

just got across this ad; and am so happy to know that you guys are doing something for my country. i am home now, and until this time, people here in metro manila and other parts of the nation (as well as the international community) are still busy donating, repacking goods, and helping out in whatever way they can.

in behalf of my nation, i sincerely thank you very much for all your efforts. blessings and good luck on this project!!

",)

Hi Ariel

Thanks for your message, we would really like to get in touch with the Filipino Community here in Kunming to join in. Please if anyone has any friends in Kunming form the Philippines get the to PM me.

Hi Yankee00

There will be donation boxes in each venue so you could just go and give a donation that way.

Hey, I didn't mean to put a damper on this, just a suggestion. And I've bought my book of tickets.

Hello folks,

In addition to this event, Yunnan University International Students have organized a bake sale for Hong Kong Red Cross outside of Fargo's from 12:30-4:30 Wednesday, November 27th. All are homemade and include awesome cookies, muffins and more. If your in the area, we'd greatly appreciate it and I'm sure those who will be impacted by the fundraiser will as well!

Hi Everyone

Just to make it clearer how this event works, NO ONE is profiting from this event. Each packet contains 10 tickets and costs 150 rmb of which 100rmb will be donated to the Hong Kong red cross Philippines Typhoon Relief.

From each ticket in the packet 5rmb goes towards the costs of the drink or food given by the venue. If any tickets are not used then 15 rmb (100%) will be donated.

Every venue that has performers listed is giving a donation to the fund instead of paying for the performers.

Please tell your friends, colleagues and partners, lets make this the best we can!

Here the douban link with Chinese info:

www.douban.com/event/20354083/

Hi we have a filipino community here in kunming. I just saw this while checking on the classifieds. We had actually started raising some funds last week from friends and we were able to send some money directly to the volunteer churches where we have connection.
In behalf of the filipino community we are greatful to hear about this i will pass this info to other filipinos.
Thank you and blessings!
Eden

We want to be involve! Just tell us what we can do

Maeflor thanks for your message i will call you tomorrow !

@AlexKMG, I bought the tickets. What I'm trying to say is that I'm only hoping that as much money as possible coming from donations to any organisation reaches actual help for the victims.

Hi guys,

Thank you for this effort and your big hearts for the typhoon victims in the Philippines...My wife and I have already gathered donations and sent it straight to private volunteers who are currently doing relief operations specifically in Panay Island, Visayas...

On behalf of my countrymen especially those who were devastated by typhoon Haiyan, we would like to extend our gratitude to your invaluable services.

Please tell us how we can help in this effort...

God bless you all and more power...

The article has been updated with finalized times for performances.

Hi Allen

I worked with the Red Cross a few years ago so I can tell you they are definitely up there with regards to how much donated money gets to the victims. Red Cross first aid training pretty much covers the cost of admin and the likes, so most of what is donated gets to the people in need.

You also have to think about how the money gets from you into the food and provisions needed. It takes a lot of work to be done effectively.

As an example, after the boxing day tsunami someone organized a shipping container load of blankets and clothing while avoiding using an NGO. The result was a container on the beach that got flooded with the tide, resulting in clothing and blankets ruined and floating around in the sea.

Hcamez, I get your point, I'm just saying that it is important to watch this sort of thing carefully, that's all. I know from experience that on SOME levels (perhaps not international aid on the scale required for the Philippines at present) it is entirely possible just to get together with friends and DO IT, no overhead (after all, what's stopping you?) - massive administrative organization guarantees neither efficiency nor waste, it all depends on the situation. On this score, I'd like to know the practical results of the efforts of both maeflor and jan-jan - may not be possible to know this, but the point is, after all, to make sure the job gets done, and nothing else.
And my best wishes to the present effort.

Suggestion for Americans: skip the Thanksgiving dinners, send the cash to the Philippines. Suggestion to retail restaurants serving such dinners: send you profits to the Philippines. Suggestion to everybody: watch how people really behave, given the choice. Suggested thought experiment: why is it like this, really (obvious answers to be reconsidered)?

Alien - yes it is always important to watch what happens to the money. But I have worked in aid organisations before and if you do not administer aid money correctly, it quickly ends up in the hands of criminal/terrorist organisations.

Often westerners have a simplistic view of "send them money, that will fix them", when the truth is a lot more complicated than that. Poor places with poor infrastructure that have been hard hit by natural disasters can't just be given money, they need supplies initially but increasingly they need properly managed infrastructure to be built and living/economic systems creation in a sustainable manner. Often the people that are left over after a massive event like what happened in some parts of the Philippines are not capable of handling such tasks as they are emotionally/mentally devastated over the loss of loved ones, hence the need for external/central government management and control. These areas are also ripe for criminal/revolutionary activities to flourish, meaning the potential for ongoing strife and particularly for the diversion of relief funds for these activities, potentially making a bad situation much worse for everyday citizens.

Just be very, very careful what you wish for when you want to limit oversight on relief funds, which calling for the lowest "admin" charges actually does. You should be calling for the organisations who have the largest/best effect based on past performance.

Blobbles, I agree - but largest/best effect in past performance needs to be examined carefully, that's all - on a $ for $-value basis, and also on the appropriateness of the aid delivered, who gets it, etc. There is also sometimes the question of hidden agendas, such as certain types of 'assistance' offered by the US Agency for International Development, which has been involved in warmaking and promoting economic exploitation - but this is a bit off track and leads to the whole question of 'development', which is often a misleading term. I also think the combination 'criminal/revolutionary' might be separated out a bit.

Everyone please remember to get your tickets today or tomorrow at all the participating businesses. Tickets are only 150 yuan and even if you don't use them, it's a small price to pay to help out.

Please get behind us today to help raise money . Hope to see you there!

Thanks for a great night last night! Let us know how much was raised.

Hi mPRin

We should have a total ready tomorrow, we had a very disappointing amount of tickets sold. For those that did come along and support we are really grateful.

Hi Everyone

We are still waiting for one club's donation but apart from that we managed to raise :

12289 rmb

We had a very poor sales of tickets, most people just came to the evening parties and didn't give donations. For those that did buy tickets or give donations we are really grateful and also to all the venues that helped. We hope this amount will help the people that need it.

I will go to Hong Kong next week and put the money into the red cross fund and post the certificate when i get back .

Always a problem with this sort of thing, which I thoroughly support - seems many people have the attitude that they have a right to keep 'their' wealth.

I didn't support sorry... but I did give money to Oxfam for the same cause... and it was in multiples of the amount a ticket would have cost. My giving was partly prompted by this idea though, so don't be so put off "The Help Out"! Raising awareness is a reward where the benefits aren't as obvious as they appear. At the time I couldn't make it to the event as I was travelling.

And in addition to the actual amount raised there are the benefits that can occur inside people's heads (getting people to think, etc.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone, here is a link to the money deposited to Hong Kong Red Cross from the money raised!

www.dumpt.com/img/viewer.php?file=vchdit68hn1qfm67233r.jpg

The total was 16 623 HK$!

A picture of the check to the Red Cross has been added to the bottom of the article. Thanks to everyone who participated!