Roughly one in one hundred children around the world are born with congenital heart defects. These range from minor to life-threatening. In rural places around the world with little or no access to adequate healthcare, such cases can prove fatal at an early age. This reality is no less true in Yunnan's far-flung places, where children are sometimes properly diagnosed but still have no recourse because surgery is a financial impossibility for their families.

To help address this problem, Village Progress, in cooperation with dozens of local businesses, has held fundraising benefits each of the last two years at DT Bar. We are currently putting together another one for 2017 with help from the Yunnan Foreign Business Club. This year it will be held Saturday, November 18. What we envision is an all-day, all-inclusive party beginning at noon and running until around midnight.

During the daylight hours we will organize kid-friendly events and serve food and drinks, with live music outside on the patio. When evening rolls around, more local chefs will come to cook up some delicious specialties and the music will move inside. All during the party we'll host a raffle and give away some fantastic prizes.

Last year the event, coupled with online crowdsourcing efforts, raised 81,000 yuan (US$12,300). This time around we hope to push that number over 100,000 yuan. So far we've scheduled nine musical acts and five food vendors. In addition, Humdinger Brewpub and O'Reilly's Irish Pub have graciously donated beer that, in addition to DT's regular drinks menu, will be for sale at the event. Proceeds from sales of all food, drinks and tickets will be donated to charity.

A call for volunteers

So we're good on music and food, with bands booked for the entire day and DT's capacity for food vendors full to bursting. However, we would love some help organizing activities for during the day, especially those for kids. So far we have set up a face-painting activity and are looking into renting a bouncy castle, but definitely still need other, multi-lingual games and entertainment for the kiddies.

We are also hoping for introductions to companies or other potential donors who would be willing to sponsor the event or provide items for the raffle. Prizes can range from modest to outright unbelievable depending on the depth of the donor's pockets. We will also be selling advance tickets to the fundraiser. Each 40 yuan ticket includes one raffle coupon for the prize giveaway. We will be encouraging people to buy in bulk, not just to raise more money, but also to increase the chances of winning a prize.

If you would like to help out in any capacity, or have any leads on benefactors we can approach, please get in touch through the GoKunming Contact Form. To whet your appetite for the fundraiser, below is what we've organized so far. We will update this article with ticket outlet locations, raffle prizes and more information soon. Spread the word! We look forward to seeing you November 18.

Live music

Outside on the patio

3:00-3:40 Los Despacitos (world folk)
4:00-4:40 Nasty Dragons (rock)
5:00-5:40 Sandristo (soul)
6:00-6:40 Braden D (rock)
7:00-7:40 BOM (garbage can funk)

Inside onstage

8:00-8:40 Face Jam (jazz, funk)
9:00-9:40 Puman (reggae)
10:00-10:40 The return of John Nevada and His Not Well-Dressed Band (blues)
11:00-late DJ Xiao Kris (funk, soul)

Eats and treats

Fresh-baked bread by Ian
Pulled pork tacos by Sarah
Homemade falafel by J
Chinese beef jerky and huangmenji by A Yan
Made-to-order pizza by Jiajia
Micro-brewed beer by Humdinger
Vedett beers provided by O'Reilly's Irish Pub

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