SAN FRANCISCO — Mark your calendars for Kimochi’s “Sansei Live!” on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 6:30 p.m. to midnight.
This year’s party and annual fundraiser will be held at St. Mary’s Event Center, located at Geary and Gough near Japantown, and will feature Big City Revue, San Francisco’s No. 1 party band.
Entertainment will also feature music by The Reminisce Band, hands-on origami-making with Linda Mihaa, and special entertainment by the 2012 Northern California Cherry Blossom Court.
The theme, “Isshoni,” means “coming together” in Japanese and signifies the community and multiple generations joining to support the Kimochi programs and services that helpBay Area seniors live with dignity and independence.
A raffle will also be a part of the evening’s festivities. Prizes include two round-trip tickets to Tokyo donated by Japan Airlines and two round-trip tickets donated by Southwest Airlines.
“Sansei Live! sponsors include Ben and Mary Ishisaki, California Pacific Medical Center, Union Bank, Comcast, KTSF-TV, Wells Fargo Foundation, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Comcast.
Admission is $75 general, or $35 for those 35 and under. For more information about tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Wes Nihei at (415) 931-2294 or visit the Kimochi website, www.kimochi-inc.org.
Big City Revue
“All About the Music!” is Big City Revue’s mantra, and this is the reason it has been one of the most sought-after musical groups in Northern California. The band’s unparalleled passion and enthusiasm to entertain combined with solid, stellar performances keeps it in constant demand. Big City Revue has traveled the world over, delivering their own diversified and dynamic musical style of Motown ’60s, disco ’70s, ’80s retro, ’90s and current hits.
The Reminisce Band
Familiar faces will grace the stage at “Sansei Live!” when the Reminisce Band (former members of Lady Red) kicks off the evening’s festivities. The group will showcase a blend of smooth jazz, ’70s-’80s genre top 40, soul music and ballroom dance tunes. In addition to Alan Sugaya on drums, Paul Louie on keyboards, Ronnie Lowe on guitar, and Tim Leong on bass, the Reminisce Band will feature Bay Area vocalist Theresa Buenaventura, with special guest Randy Jong on sax and percussion.
Northern California Cherry Blossom Court
This year, for the first time, members of the Northern California Cherry Blossom Court will participate in “Sansei Live!” entertainment. Queen Asaki Osato, First Princess Megumi Yoshida, Princesses Manami Kidera, Chihiro Hirai and Miki Fukai will be in attendance.
Linda Mihara
For over 20 years, Linda Mihara has pioneered the “art of one thousand cranes,” known in Japan as sembazuru. Her custom designs include traditional family crests, modern kimonos, fans, and waves. As an accomplished teacher of origami, she is highly sought after to teach at festivals and events around the world. She recently partnered on a ground-breaking commercial for Mitsubishi Motors, which shows the Endeavor driving through a magical world of origami. She was a popular highlight at the 2010 “Sansei Live!” and will be back again to provide hands-on origami making.
Background on Kimochi Inc.
Since 1971, Kimochi has provided culturally sensitive, Japanese language-based programs and services to 3,000 Bay Area seniors and their families each year. Services include transportation; referral and outreach; health and consumer education seminars; healthy aging and senior center activities; social services; congregate and home-delivered meals; in-home support services; adult social day care; 24-hour residential and respite care.
Like other social service organizations, Kimochi has been affected by the increasingly tentative and unreliable nature of government funding. The organization has made hard adjustments to absorb city funding cuts while protecting the quality of programs and services, and increasingly relies on its donors and supporters who join the organization in providing the network of services which allow the elderly to live with dignity and independence.
In addition, Kimochi maintains an active volunteer program consisting of approximately 200 volunteers who assist staff at four different program sites in San Francisco’s Japantown, with services being introduced to the San Mateo area.