There Was Something In The Air Last Night

Yesterday afternoon, Yordie Sands opened her Japanese Garden to bluesy friends and the magnificent geishas from Little Yoshiwara. It was an off the beaten path locale for the blusey set, but many friends (over 30) came to visit, watch the geishas perform and contribute to the BFA 2009 kiosk. During the event, Magi announced that the contributions helped drive the grand total over L$500,000. This was a good sign of things to come.

Head Geisha (Okaasan) Xuemei Yiyuan does an impromptu performance for guests in the Garden hut, she was followed by geisha Masumi Manamiko. (Photo by Magi McBride)

Early in the evening, DJ Luci Bergbahn spun another one of her custom sets for an especially large Saturday night crowd at Junkyard Blues. Luci not only does a great job of spinning but she also has a way with the crowd that seemed to draw more and more dawgs to contribute to BFA. As the evening rolled on Steal Hawker offered to match the next L$10,000 donated, and this pulled Irongut McAllister right into the frey. Steal's matching funds helped drive the BFA grand total from L$501,000 to over L$540,000. And suddenly, the evening's goal for L$600,000 seemed to be within reach.

By the time the Ball and ArorA Chadborne's concert began at 8pm, there was definitely something in the air and it was truly wonderful. Maybe it was the huge crowd that was gathering, over 90 peeps by my count at one point. Maybe it was all the women and men in their lovely evening gowns and tuxedos. Maybe it was AurorA's amazing, amazing voice and the songs she sang to touch our hearts, like "Someone to Watch Over Me".

Regardless of what it was, wave after wave of contributions poured in. We passed the evenings goal and no sooner had we passed that goal another wave of contributions drove the total even higher. By the end of ArorA's concert there was this note in my log: "[2009/03/28 21:19] Magi McBride shouts: L$ 679,850". But there was still more to be tallied and a little later the final total reached L$703,000!

The beautiful ArorA begins the benefit ball with songs that only she can sing! (Photo by Yordie Sands)

More than 90 guests in attendance, women dressed in their loveliest gowns and the men in their tuxedos. (Photo by Yordie Sands)

Magi McBride, arms above her head, shouts,
"L$679,850" (photo by Yordie Sands)

And Kiff Clutterbuck, debonair and leading the applause, thank you for sponsoring this memorable event!








To conclude, I'll break into a chorus of "Fernando" by Abba, "There was something in the air that night..."...eh, nah, nah, no. Let's just say that the goal of L$600,000 was smashed by a hundred thousand lindens!

In a brief chat I had with Kiff Clutterbuck he told me, "This is the kind of thing that reminds us how many really decent people are in here."

And Magi McBride said, "I want to thank Kiff & Dina, ArorA, Luci and all the JY Dawgs for every linden that went to the effort."