Locals Come Together For ‘Ganbare Japan’ Fundraiser

Staff from Queenstown’s Vudu Café + Larder and local booking agents QBook are banding together to raise money for Japan after this months tragic earthquake.

‘Ganbare Japan’ (Kia Kaha Japan), a fundraising evening of sushi, sake and entertainment will be held at Vudu Café + Larder on Saturday, 2nd April.

Organiser, Mika Sugano, says she and fellow worker, Tokiko Matsuoka, are devastated about what is happening to friends and families back home.

“We feel really shocked about what has happened to our country and we have felt helpless not being able to do anything for the people. That is why we are holding the fundraising event to raise a good amount of money for the Red Cross Appeal for Japan.”

Generous support from local businesses has been flooding in with donations of raffle prizes from large tourism companies including Skyline, Real Journeys, AJ Hackett, Nomad Safaris, Ziptrek and Kawarau Jet. Graphic design company, Fluid, has created posters and tickets for the event free of charge.

Qbook - Queenstown Booking & Info is helping to coordinate the evening. Qbook director, Yoji Kimura, says the response has been heartening.

“Queenstown was directly affected by the events in Japan as it is one of the key markets for local tourism. Now is a good opportunity for us to stand beside Japan. The name of this event, Ganbare, has the same meaning as 'Kia Kaha.' So it is about calling on inner strength and resolve for Japan as well as hopes of good fortune.”

Vudu Café+Larder will be serving Bento boxes, sake, plum wine, green tea and other Japanese delicacies at the ‘Ganbare Japan’ evening with entertainment by well-known local musicians, ‘Jamie and Nat’.

Rae Ellis from Vudu Café+Larder says there will be two dinner sittings and they hope to sell all the tickets before the event gets underway.

“Our café has a lot of association with Japan through friends and staff who regularly visit and our focus is to make ‘Ganbare Japan’ a great night out all in the name of a good cause.”

‘Ganbare Japan’ will be held on Saturday 2nd April, the first sitting is from 7pm – 9pm and the second sitting will be from 9.30pm – 11:30pm.
Tickets are $25 and available from Vudu Café +Larder. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross Appeal for Japan.
For more information and tickets contact;
Rae Ellis Ph: 03 441 8370 or Yoji Kimura Ph: 03 409 2969

ENDS

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