We cordially invite any and all members of the Kunming community to attend our Have a Heart Fundraiser this Saturday at DT Bar. We are raising money to support Yunnan kids who desperately need heart surgeries, and have organized a day and night of music, fun, games, giveaways and food. So come out and join us for the third straight year as we look to lend a hand to those in need.

A little background

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 that end, we are raising money for Yunnan children who desperately need life-saving surgeries. They live in rural hamlets and big cities alike, but have one thing in common: their families cannot afford the necessary operations. To mitigate some of the most dire cases, not-for-profit Village Progress organized the first heart health fundraiser three years ago. It has grown every year. In 2016 we raised 81,000 yuan (US$12,300). This time around we hope to push that number over 100,000 yuan.

The benefit begins at noon and will feature a dazzling array of raffle prizes, a live auction, performances by nine bands and DJs, food on offer from some of the city's most talented chefs and, during the day, activities for kids and families, including face painting. Everyone performing, selling food, pouring drinks and coordinating activities on Saturday is donating their time and profits to the cause, and we want to thank them all in advance for what will be a wonderful day.

A door charge of 40 yuan per person includes one raffle ticket to the prize giveaway. Additional raffle tickets will be on sale during the event for the same price. Advance tickets are currently available at all O'Reilly's Irish Pubs, Ozzie's, as well as at Salvador's Coffee House and Slice of Heaven. We highly recommend buying in bulk, not only as a way to raise more money, but also to increase the chance of winning one of the great prizes available at the raffle.

Prizes and donations

The businesses above and Anthura Flowers, As You Like, Brooklyn Pizzeria, Cantina • Wine & Chat, China Multi-Service Consulting, Dali Bar, Dangsters, Healing Light Yoga, Let's Have Fun Trampoline Park, Now Climbing, O'Reilly's Irish Pubs, The Park Bar and Grill, Prague Café, Salvador's Coffee House, Salvador's Loft, Shangri-La Beer, The Turtle and Vinetree Tented Resorts have all donated prizes for the raffle and auction. The Yunnan Foreign Business Club and GoKunming are also proud supporters and organizers.

Knox Education Consulting has already pledged 2,000 yuan in cash, as have both CloudBridge — Media By Design and an anonymous local donor. Jianxing Spirits has also donated 1,000 yuan. We're off to a very good start! Sapore Italia is also donating the proceeds of a Thursday evening wine tasting at Cantina to the cause, and the Kunming Flying Tigers Rugby Club is auctioning off two of their players for romantic dinners at the fundraiser. The first 50 people through the door will also receive coupons from Sapore Italia.

Efforts like our event on Saturday, and those of many others, have collectively funded more than 500 surgeries over the past ten years, 30 of them for children who otherwise would not have survived. A typical surgery — which is generally too complicated to properly perform in Yunnan hospitals — costs between 60,000 and 100,000 yuan (US$9,000-15,000). Come out for a magnificent afternoon and support this worthy cause.

Live music

Outdoors 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 (garage funk)
7:40-8:30 DJ DSK (hip-hop)

Inside onstage

8:30-9:10 Puman (濮曼) (reggae)
09:30-10:10 The return of John Nevada and His Not Well-Dressed Band (blues)
10:30-late DJ Xiao Kris (funk, soul)

Eats and treats

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

If you would like to donate a raffle prize or otherwise get involved, please contact us through the GoKunming Contact Form. For those who can't make it but would like to donate, we also have a secure online way to contribute money on our You Caring page. Also, to help spread the word, please share this article, the event page and the online donations link on WeChat and Facebook. Come out this Saturday for a day and night of good food, fantastic live music, prizes and, most importantly, a terrific cause!

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