In lieu of its usual monthly mixer for September,
NAAAP-Seattle organized an outing to Safeco Field to watch the
Mariners play the Los Angeles Angels on the Mariners’ Asian American Heritage Night on September 1.
According to Mariners’ Director of Public Information Rebecca Hale, NAAAP-Seattle was one of six organizations that evening to help the Mariners sell the special Asian Heritage Night tickets.
Asian Heritage Night’s major sponsors include
Gobo Enterprises,
General Biodiesel, and
Mulvanny G2.
“We find this event to be a great way to connect with different segments of our community,” said Hale. “We have a strong, direct connection with the local Asian community.”
NAAAP-Seattle sold 34 tickets. For every $16 Mariners ticket sold through NAAAP-Seattle, $8 went to benefit two local non-profits that serve Asian elders,
Nikkei Concerns and
Kin On. Hale said that $3,208 of the proceeds from ticket sales went to the two non-profit organizations.
The Mariners awarded NAAAP-Seattle for its marketing efforts by flashing on the reader board “National Association of Asian American Professionals-Seattle” at the bottom of the fourth inning.
Of the people who bought tickets through NAAAP-Seattle, a number were newcomers to NAAAP-Seattle.
Sandi Lin said she receives the NAAAP-Seattle weekly e-newsletter, but this was her first time attending a NAAAP-Seattle event.
“The baseball game seemed like an informal way to meet people and it was a fun activity,” said Lin. “I liked that it was on a weekday because weekends can be inconvenient for me.”
For some of the game-goers, the event marked their first ever baseball game.
“I probably wouldn’t have gone to a Mariners game if NAAAP hadn’t organized it,” said C.M. Chin, who has been attending NAAAP-Seattle events for two years.
“It’s a great way to celebrate APA Heritage,” added Chin.
NAAAP-Seattle also awarded two tickets to Leigh Momii for answering “Who was the first Asian to play for the Mariners” on a NAAAP-Seattle Twitter contest.
Momii said she follows the NAAAP-Seattle Twitter so “that I can be up-to-date on the latest NAAAP news and activities in the most efficient way.”
How did Momii know the answer was Mac Suzuki?
“I knew the answer to the quiz question because I am huge sports fanatic and I love my home teams!” said Momii.
As an added treat for the NAAAP-Seattle game-goers, resident celebrity chef Tanantha Couilliard of
I Just Love My Apron fame prepared a NAAAP-Seattle exclusive snack: Wasabi Sesame popcorn.
Although the Mariners lost to the Los Angeles Angels 2-4, the NAAAP-Seattle attendees were already having too much of a ball to be disappointed.
Avid baseball fan Karen Lin, said, “It was fun to go with a big group. I just like watching baseball.”
To see more photos from the game, please visit NAAAP-Seattle on Facebook. For more information on NAAAP-Seattle social events or to help out, please email Social Chair Heidi Yan at heidihanyu@gmail.com.
Photos: (top) Gene Liang, Sandi Lin, and C. M. Chan; (middle) NAAAP-Seattle Community Service Chair David Eam and Karen Lin enjoyed the “Wasabi Sesame popcorn”; (bottom) NAAAP-Seattle flashed on the Mariners’ Reader board.
