Take me out to the ballgame,...buy me some Wasabi Sesame Popcorn

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.

NAAAP-Seattle volunteers put their sales skills in high gear for Farestart’s 35th “Guest Chef at the Waterfront”

Among the 1,200 attendees at the sold-out “Guest Chef at the Waterfront” at Bell Harbor Pier 66 on July 14 were seven NAAAP-Volunteers: John and Jen Park, Dan Hoang, Tom Michael, Leigh Momii, NAAAP-Seattle Community Service Chair David Eam and NAAAP-Seattle Membership Chair Kevin Chang. Another NAAAP Volunteer, Mikhaila Gonzales, came the day before to help prep for the event.

This is Farestart’s 35th year holding “Guest Chef at the Waterfront (GCOW),” which raises funds and awareness for Farestart. GCOW allows FareStart to spread the word about its training programs, Guest Chef Night and the importance of helping disadvantaged and homeless people in our community. With the funds raised at this special event, Farestart can increase the number of people its serve and improve the quality of the services it provides.

According to the organizer of this NAAAP-Seattle community service event, Jenafer Park, NAAAP volunteers were responsible for collecting guests information for a free drawing and to get people on Farestart’s mailing list.

“It sounds easier than it actually was,” said Park. “Some of us were greeted with smiles and willingness, while others received snarks here and there. Yet everyone worked tirelessly to get as many people as they could to sign up. All in all, we were successful in getting at least 600 people to sign up (about half of the attendees)!”

Other NAAAPsters, including NAAAP-Seattle Secretary Claire De King, were spotted at the event as attendees.

The volunteers admitted it was difficult to stave off the desire to snack on the smorgasbord of culinary delights that surrounded them. Food vendors included: 35th Street Bistro, Assaggio Ristorante, Basil's Kitchen at the Hilton Bellevue, Brasserie Margaux, Columbia Tower Club, and Crush.

One volunteer confessed, “I want to be the other side next year, as an attendee!”

Although GCOW was new to all of the NAAAP-Seattle volunteers, Farestart is no stranger to NAAAP. GCOW marked the third time this year that NAAAP-Seattle has organized a community service event for Farestart.

GCOW was Park’s first time taking the lead on an event for NAAAP.

Park added, “I really appreciate that David Eam, the Community Chair, gave me this opportunity to organize. I would do it again in a heartbeat and look forward to hopefully organizing more events in the future.”

NAAAP-Seattle community service events are ideal for busy professionals who want to volunteer when they do have some spare time but who do not have time to seek out volunteer opportunities on their own.

A chance to volunteer for “Guest Chef on the Waterfront” drew Tom Michael to his first NAAAP-Seattle event.

“I really enjoyed feeling good by doing good,” said Michael. “The opportunity to volunteer for a worthy cause and meeting NAAAP members at the same time was an experience I hope to repeat again in the near future.”

Farestart Volunteer Coordinator Carlene Deits told the NAAAP-Seattle volunteers, “Guest Chef on the Waterfront (GCOW) this week was a terrific success for FareStart! The joy of our guests, chefs and winemakers that came out at this event was a direct result of the energy, time and love you put in!”

“Thank you for volunteering at FareStart’s 2010 Guest Chef on the Waterfront! I hope you will consider joining us again next year,” said Deits.