SATU(RED)AYS

I hope you weren't one of the people who couldn't make it into the Hotel Café on SATU(RED)AY night! Our first monthly event at the Hotel Café was an assured success even before doors opened, as there was a substantial line down the alley as I arrived to set up the (RED) info booth. The solid turnout wasn't surprising though, for the Hotel Café had invited a spectacular lineup of artists: Cary Brothers, Alexi Murdoch, Mandy Moore, Greg Laswell, Priscilla Ahn, Sanders Bohlke, and Katie Herzig.

Some of the artists, like Cary and Priscilla, were veterans of the Hotel Café Tour sponsored by (RED) last year, and it was great to see them again last weekend. Cary, in particular, got the message of (RED) to the crowd quite well, telling them that ticket proceeds from the show will be enough to provide about 10 people in Africa with ARV treatment for a year. The crowd roared with cheers.

Other artists were new to (RED), but they were eager to learn about how (RED) works so they could tell their friends and fans. Before the show, Mandy (pictured below with me and Libbie) asked me questions so she could tell her audience how to support (RED) – and then she told me that she's already bought a few iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Editions! We discussed how the money generated from the sales of (PRODUCT) RED such as the nano go straight to the Global Fund and then onto health and community support programs in Africa for people affected by HIV/AIDS.

Indeed, (RED) impact was a highlight throughout the show as people streamed by the booth to ask about how their (PRODUCT) RED purchases would help fight AIDS in Africa. Some folks were second-time visitors, after having signed up to the (RED) email list with us on the tour last year, and they were eager to find out news about how much (RED) has sent to the Global Fund so far ($25 million!), and to hear about new products that have hit stores.

Our surprise visitor to the booth wasn't a Hotel Café regular, though – it was a (RED) person from far away – Nicholas from Australia (pictured below)! He came decked out in (RED) gear – including a DISCOVE(RED) shirt and ADO(RED) necklace from Gap. He's here on vacation, and learned about the SATU(RED)AY show from reading American magazines upon his arrival. "The first thing that I did when I got here was to go to the Gap to buy (RED)," he told us. He waited in line for a few hours before he got inside – we were stunned and very happy to meet him.

What a show. I can't wait for the next one! We hope you can join us.

--bn

P.S. Special thanks to our newest (RED) staffer, Lia (pictured below in the INSPI(RED) shirt), and (RED) friend Libbie Schrader (pictured below in green) who volunteered to help me spread (RED) at the show.