SAY YES Benefit at the Goods Gallery Huge Success

Thank you to all the supporters who flocked to the Goods Gallery in downtown Long Beach for Saturday January 24th's SAY YES benefit show. Also, thank you Southern California (the geographical region in general) for giving us clear starry skies that night and not the rain you had been threatening. (Our nerves!) Over 360 people attended and the event grossed $8,000 for the Write Now and The State of Art Project (www.tsoap.org). The thank you list for this one is big, but let us start by acknowledging Justin Hectus from Schooled In Song (www.myspace.com/schooledinsong), Mark Ukeleja from The State of Art Project, Evan Kelly from the Goods Gallery (www.goodsgallerylb.com), the fine folks at Graham Street Press, ISM (www.ismcommunity.org), Write Bloody (www.writebloody.com), Smolarcorp (who had to put up the stage TWICE...amazing), Ex Libris Anonymous, and all of our volunteers (Luisa, don't get us started!!!) and Board Members who worked tirelessly to put up pop up tents, hang artwork, and man the doors and booths. Thank you for championing art, imagination and good times.

Also, thank you to all the performers: magician Rob Zabrecki (www.robzabrecki.com), Jay Buchanan and his band, Free Moral Agents, Amber Tamblyn (www.rebelasylum.com), Beau Sia (www.beausia.com), Mindy Nettifee (www.thecultofmindy.com) and Derrick Brown (www.brownpoetry.com)...and let's not forget Bonnie Tamblyn, David Reiss and Scott Huckbay, or DJ Abel who kept things amazing. And thank you to the students and their families who came and hung out with us, and inspired us with their photographs. Click on thumbnails to see some photos! And catch this great slideshow review at the 562 City Life blog:

http://www.562citylife.com/profiles/blogs/say-yes-a-benefit-show