Anime Detour Announcement
Wow
Wow.
When we made our efforts to raise as much money as we could for disaster relief in April, we were impressed. Not just by the number – because let’s face it, the number was impressive – but by just how far people were willing to go for others in need. How much they would give. How amazing their hearts were.
And it isn’t just us who see this.
Today, Anime Twin Cities received one out of nineteen awards. It wasn’t something we sought, but there it is all the same. You see,this evening the American Red Cross – the big, national, cross-country American Red Cross – will be giving us one of their annual donor awards. Not just because of the amount we raised, but because of the amount we raised in three days, with only a relatively small pool of people to draw from, and with no advertising. And because the only reason we do it is because it’s the right thing to do.
That’s right – the story of what we did was passed up the chain, and recounted on a national scale, and has been recognized for the phenomenal achievement that it is.
We’re already planning announcements and celebrations… but I’d like to stop and take a minute to reflect - because we did not do this alone. We did this because we made an honest, heartfelt plea – an appeal to the common decency in all of us.
And you responded. Oh, how you responded!
We would like to thank everyone once again for how much you gave this year, and every year. Of how much you cared, and how youwere unafraid of showing the world your hearts on your sleeves. This has been a banner year, and hopefully will be remembered as the beginning of something far grander.
But in the meantime, we will tell you once again; we can change the world.
And what’s more – we’re going to.
Thank you all,
Kale Ganann Stephen Gifford
President Chairman
Anime Twin Cities 2011
[Photoed, left to right: Stephen Gifford, Jo Thomsen, Anton Petersen, Gail McGovern, Damarra Atkins, Jayson Stob, and Kale Ganann.]