Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, August 9, 2010
CONTACT: PAUL WARNER, P.M.Warner Communications, Inc.
PHONE: 509.362.2504
EMAIL: pmwarner@pmwarner.com
UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY 2010 WAYS
In its 16th year, the region’s largest multicultural event asks for input
Spokane, Wash. – Unity in the Community (UIC) is celebrating its 16th year and invites the entire community to help reach a goal of sharing and understanding diversity. Through Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and the UIC website, www.nwunity.org, organizers hope to gather 2,010 ways to celebrate diversity and showcase the ideas at the upcoming event.
With nearly 10,000 people and 80 organizations participating last year, the event is the region’s largest multicultural celebration and encourages those with children to arrive before noon to take part in free giveaways of K-8 school supplies, free kid’s bike helmets and fittings, and a petting zoo. This year, UIC will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, August 21, at Riverfront Park near the iconic Clock Tower.
The free event will include family-oriented cultural villages, an interactive children’s center, an education, career and health fair, art, and musicand dance all day on the main stage.
UIC began in 1995 as a networking and neighborhood celebration first held in Liberty Park. It has since grown to become a region-wide event held annually in Riverfront Park.
For more information, visit www.nwunity.org or e-mail info@nwunity.org.
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FOR RELEASE: AUGUST 2, 2010
CONTACT: PAUL WARNER, P.M.Warner Communications, Inc.
509.362.2504
“THE REGION’S LARGEST MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATION, UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY, WILL BE CELEBRATING DIVERSITY TWO-THOUSAND AND TEN (2010) WAYS SATURDAY, AUGUST 21 IN RIVERFRONT PARK.
FAMILY ORIENTED AND FREE, THIS YEAR’S EVENT FEATURES FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR K THROUGH 8TH GRADERS AND FREE BICYCLE HELMET GIVEAWAYS BEFORE NOON.
PLUS, CULTURAL VILLAGES, AN INTERACTIVE CHILDREN’S CENTER, MUSIC AND DANCERS, ART, ALL DAY MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCES AND AN EDUCATION, CAREER AND HEALTH FAIR.
THE 16TH ANNUAL UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY, NEAR THE CLOCK TOWER AT RIVERFRONT PARK FROM TEN TO FOUR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2010: There’s Going to be a Party Up On the Roof
Spokane, Wash. – How often do you get to party up on a rooftop with belly dancers, ethnic cuisine, microbrews and wine?
Unity In the Community, the Inland Northwest’s largest and most colorful multicultural celebration, continues to grow every year. Last August, the event drew nearly 10,000 visitors to Riverfront Park, and it is expected to draw a larger crowd Aug. 21, 2010. Event organizers are preparing for a bigger, better event by holding the second annual “Up On the Roof” fundraiser for Unity In the Community.
Up On the Roof: A Taste of Unity, will be held 6-8 p.m., Thursday, June 3, 2010, on the second floor rooftop of the Saranac Building, 25 W. Main Ave., downtown Spokane, Wash. “A Taste of Unity” refers to the evening’s entertainment – including belly dancers – that represents a glimpse of what this year’s Unity In the Community will have to offer, as well as cuisine from locally owned ethnic restaurants, and regional beer and wine. A silent auction will showcase local artists, gift certificates, and gift baskets from many local businesses.
Up On the Roof 2009 was filled to capacity (please see the attached photo), bringing out some of the region’s most generous people who believe in the mission of Unity In the Community to promote unity by showcasing diversity, community education and awareness, and betterment of Northwest diverse communities.
One hundred percent of proceeds from Up On the Roof go to support Unity In the Community.
Tickets to Up On the Roof are $20 each or two for $30, and may be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/111157or by calling Katelyn McLeod at 509.444.3088.
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Media Contact: Pat Spanjer, pspanjer@ewu.edu, 509.951.0329
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2010: How Do You Celebrate Your Culture?
Spokane, Wash. – Unity In the Community, the Inland Northwest’s largest multicultural celebration, is more interactive than ever in 2010. Event organizers are looking to the community to share two thousand ten ways to celebrate diversity, and they want to reach that goal before the BIG event, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010,10 a.m.-4 p.m., in Riverfront Park near downtown Spokane,
Everyone is invited to join Unity In the Community on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn to share their cultures.
“The sky’s the limit,” says Ben Cabildo, chair of the event and director of AHANA, business education and training program of Community-Minded Enterprises. “Many people identify with their country of origin, but your culture could be defined by your occupation, religion, hobby, favorite sport, school, preferred music or any special interests. Our goal is to have 2,010 people tell us how they celebrate their diverse cultures. You could share meaningful family or holiday celebrations, cultural traditions, traditional dress, favorite athletic competitions, favorite cultural artwork or music. We would really like to have people share recipes and photos that we could print in a recipe book.”
Cabildo added that Unity In the Community will also become active on YouTube if videos are submitted. Unity In the Community already has a presence on Flickr with photos from some of the past 15 years of the annual event.
Cabildo is confident this interactive, viral approach to getting the community excited about this year’s event will meet or exceed the 2,010 goal because last year’s Unity In the Community attracted nearly 10,000 people of all ages.
Free and open to all ages, the family-oriented event will rock the park all day with world music, provide stages for dancers from many cultures, and showcase martial arts demonstrations. The Cultural Villages, a perennial favorite, will educate children and adults with a trip around the world via booths from a large number of countries and cultures.
Event organizers are creating new interactive activities for the career and education fair and health fair. The career and education fair will be an invaluable resource in the current economy. Last year’s health fair attracted large numbers to booths for massages, yoga lessons and conversations with experts in alternative medicine fields.
Organizers have begun the annual school supply drive so that back-to-school tools can be distributed to kindergarten through eighth-grade students at the event. An educated brain should be protected, so bicycle helmets are being purchased and donated for kids who will be properly fitted that day.
According to Cabildo, Unity In the Community makes every effort to attract children and educate them while they’re having fun. That’s an expensive endeavor, made possible by city and county support, local businesses, universities and individuals who understand the importance of the effort.
Community-Minded Enterprises, a nonprofit organization that provides support for Unity In the Community, will hold the second annual Up On the Roof, a fundraiser for Unity In the Community, at 6-8 p.m., Thursday, June 3, 2010, on the second-floor rooftop of the Saranac Building, 25 W. Main Ave., downtown Spokane. Up On the Roof will feature a silent auction and a variety of ethnic foods and entertainment to showcase acts that will be present at this year’s Unity In the Community. Tickets are $20 each or two for $30, and can be purchased at www.nwunity.org.
For the first time, Unity In the Community organizers are encouraging community members to host “Unity in the House Parties” to help raise money for Unity In the Community. Hosts are inviting their families, friends and business associates to their parties in private homes and special locations throughout the region. Anyone who would like to host a Unity in the House Party may contact Carla Brannan at 509.209.2608 or carlab@community-minded.orgfor details and help.
Beyond school supplies, bike helmets and the educational component offered to children at the daylong event, Unity In the Community also puts aside corporate sponsorship dollars to annually fund a number of scholarships for local college-bound students from underrepresented groups. “Those scholarships are key for making some students’ dreams possible,” Cabildo says.
Details about sponsor and vendor opportunities are posted on the website, www.nwunity.org.
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Media Contact: Pat Spanjer, Unity In the Community Communications Committee Chair ž Phone: 509.951.0329
www.nwunity.org
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