Workin’ it for the cause

Sometimes fundraisers seem like they’re more about the social

gathering than anything else.

It seems more good could be done by the attendees donating some

time along with their money, but giving money and going to a party is

so much easier.

Splash has been different from the beginning. Its cause, the

producer’s dedication and the manner in which it was birthed, have

made it an obviously sincere effort.

The hipness of attending the show came later -- we can’t fault a

fundraising event for also being fun.

A backyard beginning doesn’t garner images of high society. Ken

Jillson and Al Roberts needed money to get AIDS Services Foundation

going. It was the 1980s and services for people living with HIV or

AIDS were hard to find.

Their goal was $25,000 and with a show all about fun, they raised

about $33,000.

After years of honing the show through donations and volunteer

casts, the event, which has undergone several locations and name

changes -- Big Splash, Splash and World’s Fair -- brought in $420,000

last year.

The producers use creativity and hard work to get people coming

year after year. It’s tough, it’s time consuming and it’s worth it.

The AIDS epidemic is not going away, making groups like AIDS Services

Foundation ever more important. People like Jillson and Roberts and

all the volunteers who give their time help fuel hope that human

compassion will live on.

This year’s event is set for Saturday on the Festival of Arts

grounds. For information, call (949) 809-8766.