Everyone wants the New Year to begin on a good note, and some of us even go way out of our way to organize events and parties that we hope will create great experiences for those in attendance, experiences that not only help to start the New Year off right, but that also turn into the kind of memories people talk about for years to come, memories that help carry people through the hard times which the future invariably brings.

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This is the view from NEXT 21, a building that stands in a once bustling part of Niigata City, Japan and that once housed a very popular fashion department store. These days, both the building and the neighborhood in which it stands (the old part of town) are quiet and becoming steadily overcome with feelings of both desertion and nostalgia; nostalgia for older and wilder days when this beautiful building and the fantastic neighborhood that it stands in were alive and well.

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This is a Fund-Raising Post

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Always thinking about the future of the city in which he lives and the members of the various music communities that live there, a good friend of mine, Rei, began planning a guest DJ event that he hoped would bring everyone in the city together and, in his own words, leave a deep impression in their hearts. This is event took place on January 5, on the 19th floor of NEXT 21, in an open space that is normally used as an observation deck and which provides fabulous views of the city.

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It took Rei over a year and a half to secure the space and plan all the various details, from retaining Dimitri from Paris, a well-known DJ, to planning access to the event (the building is normally closed during after hours and required access to a staff elevator), to recruiting people to work the door and direct partygoers to the slightly hidden staff entrance, to hiring a caterer to supply and operate the bar, to buying decorations for the venue and setting them up by hand, and finally to renting and installing sound equipment. From beginning to end, this is a big project. And in Rei’s own words, It was a lot more work than I expected it to be, but that’s all right, because seeing everyone here, having a good time, made it all worthwhile.

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All rewards gained from this post will be converted to fiat and donated to Rei.

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Thanks to all of his tireless work and planning, the event was a major success. For all of those who attended, it was without a doubt, a night that will not only be remembered for many years to come, but a night that will raise the bar for future events in Niigata. In many ways, it was the best way to kick off the New Year that this city could have asked for.

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Unfortunately, however, the good vibes and elation that this event created were quickly dampened. The following night, less than fourteen hours after Rei finally got home from the event (at 9:00 in the morning), his house was burglarized, and in the process, the thief/thieves stole the proceeds of the event and the extra money that Rei had kept on hand to make sure that there was enough money to cover all of its final costs. All in all, nearly $6,000 was stolen from Rei’s house, some of which was still owed to various people and companies involved in the event, some of which was personal and family money.

While burglary is somewhat rare in Japan, it does happen, and now Rei, after all the hard work he put in, is stuck holding the bill for much of the event.

That’s where all of you come in. I am asking for your help. Please upvote and resteem this post. Please help me spread the word about this unfortunate incident so that I can use the rewards from your votes to help Rei in his time of need.

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All of your votes, resteems, and support are greatly appreciated!

Please spread the word.

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NOTE: The pictures in this post were taken from Rei’s Facebook account, which is where more information about the event is written in Japanese and can be verified. For more details, click Here.

ADDITIONALLY: You may notice posts from various accounts raising money for this cause (@kafkanarchy84, and @steemcityniigata), please rest assured that they are all legitimate. We are working together to help a valued member of our community.

When our fund raising has been completed, a follow-up post will be made to verify that all proceeds from this post and others have been donated to Rei.

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Once again, Thank You!

This is the power of Steem.