Pan American Bank Fundraiser: Helping Cityhood at a Critical Time
By Cindy Rivera, Cityhood for East LA volunteer
Photo: Cityhood supporters Elisa Perez, Cindy Rivera, and Mannie Guevara.
On March 29, 2010, Pan American Bank sponsored March Madness Casino Night to benefit East Los Angeles Residents Association’s Cityhood for East L.A. effort. A group of more than 200 members and supporters of the East L.A. community came together for the future city of East Los Angeles.
The event was hosted at Pan American Bank’s Whittier Boulevard branch. Among the attendees, were Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Pico Rivera Mayor Pro Tem Bob Archuleta, and Pan American Bank CEO, Jesse Torres. It was a time to be around great people who want not only to witness East L.A. realize its potential, but also make it happen.
Casino Night provided an opportunity to play Vegas style in great company while having delicious appetizers and drinks. There were blackjack, poker, craps, and roulette tables available. Everyone was having a good time. The dealers were very friendly and even offered winning tips (tips I will certainly exercise during my next trip to Las Vegas). The chips won were traded in for raffle tickets for a variety of prizes including a flat screen TV and many other enjoyable packages.
The fundraiser came at a critical time in the Cityhood for East L.A. effort. The clock was ticking. The final deadline to raise the $134,000 necessary for the completion of a Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis was the very next month, April 2010. Cityhood risked retracting if it did not meet the deadline. The arduous work that went into collecting over 16,000 signatures from registered voters in East L.A. could have been in vain. The success of Pan American Bank’s March Madness Casino Night provided a positive outlook and reinforced hope for Cityhood.
