Giants Support SF Hep B Free Campaign

Online article published by Hokubei.com on April 29, 2010

Come root for the San Francisco Giants and support SF Hep B Free, a citywide effort to screen and vaccinate all Asian and Pacific Islanders for hepatitis B.

A portion of ticket sales from three of the Giants’ Asian Heritage Night games in May at AT&T Park will benefit SF Hep B Free. To order online, go to http://purchasetickets.com.

• Korean Heritage Night, Wednesday, May 12, at 7:15 p.m.

Fans will be entertained with Korean cultural performances on the field prior to the game against the San Diego Padres, and all special event ticket holders will be seated in the same section to create a community feel at the park. Additionally, each ticket package includes a commemorative Korean-themed Giants T-shirt that is only available through this ticket offer. Come out and represent the strong connection between Korean culture and baseball at this great event.

• Japanese Heritage Night, Friday, May 14, at 7:15 p.m.

Japanese culture has always resonated strongly with both the city of San Francisco and the sport of baseball, so what better way to celebrate than at a Giants game? The Japanese Heritage Night sake tasting festival returns for Year 2, with a brand new piece for your Giants sake set collection: a Giants-themed individual sake glass and masu (wooden box). This special-edition item is included in the price of your ticket, along with entrance to the pre-game festival with complimentary tastes, and a seat in the special Japanese Heritage section at the game. Cultural performers will entertain fans at the festival and on the field pre-game, and ticket proceeds will benefit local Japanese American charities. The sake-tasting festival ends when the game against the Houston Astros starts, so get there early.

Prior to this game, there will be a special home plate ceremony with Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), and other members of the campaign.

• Chinese Heritage Night, Tuesday, May 25, at 7:15 p.m.

Join the Giants on Chinese Heritage Night for the first in a planned series of events celebrating the Chinese zodiac. Along with a ticket to the game, a seat in the Chinese Heritage section, and pre-game cultural entertainment, all special event ticket holders will receive a collector's edition Giants-themed "Year of the Tiger" figurine. Ticket proceeds will also benefit local Chinese American charities, so don't miss your opportunity to celebrate the Bay Area's rich Chinese heritage and support a good cause.

Hep B Screening

One in 10 people in the API community is diagnosed with hepatitis B, which causes 80 percent of all liver cancer. Get tested for free at the sixth annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration.

Screenings will be provided on site by California Pacific Medical Center, so make sure you, your friends and family know where you stand with hep B. Look for the testing site near McAllister and Larkin streets. For more information, go to SFHepBFree.org.

The AHSC will be held Saturday, May 15, in San Francisco's Civic Center in front of the Asian Art Museum, leading up to the Little Saigon District, on Larkin Street from Grove to Ellis streets. The street fair is the largest gathering of Asian Pacific Americans in the nation and this year it will be bigger than ever, featuring Asian American artists, DJs, arts and crafts, diverse food, martial arts, a Muay Thai kickboxing ring, J-cars, and more.

New features this year include a mah jong section, Filipino American jazz, a balut eating challenge and wine area.

Be sure to also check out the Subaru Hep B Mobile, which will be located near the screening site. Festival-goers are welcome to take pictures with the car.

Subaru of America is the official vehicle and partner of the SF Hep B Free campaign. For the rest of the year, the automaker is donating the use of a 2010 Subaru Legacy detailed with full color artwork promoting the campaign theme, which calls on everyone to "B a Hero" in preventing liver cancer and hepatitis B.