Asian food fair receives high attendance

Genghis Grill's display is the first stop on the food table. PHOTO: Miranda Sanchez  

Over 400 people attended the annual Asian food fair last Thursday that featured food from a variety sponsors and raised money for charity.

The Asian American Student Association, Oklahoma Undergraduate Indian Society and the Vietnamese Student Association, which are all a part of Asian American Student Life, put on the event with the help of several sponsors who provided the food.

“This has been one of the better turnouts so far out of the ones we’ve booked in the last two or three months,” David Haddaway, Genghis Grill’s marketing and catering director for the Oklahoma area said.

In addition to Genghis grill, Panda Express, Wong Key, Lee’s Sandwiches, Taste of India and several other restaurants contributed food.

Carlos Lopez, an accounting sophomore, chooses to
sample a variety of the food that was offered.
PHOTO: Miranda Sanchez

The food was free for everyone who attended, but the three organizations running the event encouraged donations from attendees.

All donations were collected and saved for AASL’s philanthropy, Christmas Headstart. At the end of November, AASL hosts a carnival for children of the Norman community, Oliver Li, the AASA president said.

“We’ll have Mr. Clause and Mrs. Clause – those are Mr. and Miss Asian OU – and then we’ll have gifts ready for them,” Li said.

Each of the three groups from AASL began recruiting sponsors for the food fair a month and a half prior to the event, Li said. Every year, he says they expect a large turnout and try to get good food.

“I heard there was free food and it was for a good cause,” Carlos Lopez, an accounting sophomore who attended and donated said. “I didn’t expect this many people, it’s pretty crazy.”

The next fundraising event is a date auction party on November 9 in the Red Room in the Oklahoma Memorial Union.