‘Pure pandemonium’—with a purpose

It was billed as the “Pillow Fight with a Purpose,” but a California newspaper described the Anaheim Kiwanis-family fundraiser a bit more accurately as “45 seconds of pure pandemonium.”

Staged recently in the Anaheim Convention Center ballroom, the event was an attempt to set a world record for participants in a pillow fight and raise money for Corazon de Vida, a group that supports orphanages in Baja and other cities and towns in Mexico.

James Kwok of the Katella High School Key Club served as chairman of the event while Gary Green, president of the Greater Anaheim Kiwanis club, worked behind the scenes to make sure participants remained “energized” and focused about those benefiting from the event. And though organizers fell short of the Guinness Book of World Records mark by 744 persons, a ballroom floor dusted with pillow stuffing from 2,032 combatants and a total take exceeding US$20,000 was enough for organizers to call the event a success.

“Plans already are underway for our next record-breaking attempt: the world’s largest game of Simon Says,” notes Gary.