The 3rd Annual Salsa Night, sponsored by San Francisco State University's Community Health Education student organization, raised over $1,500.00 to donate to Clinica Martin-Baro, a non-profit clinic in the Mission District, said Jessica Aguilar, the event's coordinator.

An estimated 250 guests were expected, according to Aguilar, which was by far the largest outcome in it's three consecutive years. CHE was able to raise $1,300.00 alone on pre-sale tickets without including funds from unexpected guests who purchased tickets at the door. CHE also offered free raffle tickets in collateral of monetary donations where raffle winners won monetary gift cards donated by Best Buy, Target, Barnes & Noble, and other local businesses.

"It's overwhelming and so amazing to see all these people here," said an emotional Martha Duenas, president of CHE. "This organization means a lot to us on a personal level. We give it our all and it's wonderful having all this support."

One hundred percent of the proceeds benefit the Clinic, which opened in March of 2006 and is completely student operated, according to Felix Kurry, a 20 year SF State lecturer in La Raza studies and CHE program director.

"We built that clinic from the ground up," said Kurry. "We didn't have to depend on corporations or foundations for funding, which is why I feel this has been one of the more successful mentoring programs."

The three and a half hour event that started at 6 p.m. was filled with non-stop, muy caliente salsa dancing. CHE members, family, friends and SF State sorority Lambda Theta Nu salsa'd to the beats of SF State's own Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble directed by John Calloway and tracks from D.J. Juan Carlos.

According to Kurry, successful events such as Salsa Night has helped raised over $20,000.00 for Clinica Martin-Baro.

To read more about Clinica Martin-Baro, please visit the official website at http://www.ucsf.edu/clinica/.