Fundraising Tips

We’ve all known people and families suddenly stricken with misfortune: a terminal diagnosis, a debilitating accident or a natural catastrophe. Because it’s human nature to want to help, there may come a time when you find yourself trying to organize a private benefit or fundraiser. And, if you’re like most of us, you’re doing it with very limited fundraising experience. However, there are some tried and true ways to generate interest, raise money and hopefully have some fun along the way. 

Throw a Party!

Everybody enjoys a good party, although they do take planning, so look to outsource. Venues like University Park Golf Club make it easy, with planning staff and on-site catering. Don’t just invite friends – open it up to the rest of the community. You’ll be surprised how many people want to have some fun and support a good cause.

When pricing your event, consider whether you want to simply cover costs with the entry fee, keeping the price low to increase attendance. Then, you’d try to raise the bulk of the money during the event. The other way to do it is to charge more for admission, with a portion going to the cause.

There are benefits to each approach, although keep in mind that a larger crowd can really lift the spirits of the guest of honor, demonstrating the volume of support through the sheer size of the turnout.

Include a Silent Auction

One sure way to increase your fundraising is to include a silent auction. People and businesses are often willing to lend a hand to help within the community, and a silent auction can actually add to the atmosphere of your event. Well-displayed items help fill the entry area, and give people something extra to do at the beginning of the benefit.

If less expensive items are donated, consider combining them into themed baskets.

Games and Tournaments

Get your guests to pay to participate in games with a chance to win prizes.

One common idea is a board game tournament. Enlist teams of four people, each charged an entry fee for donations, to play a common game that most would be familiar with — like cards or Monopoly. 

“A-thon” events

Another way to raise money is an “a-thon.” You know the type: any event that ends in “a-thon.” There’s walk, bike, swim, flip, etc. All great options to raise some money for great causes. For example, bike-a-thons and walk-a-thons are pretty similar; participants are either walking or biking. They’ll walk/bike a planned course and prior to the event, commit to raising money for the cause. They can collect pledges per mile, or ask for a set donation. 

Golf fundraisers

Golf events are very popular, because they are a great to have some fun while also raising funds. Ask for local sponsors to help out with donations or perhaps sponsoring certain golf holes or greens. Scrambles are the most popular form of charity golf event, here are a few other ideas: golf tournament contests, like longest drive, closest to the pin, etc.; a charity auction at the golf course; selling golf merchandise; a golf tournament combined with a dinner banquet afterward.

 Happy Planning,

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Journey, My Way, My LIFESTYLE ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Event Planning Needs.

Celebration of Life Checklist

The death of a loved one comes with a lot of emotion, sadness, and remembering the good times. Along with it, though, is the responsibility of details and arrangements for things like a celebration of life. It can be a tough time to have decisions like this on your plate, so here’s a memorial service checklist to be your guide to planning a celebration of life.

Time and a place

Be sure to think of the guests, specifically close relatives and friends, when figuring out a date and place for the celebration. These logistical details could depend on when out-of-town guests will be able to make it. Also consider location and type of venue.  

Event details

If you’re planning a program, someone will need to lead the event. A pastor or church minister is a good option if the deceased was a religious person. Otherwise, there are plenty of non-denominational leaders to choose for the event.

Another consideration is who will speak. That can be a delicate subject. Sometimes family or friends will come forward and want to speak. If no one is exactly raising their hand for this task, however, organizers might need to sensitively ask people if they wouldn’t mind sharing a few thoughts. Or, you may want to plan out who will speak ahead of time.

Then there’s deciding on music or readings, decorations, and food and drinks, too. Some families choose the favorite foods of their loved one, catered meals, or even a potluck where guests provide the food. Let the personality of your loved one – or your family – be the guide. University Park Golf Club has plenty of space and can accommodate small or large numbers.

Spread the word

This celebration will be special, so the more guests the better. That means putting effort into letting people know when and where the celebration of life will happen. Once you have a guest list, have some friends call or text another group of people with all the details. Emails or e-invites might be a good time saving option, too, but they should only be sent to people who know about the death. Take care with how the information is shared; be sensitive. Keep in mind that using social media to share the news of a death with close family and friends might not be the best idea.

Timing is everything

When planning, try to take into account how much time each part of the celebration will take. If you’re planning a program, 30-60 minutes could be just fine. Think of who will attend, and remember that youngsters and the elderly might have trouble staying seated for anything that would last longer than an hour.

Don’t forget the guest book

Whether it’s a spiral-bound book with an array of colorful pens, or an online guest book, it’s a detail that will be memorable for family members. Creativity can come in handy here. A guest book can be more than just names. Family and friends could each share fond memories, add their favorite photographs, or offer words of sympathy. As an added touch, considering having guests 

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Peace, My Journey, My Way, SimplySHAY ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Event Planning Needs.

A Successful Team Building Event

Staff outings are a wonderful way to generate fresh ideas and motivate team members by offering an opportunity to get away from the day-to-day grind. Holding meetings away from the office can build morale, create new enthusiasm and renewed commitment to working toward company goals. Whether you’re going off-site to set up strategy, build team chemistry, or reward the staff for work well done, you’ll want the event to seem special – to generate excitement beforehand, and to leave a lasting impression afterwards. Otherwise, why go off-site in the first place? So, I've tapped into my experience with off-site meetings for tips to make your off-site meeting or team building event successful.

Clear Goals and Objectives

Be clear in setting your expectations. Is the outing a working retreat or an incentive? Identify your goals for the day and be upfront with the staff. Prepare an agenda for the day and plan to stick with it. You’ll lose momentum quickly by straying off course.

Location Matters

A drab location will produce drab results. Take time and look for creative alternatives like movie theaters, bowling alleys, museums, theme parks and other memorable venues.

Exercise Balance

Don’t create events that are too taxing or too mindless. Try to exercise balance so your events aren’t overly comical or overly difficult, as either extreme will distract from the main message of the event.

Innovative Ideas

If team building is the goal, consider a volunteer event. Few activities bring people together better than teaming-up to help others. Serve meals, help build a house, or help stock a food shelf.

Fun and Games

Depending on your budget, rewarding your team with group seats to a local professional game is an absolute great incentive. And sports-based games can be a wonderful way to teach team concepts and get everybody engaged at an off-site meeting. 

If golf is your game, there are several fun activities for golfers of all levels, and even non-golfers. Mid day golf isn't overly pricey and short-game golf clinics can make for an effective team building experience. 

Food for Thought

Whether it’s a catered meal in a meeting room, a tailgate before a game, or boxed lunch for an outdoor activity, put some thought into your food choices. Make sure there are options for various diets (like vegetarian, vegan, low-fat and gluten-free) to include your entire team. Or have them make it themselves. Cooking classes are a wonderful way to get your team involved and working together.

Pictures This

Engage a photographer and/or videographer to document your event. Give copies of the pictures to the participants, and post them on your website and in your offices. Want to make the memories last a little longer? Have a video edited with music and graphics to show at the next event.

Planning

Give yourself four to six months to plan your perfect work outing. You’ll need time to book your location, set up transportation, work on your agenda and encourage participation. Plan your budget carefully. Consider location fees, meals, transportation and collateral costs.

And when you start process, try to choose two dates (preferred and alternate). Once you decide on the perfect venue, you want to increase the odds that it will be available, since location plays such a key role in creating a memorable meeting.

Happy Planning,

SimplySHAY

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Peace, My Journey, My Way, SIMPLY SHAY ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Event Planning Needs.

The Business of Team Building

When taking stock of a company’s most valuable assets, most would agree that people rank number one. With changing work environments and more employees working remotely, how can an organization motivate and encourage team spirit? Team building activities, like a Monday golf outing at University Park Golf Club, or an off-site retreat, can bring multiple benefits to your employees and business. Yet most business still wonder, is it worth it? The key to tracking team building ROI is asking the right questions.

What Is Your Objective?

Are you looking for a fun day out, or are you looking to help solve a specific problem or area? Having a clear objective makes it much easier to measure the outcome of your team building event.

What Personalities make up your team?

By understanding your team’s strengths and weaknesses, you can create team building activities that cater to what your team needs to achieve successes along the way.

What does success look like for your team and organization? Have a clear picture of what your organization considers success, and find ways to incorporate those goals into your team building structure.

Prepare for feedback!

Survey your team immediately after the event. Invite attendees at the end of the day to participate in a post-event survey. You can build a simple form on Survey Monkey that allows your team to offer anonymous feedback. Make sure your questions relate to the goals and objectives you set in the first place.

Don’t forget to follow-up afterwards. Regular off-site meetings and exercises with your team reinforce the take away from your team building exercises. By paying attention to what works, you can continue to build upon your team’s successes and set new goals.

Quantifying team building exercises can be tricky. After all, there’s no definitive diagnostic tool or measurement for ROI, but the known benefits include increased employee happiness and fewer sick days, not to mention higher productivity and retention rates – all numbers that will ultimately help your company make more money.

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Peace, My Journey, My Way, SIMPLY SHAY ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Planning Needs.

Congratulations Brittny and Earl: "Fall In Love"

Fall is one of the most popular times to plan a wedding -- and for good reason! On Saturday, October 8, 2016 Brittny and Earl Guyton became one. Their sunset union took place on the beautiful grounds of the University Park Golf Club. Here are a few photo's commemorating their day.

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Peace, My Journey, My Way, SimplySHAY ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Event Planning Needs.