The Big Christmas Party

For more than 93 years, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters (CBBBS) has provided at-risk youth in Los Angeles County, of all beliefs, backgrounds, and identities with strong, professionally supported mentoring relationships with caring adults that change the lives of these young people for the better - forever. Two decades of research shows that Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs truly help young people achieve and become productive contributors to society. Mentors serve as role models, friends, and guides in the lives of children facing adversity in Los Angeles.

Your Great Event was particularly excited this year to produce the CBBBS Big Christmas Party. For four hours on a lovely day at Calamigos Equestrian in Burbank, more than 400 guests enjoyed an afternoon of fun, frolic, and food. 

Set on grass amidst sheltering trees, children (also called littles) and their parents and mentors (also called bigs) could play badminton, volley ball, and basketball. They tossed frisbees and swiveled their hips with hula hoops. They made gingerbread houses and used the arts and crafts tables to make a myriad of things. There were picnic games like a balloon toss, sack races, and a tug of war with the girls against the boys! Carnival games provided old-fashioned fun. Older kids could play billiards or ping pong or pinball machines. 

The DJ kept the dance floor full and Captain Tall Boy on his stilts and two costumed T-Rex dinosaurs charmed the guests. If that was not enough, two strolling magicians wowed everyone with their magic.

Red table cloths and beautiful poinsettias set the holiday mood. And when Santa Claus made his appearance, it was the icing on the cake. That is, until the doors to the patio opened and each child was able to choose and take home an unwrapped toy, donated by generous CBBBS supporters. The children’s eyes, smiles, and looks of consternation while they decided what toy to pick, were captivating. Teenagers received gift cards. Photos with Santa topped off the day. 

Your Great Event had as much fun as the guests and is delighted that this event was not only a party but a fund-raiser as well. There are lots of ways to host an event and raise funds. Let us help.

The Event was covered by ABC News:

Los Angeles News - Entertainment Report

Once again, the City of Angels gears up to live up to its name by playing host to the annual gala and fundraiser for Face Forward—the renowned charity that has made it mission to provide emotional support and reconstructive surgery for women, children and men who have been victims of domestic violence, human trafficking or any other cruel and human-induced atrocities.  In a city crowded with so many well-meaning charities, Face Forward has distinguished itself as an organization committed to bringing hope and optimism to an otherwise overlooked group of victims.     

Over 500 of LA’s celebrities, business and community leaders and committed citizens are expected to assemble at the Beverley Wilshire for this 9thannual gala and auction to support the organization’s notable cause.  Planned for Saturday, September 22nd, the night will be star-studded with the A List of Hollywood’s committed celebs.  Playing the emcee, Jeremy Piven will be presenting such luminaries as the Grammy award winner Ne-Yo.  Other Red-Carpet attendees will include such celebs as Jason Bateman, Linda Perry and Caitlyn Jenner who will be lending their moral support to such an admirable cause.

In an interview, Face Forward’s president, Deborah Alessi, expressed optimism that the unique nature of the charity’s cause will attract the generous donors whose commitment to human dignity will strengthen this organization’s founding principles.  In rolling out this milestone event, recognition will be bestowed on such dignitaries as Jay McGraw and Christopher Bollenbach who will be among the event’s honorees.  

Your Great Event is honored to be the event planning company trusted with organizing this well-deserving philanthropy.  To reserve your spot at Face Forward’s 2018 gala and fundraiser, go to  ladolcevita2018.org 

Put Some Fun in Your Fundraising

Fundraising events can be stressful for the organizing non-profit—and everyone involved.  The combination of taking care of the event’s logistics requirements as well as trying to keep a constant eye on your target results, can be worrisome.  Such events typically involve many moving parts.  There is also the natural preoccupation with the financial goals and how to achieve them.  As the event date approaches, the anxiety levels can indeed rise.  

Organizing a fundraising event need not be all stress. You can organize a successful fundraiser with less tension…and try to have some fun along the way.  Here are a few tips on how to inject some fun in your next fundraising event:

1.    Planning for a fundraiser need not be all work and no fun.  Think of ways to introduce into the process some simple fun activities for your staff and volunteers along the way.  This can be in the form of fun teambuilding activities; engaging games for everyone involved; or picnics, BBQs and other social gatherings.  These can foster closer working relationship and bond your teams together, resulting in enhanced productivity and improved results.  

2.    Introduce some enticements for your teams—staff and volunteers.  A little friendly competition goes a long way to keep your teams engaged and committed. Introduce fun [and inexpensive] awards for best performance in the categories you set up.  A little break from steady work at the end of the day—or week—can pay off in improved morale and a healthier sense of commitment. 

3.    Volunteers can be invaluable in your outreach efforts—whether that is for driving auction item solicitation or for selling tickets to your fundraising gala.  Put in place ways of identifying everyone’s strengths and motivations; and try to tap into that potentially-vast resource to advance your goals for the event. Committed and engaged volunteers can be a vast pool of multifaceted resources.  Keep them happy!   

4.    Fundraising galas need not be all formal and serious. While there is a place for formal events—with speakers and celebrities—a fundraising event can also incorporate some fun elements.  Making your guests have fun at your fundraiser can often translate into more giving—and longer-term commitment to the cause.  

5.    Many non-profits think of fundraising events as the typical gala dinner with entertainment and speakers.  Try nontraditional activities during [or as part of] your fundraising event.  How about a fundraising event in conjunction with a regatta at the local yacht club? Or fundraising in a speakeasy venue with all the fun that that entails—top hats, feather boas and all.  If you have a baseball celebrity, why not try to hold your fundraiser in a ballpark—where your sports celebrity can pitch a few balls to add excitement to your event?

6.    Instead of a tuxedo-attired group of guests crowded into a hotel ballroom, how about making the event more family centric—with appropriate [fun] activities for all members of the family?  Children and grandchildren bring joy to parents and grandparents making them more giving participants.  

7.    Don’t underestimate the value of various social media platforms as a means of energizing (or reenergizing) your stakeholders—be it through serious posts or fun facts about your cause.  Pictures of your previous fun-filled fundraiser can be powerful tools to draw interested donors to your cause.       

8.   Hire a good event planning company with a proverbial roller deck of fun ideas to spice up your fundraiser—with the clear goal of improving results while taking some load off your back.  Choosing the right event planning company can spell success in so many ways—from smooth-running logistics, to theming and high-energy fun components, and to proactive social media strategies to drive attendees to your fundraiser or donors to your cause.

Let professionals at Your Great Eventspice up your next Fundraiser with clever and fun ideas. We have been serving our non-profit clients for over 20 years.   

Charity|Community|Connection — We Teamed Up with Ronald McDonald House Pasadena to Plan the Fundraising Event of a Lifetime

Picture this: On a sunny April morning in Central Park, Pasadena, Californian residents from all walks of life came together with the purpose of achieving a common goal—attaining invaluable resources for critically-ill children by raising funds for the Pasadena Ronald McDonald Housethrough their annual Walk for Kids charity event.

Events That Make a Difference

The donations Ronald McDonald House receives are put toward providing sick children and their family members with a “home away from home” so that they can have access to medical, emotional, and financial support when they need it the most, and we here at Your Great Event couldn’t be more proud of the major role we played in planning and orchestrating this heartwarming and momentous occasion.

A Community That Cares

At Walk for Kids, hundreds of eager participants traveled 3.7 kilometers through Pasadena’s Central Park while enthusiastic supporters cheered them on from the sidelines. An assortment of vendors provided the event’s participants with snacks, smoothies, customized Ronald McDonald House t-shirts, and other specialty gifts and goodies.

Excitement at Every Corner

The fun didn’t stop when the walk itself came to a close! After crossing the finish line, the celebration continued while the walk’s participants and their supporters enjoyed music, food, games, prizes, an inflatable slide, and much more. We were thrilled with the event’s great turnout, which even featured a celebrity guest appearance by the Los Angeles Laker Girls and Heidi Hamilton, radio host KLOS 95.5 as emcee.

Making Lifelong Memories    

Walk for Kids went off without a hitch, and we’re so thankful that Ronald McDonald House Pasadena decided to partner up with us to embark on this rewarding fundraising journey. Giving back is one of the greatest joys of life, and we’ll never forget the fascinating people we met and the long-lasting memories we made throughout this incredible experience.