3. 3
Event Scenario/Purpose
The 1st Annual National Children’s Medical Center Gala will be held in order to
help raise funds in order to purchase newer technology and better long-term stay
accommodations in the hospital. Some money will also be used to help families who are
in need of financial assistance.
Title
The title of the event is “For the Kids.” The hospital itself has a mission of helping
children. This title is a direct reflection of where the funds raised from this event will go.
All money raised is essentially for the kids; increasing their comfort while staying at the
hospital and buying new technology needed to further their recovery.
Goals andObjectives
The main goal of this event is to raise money for the Children’s National Medical
Center. The first goal is to raise at least $250,000 for this cause. This is a lot of money,
however, based on people who will be invited and hopefully attend, it can be
accomplished. Medical expenses and technology are not cheap. With this in mind, the
people in attendance will hopefully be generous.
In addition, another goal will be having 200 people in attendance. The people
invited will be doctors from all over the world, famous people, and prominent political
figures. Children who stayed in the medical center will also be invited as well as their
families. The idea is that by donating, doctors and famous/prominent figures will get
good publicity while helping the cause.
Theme
For this event, I picture a theme filled with color. I want to have pictures painted by the
children on display and for sale. I want the theme to be colorful yet elegant. With any
gala, people should be dressed in formal attire.
Target Audience
The target audience for this gala is upper class people who will donate money. These
attendees are important to have at the event in order to help ensure the goal of $250,000
is reached. These wealthy, prominent figures and doctors are always looking for ways to
better themselves in the media and by giving to a cause like this one, they are doing just
that. Although patients and their families may not be “wealthy,” they are invited to come
and enjoy the event. Seeing these patients and families may also inspire the wealthier
attendees to donate.
4. 4
Venue
As the Children’s National Medical Center is in Washington, D.C., the gala should also
be held in the city. The Willard Hotel located at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue in
Washington, D.C. and can be reached at 1-202-6289100. There are three ballrooms in the
hotel. It is one of the most beautiful hotels in the country with a great location. In
addition, the people coming from out of town, or even those who live in the area, may
want to buy a room for the night. The only cons of this venue would be the price of
rental. In order to not let this affect the planning of the rest of the event, we will have to
find cost efficient ways to feed people and provide drinks.
http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/washington/washa/hoteldetail
Timeline
Six months to a year in advance (Event on May 12)
- Figure out location, logistics, budget of event
- Find caterer
- Tour potential venues
- Make potential guest list/ people to invite
- Find speakers for event
- Get insurance
- Find event planning assistant
- Find people willing to volunteer and work the event
- Reserve Willard
- Rent round tables, side tables, speakers/microphone, DJ
- Send out notice that we need things to be donated/ painted pieces to be auctioned
off
- Make Facebook and Instagram page promoting the event
- Have all completed by November 1
Three to six months in advance
- Send out save the date cards to be sent back with an RSVP no later than February
15
- Select food to be served at the event
- Select decorations and flowers
- Hire photographer
- Meet with people at the Willard to figure out parking or transportation
- Collect all donated items and painted pieces by March 1
- Tell security about plans of famous people in attendance to come up with a plan
- Post regularly on social media pages
5. 5
Two weeks to two months in advance
- Take not of everyone who has RSVP’s and double check with those who have not
- Make recommendations for hotel and transportation to those out of town
- Make menus
- Make table numbers
- Assign volunteers what their job will be
- Check facility for any damages and malfunctions
- Keep posting on social media
- Make seating chart with social status in mind
One week and the day of event
- Print of guest list in alphabetical order and give to person at door
- Remind the volunteers what they will be doing at the event
- Set up all tables with assigned seats, chairs, decorations, etc.
- Double check plans for catering, security, DJ, etc.
- Sound check
- Make sure everyone who is speaking is prepared
After event
- Clean up
- Send thank you cards to all volunteers and people who donated
- Check numbers of attendees and money raised to see if goal was met
ProductionSchedule
10 AM- Arrive at Willard
10:15 AM- Walk through venue to make sure everything is in place
11:00 AM- Call security to make sure everything is in place
11:15 AM- Call caterer to verify time of arrival
11:30 AM- Set up all donation baskets and artwork on tables
12:15 PM- Meet with front desk staff and verify rooms blocked off and event details
1 PM- Volunteers and speakers arrived and are briefed with their duties for the night
1:30 PM- Event run through with guest speakers and sound check
2:30 PM- Put out name cards on the tables
2:50 PM- Volunteers get ready and changed
3:30 PM- Caterer and DJ arrive
4:00 PM- Guests begin arriving
5:00 PM- Appetizers walked throughout the ballroom on a tray by volunteers
5:45 PM- Champagne toast and dinner
6:30 PM- NFL player Devon Still talks about daughter’s struggle with cancer
7:05 PM- Patient from Children’s National Medical Center speaks
7:30 PM- Auctioning off of baskets and paintings
9:00 PM- End
*music playing throughout the event by DJ
Head of volunteers (Crystal Brown)- (571) 302-3498
6. 6
Event assistanst (Bailey Young)- (202) 598-4370
JK Music Productions Inc. - (703) 451-0960
R&R Catering- (703) 451-2798
CES Security- (301) 621-4105
Volunteers
The Children’s National Medical Center is hosting the event headed by Katie Schreiber,
who will be planning the event. For this event, 35-40 volunteers will be needed. They
will be trained on the day of the event, as their jobs will be simple. They will primarily be
helping out setting up, carrying around appetizers, and helping serve dinner. They will
also be needed after the event to help pick up. Volunteers will be given free dinner.
SponsorshipPackage
Kohl’s will be the primary sponsor for this event. Kohl’s incorporates children into how
they market and sell and would be a great sponsor for the event. They would also be good
to promote the event in stores. Secondly, Georgetown Cupcake will sponsor the event.
They are located within close proximity to the venue. It would be good publicity for our
event as well as their business. Perhaps if they provide some desserts, they will get more
business. Lastly, the local radio station, 99.5, will sponsor the event. They will be able to
promote it on air and even if people are not invited, they can still donate through the
show.
Marketing Materials
Attached are two marketing materials, a flyer and an invitation. In addition to these two
items, social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram, will be used throughout the
planning of the event to update attendees of what’s going on as well as build excitement
for the event.
Catering
There will be a cash bar at the event for those who wish to purchase alcohol during it.
There will be a complimentary champagne toast before dinner and complimentary water
and lemonade out on the tables. The hors d’oeuvres will be served butler style by
volunteers, but the dinner itself will be buffet style to reduce cost. Hors d’oeuvres will
include mini quiches, cheese, stuffed mushrooms, and mini crab cake bites. The dinner
buffet will include a salad bar, steamed vegetable medley, grilled chicken, salmon,
mashed potatoes, a pasta bar, and a dessert bar of cheesecake, cupcakes from Georgetown
Cupcake, and fresh fruit with a chocolate fountain. These are classy foods that are easy
and cheap to make.
Event ProgramSpecifics
7. 7
- Photo op with background and professional photographer- 4:00 PM- 5:00 PM
Upon arriving guests are invited to stand in front of the event backdrop at the
entrance of the ballroom that has the Children’s National Medical Center logo
and have their photo taken by a professional photographer to later be posted
on the event Facebook page
- DJ booth playing music- 4:00 PM- 9:00 PM
Professional DJ will be at the event playing today’s music hits as well as
requests at the front of the dance floor
- Auctioning off of donation baskets and painting auctioned off- 7:30 PM-9:00 PM
Paintings and other artwork created by patients at the medical center as well
as auction baskets from donors will be auctioned off at the front of the
ballroom by a volunteer
Event Budget
The budget for the event is $75,000. See attached spreadsheet for budget info.
SiteLayout
The event will be hosted in the ballroom on the lower level. There will be 20 circular
tables that can seat ten people each throughout the room. The dance floor is located at the
front of the ballroom and the DJ booth will be there. Along the walls of the room there
will be tables where people will get their dinner. There will also be a cash bar located
near the door to the lobby. This is a photo of the ballroom at the Willard and the set up
used for this event:
Here is a photo of the layout of the floor where the ballroom is:
8. 8
Event Impacts
This event aims to have a positive impact on not only the children it will benefit, but
those who attend as well. People naturally feel good about themselves when they do a
good deed. Donating to help save the lives of sick children is one of the best forms of
giving you can do. Additionally, this event will impact the lives of people who attend. As
famous guests will be invited, their attendance will make good publicity for them.
Risk Management
As this event will be serving alcohol, that presents a safety risk if the person drinking is
planning on driving home. Security will be at the exits assessing peoples’ behavior as
they are leaving. If they deem them not sober enough to drive, they will have to call a
taxi, uber, or a friend to come drive them home. Hopefully the fact that people will have
to pay for their own alcohol will reduce the amount consumed. Another risk is the light
fixtures. Lights are a known risk at any event, especially lights hanging from the ceiling
like at the Willard. It is important if there is an issue with the lights that there are fire
extinguishers on site. Lastly another risk is parking. There is hardly any parking in DC in
general so we will have to reserve parking somewhere and possibly arrange
transportation for guests from that allotted area.
