Since 2014 when President Obama re-established relations with Cuba, the country has been a popular topic in my client meetings. And with the recent death of Fidel Castro, news about Cuba has been widely covered in the papers and on television. For this post, let's discuss Cuba through the lens of our focus on fundraising auctions. ======================== Readers want to know if it's tacky to use Cuba as a theme. Here's a question I was asked last week via Facebook. ("Like" me ... Read On >
Decor
Dispersal of auction centerpieces when they are rented *and* donated
It is Thanksgiving week in the United States, which means it's a short week for many. I can sense the eagerness to get out of the office, so here's a short, helpful idea to finish out our month. Centerpieces can be a source of stress for gala chairs. I've been involved in discussions around the size and cost of a centerpiece. Once I witnessed two gala chairs in a feisty debate about the style of the centerpiece. A friend of mine tells a hilarious (?) story about how live fish were used ... Read On >
[VIDEO] Raising money for Haiti by focusing on the Fund a Need
In May I worked with a dedicated group of fundraisers in Louisiana whose gala raises money to build homes for some of the poorest of the poor in Haiti. Each new home costs a mere $5000. The emphasis at this gala is on the Fund a Need. Though there is a live auction, it's only three or so items. Most of the focus is on the Fund a Need. I thought this group went above and beyond by building a shack onsite. It visually demonstrated to guests what many Haitian families use as a home. ... Read On >
[VIDEO] Ice, ice baby: Auction theme ideas that involve winter
It’s all about *show* and less about *tell* in today’s post. Here are three video clips from auctions. All had winter-related auction theme ideas. They used elements like ice, LED lights, evergreen trees and polar bears to make a statement. As for colors, think white, ice blue, and some forest green. As the holidays are upon us and many are dreaming of a white Christmas, this seemed fitting. =============== The Crystal Ice Gala This video from an upstate New York hospital ... Read On >
[VIDEO] Silent auction layout when using mobile bidding
I'm in the thick of the fall auction season. Last week I was working all across the country, so expect to see more videos down the road -- as I have time to organize them. :) In this first clip, you'll see an auction layout of an event I worked two weeks ago here in Washington, D.C. The organization, Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation, is only five years old. Yet the group has already raised a whopping $7 million dollars to fight colon cancer. (Impressive!) They have three core ... Read On >