In case you missed it, here is a summary of my previous entries on this event...
Planning? UGH.
PR? BLEH.
Well, everything turned out great...here is the rundown:
THURSDAY
I got to Gatherings, the banquet center where the event was hosted at 1:30- the place was digusting. It smelled bad, was hot and there was debris everywhere...the place looked like a storm had plowed through the Bellaire strip center! In an hour, my co-chair and I had managed to get tablecloths on four tables...and that was about it. Come 4:00 pm, the place looked ready for an Elementary School open house, and I had to leave to pick up Geralyn Lucas. I left my co-chairs with my life and reputation in their capable hands, typed "George Bush airport" into Google Maps, and set off with a friend and a large time margin for error.
Traffic was easy; the airport was difficult. We got there thirty minutes early, and chose to rest at the cell phone lot with all of the cab and limo drivers. Finally, we got sick of waiting, and chose to circle the airport for forty-five minutes. Finally, Geralyn arrived, and we set off for home at 6:15 (with an arrival time set for 7:00 pm). Luckily, the traffic gods were good to us, and we made it in time.
Needless to say, the placed looked stunning. And although a measly twenty people braved the beautiful weather to show up, they were a great crowd who cheered for our amazing speaker. Weaving tales of humor, inspiration and love, Geralyn Lucas brought the house down, destined for a return visit next year. The silent auction portion of the night, although measley and poorly implemented, was also a success, raising $900! We all went home with love in our hearts and pastries in our stomachs, ready for the sure-to-be successful day two.
FRIDAY
With an attendance estimated near 500, the day began with a unique performance by The Pink Ribbons Project, the only nationally touring dance troupe dedicated to raising breast cancer funds and awareness. Following the performance, the lunch event began, featuring performances by Bellaire's own eMOTION hip-hop and modern dance group and the Bellaire Jazz Combo. Those distractions, combined with food catered by Chic-fil-a, Dunkin' Donuts, Auntie Pasto's and Arandas Bakery made the event a resounding success, bringing our two day total to...
$1213.64!! An unprecedented amount of money for an event that was literally being planned up until the day before it was scheduled to take place.
And with that, BCAD 2007, an event six months in the making, draws to a close. What was once a stressful cloud haunting my future is now an amazing memory of what teenagers can accomplish if they really put their mind to a goal...and I did it all without CTU, Jack Bauer, or even a missile! All in a day's work for this agent.
No comments:
Post a Comment