Innovation
comes easy to Ajit George, founder of the nationally regarded and
highly successful Meals
From the Masters
fund raiser for Meals on Wheels Delaware, now in its 15th
year. This event has become a signature of statewide benevolence and
consumes an entire week of bountiful benevolence and gastronomic
gorging.
His
immediate brainstorm is Collabagala; i.e. Collaboration + Gala, to be
staged at the Chase Center November 17. One hundred per cent of the
net proceeds will benefit 10 Delaware charities. They are Blood Bank
of Delmarva, Westside Healthcare, American Lung Association, Best
Buddies of Delaware, Catholic Charities, Delaware Center for
Justice, Newark Day Nursery and Children's Center, Partnership for
the Delaware Estuary, Read Aloud Delaware and YWCA.
The
RDC, the Chase Center and Strongpoint Marketing (George's firm) are
the founding sponsors. Founding media sponsor is the News Journal.
The
Delaware Community Foundation and DANA (Delaware Association of
Non-Profit Agencies) are in the mix as well, although not
beneficiaries.
Says
Chris Grundner, CEO of DANA, “We
chose to get involved in Collabagala as a partner because we believe
the event could be a game-changer and it is important for us as the
sector leader to help push the envelope a bit in the community.
Because the event is brand new and so ground-breaking, we expect it
to grow over time and get bigger and bigger each year.”
The
founding sponsors are removing all the risks that non-profits
confront when staging a fund raiser: management and promotion. The
beneficiaries must sell tickets and solicit Silent Auction items
from their respective lists of donors.
George
expects well over $100,000.00 in auction items. Coming from so many
different organizations, they will be copious and diverse.
Exclaims
Ginny Marino, CEO of YWCA, 'Collabagala is a game changer and we are
thrilled to be a part.”
Mary
Hirschbiel, ED of Read Aloud Delaware, echoes the sentiments of all
of the charities. “We look forward to sharing our story a wider
community.”
The
exposure that all will achieve in the “Collaboration” is ten
times what they could do on their own. When a charity stages their
own in house Silent Auction or other event, everyone knows about them
from the starting line. This is reinforced by Michael Waite, Director
of Marketing and Communications at Blood Bank of Delmarva. “This is
an opportunity for us to collaborate
(there's that word again!) with other non-profits. BBD does not do
many special events so it is a chance to get involved with a fun
event in a different atmosphere.”
The
theme is James Bond, appropriate to the premiere of the new Bond
movie at the new Penn Cinema at the Riverfront. (They are donating
1000 tickets).
The
$125.00 ticket price includes food, open bar and $25 of chips for
Casino Royale.
George
admits he has no idea the turnout, but is laying the groundwork. The
mantra of entrepreneurs will forever be....”with great risks come
even greater rewards!”
For
tickets and donations to the Silent Auction www.Collabagala.com
To
become a sponsor, connect with Strongpoint Marketing 302.295.5060
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