October 2009: Night of 100 Parties - Spina Bifida Association

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eInsights - October 2009

Night of 100 Parties

At 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2010, history will be made. $100,000 will be raised to support people with Spina Bifida.

All across the country on New Year’s Eve, 100 fundraising parties will be in full swing, each with a goal of raising $1,000 for Spina Bifida Association (SBA).

“We wanted to provide a fun and unique opportunity for people from all over the country to be involved in raising both support for, and awareness of, Spina Bifida,” said Christopher Vance, Director of Development for SBA. “We chose New Year’s Eve for our Night of 100 Parties because it is traditionally a time when we look ahead with hope for the future.”

Christopher and others brainstormed the concept of a single night of 100 parties — if each host invites 10 couples, and each couple contributes $100, the parties would generate $100,000 in a single night. But Christopher is encouraging people to think outside the box in designing their own party. “There are no rules or guidelines, other than the $1,000 goal,” he said. “I’ve got some ideas that might help spark people’s thinking.”

Creative Ideas to Inspire Great Parties

Invite 10 couples, each of whom contribute $100
Have a free party and “pass the hat.” However, make sure your guests bring their checkbooks.
In lieu of tickets, gather donations from area businesses and hold a silent auction or raffle at your party
Hold an “eParty” and charge people not to attend
Ask party attendees to give to SBA in lieu of holiday gifts
Ask a wine shop to host a wine tasting, proceeds to be directed to SBA

Aside from raising funds for SBA, the parties will provide an opportunity for promoting awareness of Spina Bifida. Party attendees will receive literature on Spina Bifida, SBA, and SBA’s partner, Spina Bifida Foundation. A “party-in-a-box” is currently being designed that will provide information and help hosts to plan ahead for a successful party. A Web site will be available through which all the parties will be able to connect on New Year’s Eve.

“I would encourage hosts to be creative in their invitations,” said Christopher. “Make it clear that this is a fundraising event, but there are plenty of clever and amusing ways to get the message across. And remind your guests that this is their last opportunity to get a tax deduction for 2009.”

For more information on the Night of 100 Parties, or to volunteer to host a party, contact Christopher at 800-621-3141 x11 or cvance@sbaa.org.

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