Date Auction Success

Well friends, I'm happy to announce that we had a great Date Auction on Friday! We raised $18,000 and had another awesome turnout! I'm so happy and relieved that it went well. I've been receiving lots of positive feedback from guests, sponsors and the bachelors/ettes. It seemed like everyone had a great time. We had a photo from the event in the Boston Globe's Names section today which is awesome. This event has been in the Globe three times!

Here is the link to the online version.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2014/09/22/project-smile-hosts-date-auction/6E3QIvKadnrE8tuqHRjgYK/story.html?event=event25

I was so impressed with how our hosts did. It isn't an easy job and they did great. We had a terrific group of people being auctioned off too. Everyone looked awesome. Here is a video that Melissa, our co-host took featuring Pete, one of our bachelors who earned the highest bid on Friday. I'm sure you'll know why he did so well when you see it! Check it out!

Post by Melissa OntheRadio.

Well, that's the latest for tonight. I have to head back and work on a grant and the invitation to our fashion show fundraiser during Boston Fashion Week which is just over 2 weeks away. Time is flying! Until tomorrow friends....

Just Days Away

Well friends, here we are- 9 months of work and now the 8th Annual Project Smile Charity Date Auction is only 4 days away. I can't believe we are almost here. My nerves are sky high- there's a huge amount of pressure to have a successful event. The good news is that we are in good shape. Ticket sales are on track and I've been doing everything that I can to ensure another successful event. We were in Friday's Names section of the Globe which was awesome. Boston TweetUp had our event featured in their weekly email newsletter which went out yesterday and they've been tweeting about the event. Melissa and Winter, our hosts, have been promoting it as well. I'm happy with the event marketing- I don't know what else we could do. One of the ladies being auctioned off sent me a FB message today telling me what a great job I've been doing promoting it.

I tested our credit card machine today to make sure it was working properly- it was. I'll test it again on Wednesday just to double check. I'm going to do one more proof of the program and get it to the printers tomorrow. The program is so important, so I like to have that finished early in the week. I have to print our prize drawing signs and do a few small things, but there isn't too much else left to do. All of our bid sheets for the silent auction are done. I picked up the autographed sports pictures on Friday.

It's funny how I feel a connection to all of our bachelors/ettes that are participating. Out of the 43 participating, I only know about 3 of them personally, but over the months, a connection grows. You see their photos, read and edit their profiles, put them in order for the program, email them with all the details and updates, share their pictures on social media- it's a lot of time that's spent. I want them all to enjoy the event. It takes some pluck to get up onstage like that and I'm happy that they chose to be a part of the event. I hope that they do find love connections. At the very least, I hope that they have a blast. 

Well friends, I'm off to take my anxious self back into the office and get some more things taken care of and proof the program once again. Until tomorrow! Please keep wishing us lots and lots of ticket sales....

Welcome September!

Well, we are 4 days into September, so I'm a little late with the welcome! Ah, September, it is a lovely month but also the times of great anxiety. The Date Auction is almost 2 weeks away, fashion show in just over a month and our Anniversary Celebration in 2 months- yikes! It is exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. I'm looking forward to it and so nervous as well. Things are looking good though. I was up until almost 5am last night working, mostly on the Date Auction. I love working late at nights- I've always been a night person. One of the things that I like most about working at night is there are no distractions and no pressure on myself to get things done. It's time that I would be sleeping, so anything that gets accomplished is progress. During the day, I have all these lists and tasks that need to be done, it can get over whelming.

I emailed all our participants today individually to encourage them to keep spreading the word, share the event and help get the word out. I used to do a mass email to the participants, but I think it is better to personalize it for each person. Our bachelors/ettes are a huge part of the success of the event, so we definitely need their help in spreading the word to their friends and connections. We have quite a few people who are well known, so it's great to have their help in particular in getting a great turnout. Our goal is to raise $25,000 this year which I think is doable. We raised 20K last year. I think it is good to let the participants know that we have a particular financial goal- it helps make it real. While it is a fun night for everyone involved, there is a serious need behind it.

Well, I'm going to eat a peach and then head back to work. I have a few things that I need to finalize for the Date Auction program and get it uploaded so that our designer has it. I hold the program for as long as possible before we print it because of last minute changes to the participants. I'm still waiting on 2 bachelors to send over their info and I have one bachelor who might be signing up. There is actually lots more to write about besides the Date Auction, but I'm so caught up with it, I can't think of anything else right now. Until tomorrow friends...keep wishing me more ticket sales!