MPISCC Flappers and Fedoras FUNdraiser By Elizabeth McDonald, Madame Tussauds Hollywood
It was all feathers, beads and fedoras on the 17th of November as 125 gamblers and gun molls descended on The Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. Offering the perfect setting for MPISCC’s 2009 FUNdraiser the recently renovated event center enhanced the scene with its own silver screen feel. Built in 1880, the Sportsmen’s Lodge was around long before the movies took hold. The renovation focused on the glamour of the fifties, which was a heyday for Prohibition films in movies. From the elegant winding stairway in the entrance to the sunken dance floor in the main room, meeting professionals were greeted with just the right mood for the FUNdraiser.
MPISCC Director of FUNdraising, Katie Rogers, of EventWorks Inc., was enthused by the response to the event commenting that, “the night was really interactive because of the casino element; people were dancing until the end thanks to the band, and it felt like someone was bidding on an auction item every time we looked over.”Antix Entertainment was responsible for all of the dancing. They livened the scene with their Speakeasy Band.
Also of note were the number of attendees from out of town. Las Vegas and Miami were both well represented – could it have been the theme? Plan-It Interactive was on the scene with several casino tables and dealers. The Vegas crew felt right at home, and the entire crowd could not get enough gathering around the dealers and cheering on the high rollers.
It should also be mentions that the crowd looked great. Ladies in their beaded and fringed dresses; and guys in their suits and fedoras were, able to document the moment in J&M Entertainment’s Photo Booth. It’s guaranteed that more than one feather from a boa ended up having to be cleaned out of that booth!
The silent auction tables were definitely a popular spot with so many great getaways and services as well as many memorabilia items. From The Simpsons framed poster signed by the creator, to out of town packages and local treasures, there was something for everyone!
Ms. Rogers was quick to praise her team, “I worked with an amazingly dedicated and hardworking committee who are all really happy with the outcome.” Serving on this year’s committee were John Burton of ComedySportz, Los Angeles; Melissa A. Hart-Martin, CMP, Keenan & Associates; Neil Johnson, Las Vegas Visitor and Convention Authority; Julie Malcomson, Organic to Go; James Markham, Bon Apetit at the Getty; Jennifer Okamura-Albert of EventWorks, Inc.; Julia M. Rodriguez-Buis of The Beverly Garland; Keri Shaffer, CMP, Independent Planner; Akemi Shapiro, Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach; and Jason Soporito of Plan-it Interactive.
In an incredibly difficult fundraising economy, the hard-working FUNdraising committee got creative and gathered up even more sponsors than last year. The quality of the donations exceeded expectations! With little more than half of the auction items and about 50 fewer attendees than last year, the group still raised over $11,000 for the Southern California Chapter of MPI.
When asked why she signed on, Katie replied, “I helped out with the FUNdraiser last year and really enjoyed the process. I wanted to use my special event experience and make this night a really fun event that could bring in money for the chapter, while allowing for an informal and fun way for members to socialize and network.”
Photos by Michael Rueter Photography
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