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Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts

Friday, September 24, 2010

OctoberFETCH!

That's right!  I said October"FETCH", because this week's "Feature Friday" is a one of the country's largest dog-centered celebrations, Fido's Festival USA, with a theme of "OctoberFETCH", taking place at the Salem County Fairgrounds in Woodstown, NJ on October 9-10, 2010 from 10am - 5pm.  This two day, dog centered, fun filled community and family event is produced by none other than our good friend Kathleen DeLuca, CMP, CSEP of Events Plus Inc.  Kathy is the founder and owner of Events Plus Inc for the past 12 years but is a 30 year event and meeting planning guru!  She is also the Immediate Past President for the International Special Events Society (ISES).

So you thought planning a single day event was tough! 
Try planning and organizing a two day festival for over 7,000 attendees, jam packed with fun and entertainment all geared around man's (and woman's) best friend.  Fido’s Festival USA is unique in that it combines a themed special event, a trade show, and a doggie conference all in a fun-filled festival atmosphere.
This dog lovers delight includes fall theme dog contests, entertainment, celebrities, health & wellness seminars, training demonstrations, family activites, vendors, sled dog demos and dock diving, a halloween parade and more!  There are also camping options at the event for those who like to "ruff" it.

Event Highlights
Well-known trainer and casting director for Animal Planet’s “Dogs 101” Dawn Wolfe will be on hand as one of the judges for the Pick-of-the-Patch Talent Contest and will be observing dogs to find new talent for her company, Pawsitively Famous Animal Actors.  In addition, The National Canine Cancer Foundation’s Lure for a Cure will be offering High Performance Lure Course racing, which is rapidly becoming an exciting sport in which dogs of all sizes and breeds can participate. Other unforgettable demonstrations include Xtreme Weather Kennels who will demonstrate and talk about what makes a sled dog team and, weather permitting, watch their dogs run; Ultimate Air Dogs professional team returns with their dock diving shows and volunteers to help new divers learn to jump in; and Camp Bow Wow will have lots of play time equipment for all dogs to enjoy during the event.



Dog rescues and shelters attend the event providing attendees with the opportunity to adopt their very own full grown dog or puppy who need a loving home.  Kathy told me last year over 15 dog shelters were involved in the event!




As Fido's Festival USA celebrates its third year, we asked Kathy what inspired her to create the event. 
"This event was created to celebrate the joy and privilege of being a lovable dog --any dog-- family, stray, or orphaned, and to acknowledge their unique gifts and talents, not just full breeds. It is the first dog-centered event to be all-inclusive to canines."
Recap & Attendees Rates
What:  Fido's Festival USA presents "OctoberFETCH"
When:  October 9-10, 2010
Time:  10am -5pm
Where:  Salem County Fairgrounds, 735 Route 40, Woodstown, NJ  (Exit 4 off I-295)
How much?: 
Advanced online tickets are $7 per person per day or $12 per person weekend pass.
Tickets at the gate are $10 per person per day or $18 per person weekend pass.
Children 12 and under and dogs are free!!

For more information about Fido's Festival USA, click here or contact one of the festival organizers:
Kathleen DeLuca, CMP, CSEP  kathy@fidosfestivalusa.com
Jackie Gordon  jackie@fidosfestivalusa.com
Andrew Fau  andrew@fidosfestivalusa.com

Hope to see you at the festival!!  No breeding papers required!  ;o)

To keep up with the latest and greatest Brower Power "Feature Friday" fun, join our blog or follow us on facebook and twitter!

Have an "event"-ful weekend!
Hugs,
Christine

Friday, January 1, 2010

Start the New Year right and get involved with WISH UPON A WEDDING tonight!


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year and I wish you all much love, peace, happiness and prosperity in 2010. It’s been a very busy past few months for C. Brower & Co Creative Events and we’re excited about the upcoming New Year and what it holds in store for us. We have lots of great news to share already!

First, I am thrilled and honored to announce I am a Finalist for Designer of the Year for the prestigious 2010 Event Solutions Spotlight Awards! Out of 500 applicants little old me is one of eight designers chosen as a Finalist! This is truly one of the proudest moments of my career. Voting is now open to the public so I hope you will all please take a moment, click on the link below, scroll down to Designer of the Year and vote for me! Please pass the word to all your friends and ask them to vote too!




Next, I’m excited to tell you all about an incredible non-profit organization I learned about called Wish Upon A Wedding. Their California Chapter is launching this month, with New York, Florida New Jersey and Chicago to follow in the upcoming months. I’m delighted to announce I will be serving on their New York Chapter Board of Directors as the Events Chair under Chapter President Sharon Naylor, author of over 30 wedding planning books.

I love, love, love the entire concept of this charity and what it stands for, and you will too!

Wish Upon A Wedding is America's only wedding wish granting organization. They grant weddings & civil union ceremonies at destinations across the US to couples facing life-threatening medical conditions, celebrating the courage & spirit of these couples. Their hope is that chosen recipients can inspire other couples facing similar situations to find hope and strength.

The organization was founded by Liz Guthrie of San Jose Wedding Consultants in California and its founding Board of Directors is a powerhouse of California’s finest wedding and business professionals. Recently Liz was interviewed by the Chicago Marriage Examiner to discuss Wish Upon A Wedding. Below are a few excerpts from the article:

How does it work? Please describe the process.

Guthrie: The application process includes an online submission form, where the couple tells their story, explains why they’re seeking assistance, a description of their illness, how long they have to live and proof from their doctors. The application also includes a photograph and a personal letter that is no longer than one page in length and describes their dream. Applications will not be accepted however until the organization’s launch in January 2010.

The founding chapter is located in Northern California and consists of a mix of wedding professionals and other prominent business people. We are currently establishing regional chapters across the country, each with its own board of directors (11 different volunteers). Wish Upon a Wedding will grant weddings and civil union ceremonies at destinations across the United States.

When a wish application is received for a certain part of the country, the wish will be forwarded to that regional chapter. It is then up to the regional chapter and their board of directors to execute the wedding planning process. That regional chapter will then call upon their database of volunteers (known as “Wish Granters”) to put together a wedding for the applicant.

Each chapter will maintain a database of “Wish Granters,” based on 20 different wedding vendor categories:

Wedding Planner- will oversee all aspects of wedding coordination, including timeline creation, ceremony choreography, and will work with volunteer coordinator and all vendors to ensure a smooth wedding and reception
Wedding and Reception Venue - site where wedding and reception will take place
Caterer - will provide basic meal for wedding reception - no alcohol
Rental Company - will provide basic rental of tables, chairs, linens, china, flatware, glassware, etc.
Photographer - will provide basic, four-hour wedding day photography package
Videographer - will provide basic, four-hour wedding day video package
Cake Designer - will provide basic wedding cake
Gown Shop - will provide basic wedding gown
Tuxedo Shop - will provide basic grooms’ tuxedos or suits, if preferred
Limo Company - will provide four hours of wedding day transportation for couple getting married.
Officiant - will conduct the custom ceremony, based on couple’s desires
Hair - will do couples’ hair for wedding
Makeup Artist - will do couples’ makeup for wedding
Stationery Designer/Printer - basic invitations, ceremony programs, menus, escort cards and table numbers
Florist - will provide basic flowers: bouquet, corsages, bouts and centerpieces for reception
DJ - will provide music and audio needed for ceremony and reception
Musicians - will provide music for ceremony
Jeweler - will provide basic wedding bands
Hotel - will provide up to four rooms for two nights for couple and immediate family or loved ones
Miscellaneous Entertainment based on couples’ wishes, i.e., caricature artist, photo booth, magician, etc.

NOTE* The term BASIC to be defined on a case by case basis.

Sometimes that may mean the ceremony will take place in a hospice or at a hospital bedside. If the applicant is healthy enough to be married at a wedding venue, Wish Upon a Wedding will make it happen. Wish Upon a Wedding will also fly up to four family members or loved ones in to the city the wedding is to be held in. If the couple wishes to marry outside of the area they live in, and the request is reasonable, Wish Upon a Wedding will do everything it can to get the couple to their destination of choice.

What separates your non-profit from others that may be designed to carry out similar functions?

Guthrie: There is no other organization in the country specifically designed to grant wedding wishes to terminally ill patients. Wish Upon a Wedding is filling a unique void, relying on the generosity of wedding professionals’ donated time and services.

Our design team at C. Brower & Co Creative Events cannot wait until the New York Chapter launches so we can get started! It’s clear to us this is a great labor of love started by Liz and her founding Board members, so we hope to help spread the word about this organization to everyone. If you are interested in becoming part of the Events Team in the New York Chapter of Wish Upon A Wedding, please feel free to contact me at christine@cbrowerandco.com. If you are interested in joining any of the chapters or forming a chapter in your local area, please contact Liz Guthrie at liz@sanjoseweddingconsultants.com. She also is accepting donations of money, volunteers wishing to be on the “Wish Granter” database/list and committee members.

So get out there, start the New Year off right, spread the word and get involved with Wish Upon A Wedding tonight!
Oh, and don't forget to vote for me for Designer of the Year too!

Hugs, kisses and lots of New Year Wishes!
Christine