Hospitality with a Cause: Large Event Planning!

I’ve always said I’m not an event planner, and I still feel that way. I don’t know how my friend Kimberly (Cordially Invited Event and Wedding Planning) does it – with such grace and ease! She’s a natural – I am not! But I did pull it together with great help from friends, for a very special night a few weeks ago.

When some of my husband’s cycling friends, Jeff and John, were preparing to do a bike ride from Canada down to Mexico, they decided to make it a benefit to support a vital cause for children, The Protectors.

This unique anti-bullying program helps create bully-free zones by bolstering the courage of bystanders and authority in what my husband calls the “Theater of Bullying.” The Protectors shows public and private schools that what’s really missing to combat adolescent bullying isn’t knowledge but courage: the ability to do the right thing when feeling fear at the same time.

Where did my job come in? Planning an event in about 2 weeks, to support The Protectors.

However you look at it, a small dinner party or a larger event, the goal for hospitality is to help people to relax, have a good time, and to feel warm and welcome. What made this example of hospitality unique is that The Protectors actually encourages people to be hospitable in a more powerful way toward those who are being picked on by others, especially physically and mentally challenged kids, the most bullied group of kids in most schools.

From The Protector’s standpoint, the goal was to help people become more aware of bullying; to encourage bystanders and authority to stand up for the targets of bullying!

Our friends got in on the cause with their band, Mercy. Amazing musicians. Thank you Lynda, Dave, and John!

We used an old dance hall in a quaint town.

I so appreciated how our kids (and friend, Jeff) helped out.

Chocolate dipped strawberries.

And yummy brownies.

Delegated lemon bars.

Easy juice on ice.

And cute couple serving drinks (yup, my nephew and niece!)

Tulip season and pretty ribbon.

Jeff viewing the map showing where The Protectors curriculum is being used across the world.

Collage of The Protector’s information.

The Protector’s curriculum was the first lesson that the Uganda orphans used when moving in to their new orphanage.

Great people.

Great support.

Great friends.

We really appreciated the Emcee (Senator Jason Atkinson) and his sense of humor.

It was just a magical night.

I know the secret of planning any party is to “plan ahead.” But what if you feel like you’re not cut out for the stress of “bringing it all together?” Dinner parties are much simpler, because you’re not worried about meeting the needs of 100 people and you don’t have as many details to sweat over. But very generous people came together to either donate or make this event take place. Thank you, friends!

I’m good for about one large event per year. And this was a great one. These two cyclists are riding across the West Coast to raise money for this great cause. If you want to join in on the fun married to a great cause, please email me or click on the links below!

What about you? Do you enjoy planning smaller, quaint parties, or are you a “big party girl?”

To learn more about The Protector’s go here.
To lear more about the band Mercy, go here, or to their Facebook page, here.
To follow Jeff’s blog, as they start their ride May 4th, go here.