Great ideas

Overhead hung strings of café lights and bunting crafted from photographs of the park attached to clothespins. Eclectic-looking chandeliers also dotted the ceiling, including two different types of globular fixtures.

The centerpieces consisted of photos scattered atop raised Lucite platforms, which guests could pick up and look through during the meal. The family-style dinner platters were eventually placed atop the platforms, as well.

Quatchi, one of three Vancouver 2010 mascots, posed with the Cheerios Cheer wall.

A hallway leading guests into the gala featured backlit panels with the foundation's tagline and New York City skyline images.

The scenic construction included replicas of actual Times Square buildings, with 3-D projections mapped onto them that included a scrolling news ticker on the façade of the ABC Building. The overall black, white, and silver color scheme allowed the messaging in pops of color to stand out.

This year's benefit had a Times Square theme, and the reception space included 3-D replicas of skyscrapers and other instantly recognizable landmarks.

The reception space featured a replica of the iconic TKTS booth in Times Square.

The foundation's logo was inset into the event carpeting.

In the dining room, David Stark Design hung 1,750 Edison lightbulbs from the ceiling. They formed numerals that helped guests find their seats among the sea of 417 tables.

Instead of centerpieces, David Stark Design created lazy Susans rimmed in white LED lights that made sharing the antipasto easier.

Befitting the Times Square theme, the aisles between dinner tables were designed like New York city streets, with glittery "asphalt" and road markings.

The bicycle lane marking leading to the dining room featured a Robin Hood character on a bike.

The DJ booth was designed to resemble the military recruitment office in Times Square. A sign gave guests pointers on how to promote the event on social media, including holding up provided signs with messages such as "I am fighting poverty like a New Yorker."

Longtime donors received medallions at the guest check-in that denoted the length of their support. There were different colored medallions for five, 10, and 20 years.