In an effort to boost awareness and offset a potential drop in fund-raising dollars due to the current economic climate, organizers of the 2009 Pink Bedroom Party—a hospital benefit set to take place October 1 at Berkeley Church—are calling on individuals and corporations to join the Pink Bedroom campaign by hosting their own pre-event fund-raisers this year.
"We changed the format this year in the sense that we want to have many people involved in organizing parties. We really cannot rely too much on corporate sponsorships at the moment, and a lot of people want to give in kind. So we have to look for creative ways [to raise money]," said Jane Ip, the designer behind the Jeanne Lottie brand and the woman who founded the Pink Bedroom benefit six years ago.
According to Ip, hosting a preparty presents an opportunity for organizations to hold corporate get-togethers for staff or clients while supporting cancer research. Organizations are encouraged to charge guests $30 to $50 to attend a preparty event, she said. Fifty per cent of the ticket sales will go towards the cost of food and drink and the remainder will support the Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the SickKids Foundation at the Hospital for Sick Children.
"You can give back and not throw an out-of-control expensive event," she said. In exchange for registering preparty events on the Pink Bedroom Web site, organizers will get free tickets to attend the October 1 benefit, will be recognized on the Web site for the main event, and will receive a V.I.P. swag bag at the fall gala.
Ip reported that some companies have already signed on to host preparty events. Clarins Skin Spa in Yorkville hosted an event in May and is planning another in mid-June, she said. "It's a great way to build relationships with clients and attract new customers," she said.
The Gladstone Hotel, Michelle's Brasserie, Jack Astor's Bar & Grill, and the Metropolitan Hotel have signed on as preferred venues for preparty bookings.
