Volunteer Thank You Event
Event Highlights
Date: 20 October 2014
Event Type: Starlight Children's Foundation Volunteer Thank You Event
Delegates: 120
Key achievements: SMC Conference & Function Centre’s Marble Foyer facilitated one of the largest groups of volunteers as part of the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s community
Introduction
The Starlight Children’s Foundation (Starlight) runs an annual national roadshow consisting of a series of cocktail events held at various locations. This is an opportunity for Starlight to express their appreciation to volunteers, thank them for their time, and celebrate the achievements and impact of their work. This year’s events were hosted in a total of 5 states across 8 locations.
Starlight was keen to secure a venue for their 2014 Sydney thank you event that would accommodate a capacity for 120 people. As a charitable organisation Starlight’s relies on the generosity of volunteers, therefore finding a unique venue to hold a special celebratory cocktail event was extremely important, and finding one to also suit their budget presented a challenge.
Brief
Starlight engaged SMC Conference & Function Centre to hold their volunteer thank you event utilising the Marble Foyer of the Grand Lodge. The SMC Conference & Function Centre and in particular the Marble Foyer was chosen for the unique architectural features of the soaring marble room; it created the stunning impression Starlight was looking for to produce a special and memorable evening.
An important factor which also contributed to their decision was that the Starlight team had previously held events at SMC Conference & Function Centre, which had been extremely successful and seamlessly delivered. Starlight had built a close working relationship with the SMC Conference & Function Centre team, and had total confidence in their ability to exceed expectations on every level.
Solution
SMC Conference & Function Centre was engaged by Starlight two months prior to the event and the teams began collaboratively planning. Following an initial conversation Starlight visited the site to brainstorm budgetary and logistical requirements. Once the booking was secured they continued communication approximately every fortnight. Starlight commented that it was one of the less challenging events they’ve planned in this series, due to SMC Conference & Function Centre’s expertise and attention to detail.
The evening included a welcome speech by the CEO of Starlight, a video presentation of their organisation’s story and how the volunteers contributed, with acknowledgement of recognition awards to stand out volunteers. As the finale of the night and part of the celebrations, a large cake was cut, which followed on from a range of canapés that guests were treated to throughout the evening. The canapés on offer ranged from antipasto platters, through to empanadas; gourmet pies and mouth-watering cheese platters and were complemented by a range of Australian wines that were served to celebrate the team of volunteers.
The SMC team and their in-house audio visual services provided a flawless event experience for the Starlight team and their guests. The team on the floor were a standout; they were professional and ensured that every detail was covered.
Result
The whole team combined, over a relatively short (two month) time frame, to deliver one of the largest volunteer cocktail functions for Starlight in 2014. Starlight praised the SMC Conference & Function Centre for its seamless delivery, attention to detail and overall excellence in event management. They delivered everything that was asked of them and more as well as providing a true red carpet celebration that volunteers deserved.
"SMC Conference & Function Centre was the perfect venue to host our annual thank you event. We would definitely work with the SMC again; they delivered the event so smoothly, helping us to create a spectacular celebration for our volunteers." - Starlight Children’s Foundation, Sarah Parsons
