Part of the mission behind the Catie Cares program is to spread fun and awareness about Variety of Greater Kansas City. A great way to generate buzz and raise funds is to host a game night. There are a few ways to go about it, but we really like hosting a board game or trivia tournament.
By throwing a board game night, all ages can be involved in the fundraising efforts. Pick a few of your favorites like Sorry, Trouble or Monopoly and charge and entry fee for each team. When planning the event, decide on house rules and a time limit for each game so that everyone participating has the same chance to play. It also keeps things running on schedule. If you intend on having spectators, set up chairs and consider having a raffle to keep everyone entertained. You could also raise more funds by selling concessions like coffee, soda, and snacks.
If board games aren’t your thing, throw a trivia tournament. People love playing trivia games because it really caters to their competitive spirit. You can host the event by creating your own questions, or finding a trivia game provider in the area. If you find a game service, see if they’ll donate their services for one night since it’s a charity event. If you create your own contest, you’ll first want to find a spot that can cater to your group. This could be at a community center, local eatery or church hall. Once you have your location, gather supplies like a paper slips for teams to write answers on, pencils, a microphone and speakers, and questions. Also, find some volunteers that can take entry money and help tally up the scores. You can award your winners with prizes like gift certificates or trophies.
Since we love a good game night, make sure to send an invite to varietykc@gmail.com. Also, send us your pictures from the event so we can share with others how great our ambassadors are!