Host a relaxing night in with dinner and a movie.
It is no surprise that people enjoy going out for dinner and a movie. Why not use this to your advantage and host a ‘night-in’ to raise funds for your upcoming Summit? Host family and friends for a night in, complete with a movie, dinner and desert! Ask your attendees to donate what they would normally spend on a night out to your ‘night-in’ Summit fundraiser.
GET THE WORD OUT FOR YOUR NIGHT IN
Find a night that works for you and your family to host the event and create an advertisement to hand out or post on social media. Ask people to RSVP a week in advance so that you know how much food to buy and prepare, as well as how many chairs and TV trays you will need to set up. We’ve included our sponsorship flyer and a sample social media post below to get you started.
Put together a poster showing what an Ambassador Leadership Summit is all about and the activities you are excited to experience, so people can see it when they arrive! Include on it your suggested donation amount; we recommend asking people to donate what they would typically spend on a night out.
PREPARING FOR YOUR NIGHT IN
Head to your local Costco, Sam’s Club, WinCo or other grocer where you can buy bulk, low-cost food. You can choose what to prepare, but we suggest something easy like salad, spaghetti and garlic bread. You can even pick up a couple types of ice cream to serve as dessert.
Rally your family to help you prepare for the event. If you have younger siblings, ask them to help count out how many plates, utensils and napkins you need. Ask your parents to help you cook and prepare the food. Arrange the living room furniture facing the TV and add enough seating for everyone who RSVP’d. If you have TV-trays, bring those in for people to use as they’re eating. Choose a family-friendly movie and have it ready to roll.
HOSTING A GREAT NIGHT IN
The night of your event is here! As people arrive, make sure to greet them near a donation station with your poster and a jar for their contributions. Let people know they can sit where they are comfortable and that you will be serving them throughout the event. Once everyone has their meal, you can begin the movie. Be sure to walk around and ask if anyone needs anything extra. Collect plates and utensils as people finish up eating. If you bought dessert, plan to serve it towards the end of the movie.
Once the movie is over, thank everyone for attending. We suggest having thank-you notes made up ahead of time to pass out as people leave or following up in the next few days to thank your attendees.
Are you a superstar fundraiser? Let us know your ideas and you could be featured on our blog! Just email info@ambassadorleaders.com.
By Meghan Kendle
Meghan, an educator from Oregon, has been an active member of Ambassador Leaders for years and has traveled the world with students. The best part of her year is participating in the Summits, and she can’t wait to see you there!