How to Produce a Large Successful Event
Michelle Haney, the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Recreation Manager, produced the "TASTE OF VAL VISTA" section of the Val Vista Lakes 25th Anniversary Celebration.
I asked Michelle to tell us how she went about orchestrating such a large and successful Val Vista Lakes event:
"From the beginning I knew that I would not be in town for the actual event, so I wanted the structure of the event to be compartmentalized to easily delegate responsibilities in specific time blocks to key staff and volunteers.
First I started dissecting the event into sections, and envisioned different parts that would come together to make the whole:
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Artisan Market (coordinated by Audrey)
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Entertainment
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The "Taste" with the restaurants
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Val Vista Lakes Merchant booths
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Volunteers and the
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Infrastructure.
Then I worked with our staff to research vendors and costs and set up each section with it's necessary components (and accompanying worksheet and file system) to fill those in.
We also met at the site several times over the course of the past few months with vendors and staff to establish a site plan that would best accommodate the infrastructure and events we had planned.
Val Vista Lakes Community Manager Richard Andrews made this event possible with his vision for the "Taste of Val Vista" as an event that would help Val Vista Lakes businesses gain exposure within the community while also raising funds for the Val Vista lakes Elementary School.
Dianne Havertine, a Val Vista Lakes resident and Chicago native, provided me keen insight as to how the "Taste of Chicago" is organized which helped me to envision how the restaurant portion would work. Later she assisted by checking in the restaurants at the event.
Kathy Bourque was the key to the success. I truly could not have done it without her. She researched much (if not all) of the infrastructure, helped me make contact with all the Val Vista Lakes restaurants (twice), made rounds to all of the Val Vista Lakes businesses, emailed confirmations, and took the reigns when I left to go out of town.
Dave Trianna, Michael Ander, and Margorito Elias Mexicano worked in the blazing heat of the day to get the light towers, generators and other infrastructure items set up and running for the duration of the event and make sure all was cleaned up after the event.
Val Vista Lakes staff members, Laura O'Connell and Kathy Bourque worked to check-in the entertainment, make sure the ticket booth was set up and manned for the evening, and reconcile with the restaurants at the end of the night.
Val Vista Lakes board member Marci Johnson, and Women's Club member Darcy Van Orden worked to fill the volunteer spots.
Front desk staff, Randy Sawyer and Chad Morrissey made sure all deliveries and pick ups took place both before and after the event.
A special mention should go to those who financially helped to support the event.
- Richard Orosel, owner of Sunnyvale Business Square, allowed us to hold the event in their parking lot and also funded the infrastructure (electrical, lighting, porta potties and barricades).
- Fry's donated water
- Casanova Brothers donated 100% of their sales proceeds at the "Taste of Val Vista" to the Val Vista Lakes Elementary School.
- IHOP donated 100% of their sales proceeds at the "Taste" to the Val Vista Lakes Elementary School.
- Bill Travis, a Val Vista Lakes resident and Associate Broker for RE/MAX Homes and Investments funded and coordinated the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon"
Michelle Haney organizes all of the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Recreational Activities and does a fantastic job. She is to be commended for the Outstanding job she did of producing this highly successful "Taste of Val Vista" event for the Val Vista Lakes 25th Anniversary Celebration!
Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse 25th Anniversary Celebration Info
For information about homes for sale in Val Vista Lakes contact Captain Bill Travis.
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Remax Balloon at Val Vista Lakes 25th Anniversary Celebration
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