How to Host a Wild Game Safari Charity Dinner



Posted: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

by
Kelly

Themed dinners are a great way to raise funds for your club or charity. I recently put on a successful fundraiser for a charity I volunteer with and wanted to share my successful actions with you so that you can host your own event. The dinner for 100 guests cost about $1200 to put on and raised several thousand dollars for my charity. A great time was had by all and we're planning to have the event annually.

Why wild game? I've hosted many charity dinners and wanted to try something a little bit different this time. After surveying my friends, I discovered that most people had never tried wild game and said that they'd like to attend such an event. I set the ticket prices at a modest $75 each or $125 per couple and had it on a Saturday night. I rented a banquet hall and brought in my own decorations.

I had a tiny budget for decorating, so I had to get creative to give the room a safari feel. I rented black tablecloths for the tables and bought several yards of zebra and leopard print fabric. I cut out two life-size animal skins from the fabric and draped the remaining fabric scraps across the black tablecloths. I went to the local 99 cent store and found some tall metal candle holders and beige and brown candles and placed three on each table. The fabric and the candles did the trick, giving the room an exotic, safari look.

I am fortunate and live very close to a wild game meat dealer and was able to buy everything I needed in one stop. We served deer, elk, ostrich, kangaroo, buffalo and of course, chicken. I also found several online exotic meat dealers that will ship frozen meant anywhere in the country. After I had an estimated head count of guests, I got with the butcher and determined how many pounds of meat I'd need to accommodate my guests.

My volunteer chef had never cooked wild game before, so we found recipes calling for beef and substituted the beef with exotic meats. We served Elk Stew, Deer Meatloaf, Roast Kangaroo, Ostrich Filets, Buffalo Meatballs and Chicken Curry. Our side dishes included Wild Herb and Spinach Salad and lots of wild rice and potatoes. The entire meal was served buffet-style which cut down on volunteer staff. We had a few teenagers from the club volunteer to set up and break down the event and clear dishes, again, saving the charity a lot of money. Each exotic meat dish had a small place card in front of it so that people would know what they were eating. I forgot to put a card out in front of the chicken dish and saw people gingerly picking at it, guessing at what kind of meat it was which made the evening all the more fun. The "mystery meat" was a big hit and we'll be serving that one again next year.

For entertainment, a friend of mine had an African-Latin Jazz band and offered to play at no charge. In between sets, we announced the results of our silent auction, talked about the purpose of our charity and sold $5 raffle tickets for a grand prize of a $500 Visa card.

We sent out invitations to members of our charity six weeks in advance and also made some phone calls to our friends. Our dress code was "safari casual," meaning anything animal print or something that you might find in the closet of Indiana Jones. Many of the men wore khaki pants, boots and cowboy hats while the women wore clothing in animal print. My hostess attire was a leopard print cocktail dress that I paired with big leather boots and a cowboy hat. Everyone was completely into the spirit of things and no outfit was too outlandish.

I recruited a volunteer to run the silent auction which was a hodge-podge of items donated by supporters of the charity. Months in advance, she contacted people and collected items. We had everything from a hand-beaded leather jacket to jewelry, small antiques and a four-day vacation at a mountain ski resort. You'll be surprised at the great items your supporters are willing to donate. Just make sure to send them a thank you. In fact, send all of your volunteers a big thank you and they'll be sure to help out next time you call on them for help.

Tips to Have a Successful Charity Dinner

  • Start planning early. Three months for planning a dinner is a good time frame.
  • Build a team of dedicated volunteer staff for your event and meet weekly to go over what functions each volunteer will be handling. You'll need a cook plus an assistant, several people to set up and break down the event, someone to handle your silent auction, someone to handle your raffle, an event MC, and some kind of entertainment during and after dinner. The more volunteers, the better.
  • Get your invitations designed and mailed out at least six weeks in advance of the event to give people enough notice.
  • Recruit some lively entertainment on a voluntary basis if possible. A lot of great, local bands will be willing to perform at your charity event for no charge to get exposure and help out with your cause. All you have to do is ask.
  • Remember to take the stage between sets to talk about your charity and its purpose, but don't talk so long that you bore your guests. Keep your message short and to the point.
  • Have fun and mingle with your guests. Take the opportunity to talk with your supporters and thank them for attending the dinner. If you notice any wallflowers, introduce them to your other guests and do your best to ensure that people are having a good time.
  • Thank your volunteers for their hard work and let them know how much you appreciate their help.
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    Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
    » left by Anonymous
     1 year 157 days ago.
    Great info. Thanks you
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