A Journey
Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu said “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Our journey was not one of miles, but it was a journey nonetheless. Several months ago, Bliss Even Design’s owner was asked to sit on the committees of two important non-profit events: The Son Foundation’s Son-sational Evening and United Way of Central Indiana’s Annual Red Carpet Gala. Each event boasted its own unique theme, board of directors, venue, and deserving cause but they shared one important detail. These events were planned for the same weekend.
The Son Foundation is a non-profit operating in Indianapolis to provide housing for out-of-town patients seeking cancer treatments. Their foundation is fairly young, but has already made a lasting impact in their three years of operation. They have provided hundreds of overnight stays to patients seeking care, but they have also provided measures of comfort and spiritual support to bring hope during treatments.
Community involvement has always been a pillar of business to Bliss Event Design. This
community has shaped our business into what it is today, and giving back has never been a question. That being said, the Son Foundation was rather unheard of to us. It did not take long for us to fall in love with this foundation and their mission. It takes strong people to support you through cancer, but even more remarkable people to walk every step of the way with you and countless others. It was truly a SON-sational experience to help shape this event, and then watch them not only meet their goal, but surpass it. The impact of our involvement in this event was not felt in the centerpieces and décor we created, but the friendships formed and the partnership started. We look forward to many more SON-Sational evenings, and continued involvement with the Son Foundation.
The second non-profit, The United Way of Central Indiana, is a little more well-known. Their Red Carpet Gala Oscar Party celebrated its 11th year this year. Their guest count nearly reached 700, and their need for 70 Alice in Wonderland centerpieces got our creative minds buzzing. We used over 5,000 pieces of cardstock to cut nearly 7,000 petals and create 300 paper flowers. The 500 stems of fresh flowers were transformed into whimsical and colorful centerpieces Alice herself would be jealous of. Our goal was to transport guests into Wonderland.
The United Way received funding towards their Kids Need Quality campaign. The goal is to promote quality childcare and preschool programs for children throughout central Indiana. These programs are vital to providing the best educational start for children. High quality childcare provides a safe and educational environment to start children on their path to success. Through their efforts, they were able to collect $100,00 during their event.
Looking back is funny in this situation because it has been less than a month since these two fantastic events. We’ve cleaned our office and stage spaces, reorganized new inventory, and
debriefed our team. While we are very excited for the possibilities of these events next year, we are glad to have a small period of rest before any heavy planning begins. Our journey was not one of 1,000 miles, but perhaps it was 1,000 hours. The success of these endeavors, however, was not measured in hours the hours we worked. The growth, friendship, direction, and bond we have discovered is far more valuable. Our lives are a series of important journeys, and for Bliss Event Design this is only the beginning. May there be infinitely more in our future and yours.
