The saying goes, “You can be right, or you can be happy”.
At Albany Creek Chaplaincy Committee’s trivia night fundraiser last year, everyone who attended left happy (win or lose), and so were the organisers, who raised more than $9000 on the night.
But Albany Creek Chaplaincy Committee chair, Jo Funnell, who has been in the role for 15 months, said the night was about more than raising funds.
“Our goal was $10,000 and we made $9160, so not only was the event successful for the funds it raised but also for the massive community connection that was made,” he said.
“I was actually on annual leave at the time of the event but popped in to say hello to the team and some of our distinguished guests at the event and what I saw was awesome.
“So many people had worked tirelessly to put the event together, collecting prizes, rounding up donations, marketing and inviting and setting up the event. To see it all come together was awesome.”
The festive crowd of 430 players was made up of 48 tables of between six and eight people.
“We actually do lots of fundraising events but this one is always fun and works so well as it has something for everyone,” Jo said.
“There was no theme but there was lots of extras, like the silent auction and giant raffle. There was literally hundreds of prizes.”
Jo’s top 5 tips for a successful trivia night
- Have a sub-committee that focuses on the event and prepares and reports back to the LCC.
- Divide the roles, having someone driving the registrations, the marketing, the sponsors and the physical setup and planning.
- Encourage the churches and local community groups to be involved.
- Have lots of people marking on the night.
- Plan well in advance and market while you keep putting the finer details together. This builds the momentum of the event.