By Jake Geiger
This past June, a small but mighty team from Event 360 wrapped up the spring season with the MMRF Team for Cures 5K walk/run at Calf Pasture Beach Park in Norwalk, CT. This was the 43rd 5K that Event 360 has produced for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Not only that, it was one of those special events that we won’t soon forget. If you’re in the event world, you know what I’m talking about… the weather was perfect, operations were seamless, vendors were punctual and there was even a glowing compliment from the local police department to boot. Let’s be honest, the stars don’t always align that way, no matter how meticulous the planning. This was doubly gratifying because we were at a new site and working with a new jurisdiction. The decision to move began well over a year ago and involved a rigorous site scouting and vetting process that ultimately landed us in the perfect location. We’re really looking forward to returning there next year!
But I digress. That event was the icing on the proverbial event cake and was at the end of a very long, zig-zagging line across the country. Our adventurous staff and trailer of event goodies logged thousands of miles, all in support of the MMRF and their goal of raising much needed funds and awareness for multiple myeloma research. Among the many exciting moments from this spring, here are some of my favorites:
1. Change is the only constant:
As an event ops specialists, working consistently with a site and jurisdiction over the years has a lot of benefits. It allows you to improve a site layout and flow as well as solidify relationships year after year. But every now and again, there are some reasons that call for big changes. This was one of those years. In the first half of 2019, 50% of our sites and courses were new, which meant more pre-event meetings, scouting trips and of course, beautiful new site maps. (insert event-geek happy grin here) Markets such as South Florida, Atlanta and Tri-State (mentioned above) all got new homes and we couldn’t be happier with the results. All of the heavy lifting is worth it when you see the end product come to fruition!
2. Don’t blame the meteorologist:
We all are held accountable for our work, but meteorologists seem to operate by a different set of rules. We rely on them heavily, but when they are wrong, you never hear them apologize? I would have appreciated one such apology the morning of April 6th in Dallas, TX. During event week, we are always watching for weather cells that would require additional pre-event messaging and warrant the “push weather contingency plan button now” on event morning. Our local weather friends in Dallas were calling for quite the thunderstorm during the event. Relying on such keen technology and wisdom, we put all plans in motion. Weather contingency conference calls were had with the MMRF and the site. Vendor orders were updated and site and course operations were adjusted accordingly. All was set and no stone was left unturned. So, you ask… how heavy was the rain? Did you delay or even cancel the event due to lightning? We had a road map for all of it, but the answer is, nope. Not a drop, not a crack of thunder nearby. All went as planned. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’ll take this scenario every time with a smile, especially knowing that we were ready for the worst case scenario. I’d just feel 1% better if I could hear the local meteorologist say, “Oops, sorry about that.”
3. Customized for good:
At Event 360, we’re always looking for ways to gain efficiencies and save on expenses. After nearly a year of analyzing shipping data and vendor vs. purchase cost scenarios, we put together a customized shipping package for the MMRF that saves money and also streamlines how we execute their event. The customized trailer has proven to be a game changer and I know our execution team is looking forward to reuniting with it very soon in Chicago!
Speaking of the windy city, our fall season and support of the MMRF continues along the shores of Lake Michigan on Sunday, September 15th. Be sure to follow along on Instagram and Facebook as our team visits such places as NYC, DC and LA. I’m sure there will be more stories and fun highlights to share this coming winter!
In his 17 years with Event 360, Jake Geiger has delivered exceptional event experiences from the planning phase all the way through to implementation. Specializing in complex event operations, Jake also works with local sites, jurisdictions, EMS, police and fire to ensure our sites and safety planning are top notch.
