Employees of Astellas Pharma U.S. Inc. teamed up with Total Event Resources (847.397.2200, total-event.com) to celebrate the season by building 48 bicycles for children from Chicago Youth Centers, a local nonprofit organization. About 40 kids showed up at the end of the event to surprise the company’s staffers, who then surprised them with their new bikes.
Activities Instead of a single evening of festivities, Minnetonka, Minnesota-based Carlson Companies held 12 days of events. Activities included an employee-cooked progressive meal that took place over several floors and an office-wide scavenger hunt with clues via e-mail throughout the day. Prizes included an iPod Touch, a Sleep Number bed, and box seats at a Bon Jovi concert.
Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker family dinner in Chicago had kid-friendly touches including apple cider and Sprite cocktails, strolling magicians, and an activity station with a branded Lego tower provided by “brick artist” Beth Weis (847.494.5346, bethweis.com).
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“We hired My Party Impressions (416.963.8302, mypartyimpressions.com) to provide a flip book station, which was a huge hit at the event. The guests had a blast creating their own unique scenes, and it was a great take-home for them as well.”
Entertainment
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“Last year we were on a tight budget, so we hired Precision Event Group (310.285.0420, precisionus.com) to turn one of our parking lots into a dance club complete with DJ—who was spinning from above the crowd on an industrial staircase—and, of course, a disco ball. Our employees loved it.” Pam Byrne, executive director, studio services, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Los Angeles
106 bizbash.com september/october 2010
At a holiday-themed event to celebrate the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Event Architects (888.365.4511, event-architects. com) brought in a pair of professional ice skaters who performed on an elevated skating rink.
The South Floridabased Office Depot Foundation held a holiday party with a tropical theme. Boca By Design (561.447.3349, bocabydesign. com) brought in live flamingos, parrots, and other creatures from Rainforest Aviaries and Gardens (305.246.5930) and Jesse Williams Ranch (305.238.5437, jessewilliamsranch.com) for photo ops and atmosphere.
PHOTOS: PAUL STEVEN PHOTOGRAPHY (OFFICE DEPOT), COURTESY OF CARLSON, MATTHEW KAPLAN PHOTOGRAPHY (ASTELLAS), ERIC CRAIG FOR BIZBASH (JOFFREY), RICK AGUILAR STUDIOS (CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL), COURTESY OF PRECISION EVENT GROUP, BIZBASH (HIGH ROAD)
Laura Bryce, account executive, High Road Communications, Toronto