Long Island nonprofits add themes to the art of fund raising

At dusk on June 16, guests arrived at Oheka Castle, some dressed as angels, princesses and courtiers. Others simply wore their finest formalwear. A ballerina, a dead ringer for a sugarplum fairy, posed still as a statue as guests meandered up the grand staircase. Inside, a wizard on stilts greeted the ladies with a kiss on their hands.

Guests paused at an entranceway table to select from an abundance of feathered and jeweled masks. Meanwhile, a harpist filled the interior with music. Make-up artists hand-painted the guests' face or body with masks, floral vines, or tattoos. And a film crew and photographers documented it all.

No, this wasn't a movie set. It was A Midsummer Night's Masquerade, a Long Island Elite charity event.

It's one of the more fun parties I look forward to, said party- goer Diane Levitan, director of Westbury-based The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care. Its charitable side makes you feel good about going.

This party raised more than $90,000 for the National Foundation for Human Potential, Education and Assistance Corp., The Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education and The Children's Miracle Network.

Like other local charity events, LIE's masquerade ball goes beyond the chicken dinner and speeches. Long Island's Fight for Charity, Texas Hold 'Em nights and themed galas aim to draw in crowds with a promise to entertain. With every not-for-profits vying for money, event planners say special events help satisfy their regular donors, and pull in new ones. They also give the event's committee workers and guests a platform for networking.

Aside from raising funds, special events also help an organization increase its visibility. These events also cultivate donors, volunteers, partners and new people interested in becoming more involved, said Patrice Frank, vice president of public awareness for the AFP's Long Island chapter.

And the more unique the affair, the stronger the impact, experts say.

Everyone's trying to be bigger and better and be more creative, said Tracey Gittere, president of Legendary Events in Garden City.

It's no different for LIE.

I want people to say, 'Oh my God. That was like nothing else, said Dawn Strain, 31, president and founder of LIE.

The organization bills itself as dedicated to fostering the growth and development of the Island's emerging business leaders under the age of 40. The group, which allows up to three individuals from an industry to join, is also committed to raising funds for the less fortunate.

We're all competing for the same dollars, Strain said. People don't want to go to a sit-down dinner and be bored out of their minds. I want to give them a memory.

Still, golf outings and dinner dances remain popular. But to keep events interesting, I think they are turning inward and looking at the services they provide to become part of the event, said Frank, who also serves as director of development at Huntington-based Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, a summer arts day camp.

There she holds a gala dinner, complete with an evening of student performances, as well as a program called Usdan University, an adults-only event where parents, alumni and friends can be campers for a day.

American Lung Association also raised the stakes with its third annual casino night at Château Briand in Carle Place on June 21. This year's theme? Cruising for a Cure, run by Long Beach-based HJMT Communications. To enhance the theme, HJMT staffers and ALA representatives dressed in sailor suits, said Raquel Weiss, a company spokeswoman.

Themes, and even their sub-themes, keep the party interesting. Last year, for instance, ALA's casino night adopted a Breathe Easy, Speak Easy, roaring '20s theme. And next year, Strain is considering an Arabian Nights masquerade.

By building momentum, not-for-profits increase their audience, said Bill Corbett, speaking on behalf of Long Island's Fight for Charity, which was held last May. Boxers serve as chief fundraisers, creating a group of supporters who wear team jackets, and walk the boxer into the ring. A trainer lends encouragement from the corner. It raises the showmanship and excitement, Corbett said.

And at $45 per ticket, anybody can afford to attend, he noted.

Like the masquerade ball, the Fight for Charity supports several charities, casting a wider net around would-be supporters, Corbett added. This year's Fight for Charity event is set for Nov. 14.

The firms that donate time and money to these events also often win out. For example, Hauppauge-based Walter F. Cameron donated at least 200 hours and tens of thousands of dollars worth of work, designing e-blasts, collateral materials and print ads, said Mark Preiser, the company's senior vice president.

Anytime some of your work is shown and [people] like your work, it's a positive, Preiser said. Still, he added, it's also rewarding to work pro bono for other causes that are not so visible but are still good causes.

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