Client: UnLIMBited
Type of Event: Nonprofit Gala “Barrels & Bites”
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Attendee Count: 500+
Auctioneer: George Franco
Mobile Bidding: OneCause
Funds Raised: $925,711

Introduction to the UnLIMBited Foundation

The UnLIMBited Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with limb differences. The foundation makes limb-saving treatment accessible to children all over the world, providing financial assistance, temporary housing, and emotional support for families with limited resources. Often, local medical teams lack the resources to save or reconstruct a child’s limb. But with the help of the UnLIMBited Foundation and the Paley Institute, families from all over the US and over 100 different countries are able to bring their children to receive highly specialized and experienced care.

The Objective

For this event, the objective was to connect the donors directly with the lives impacted by the UnLIMBited Foundation. This elegant event was organized to honor and thank the patrons whose donations make the foundation’s vital work possible. The majority of the attendees have already donated, so UnLIMBited didn’t want this to feel like a fundraiser. They were seeking to reach their donors on an emotional level, creating an experience that promoted heartwarming stories, but also a celebration featuring local music and artwork.

How UnLIMBited Foundation Chose Utopia Experience

Utopia Experience’s President, Joey Goone, has been appearing on many podcasts since the pandemic changed the world.

In early 2023, the Executive Director of the UnLIMBited Foundation tuned in to one of these podcasts, and had a strong connection with Joey’s approach to event production. (*Shout out to Rhea Wong!!*) An introduction was made with our team, and we were off to the races!

Pre-Event Preparation:

As with many Utopia productions, our planning began well in advance. Our team met with the client a year before the event to discuss goals and expectations, ensuring that we could align our vision early on, and develop the event together.

Six months prior to the event, our team did a site visit, meeting the team in person and inspecting every inch of the venue. Because the Flagler Museum is a historic landmark, we planned with extreme caution to ensure that all of our equipment could be loaded, set up and operated without damaging any element of the building. The Museum is open 7 days a week, including the date of the upcoming event, so we knew that we would have to plan a much shorter load-in than is normally expected.

Our videography team also joined on the trip six months out, connecting with several families who have had positive impacts from The UnLIMBited Foundation. We recorded videos to be played at the event itself: vignette videos focusing on each family, a thank you video, and a Fund-a-Need video. 

We created a walkthrough experience for the event, where the goal with these videos was to underline the emotional stories at the end of the experience. Vignettes would play, letting attendees hear the stories of patients who were standing nearby. We designed 20+ banners, to be placed strategically throughout the experience so that they could learn more about the work of the organization as they made their way through. Each banner also featured a QR code, so that the attendees could also continue to donate, if they desired.

One of the patients 3D prints as a hobby, and mentioned how he wanted to create something for the event. We worked with him to create a tree that would feature hundreds of purple starfish – the symbol of the UnLIMBited Foundation. Outside, they would receive a 3D printed starfish, and get a chance to ring the bell that patients ring at the end of their treatment. The walkthrough would culminate in a grand ballroom, which would feature a silent auction of artwork from a local artist, a band from the area, and a keynote speech from Dr. Paley of the Paley Institute.

Day of event:

The Flagler Museum was open from 10am-5pm the day of the event, with doors opening for attendees at 8pm. We knew this would be limiting, as an event of this size generally requires more than 3 hours of setup time. We worked with the Museum to allow us to load equipment in at 8 am, to speed up the setup process later in the day. These extra 2 hours were crucial to transform the entire museum, as we were able to focus on fine-tuning A/V on the walkthrough experience and in the ballroom.

Our videography team was armed with a state-of-the-art Sony FX30 4K, roaming through the venue, capturing the event from all angles. Because the event took place across the whole venue, it was necessary to have a Ronin stabilizing mount for our Sony, giving it the ability to take steady video while moving. The Utopia sound team also had a unique challenge, as the museum isn’t designed for band performances.

The Utopia team was also directly involved in the execution of the walkthrough experience: from attendee check-in, to the banner-filled hallways, to the vignette reels, to the starfish tree and bell outside. At each step of the way, a member of our team was engaging with donors and patients, ensuring that the personal touch and emotional tone would stay active throughout their journey.

The Results

Personal stories of resilience, transformation and gratitude resonated with attendees, showing them the profound impact of their contributions. UnLIMBited also raised additional funds with their paddle raise, which will help countless other families in the future.

At its core, the event created a strong sense of community and connection among the attendees. The thankful and inclusive atmosphere served as a powerful reminder of the collective efforts of generosity. It was truly an evening of UnLIMBited possibilities, and one that the attendees will always remember.

Looking Ahead

Connecting attendees with your mission is at the heart of Utopia’s event planning and production expertise. Reach out to us today, discover how we can elevate your next event into an unforgettable experience!