If you've ever worked in a nonprofit, you're probably familiar with the following scenario: You have a big, no, huge event marked on the calendar. There is a massive amount of pressure for this expenditure of funds and resources to hit multiple organizational goals. It's highly visible and that means success or failure is as well. As you near the event, everyone on staff is pulled in and stretched a little thin.
Have residual anxiety just reading that? Oops, sorry. When we connected with the team at TreesUpstate, they were preparing for their signature event- The Turkey Trot in Greenville, SC. If you're an Upstate resident, you've probably heard of it or even ran the race. During the window of preparation for the Turkey Trot, they were also planning a Ceremonial Tree Planting Ceremony to thank their key donors, partners, and collaboration with the Lt. Governor's office. This celebration marked a huge fundraising goal of $80,000 to plant trees along the Swamp Rabbit Trail in the Upstate.
They had a beautiful program planned, as well as a great guest list, but with just a couple of weeks till the event, they were still in need of confirmed press, photography, and volunteers to help plant trees.
With such a short window to elevate the event, we met daily to coordinate details, update progress, and support TreesUpstate in PR, event coordination, photography, and sourcing volunteers. After working with several nonprofits in our community, I knew Girl Scouts of South Carolina- Mountains to Midlands would be the perfect volunteers for this event. Within one day, GSSCMM had a group of girls and parents excited to help plant trees, meet the Lt. Governor, and play a part in making the Upstate a little greener.
Through our established relationships with local media and a compelling pitch outreach, we were able to secure three hours of coverage on WSPA's morning show with Christine Scarpelli, as well as print and other local media coverage.
The team at TreesUpstate is passionate about environmental stewardship and sustainability. As I look back on 2021, the Ceremonial Tree Planting Ceremony with this impactful organization was a great moment.
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