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Event Planning Kit

The Basics -Who, What, When & Where -Light Bulb Art -Event Checklist -Involving Youth -Email & Print Invitations -Lights On At-A-Glance -Afterschool Facts Event Ideas & Activities -Case Studies -Issue a Proclamation -Sign on to Project 2010 -Lights On In an Election Year Policy-Makers -Invitation -Proclamation Getting Press -Ten Steps -Media Timeline -Save the Date -Media Alert -News Release Using Lights On to Raise Funds -10 Tips for Getting Sponsors -32 Ways to Give Sponsors Exposure at Your Event -Sample Letter to Potential Sponsors Artwork & Materials -Light Bulb Art -Graphics & Logos -Newsletter Article -Lights On Buttons & Other Items -Poster -Radio Announcer Copy -Web Banners -Afterschool Fact Sheet -Lights On! Fact Sheet Sample Materials -Email & Print Invitations -Save the Date -Media Alert -News Release -Policy-Maker Invitation -Policy-Maker Proclamation -Other Proclamation

Now that you’ve planned your Lights On Afterschool event, it’s time to start creating invitations to send to people you would like to have attend.

Create print or email invitations to your Lights On Afterschool event.

• Creating an email invite; sample provided
• How to use evite.com or e-invite service
• Graphics for invitations
• Sample print invitations from past events

Creating an E-Invitation

Sending your invitation via email gives you the advantage of tracking who you have invited, who has RSVP, and who you will need to follow up with. This will also give you a chance to personalize your invitation with information about your program – where it’s located, how many children are being served, activities provided, etc.

You can either send an email invitation using your own email system, or using an electronic invitation service such as EVITE.com. The advantage of your email is that you can get rsvp’s right in your mailbox without checking an outside service; the advantage of a service like EVITE is that all of the event rsvps are tracked for you in one place, and don’t clog your inbox. You can also use more graphics in your email invitation. Both are FREE!

• From your email – Keep it short and sweet with one or two nice but simple color graphics (too many graphics will make your email large, and some people may not receive it). Use our email header for Lights On Afterschool.Try to make it brief enough that readers will see most of the information in their email preview screen.
  
  Subject: Come Celebrate Lights On Afterschool Oct 18!
  
  [INSERT HEADER FROM OUR LOA EMAILS]

  YOU’RE INVITED TO A CELBRATION!!

  Make plans to join [organization/program name] and the Afterschool Alliance to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs, [date], for the

  Lights On Afterschool!

  In communities today, 14.3 million children take care of themselves after the school day ends. Afterschool programs keep kids safe, help working families and inspire learning. Join us, along with 7,500+ afterschool programs nationwide, in celebrating our afterschool programs.
  
  [Be sure to include information about your event. Also remember to thank your sponsors. Sample below]

  • Who: [Lucky Kids Afterschool Program]
  • What: [An open house event with food, fun and entertainment]
  • When: [Thursday, October 18th, 2007 – 3 pm until 5pm]
  • Where: [Johnson Elementary School, 1234 Main Street]
  • Why: [Come and experience first hand what fantastic activities the Lucky Kids Afterschool program is providing the youth of Johnson Elementary. The children will showcase their talents for art, dance and reading by providing participants with an art show of recent projects completed in the afterschool program; provide a talent show featuring African-dance and ballroom dance; and read written stories entitled “What Lucky Kids Has Done for Me”.]

  [If you want people to rsvp for the event, be sure to tell them how and by what deadline]
  
  Lucky Kids would like to thank the following for making this event a great success!
  
  Corner Pizza Store
  ABC Party Supplies

• E-invitiation services - EVITE.com allows you to select a pre-designed e-vite or you can create your own. Upload graphics and logos from www.afterschoolalliance.org/lights_on/logos.cfm to customize your invitation; consider using photos from your program or past events, or artwork by afterschool students. (NOTE: art files must be either a .JPG or .GIF format with maximum size 500 KB).
  
  Creating an e-invitation through EVITE.com
  • Visit www.evite.com to get started creating your invitation
  • Choose a design. Design your own invitation or choose from a list of designs created by evite.com. If designing your own, choose a background our upload your own from your computer.
  • Upload your main image – lights on graphic artwork, pictures from your program, your logo, etc. (must be either a .JPG or .GIF maximum 500 KB)
  • Choose the colors of your text, event title, headers and reply boxes
  • Enter Details. Enter the event title, location, time, and host name (your program name). Be sure to include a message about your event, such as, what activities are planned, sponsor thank you, what keynote speakers or prominent individuals have been invited. Preview your invitation to make sure all information is correct.
  • Add Guest. Create your guest list by importing your contacts list from your address book or by inserting email addresses in the space provided. Be sure to choose your reply style in order for your guest to select the correct response to your evite. When your guests reply, their responses will be grouped under the headers yes, no and maybe. You can customize these headers by choosing a reply style offered by Evite or by creating your own. There is a 750 guest maximum.
  • Email Messages to Guest. Evite will automatically send an email to your list of contacts to alert them about the invitation and also provide a link to view the invitation. This alert will include the event title, the main image and a message that you create about the event.
  • Register with Evite and check your guest list often. Make sure to log into your evite.com invitation often to track who has responded and who needs a follow up call. With evite.com, you will also be able to send reminders to invited guests about the event and invite more people.