On Sunday November 10, 2013 the “Just for Kids” Foundation put on its fourth annual G!EE High School Showdown (GHSS). This fundraising event got students from English Montreal high schools singing and dancing to support the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Suite 203 joined the JFK team to help put this event in the social media and PR spotlight.
By managing the GHSS Facebook page, our team motivated the students in their fundraising goals with must-have prizes including Herschel Supply bags and Ray-Ban sunglasses. Students were also encouraged to promote the event hashtags (#GHSS13 and #GleeGoesGlam) with an Instagram contest and real-time contest during the actual Showdown with Virgin Radio 96 host Tony Stark. With a limited audience of just 100 students and their families and fans, Suite 203 was speaking to a small group but was able to reach and excite the event audience weeks before the performance date.
This feel-good story about kids helping kids is definitely media worthy. The energetic fundraising event, glamorously produced by Total Events & Entertainment, caught the attention of many local media sources, thanks to a targeted public relations outreach. From broadcast to print to web, coverage of the event, both before and after, was impactful. Just a few of our favourites include pre-showdown live coverage on Breakfast Television Montreal where host Wilder Weir got his gleek on with two of the high school teams, as well as showdown winners Royal Vale’s live performance on Global Morning News Montreal. A behind the scenes highlight was hearing a bar of anchorman Richard Dagenais’ rendition of Fergie’s Glamorous as he put the kid’s at ease prior to filming. Other notable media highlights were clips on the Global Evening News, CTV Evening News, CHOM, CJAD as well as articles in the Suburban and expected coverage in the Montreal Gazette, Free Press and West Island Chronicle.
This event is made possible through the support of the corporate community. Thank you to Moroccanoil, CIBC Wood Gundy – Leutner Investment Group, Michael Kors, K-Way, Total Events & Entertainment, Omega Photography & Video Production and many other generous sponsors for their time, gifts and dedication to the event.
Suite 203 is proud to align itself with such a worthy cause that raised $127,000 for the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Donations are still being accepted online here. You can donate to any of the participating schools, maybe even an alma mater.
With such a successful event under their belts four years in a row, the “Just for Kids” Foundation is now bringing the G!EE showdown to a new corporate audience with the first-ever G!EE 9-5 Edition. There are just a few spots left for corporate teams so if your company has hidden talent, find out more on the “Just for Kids” website, www.jfkfoundation.ca.
