Thanks for being a champion for local students!
Be the Bridge isn’t just an event—it’s a call to action. As a Table Captain, you play a vital role in fueling the impactful programs and services that transform the lives of over 30,000 students and families in the Lake Washington School District. Your leadership is essential to the success of this premier fundraiser and the ongoing work of the Lake Washington Schools Foundation.
WHAT:
LWSF’s Be the Bridge Spring Benefit
WHERE:
Seattle Marriott Redmond
7401 164th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
WHEN:
Thursday, March 28, 2024
11:00 AM Meet and Greet – JUST ADDED!
11:30 AM-12:00 PM Check-in
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Luncheon and Program
New this year! We will be opening the doors at 11:00am for a Meet and Greet with Program Leaders and LWSF Board Members. You’ll have the opportunity to grab coffee and connect with the people who are doing the important work of implementing LWSF’s mission.
Be the Bridge is a benefit event. To raise enough money to fund the programming that students need, our goal is for each table to reach $2,500. If every attendee gives at least $250, we’ll meet our goal.
What is a Table Captain?
A Table Captain’s #1 job is to help fill the room with people who are—or have the potential to be—passionate about supporting students through LWSF. This can take various forms:
- You could host an entire table on your own (you plus 9 guests)
- You can partner with a friend to co-host a table (you, your co-host and 8 guests)
- You can host half a table (you plus 4 guests)
Decided? Email us and let us know which path you’ll take!
As a Table Captain, your specific responsibilities include:
- Recruit: Invite friends, family, and colleagues to join you at the LWSF luncheon.
- Advocate: Inspire engagement by sharing information about LWSF’s work.
- Host: Be a gracious representative for LWSF at your table during the event.
- Thank: Express gratitude to your guests and encourage their ongoing involvement.
Ready? Let’s get started!
1. Register
First things first: make sure you have a seat. Register yourself for Be the Bridge >>. When registering, use your own name as your Table Captain.
2. Invite your network
Social media is awesome, but the best way to fill your table is by making specific and personal invitations to individuals who you think will care about our mission.
Schedules fill up quickly, so start inviting guests ASAP!
- Brainstorm a list of 25-30 people you want to invite. Think about past guests, friends, neighbors, and business contacts. Consider community members who share the values of LWSF and believe in investing in students.
- Tables seat 10, but if you have more than 9 guests for your table, we will try to seat you at adjacent tables. If you have half of a table, or fewer than 9 guests, we will seat you with another group.
- If you have been a Table Captain before and can’t remember who you sat with, email our Table Captain team at [email protected].
- Sponsors: Please consider inviting management and organizational leaders, as well as clients and partners with whom you want to share your dedication to youth in our community.
- Reach out with personal invitations to your potential guests. This can be a phone call, text, email, or card. Let them know why LWSF’s work matters to you.
- If ambivalent responses come in, do your best to encourage your friends to get involved. Share with them why you first got involved with LWSF, or send them information about an area of our work that you really believe in (see a great overview of our work here.)
- If a friend can’t attend, encourage them to donate in lieu of attendance at http://lwsf.org/bethebridge. We do plan to make portions of the program available to watch on-demand after the event.
- When a contact agrees to attend, encourage them to bring a friend—just make sure everyone registers online so everyone gets a seat and a meal.
- If you want to mail physical invitations, email our Table Captain team at [email protected] to arrange for pickup at our office in Redmond.
Dear [INSERT NAME]
Can you meet me on March 28 for lunch? I’m filling a table at the Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s annual Be the Bridge spring benefit and I want you to sit with me! Not only will it be a great opportunity to catch up over lunch, but we’ll also be supporting the foundation’s essential work in helping students in our community succeed.
WHAT:
LWSF’s Be the Bridge Spring Benefit
WHERE:
Seattle Marriott Redmond
7401 164th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
WHEN:
Thursday, March 28, 2024
11:30 AM-12:00 PM Check-in
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Luncheon and Program
If you can come, please register at http://lwsf.org/bethebridge and enter my name as your Table Captain.
If you’re unavailable to attend, I’d still love you to consider donating to LWSF to support their mission. (Click http://lwsf.org/bethebridge to donate). Every little bit counts.
Hoping you can join me!
All the best,
[Your Name]
P.S. Tickets are free, but Bridge the Gap is a benefit event, so please bring a giving spirit. Because I believe in LWSF’s mission, I’ve committed to raising more than $2,500 from our table, which translates to an average donation of $250 per person.
3. Connect on social media
- “Like” or “Follow” LWSF’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube.
- Mark yourself as “Going” on the Facebook event page and share it with your network
- Using the templates below, make your own social media posts to ask your network to register for Be the Bridge or donate in lieu of attendance.
When making social media posts, please use #bethebridge and tag LWSF. Here are our handles:
- Facebook: @LakeWashingtonSchoolsFoundation
- Twitter: @LWSFoundation
- Instagram: @lakewaschoolsfoundation
- LinkedIn: @lake-washington-schools-foundation
Did you know there are over 30,000 students in our district? I’m thrilled to be attending the Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s Be the Bridge luncheon on March 28 to learn how we can help each and every one of them! Register and/or donate at http://lwsf.org/bethebridge and list me as your table captain so we can sit together. Join me and let’s make a difference together!
I’m attending the Be the Bridge luncheon on March 28 to support Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s efforts in providing equitable learning opportunities for all students. Join me and let’s make a positive impact TOGETHER! Register and/or donate at http://lwsf.org/bethebridge and list me as your table captain so we’ll sit together.
Are we doing enough in our schools to make sure EVERY CHILD has what they need to succeed?! Come with me to Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s Be the Bridge luncheon on March 23 and learn what we can do to make the future brighter—and more inclusive—for all. Register and/or donate here, and list me as your table captain so we can sit together: http://lwsf.org/bethebridge
Mark your calendars! LWSF’s Be the Bridge spring benefit luncheon is back on March 28. I’m excited to see LWSF’s work in action and hear stories of growth and opportunity directly from the people making it happen. Come along with me and let’s make a difference together. Register and/or donate here, and list me as your table captain so we can sit together: www.lwsf.org/bethebridge
Visit our Media Kit to download our logos.
4. Lead a generous table
Tell your guests why YOU support LWSF!
We will deliver a show that educates, enlightens, and inspires. If we do our job, your guests will be motivated to join our cause. You can help by telling them your personal story of why you support LWSF’s work.
Ask yourself:
- When and how did you first learn about LWSF’s work?
- What issues facing students are you most concerned about?
- Which LWSF programs resonate the most with you?
- How is LWSF working to address your concerns?
- What aspects of LWSF’s work would most interest your guest?
We need every attendee to give an average of $250.
When a guest agrees to attend the luncheon with you, please make sure that they know in advance that they will be asked to contribute—nobody likes to be surprised by donation requests.
If that figure seems high, please let your guests know that they can elect to make a smaller monthly donation that adds up to $250 or more over the course of the year.
Most guests prefer to give digitally these days, but we will also accept checks. One of your most important jobs as a Table Captain will be to collect any checks that your table writes and securely deliver them to authorized LWSF staff at the end of the luncheon.
Some donors prefer to donate via donor-advised fund or payroll giving programs, but since those aren’t on-the-spot donations, we’ll ask them to let us know how we can expect their donation to arrive so that we can tally your table’s total correctly.
5. Stay updated
Watch your email!
We will check-in on your progress, make sure your guests are registered, and deliver suggestions on how to communicate with your guest list.
We will email reminders to your guests about attending the event, but you should also periodically reach out personally to those seated at your table and make sure they remember to attend. We will also send you a message just before the luncheon letting you know exactly when to arrive at the Marriott and what to do when you get there.
Also watch out for new posts on social media. It’s incredibly helpful for you to like, comment on, and share any post you see, whether it’s related to Be the Bridge or not. You have the power to increase our reach, which supercharges our ability to raise funds and help more students!
Cancellations?
- If someone needs to cancel, let us know ASAP so we can fill that spot.
- If someone cancels on the day of the event, tell us right away so we know that there is an extra seat at your table. We might be able to fill it with a last-minute registrant.
Questions? Email our Table Captain team at any time at [email protected].
