Pickleball & Cocoa

Entry Details

Our hot chocolate and pastry stand was a fundraising event hosted in collaboration with the Pamplin College of Business during their sold-out pickleball tournament. Our chapter set up a booth selling hot chocolate and pastries to spectators and participants, providing a cozy and delicious way to enjoy the tournament while raising funds for our chapter. The booth created a welcoming space to relax, socialize, and refuel during the high-energy tournament, all while supporting our initiatives. This idea increased our fundraising capabilities by generating funds that directly supported our chapter's activities. Partnering with the Pamplin College of Business's tournament bolstered our chapter's reputation as a collaborative and proactive organization. This opened the door to establish relationships that could lead to more impactful initiatives. Our chapter gained exposure to a broader audience by participating in a high-traffic event full of business students. This visibility helped raise awareness of our mission and attract interest from potential new members. Running the booth provided a hands-on opportunity for chapter members to develop skills such as event planning, customer service, and handling money. This practical experience contributes to the professional growth of our members.

Implementation

The idea of the booth and fundraising opportunity arose from a member who works with the Pamplin College of Business. We were invited to have a booth at the tournament and we took the opportunity. We coordinated the logistics of the booth, planned for what equipment we needed, and the products we would offer. We decided on hot chocolate and pastries since it was freezing temperatures that day. Our members made the hot chocolate and pastries in our kitchen on campus, and coordinated how the food would be properly transported. We announced on our social media that we were out there, and most of our members came to support the pickleball players. Some of our members were participating in the tournament, which brought more funds to our booth. The chapter volunteers worked together to ensure smooth operations. The booth was a hit, and we made sure to engage with customers and build awareness of our organization. The members were extremely excited to be part of a successful fundraiser during a sold-out event. The members expressed satisfaction with the fundraising results and the tournament drew a lot of positive attention. Many of our members suggested similar fundraising events in the future, especially with high-traffic student events and further engage with the campus community.