This is especially so for those who live in smaller or tight-knit communities. Communities who work together in small ways to make their surroundings a better place tend to become a thriving, growing community where everyone is happy and satisfied and everyone benefits from what the community does to serve each other.

Community service is more than just serving one another in deed or word, but it’s about establishing the spirit of a place, one where the people involved all know that they’re striving to reach a common goal.

Community programs are one such area where everyone in the community reaps big benefits and share a common goal. Children based programs and elderly programs are common, but there are a host of other types of programs that communities have that are highly beneficial. Finding out what each community needs or likes is a matter of doing a little research and interviewing.

To start a community program where the residents will benefit, start by talking to the people of that community to see what they like and what they’d like to see done in their area. If the area has a lot of children, it would be a great idea to start a sports based program that would cater to children of all ages and all types of sports interests. If the children like soccer, invite a professional soccer player to come in and talk to the children about their goals. Perhaps start a free soccer camp with volunteers so that the kids can become exposed to the game of soccer and learn more about it hands-on.

Here are some steps you should take to get the process started:

Media Contact

Contact the local media outlets to apprise them of a story about your community program. Give the newspaper or radio station as much information as possible, including any future plans or other events that the program committee is planning.

Programs

Determine what kind of programs the committee will explore and decide to take on as a project. For instance, if the community program is going to focus on kids and kid-specific programs, determine if those programs are going to be education-based, sports-based, age specific, etc. By making these types of decisions firsthand, you can better determine in what direction your program is going to be headed and what goals they will set out to accomplish as time goes along.

Officers, Administration And Volunteers

As with any other newly formed community program, it’s important to go ahead and elect officers for the new committee, no matter how big or small the community program may be. This is going to be very important for any future goals, especially if there are going to be federal and local funds requests made to support the program. Positions that will need to be filled will include a secretary for notes and administration duties, a treasurer to handle an account for all financial transactions, including loan requests and donations, a president to take care of all community program and managing duties and a vice-president to assist the president and perform some of those same duties. Although these positions are all optional, it’s important to establish some sort of administrative hierarchy so that the community program runs efficiently all times.

Also, don’t forget to solicit the help of volunteers from the community to help with the program. As many people as there are that can get involved with the community program, the better it will be for all involved.

Check with the local government in your area and see if you can secure any assistance with starting a community program for the children in your area. There may be grants or subsidized programs that may exist for the community of which you may not be aware. The local city hall office will be able to tell you more about any available programs or direct you in the right place for you to get more information. Many programs are provided for and supported various federal programs, so it’s also a good idea to check and find out if there are any resources for your local area and local community.

Warmest regards,

Angie

A:Hi Angie! Please let me assure you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about. One of the great things about coming to a company like EBE is that we are not a one-man show, so we always have staff available to fill-in in an emergency. That said, we not only realize that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for you, we embrace it.

My personal philosophy is that the only excuse to ever miss a gig is if you are either in jail or are in the morgue. And I certainly hope to be in neither place anytime soon! That’s no joke, though. It seems lately that virtually every storm we have had has been on a Saturday. Remember two years ago when we had three storms, each of which produced at least twenty inches of snow? Two out of those three storms were on Saturday. Hurricane Irene? Saturday. That heavy snowstorm just before Halloween last year? Saturday! Although some clients chose to postpone their events (their choice), we did not miss a single show.

In fact, in many of the above cases we actually (if the venue allowed for it) arrived a day early for setup. This way if the roads were bad and delayed the arrival of the talent, all of the equipment would already be setup and ready to go upon arrival. We have even gone so far in a few cases to put our staff up in a nearby hotel, to minimize that necessary amount of driving on the day of the storm.

Our same attitude applies towards sickness. We realize that this is a job where there is no such thing as “calling in sick.” I have performed at easily over 2000 events in my career, and I have never missed one of them (for sickness or any other reason). As I said, we have staff that we can call in if necessary on emergency standby, but that would only occur in the absolute rarest of circumstances and only under the most critical of emergencies.

Speaking of backup, although you did not ask about this, I wanted to let you know that we are backed up in the case of equipment failure as well. I not only have two laptops that I bring to every event, I also have two hard drives racked into my system. I even have entire second system and some other loose equipment (such as an extra DJ mixer and fourth hard drive). I even have a DJ speaker which has an internal battery and iPod dock, so in the event of power failure, the music will never stop. Hopefully it would never come to that and it may be overkill to bring all of that to every event, but I believe that one can never have too much backup.

I hope this helped! I’m looking forward to celebrating with you in a few weeks!

Best,

Ben

Paperless Post has all of the timeless, classic themes for your online wedding invitation. It truly delivers a beautiful design complete with a virtual envelope that opens up with a reply card, announcements, and all that you get in a regular snail-mail invitation. When you create an online invitation, whether or not it is through Paperless Post, you have endless choices right in front of you and the leisure, pressure-free approach to just browse. Online databases are absolutely endless and you can find the exact style and design you want. The paper can have a textured look, rough edges, shiny trim, and silk bows, whatever you want. With the high-resolution screens on computers now, you can really get a realistic effect. With the added animation of the invitation floating out of the envelope and unfolding, it’s a fun email to receive.

Not only is it convenient for you, it is convenient for your recipient. People operate much more efficiently with online communication. Instead of mailing back the invitation, it is just a simple click. You also see it whenever you open your email so it won’t fall to the bottom of the mail pile. It’s also nice not to have 6 pieces of an invitation getting spread out all over the place. Those little Save the Date cards always seem to go missing unless it’s a magnet.

People argue that getting a tangible invitation in the mail is a special, old-fashioned means of communication that should not be lost to the conveniences of online communication. This is a completely valid argument and I agree that getting something in the mail is special. What isn’t important is having ribbons woven into every piece of the invitation, having scented cards, or having thick, heavy cardstock invitations. Keep it simple. A simple sticker for the calendar, or a magnet for the fridge, is a great way for your friends to keep your wedding in mind during their hectic schedule. Also, people like to look at you and your husband, but not sitting back-to-back sipping wine on the beach and gazing out at the sunset. Keep it real, and keep it simple. Your invitation should represent you, but it doesn’t have to look like an invitation to a royal ball.

When creating your invitations, like all else, think of the time and money you want to invest. If invitations are something you just want to get done on the cheap, go the online route. If you want beautiful invitations that people might want to save, decide just how formal and traditional you are going to go. Invitations can be anything you want them to be, and don’t be afraid to do what you want with it. Fun colors are taking over white and cream, and a simple font is taking over cursive. Do what looks like you and your partner.

Sometimes combining the Save the Date and the invitation, and sending out the wedding schedule all in one envelope, leaves more attention for bigger things… like seating your feuding relatives or deciding whether to hire an EBE band or an EBE DJ/MC Combination for the reception. Maybe a string quartet for the ceremony? But I digress. Wedding invitations can cause headaches and when compared to seating guests, music choices, and lodging requirements and requests, it should be the first and easiest step to introducing Mr. and Mrs. Right to everyone. Sign it, seal it, and deliver it… so you can enjoy the rest of the adventure. Once it’s in the mail, you won’t see it, or think about it again. Your job is to send, and wait, and enjoy what is about to come.

Thanks!
Meghan

A:Hi Meghan! The good news is that here at EBE, we have both amazing bands and talented DJs, so no matter what you decide you are in great hands. As far as which direction to go, as someone who has been a DJ/MC for 28 years, I may be a little biased. However, even I am the first to admit that is a definite level of energy and excitement that comes with a band that is difficult (though not impossible with a great DJ) to duplicate. There are certainly pros and cons for both sides of the coin (for example, with a DJ you a virtually limitless with the library of songs that can be played, while with a band you are limited to what they know or can learn in time for the wedding), but rather than go into all of them, I would rather point out some other factors that you should take into consideration before making your decision. I do want to point out, however, that with today’s technology EBE’s bands are truly able to keep that “original” sound into their performances. Come to one of our band showcases, because in this case hearing is truly believing.

1) Budget

You said that your parents are paying for the everything, but have you established an entertainment budget? You may find that your budget will not allow for a premier band. Without question you will be better off with a great DJ than you would be with a lousy band (not that you will find any lousy bands here), which would approximately the same price.

2) Size/Space

Think about your venue. Will there be enough space for a 14-piece band? Will there be enough space for a 7-piece band? For most venues this is not an issue, but occasionally we encounter places that are too small for a band to fit.

3) Compromise

There are a couple of different directions that you may also want to consider, where you can have a band and a DJ. We have performed at several weddings where a DJ is bolted onto a band and can perform one or two dance sets. Or perhaps a band for the reception and a DJ for the after party? Better yet, how about both at the same time? We have three bands (EBE Amsterdam, Imagine & Love) that feature a DJ as one of the band’s pieces. The DJ’s smooth beats blend in with the band’s music, making for a very unique instrument. Another option is to add a live instrument or two with your DJ. In this case, the DJ is playing the original music, to which the instruments play along. If it were up to me, I would have a drummer with me on every party at which I perform. It is the first thing I recommend as it gives an energy boost that is indescribable. A saxophone, guitar or percussionist work amazingly well too.

I guess my point is to please not stress over this! I am sure that we can find the perfect entertainment for you, Phil and your parents. No matter what you decide we thank you for thinking of us and we would be honored to be a part of your special night. ALL of us at EBE are looking forward to celebrating with you.

Best regards,

Ben

When you live in a large city, it’s easy to throw a corporate event that fits just what it is you are trying to accomplish. From Go Kart racing to schmoozing outside on the patio at an upscale hotel, there are plenty of venues to set the mood for your corporate event.

Starting small, a popular corporate get together is to do a fun activity together, like bowling or Go Kart Racing. The goal here is to let off steam, meet some other people outside of your department, and have a good time. This is really good for company morale, because those that play together work together better. It is proven that once office mates, and people from the same office park, get to know one another, more conversation happens. When more conversation happens, ideas grow. That is good for the company. People, no matter what age, love to act like children every once in a while. When you feel like a child, you loosen up and talk to people you normally wouldn’t. This is, however, a great idea for the young, hard workers at desk jobs in big companies.

If the event calls for fun, but on a larger scale, there are many options. There is always the club route. There are even clubs that offer superior audio-visual capabilities for companies that want to share project videos, show pictures from past events, or promote their own agendas all while sipping on drinks and dancing. If a club is too loud and the corporate event calls for a bit more of a sophisticated vibe, rooftop lounges are very popular. It is easy to rent out a rooftop lounge on the top of a hotel and it allows for the same club feel without the loud music reverberating off the walls. It also provides a calming view and cocktails, so you get a mood that fosters mingling with others. Here at the Warehouse at EBE, we can provide the best of both worlds. Our Warehouse is designed for you to feel as though you are renting your own private night club, while our roof deck offers stunning views of the Delaware River and the Ben Franklin Bridge.

For the large corporate event there are lots that can be rented out. These lots are the perfect canvas for setting your own corporate theme. Usually these lots are around 4000 square feet and can accommodate a lot of people. It offers great options for lighting, catering, and photo opportunities. This can be a great place to hire a band, a magic show, or some form of entertainment since there is so much room to work with. These venues tend to be used by people who want to transform it. You get a warehouse feel but with insulation, heat, and good lighting. High ceilings and wide open floor space welcome a happy group of people to a large party. It has that artist vibe but with out all of the art.

However, when a cultural element is needed, there are always art galleries, museums, and even a cultural center. Depending on the guests, you can tailor that even more to a specific place, like an auto museum. All three of our local sports venues offer great event space, so they are certainly worthy of checking out too. People love to be in places where they can look around and discuss what they see. It is a great icebreaker and for the more mellow, formal crowd, a nice evening out.

For the fancy events, there are several manor homes that are now being rented out for private events. There are places on a beach that can be rented out, so you can sip your martini and watch the sunset. Another option is to book your function in one of the downtown spaces with event space on the thirtieth floor or above. When your guests are watching the lights twinkle in the surrounding buildings, they will appreciate the unique opportunity to view the city from such a unique vantage point.

One last location to consider is the great outdoors. Sometimes an outdoor event can be a wonderful respite from the confining walls of corporate life. It can be a formal, catered event with tables and a band, bocce ball, and croquette. Or, it can be a family friendly event where big blow up jumping houses and clowns with balloons are there to entertain while you mingle with adults. No matter what your corporate events, there are venues to fulfill that idea you have of the perfect party.

At the Warehouse at EBE, we have hosted many corporate functions that gave definition to the term “business before pleasure!” Imagine a setting where you have the space to first hold your corporate meetings/information sessions, then break for lunch and conclude with the EBE Game Show. This is an unbelievable team-building activity where you can reinforce everything you had just taught your employees, but in an incredibly fun environment. The keyword again is team-building, because the camaraderie that will exist cannot be beat!

All that I could envision as we were standing outside freezing was something like this happening at our wedding. I know that there is nothing that can be done to prevent a fire from happening, but is there anything that could be done to prevent everyone from leaving? With all of the money we (and our parents) are spending on the wedding, it would be tragic for it to be wasted. Any advice?

Thanks!

Stacey

A:Hi Stacey! I can only imagine the frustration you must be feeling. You put so much time and effort into something (not to mention the money), it is a shame to see it ruined by something completely out of your control. I can tell you that as someone who personally performs at over 125 per year (and has been doing so for longer than I would care to mention!), this is something that virtually never happens. It is unfortunate that you happened to have been there for the one time that it did. Truly, in all of the thousands of events at which I have performed, only once have I ever had to evacuate the building due to a fire. Fortunately in that case, it was just before the party was set to begin (most of the guests were not even there yet). We did have to wait outside for the better part of an hour before the fire commissioner would let us back in, but all that was lost was about half of the cocktail hour. As terrible as that is, it certainly could have been a lot worse.

As far as preventing the guests from leaving should disaster occur, I am not sure if there is anything that you can do. Short of asking them to stay, I think people are going to naturally go (especially if it is cold outside or if the fire is really bad). Depending upon the severity of the fire, you may not have much of a choice anyway. If this is something that you are truly concerned about, I believe that there are companies who offer to insure the event (similar to trip cancellation insurance). I hope this helps! I know that you’re going to have a beautiful night, though, and everything will proceed flawlessly.

Best regards,

Ben

Planning the best Bar Mitzvah celebration is going to depend on what the likes or dislikes the honoree may have, the budget for the celebration, where the event will be held and what gifts or accolades will be bestowed upon the honoree.

Choose a Facility

The first thing to do in planning the Bar Mitzvah is to decide on where to hold the party. It may be held at the synagogue, but it’s going to be very important to secure whichever facility well in advance so that you’re assured that you’ll have the best place to celebrate this special time. Most synagogues assign Bar/Bat Mitzvah dates when the child enters fourth grade, so you should have ample time to find and book the venue that will be perfect for you.

Outfit for the Occasion

Purchasing the Bar Mitzvah boy’s suit is almost as much of a rite of passage for the parents as the Bar Mitzvah itself is for the boy. Fortunately, there are still many great clothiers in the area who specialize in this. Of course, you can always go to one of the major formal wear chains or a department store in the mall. Don’t forget that this is a Bar Mitzvah, though, and that there is more involved than just purchasing a suit. Make sure that you secure his first tallis (Jewish prayer shawl) and do this in a sufficient amount of time so there aren’t any surprises as the Bar Mitzvah approaches. Oftentimes parents will order custom yarmulkes that commemorate the day, so remember these too.

Food, Drinks

Food and drinks for a Bar Mitzvah ceremony will likely be party style food, along with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Make sure your reception venue has a liquor license, enough so that they are at least able to serve alcohol as many adults at the reception will want to consume alcoholic beverages. The food will likely consist of culture specific style foods and/or any food items that the Bar Mitzvah honoree likes and wants to have for his special day. In the case with the foods and drinks, it may also be a good idea to secure the services of a caterer or food service company to help with preparing and serving the food, especially if there are going to be a lot of people in attendance.

Ceremony

The Bar Mitzvah ceremony is likely going to be controlled by the Rabbi and Cantor at they synagogue, unless you are doing your own private ceremony at the reception hall, where you will need to rent your own. If that is the case for you, you are in luck in that there are many reputable Rabbis to hire in the area. In either case, do not be shy if there are any specific details you want to make sure are included. It might even be a good idea to design your own short checklist to make sure that everything is done as it should be. Also, check with your Rabbi to make sure the young man’s attire and accessories are correct, placed correctly, and to ensure there are not items missing that will be needed.

Gifts

Gifts for the honoree are up to the invited guests to determine what to give, but you can always give suggestions on items that he would like to receive. For instance, electronic items are always a hit and always a welcomed item. Anything like iPods, iPads, laptop computers, speakers or DVD players are a good idea. The Bar Mitzvah young man would probably also like to get things like video games, gift cards for their favorite game store or cash gifts as well. If you do give the young man cash gifts, be sure to do so in increments of 18. Eighteen is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word Chai, which means “life.” Since this is such a defining moment in a young Jewish boy’s life, this is the traditional amount given. Always account for your entire family when giving any gift, because you want to give a gift that reflects how many of you are coming.

Entertainment

The ceremony is over and now it is time to party! What entertainment should you choose for the reception? What kind of reception are you envisioning? Some people just like an elegant luncheon, while others want a bash that rivals Times Square on New Year’s Eve. As with choosing your venue, you have the time to find exactly what is the right fit for you and your family. However, don’t wait too long because if there is a specific band or DJ that you “have to have,” the longer you wait to book the more you run the risk that someone will snatch them up before you. At EBE, we have the right entertainment for every budget. This not only of course includes our talented bands and DJs, but our event enhancements, which are sure to kick your party up a few notches to the next level.

As the newly bestowed Bar Mitzvah honoree is celebrating with his family, friends and loved ones, it’s also worth noting that this is a time of fun and light-hearted celebration as well. After the ceremonial part is over, the partying will begin in earnest and with EBE as your entertainment source, everyone in attendance is sure to have a joyous time.

Thanks!

Danielle

A:Hi Danielle! Fortunately the playoffs are still several weeks away, so there is a good chance that it will be a moot point as far as the Giants are concerned. However, there are still going to be a significant number of your guests who are going to want to watch the game no matter what teams are involved.

In the past I have seen people who have just tried to ignore that a game is going on and I have seen others accept the reality and deal with it as best as they can. I once performed at a wedding that took place during a Phillies playoff game a few years ago. All but four of the guys (and this includes the groom!) spent practically the entire evening in the hotel lobby bar (where there were televisions) watching the game.

I have also had clients who put screens into the room to show the game, so that everyone would at least be together. This has its pluses and minuses, though, as it definitely has an effect on the decor and ambiance of the room. Sometimes it works out great. A few weeks after the incident above, I performed at a Bat Mitzvah which took place during a Phillies World Series game. Fortunately, they had already booked our Big Screen Video package, so we already had two large screens (in this case, our huge 80″ “Plexi-Screens”) on either side of the dance floor. We were able to tap into the venue’s cable feed, which gave us the ability to show the game on one or both screens, in addition the the screens’ regular content.

Another time, though, I was performing at a corporate event during a series deciding Yankees-Red Sox playoff game. About one-third of the crowd were Phillies fans, one-third were Mets fans, and one-third were Yankees fans. In this game, the Red Sox pulled off a major upset and defeated the Yankees. One Yankees fan at the party was pretty unhappy about this and berated me throughout the event for keeping the game on while his team was losing. The funny thing was in this case I did not even have control over the screens. The client had hired the venue to provide them to show nothing but the game, so I did not even have anything to do with it!

Oh well. In either case, you need to think about what is best for you and your guests prior to making any decisions. If the Giants won’t be playing during your event, my guess is that you will probably be OK not doing anything. You may lose a few NFL die hards, but the general vibe for the party should stay intact. If it will be during the Giants game, you are going to have a decision to make. No matter what you decide, we will be here to help you in any way that we can and will have screens available if you need them. Please let me know what you decide!

Best regards,

Ben

Above are some fantastic pictures I found to get those creative juices flowing:

The first is a fantastic idea from Wedding Bee. It is right up my fear-of-sewing alley! Modge-podge your table numbers with fabric and then hot glue gun like crazy.

Next, Martha Stewart knows her stuff. Usually she has me in a cold sweat panic over her perfect crafts, but it seems to me that adding photos of the happy couple holding their table numbers are fool-proof!

Finally, chalkboard table numbers like the ones featured on Pretty Entertaining have become quite trendy these days and rightfully so – it’s the perfect way to combine creativity that’s both decorative and easy on the budget. You can find self-standing boards like these for a very reasonable price, or place inside a small picture frame to list the individual guests on place cards.

No matter how you decide to display your table numbers, remember there are no wrong choices. Just find a fun, stress-free project and enjoy showing off your funky side!