Playworks Gala
Playworks celebrated their fifth annual Get in the Game Gala, hosted by Nickelodeon, in the Viacom Building rooftop overlooking Times Square on abeautiful summer night.
This year Playworks New York/New Jersey expanded their impact to servemore than 125,000 girls and boys in over 200 schools across our region to ensure safe, healthy and inclusiveplay which helps reducesbullying, increases physical activity, improve learning and promote social and emotional skills.
In addition to their full time Playworks programming in local New YorkCity and Newark schools, this winter they launched daily programming in four Rochester schools as part of their Western NY expansion, funded in part by theRalph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.
There was much to celebrate as Playworks' NY/NJ BoardChair, Laura James, and Team Up Program Manager, Luis Guerra presented the Most Valuable Principal award recognizing Dina Ercolano, and honored five Playworks Junior Coaches.
The evening featured inspiring remarks from Playworks NY/NJ ProgramDirector, Henry Appiah, Director of Development, Deborah Brodheim, and Founderand CEO, Jill Vialet. A live auction led by CK Swett raised funds to supportthe expanding efforts of Playworks to bring the power of play to every child inNew York and beyond. A special highlight was Sponge Bob Squarepants greeting guests and congratulating the Junior Coaches on their awards.
Attendees enjoyed stunning views of Times Square and experienced playthrough immersive activations of traditional recess games like Four Square andSwitch, along with life sized installations of Jenga, Hop Scotch, Ground Pongand a rousing game of Ro-Sham-Bo Rockstar.
Working closely with Playworks, Empire served as the overall eventproducer, managing elements including venue, décor, programming, and technicalproduction. Empire is a leading producer of fundraising events and we arehonored to have produced all five years of the Annual Playworks New York Get in the Game Gala.
To support or learn more about Playworks, please visit www.playworks.org
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
