© 2024 WVIK
Listen at 90.3 FM and 98.3 FM in the Quad Cities, 95.9 FM in Dubuque, or on the WVIK app!
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Community

Nobody Came & It's a Success

An invitation to "not attend" with RSVP or donation card
Michelle O'Neill
/
WVIK News
Friendship Manor's No Show Gala invitation

A fundraiser without any guests turned out to be a success. This Fall, Friendship Manor mailed hundreds of invitations to its first "No Show Gala."

Development Director, Jeff Condit, says a resident of the Rock Island retirement community told him about the "no show" fundraising idea, which had success in Atlanta and Chicago. He decided to try it in the Quad Cities, but didn't know what to expect.

Most people who were "invited not to attend" were puzzled at first, but loved the idea after figuring it out. Condit says he did receive a few calls from people who said there was a typo in the invitation.

So far, the No Show Gala has raised 100,000 dollars for Friendship Manor's endowment. Condit says the Moline Foundation helped by donating 50 cents for every dollar. The Rock Island non-profit's goal is to increase the endowment to one million dollars.

Officially, Michelle's title for 28 years was WVIK News Editor. She did everything there is to do in the newsroom and whatever was needed around the radio station. She also served as Acting News Director from September 2023 - January 2024.
Related Content