Gratitude

Here at Synchronicity, we love to express our gratitude year-round! We figured it couldn’t hurt, though, to share some of what we’re most grateful for this year.

Three masked party go-ers are chatting over a glass of wine at the Transportation Choices Coalition event “Tuxes & Trains.” Photo by Danny Ngan Photography

While COVID numbers may still be fluctuating throughout many parts of the country, the numbers are looking very hopeful for in-person events where COVID safety protocols are followed. We couldn’t have gotten here without working together as a community to get vaccinated and to continue to wear our masks. We are so grateful that the people we work with have been diligent about safety. Before we meet up to work, everyone involved in the production fills out a contact tracing form (and of course we all work wearing masks except - sometimes - the on-camera talent). While we’ve had to activate the contract tracing protocol a couple of times, there have been no positive tests for our team, clients, or vendors - YAY! We extend extra appreciation to a couple of clients (we’re looking at you, Coyote and ROOTS Young Adult Shelter) who were extra gracious and flexible when Synchronicity team members needed to quarantine while waiting for test results. This diligence and support from our whole community has allowed us to keep moving (safely) through our busy event season! All of these things, taken together, have given us the confidence to create a few in-person experiences, like the Transportation Choices Coalition event “Tuxes & Trains” (pictured) to celebrate the opening of Seattle’s new light rail stations this fall. We’re looking forward to exploring more in-person and hybrid options in the spring, and thrilled that we have so many powerful event formats in our toolbox now, to help each of our clients gather in the ways that suit their community best.

Behind the scenes shot of the house band performing at the Food Lifeline Fundraising event. Photo by DIWAS Photography

Next on our list of gratitude: events that helped us grow! “Tuxes & Trains”, Seafair’s “Cocktails & The Blues” and a vaccination event for Seattle Public Schools were some of this year’s in-person events … they each presented unique challenges but in the end, all felt great! Another event from the past year that really challenged us in the best way was Pratt Fine Arts Center’s “Pratt Live” fundraiser. This was a longer form, telethon-style event that featured several live artist demos during the show. While this event was challenging to pull off it was also SO. MUCH. FUN! Another one of our favorite ways to challenge ourselves and take our events to the next level is the inclusion of a house band during live broadcasts. When you choreograph the music into the show and weave it through the storytelling and other entertainment, it becomes a dynamic element supporting and transforming the event. Live music is a powerful way to bring people together and we need that feeling of togetherness now more than ever. Thank you to DNDA and Food Lifeline (pictured) for trusting us to include live musicians on the set as part of your fundraising this year!

Team Synchronicity produced 78 lovely events in 2021, and NONE of them would be possible without the support of the spectacular vendors that we work with to make our events happen! So many folks not only stepped up to the immediate task of pivoting to accommodate virtual events back in 2020, but have since kept growing even more powerful with their work in this space. We LOVE working with Michael B. Maine who worked as a photographer before the pandemic. He quickly jumped into supporting live streaming events as part of his offerings. Michael works on many of our events and has done an amazing job adapting to the streaming life! Similarly, one of our go-to emcees learned to be a fundraising host specifically to help expand the talent pool available for virtual fundraising events when we presented the opportunity. Lauren DuPree is an unmatched talent and we’re so lucky that she was willing to be flexible and quickly learn some new skills to facilitate on camera. We couldn’t have a conversation about adapting to the new ways of the event world without a mention of our friends at Kaspars Catering & Events. Many caterers have become adept at delivering meals to event guests at home, and Kaspars does it without compromising their truly gourmet quality that we’ve loved for so many years. Thank you for always making our guests’ experience a great one!

These are just a few examples of all that we have to be grateful for. It truly takes all of our incredible clients, our talented team members, and every vendor and volunteer who works on our events to make the Synchronicity magic happen! So, if you’re reading this, THANK YOU! We hope you’re finding yourself full of gratitude (and maybe some pie!) this week.