Running of the Beds
A Bed Race for Flourish
I led the development and execution of Running of the Beds, Flourish’s signature bed race fundraiser.
Designed to raise awareness and support for beds through peer-to-peer fundraising, the event invited teams of five build beds-on-wheels and race them - each challenged to raise $500 or more. I also coordinated a vibrant festival atmosphere including carnival games, music, food, and a resource fair featuring 20 Flourish nonprofit referring partners. I created and executed this event during my time as Development Specialist (2024) and Development Manager (2025) at Flourish.
Background & Goals
In the years following Flourish’s founding in 2019, we experimented with a range of traditional fundraising events—golf tournaments, comedy nights, restaurant givebacks—but we lacked a signature event that captured our unique spirit and mission.
Inspired by college bed races and the energy of Spain’s Running of the Bulls, I developed Running of the Beds to do something more: spark joy, engage new audiences, and build powerful momentum for Flourish’s work furnishing homes.
My goal was to create an event that stood out—original, inclusive, and scalable—while raising meaningful support for our mission. I led the successful planning and execution of the event in both its inaugural year (2024) and its return in 2025, establishing a strong foundation for it to continue annually.
Key Responsibilities
Managing 100+ event volunteers
Securing sponsorships and peer-to-peer team participation
Designing all event branding and collateral
Coordinating venue logistics, vendors, and entertainment
Recruiting food trucks, emcee, DJ, nonprofit partners, and carnival vendors
Writing the event script and handling day-of execution
Impact
$80,369 raised through sponsorships and peer-to-peer fundraising
600+ attendees joined for a full day of racing and community celebration
6 media stories covered the event, highlighting its creativity and mission
Developed a replicable planning template for long-term sustainability
Honored with a Gold Philly Award from Nonprofit Connect for Event Campaign
Videos
I coordinated with a local videography team to capture the energy and impact of the event, working closely with them to plan key moments, map out the timing of races and festival activities. The resulting video served as both a recap and promotional tool for future events.
2024 Running of the Beds
Video by Prisma Creative Media
2025 Running of the Beds
Video by the Kansas City Star
Media Coverage
To amplify the event’s reach, I coordinated all media outreach, including writing and distributing press releases, pitching to local news outlets, and conducting on-camera interviews. As a result, Running of the Beds was featured in six media stories over two years—including video segments by KSHB in 2024 and KMBC in 2025—highlighting the creativity of the event and the mission behind it.
2025 Running of the Beds
Video by KMBC
2024 Running of the Beds
Video by KSHB
Graphic Design
I created all visual materials for the event, including promotional flyers, a detailed sponsorship catalog, and event signage like the bed race rules. My goal was to develop a cohesive, energetic visual identity that reflected the fun and community-driven spirit of the event while remaining clear, accessible, and on-brand.
Photos
I coordinated with a professional event photographer to capture both the excitement of the races and the warmth of the community atmosphere. I helped develop the shot list to ensure we highlighted key moments, team creativity, guest engagement, and partner presence—creating a library of images that could be used for future promotions, social media, and donor outreach.
Philly Award
Nonprofit Connect is a Kansas City organization that connects nonprofits, provides resources, and hosts annual award celebrations. The Philly Awards recognizes excellence in nonprofit marketing across social media, website, events, fundraising appeals, and more. Winners are chosen based on marketing category, organization size, and one from each category is selected for the Gold Award.
In 2024, Flourish was awarded the Gold Philly Award for an Event Campaign recognizing Running of the Beds.
