by: Grier Ferguson Sarasota-Manatee Editor
Just because supporters of nonprofits can’t get together in person during the COVID-19 crisis doesn’t mean fundraising stops. Enter virtual events. 
Cancelling or in some cases postponing them in the face of the Coronavirus crisis has caused financial headaches and uncertainty. But many organizations aren’t sitting idly by. They’re altering plans and turning to virtual events to help gather an audience of supporters and continue to raise money.
Having a strong team to help put the event together in seven or eight days was key, Kelly says. That team included auctioneer Scott Robertson, Harmon’s Audio Visual, public relations and marketing consultant Elly Hagen, and emcee and area media personality Gina Birch. “Go with the professionals,” Kelly says. “We could have spent less money on the front end for sure, but it would have been a totally different event and we wouldn’t have been happy about it.”
