Driving Through the Pandemic

With no end date on the international health crisis, efforts are being made to bring back some elements of normalcy. Awards, celebrations, fundraisers, meetings, trainings and planning sessions—once deemed non-essential—are finding their way back onto our priority lists. We’ve taken notes from the event planners with Harmony House, who launched their iCare campaign in a completely new way this October. 

PRESENTED BY

Drive-in movies. Drive-through fast food. Drive-through… fundraising? When it comes to pivoting in 2020, no wild idea is off the table. Determined to make its annual iCare community awareness campaign a success despite the pandemic, Harmony House teamed up with Oasis Hotel & Convention Center to reimagine the launch of the fundraiser. On September 29, Harmony House hosted its iCare kickoff breakfast in the Oasis parking lot—a far cry from the event that typically features a sit-down breakfast and highly produced programming.

Knowing that flexibility and safety was of the utmost importance, Harmony House invited all of its community partners to safely gather together from the comfort of their cars. Upon entering the Oasis parking lot, more than 50 business representatives tuned into a radio station programmed to guide them through the event. Friendly faces greeted them at multiple stops featuring breakfast sandwiches, coffee, Krispy Kreme donuts and iCare materials. "The overwhelming warm welcome received from the Harmony House team and volunteers when arriving at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center on the brisk September morning of the iCare campaign kickoff was absolutely inspiring. We know it’s the same welcome families receive when fleeing domestic violence," says Karen Braun, Community Engagement Manager with Mercy.

After parading through the drive-thru, guests found a parking spot and tuned in to the most impactful element of the event: Video testimonials from domestic violence survivors who received help from Harmony House. 

“Being able to have supporters in-person is a big part of how we convey the urgency in the mission of iCare,” says Jared Alexander, Harmony House’s Director of Development. “We knew early on that we were going to need to be creative in our approach this year, and the Oasis was more than willing to try something no one else was doing to help us make it a success.”

Outdoors or indoors, Oasis Hotel & Convention Center makes 417-landers’ health and safety their top priority. Their commitment now and going forward is to be the cleanest hotel and convention center in all of Springfield, Missouri. And with more than 30,000 square feet of indoor meeting space—the largest available in Springfield—it’s no wonder that so many organizations, like the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Greater Springfield FCA, Leadership Springfield, and Missouri Sports Hall of Fame are choosing to comfortably host offsite events, meetings and more there, spacing out as safely as possible during COVID-19. 

Oasis’s staff and event organizers consider every detail for safety, from the menu to service execution, table setup and more. Their Clean Commitment proactively works to keep guests safe. Some safety features of this commitment include:
   • HVAC system equipped with UV-C lights to assist in killing bacteria and other germs in meeting rooms
   • Conference rooms sanitized prior to and following each event
   • Floor plans follow social distancing guidelines
   • Silverware sanitized and rolled in napkins in order to maintain sanitary standards when placed on the tables
   • Restrooms have a dedicated bathroom attendant for the duration of the event to continuously clean and sanitize surfaces
   • Sanitizing stations placed at all conference room entrances
   • Culinary team sanitizes kitchen counters, utensils, floors and equipment frequently throughout each day and wears gloves and facial masks at all times
   • House AV equipment (microphones, remotes, podiums, etc.) sanitized prior to and following each event. Sanitation wipes provided for cleaning podiums and microphones between speakers.

Oasis found a solution for hosting more than 50 businesses at Harmony House’s iCare event, and their professional team can customize an event plan for your needs as well.

About Oasis Hotel and Convention Center: You’ll find an unconventional convention center at the Oasis. Their facility includes top-of-the-line audio visual, drop-down screens, high speed Wi-Fi, a built-in stage, theatrical lighting, 11 private meeting rooms, full-service catering and much more. Their friendly staff works directly with office meeting planners to make hosting offsite meetings easy and stress-free.The tropical-themed, resort-inspired atmosphere provides a relaxed and comfortable setting where attendees can escape the office free from distractions.