Text from Rental Pulse Magazine. To view the original article, please click here.

Premiere Party Central shows the heart of Texas giving

Note: This is the latest in a series of ARA Foundation spotlights on the philanthropic efforts of those within the rental industry. If you have a story about how you give your time and talents to help others, please send an email to Jenni Venema, ARA Foundation director of development, at jennifer.venema@ararental.org. Please include details on how you, your company and your employees volunteer in your community as well as any available photos.

Premiere Party Central in Austin, Texas, knows how to open its hearts to others. In the past nine months, it has partnered with no less than eight major philanthropic fundraising events. This year is not an exception. Every year, this party and event rental company assists organizations and causes that support children, breast cancer and animals.

For instance, in December 2010, Premiere Party Central was approached to partner with “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” an ABC television network series. Owner Delores Crum, CERP, and her staff members were given one week’s notice to prepare for the show. The recipient was a soldier from Fort Hood who had been wounded in the base shootings. He had been hospitalized for 10 months. His fiancée was at his side the entire time, encouraging and supporting him. This episode of the show was to be their home and wedding makeover. Premiere Party Central stepped up to the cause, making this a successful event. “This was an extraordinary event for us to partner with ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,’ Crum says. “It truly touched our hearts.”

Other events the company has supported through significant donations of rental equipment and/or time include:

• Safe Place’s holiday event benefit that supports its domestic violence shelter. Gifts were collected for the mothers and children.
• Bandana Ball that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. This contribution also included extensive rental support for the silent and live auctions and dinner gala event.
• Will Ferrell Golf Classic, which provides scholarships for children who have battled cancer and are preparing to go to college. A sponsorship and donation of rental equipment allowed the Premiere Party Central staff members to meet Will Ferrell.
• Brides against Breast Cancer event in which local bridal stores donate gowns to be purchased by brides. Proceeds benefit breast cancer research.
• Daniel Curtis benefit for industry peer who was paralyzed in an accident. Substantial rental help was supplied for this event.
• Benefit for local fire victims who lost homes. Funds raised were given for rebuilding efforts.
• Seton Hayes Medical Center Foundation gala event that will be held in September to support the foundation’s philanthropic work .

For Premiere Party Central, giving back to the community through equipment rental discounts, donations, time and financial support is part of the company’s corporate culture. “We are so blessed to be able to do this type of philanthropic giving,” Crum says. “We want to help where we can be of benefit to our community.”