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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.”

One of my best experiences at the recent NACE Conference was
the opening session presented by Jeff Henderson, noted Chef and author of Cooked, My Journey from the Streets to the Stove (Harper
Collins Publishers, 2007). A little about Jeff, quoted from the book’s face
page. “He made history as the first African-American to be named chef de
cuisine at Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas, and was the executive chef at
Cafe’ Bellagio. Chef Jeff frequently speaks to groups of at-risk teenagers, urging
them to avoid the mistakes he once made”. He  is also featured on the Food Network with his
Culinary Life School and Boot Camp, “The Chef Jeff Project”.

Chef Jeff’s message described the road to personal change. He
described the importance of building character and becoming a person of
integrity. Henderson poignantly described his own journey from convicted felon
(imprisoned for cocaine possession and distribution) to culinary star and noted
media personality.

His own first step on the road away from his felonious past
to the bold new future (envisioned as a prison chef during his incarceration)
was to “build a personal brand”. Henderson described how he leaned to walk,
talk, act and look like he belonged among the best culinary talent in the
Nation. For him, the journey to a personal brand involved both physical and
attitudinal change. Images from his presentation showed both the “dealer”
persona and the polished, professional Chef Jeff was to become . . . a
remarkable and inspiring transition !

At Premiere, we’re undergoing an exciting brand transition. The
Premiere brand has always been characterized by excellent and responsive
customer service and a helpful, generous spirit. We’ve always offered an
impressive variety of products and helped introduce and support new trends in
event décor and design. We’ve supported other industry professionals and
individual event holders by purchasing or acquiring the product needed to
satisfy their rental needs and wishes.

So what’s Premiere’s “New Look” and “Period of Transition”
all about ? It’s about stepping up our game; taking our brand to a higher
level; creating a new and more informative website; adding to our linen
offerings; preparing new linen swatch collections; introducing new and improved
North and South showrooms and focusing on the internal and operational details
that will ensure we provide rental ready product all of the time. It’s about an
“updated, more sophisticated” image that has inspired our staff and energized
our operation. It’s about a renewed commitment to consistency and quality in
products, staff and services !

We’ve been making these changes throughout this summer and
despite the triple digit heat, have revamped or replaced much of our inventory.
If you haven’t visited our North or South location within the past month or
two, I think you’ll be pleased when you do. We’ll continue to tweak, refine,
retrain and renew, and welcome your suggestions or your feedback.

More to come on the balance of Chef Jeff Henderson’s NACE
Experience Message and on the exciting changes happening at Premiere.

Delores Crum, CERP
President
Premiere Party Central

This past week I attended my first ever NACE Experience, the National Educational Conference sponsored by the National Association of Catering Executives. It was a great experience on so many levels ! The host hotel was the Silver Legacy in Reno, Nevada, so my husband, Richard and I added a couple of days on the front end of the trip. We actually stayed at Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe, and commuted to the Conference on Monday. Tuesday morning, when we checked out of Harvey’s, the temperature was 46 degrees ! When we arrived in Reno at 9:30, in time for the 10:00 AM “Design Experience”, the temperature was a cool and crisp 62. Boy was it tough to return to the 108 degrees that our car thermometer registered when it was retrieved from the Airport Hilton’s Park and Fly area. Next week I’ll be blogging about the Opening Session, the breakout sessions I attended and the outstanding events I enjoyed.

-Delores Crum, CERP, President
Premiere Party Central

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin, Texas – May 11th, 2011 – Austin’s Premiere Event Rental Specialists, Premiere Party Central and Premiere Tents & Events, proudly announce the addition of Ken Sharples as Creative Director. “I’m delighted to be working with the Premiere Team”, says Sharples. “I was looking for an opportunity with a company that intrigued and inspired me. I believe Premiere is that company.”

A seasoned events veteran, Sharples owned Creations Productions, a West Palm Beach, Florida event design and production company. Sharples founded Creations in 1995, and, grew the company into Florida’s leading event design and production firm. Creations operated an extension of Creations in the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Palm Beach Florida and, as the “in-house” Carlton events designer, helped produce elaborate events for prestigious corporate clients including Johnson & Johnson, FleetCor and Christian Dior. Creations also produced social events for such luminaries as Brooke Shields, Madonna, Elton John, Paul McCartney and “The Donald”. Creative was sold in 2009, and Sharples relocated to Austin last year.

Before joining Premiere, Ken worked with local event designers, including Amy Mader (Platinum Weddings and Events) and Dawn Earley (The Fairy Godmother Weddings and Events). “Ken Sharples is an undeniable talent in the event world”, says Mader. “He not only has the creative ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, but is able to take the client’s vision to exceptional levels”. Earley adds, “I knew from our first meeting that Ken had the personality and creative flair to succeed in Austin’s event scene. I’ve since worked with him on two events, and he has, without fail, provided the “wow factor”.

“Sharples’ energy and enthusiasm, coupled with incredible creativity, will be invaluable,” says Delores Crum, Premiere President, “as Premiere continues to introduce new products and incorporate new concepts into Austin and Central Texas events. We’ll make great use of Ken’s knowledge and expertise”, Crum adds, “in presenting the latest and most sought after event elements to our social and corporate events customers.”

For information concerning this announcement, please contact Kristi Hargis, Marketing Director, Premiere Party Central – North. 8868 Research Blvd, Suite #304, Austin, TX, 78758. Phone (512) 870-8552.

Last night was such a spectacular night! Not only did our guys to a STELLAR job setting up a tent and tables/chairs/linens for over 500 people, but many of our Premiere Team got to meet Will Ferrell himself!

The Event actually took place over the “course” of a few days out at Cimarron Hills Country Club in Georgetown, but the highlight of the weekend’s festivities took place last night–at the dinner and auction.

Guests were treated to appetizers of different mini sliders by Cover 3, and dinner was provided by Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill. All guests were catered to and waited upon by the amazing services of Simply Waitstaff. And, of course, bartenders were shaking it up all night courtesy of Capitol Beverage, Twin Liquors, Lone Star Beer, and Austin’s very own Tito’s Handmade Vodka!

After a jam-packed silent auction, we were treated to dinner and sat down to enjoy the speeches by some of the most amazing kids we have ever listened to. The stories of these young cancer survivors were truly touching, and make what we do have meaning! It was truly a night to remember, capped off by the LIVE auction, with special guest (Mr. Ron Burgundy himself) Will Ferrell.

With the help and generosity of everyone involved, we were able to raise over $40,000 for these kids to go to college! We can’t wait to see what these precious few will be able to do in the future!

To view a short video from the live auction with Will Ferrell, visit our YouTube page HERE.

Annie and Ruth (Fleurish Austin) with Will:

Kristi with Will:

Angela and Lydia with Will:

Here is a complete list of corporate sponsors from last night’s event:

Dell / Electronic Arts / Microstrategy / Golf Magazine / Furniture For Business / The Round Rock Express / Premiere Party Central / Premiere Tents & Events / Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill / Cover 3 / Cimarron Hills Golf & Country Club / KXAN / Golfsmith / Capitol Beverage / Tito’s Handmade Vodka / Twin Liquors / Lone Star Beer / Bridgestone Golf / Amy’s Ice Cream / Austin Chapter of Young Texans Against Cancer / Austin City Limits / Barton Creek Resort / BerryLicious Frozen Yogurt / Bond Boutique / C3 Presents / C’est Chic! / Cobalt Blue Hair Salon / Fred Couples / Ben Crenshaw / Daily Grill / Fogo de Chao / Peter Gardere / Golf Channel / Greg Lee & Athletes for Hope / Grey Rock Golf Club / Guero’s Taco Bar / Hilton / III Forks / Imperia / Kendra Scott Jewelry / The Lance Armstrong Foundation / Luxe Apothetique / Maggiano’s / The Melting Pot / Milk + Honey Spa / Jeff Niemann / Paramount & State Theatres / Perry’s Restaurants / Ruth’s Chris Steak House / Reid Ryan / Ryan Sanders Baseball / Santa Catarina / Shell Oil / Spa Reveil / Steeping Room / Sur la Table / Ten Oak / Uchi / Viva Day Spa / Will Ferrell & Viveca Paulin / Westin Austin at the Domain / Westin La Cantera Resort / The Y-Bar Ranch / Z’Tejas