Pumpkins, Pie, and Pi Beta Phi: Decor for a Good Cause
Some of my favorite fall memories come from my college days, going to apple orchards and carving pumpkins with my sorority sisters. A few years ago, I started volunteering on my sorority's alumni advisory council in an effort to give back to an organization that gave so much to me!
One of the most fun parts of being an involved alumnus is supporting the women in the events they have throughout the year. This year, the women decided to host "Pumpkin Pie with Pi Beta Phi" to raise money for literacy. Knowing my love of party planning and all things crafty, the chapter asked me for some decorative consulting. I had so much fun putting together a fun fall ribbon banner and gathering some supplies for them to create some other decor.
To capture the pie theme, I picked up some simple items for them to make a pumpkin pie banner. It was made up of kraft paper, a muted orange paper, cotton balls for whipped cream, some white paper doilies, and twine. Some quick cutting and gluing resulted in an adorable banner for the check-in table. The women added a plastic tablecloth and some signage to complete the look. While they used the banner for this philanthropy event, this is an easy banner to add to your Thanksgiving setup. How cute would this be for a pie table or on your mantel?
Upon arriving downstairs, the fireplace was adorned with a pumpkin fabric banner I whipped up. (I am now selling these at a local shop and will take custom orders!) The ladies paired this with some metal Pi Phi letters and a printed chalkboard sign for the event.
Guests lined up to grab their pumpkin pie along the serving buffet. Above the plates of delicious pie was another fun banner made up of supplies I grabbed at Target's Dollar Spot. The store is currently carrying fun kraft paper pie boxes that comes with white paper doilies. I scooped up two packages ($3 each) so that there were enough boxes to spell out "Pi Phi." Target also had copper glitter letters for $3 that also included another set of letters for a future project. I highly recommend checking out the fall clearance for crafty items right now. There are so many fun items that can be used well beyond the fall season. All of these fall dollar spot items are currently 50% off (usually moved to the back of the store) and will continue to get marked down through the weekend. I picked up two packages of the pie boxes for myself at $1.50 each to create something fun for my own Thanksgiving gathering.
Finally, although I had nothing to do with the construction of the "Pie a Pi Phi" backdrop (it's been around for years), this is one of the highlights of Pi Phi philanthropy events. Each year the women volunteer themselves to be pied in the face, all in the name of a good cause.
As if all of that weren't awesome enough, the women also had their own Snapchat filter! If you are planning an upcoming wedding, party, or other event, this can be a fun add on and will encourage guests to share their experience on social media. Filters can be as inexpensive as $5. If you don't have graphic design skills like these talented women, you can get a filter designed for you on Etsy or Snapchat has some available as well. Read more on the process here. Don't forget to have a tried and true hashtag, too, for sharing on other platforms like Instagram and Twitter!
It was a successful event and I was so glad I got to help with the decorations!