Comedy Gala
Aisha Gillan
Abraham Lux
Husnain Shahid
Maryam Shahid
Table of Contents
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary....3
Background Information.....4
The Dallas Regional Chamber.....4
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas..5
The Social Cause.......6
Proposal...7
Introduction..7
Goal7
Solution8
Venue and Staffing.9
Program Agenda.10
Budget.....11
Estimated Attendance..12
Appendix I: Gala Invitation............................................................................................................13
Appendix III: Auction Items....14
Appendix IV: Works Cited..............................................................................................................15
Executive Summary
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Texas has about 6.2 million people that do not have health insurance. This accounts for a
fourth of the nations uninsured individuals. Texas did not expand their health insurance
through the Affordable Care Act and their residents are left in a coverage gap. Today, Texas
has the nations highest uninsured rate and more residents who fall into the coverage gap than
any other state. In South Dallas, 43.1% of the population does not have any kind of health
insurance. The city of Dallas has a disproportionate health care system, one in which residents
of more affluent areas of Dallas county get easy access to the best care, while other areas such
as South Dallas are living in medical deserts.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Texas is a state-wide customer owned insurer that aims to
provide Texas consumers with access to affordable care and quality health care to its customers.
BCBS has been involved in numerous non-profit organizations to aid in improving the health
and wellness of over a million individuals. By joining forces with the Lone Star Association of
Charitable Clinics and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, BCBS is creating a cost-effective way to
obtain a generous contribution to provide free healthcare to the underprivileged and uninsured
residents of South Dallas.
By joining employees from BCBS, the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, and medical clinics in South
Dallas for the Laughter for Lives Comedy Gala, we hope to sufficiently aide in the fight against
providing healthcare to the underprivileged and therefore making South Dallas a healthier
place to live.
Background Information
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Proposal
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Texas has about 6.2 million people that are uninsured. This means that 1 out of every 4 people
in Texas lives without health insurance. Blue Cross and Blue Shield will address the needs of the
under privileged by partnering with the Lone Star Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.
This nonprofit is devoted to addressing the needs of more than 1,200 Free and Charitable
Clinics in the United States. We aim to raise funds to donate to the clinics in the South Dallas
area. This way, people who cannot afford health care services in the South Dallas area can have
access to free clinics near their homes.
Goal
Our goal is to provide access to affordable health care for the uninsured by raising $115,000 to
donate to free clinics around the South Dallas area. This is estimated to help about 1,150
underprivileged individuals in the region.
Solution
To solve the issue providing access to affordable health care for the uninsured of the South
Dallas area, we will initiate Laughter for Lives Comedy Gala. Our company, Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of Texas, is partnering up with the Lone Star Association of Free and Charitable Clinics
(LSAAC) to host a comedy gala that will provide funds that will be donated to the LSACC in the
South Dallas area. The Comedy Gala event will raise funds through: selling entry tickets, catered
dinner at the event, and through donations of items such as Dallas Maverick tickets, cruise
tickets, etc. The employees of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, the Lone Star Association of
Free and Charitable Clinics, medical professionals in the South Dallas, and the Dallas Regional
Chamber members are all invited to attend. All of the proceeds will then be donated to the
Lone Star Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. These non for profit clinics run on
donations and government funding alone. They provide statistics as well that tell how many
individuals have been diagnosed, treated, etc. By donating to the South Dallas area clinics, we
will see an increase in the healthcare that is given to that population. This not only will aid the
uninsured people living in South Dallas, but will increase the amount of people that will move
to the area which will therefore increase the business in the area.
The Laughter for Lives Comedy Gala will take place on August 29th, 2015 from 6 pm to 9 pm at
Crystal Banquet Hall on 6300 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX. There will be complimentary Valet
provided for the event. The venue includes the following attributes:
Catering
Food served in chafing dishes
Professional wait staff
Mediterranean cuisine
o Chicken/Beef Shawarma
o Kabab served with Hummus
o Vermicelli Rice
Tickets
9
Individual- $200
Pair- $350
Per Table (Max 10 people)- $1600
Staffing
Program Agenda
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6:00 PM
o Introduction to Cause Presented by Nicholas Fitch, Vice President of Regional
Affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield
6:15 PM
o Background Information on Charity Presented by Dr. Bobby Kapur, M.D., Vice
President of the Lone Star Association of Charitable Clinics
6:30 PM
o Auction Part One
7:00 PM
o Dinner is served
7:15 PM
o Paul Varghese Opens
7:45 PM
o Auction Part Two
8:25 PM
o Paul Varghese Closes
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8:45 PM
o Closing Statements from Nicholas Fitch, Vice President of Regional Affairs at Blue
Cross Blue Shield
Paul Varghese was named by the Dallas Observer
Budget
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$
$
$
$
$
$
4,600
3,500
100
140
Donated
120
8,640
$
$
50,000
41,240
Proceeds
BCBS Donation
Auction
Tickets
Individual
Pair
Per Table (max 10 people)
Ticket Total
$
$
$
$
200 x 4 =
350 x 8 =
1,600 x 18 =
32,400
$800
$2,800
$28,800
11
Total Proceeds
123,200
Net Profit
115,000
Estimated Attendance
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We estimate to extend invitations to 205 doctors located in the South Dallas area. These
doctors will be doctors that staff hospitals in that area as well as those that own their own
private clinics. We also plan on inviting the 60 employees that work at the Blue Cross Blue
Shield corporate office in Richardson, as well as roughly 40 members from the Dallas Chamber
of Commerce. Out of those invited, we expect the various hospitals to purchase 13 tables and
the smaller clinics with less staffing to purchase 20 individual or couple tickets. On top of those,
we expect Blue Cross Blue Shield to purchase 3 tables and the Chamber of Commerce to
purchase 2 tables.
Invitations to the doctors in hospitals will be distributed through the Human Resources
department, who will place them in the mailboxes of each doctor. With smaller clinics, we will
have a volunteer stop by each one and drop off invitations at the front desk at the clinics, with
the intent to have the nurses hand them out to the doctors. Invitations to Blue Cross Blue
Shield and the Chamber of Commerce will also be handled and dispersed by their respective
Human Resources departments.
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Gala Invitation
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
13
Auction Items
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Flight Packages
To Hawaii
FMV $2285
Description: Donation from American Airlines. Full round trip flight to and from Kona HI. Four night
stay at the exclusive Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay. Flight package for two.
To Bahamas
FMV $1809
Description: Donation from American Airlines. Full round trip flight to and from Freeport City,
Bahamas. Four night stay at the exclusive Hotel Grand Lucayan. Flight package for two.
To West Palm Beach
FMV $1572
Description: Donation from Southwest Airlines. Full round trip to and from West Palm Beach, Fl.
Four night stay at the exclusive Palm Beach Marriott Siger Island. Flight package for two.
Resort Packages
Disneyland
FMV
$2442
Description: Donation from Disney. Three day pass to Disneyland in California. Three day stay at
the Disney Grand California Hotel and Spa. Admission for two.
Tickets/Admissions
14
Maverick Game
FMV $1189
Description: Donation from Dallas Mavericks. Admission for two at front floor seats at the NBA
Western Conference Quarter Finals.
Dallas Cowboys
FMV $538
Description: Donation from Dallas Cowboys. Admission for four at Hall Of Fame 120 (lower front
row seats on Cowboys side).
Le Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux
FMV $800
Description: Wine Tasting in Dallas for Four. VIP passes for early admission, dinner buffet and
unlimited tasting.
Winspear Opera House
FMV $800
Description: Motown-The Musical admission with back stage passes and exclusive memorabilia.
Seating available for four in Orchestra section.
Final Auction Item
Simon G Pendant
FMV $3000
Description: Simon G Pendant exclusively available to L.L.C.G. courtesy of Robin Brothers Jewelry.
Works Cited
About Free & Charitable Clinics. (n.d). Retrieved March 3rd, 2015 from
http://nafcclinics.org/sites/default/files/NAFC%20ACA%20Related%20Talking%20Points
%202015.pdf
Community Involvement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from
http://www.bcbstx.com/company-info/community-involvement
Crystal-banquet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://www.crystalbanquetplano.com/
Dallas County among nation's top for uninsured. (n.d). Retrieved March 3rd, 2015 from http://
watchdogblog.dallasnews.com/2013/09/dallas-county-among-nations-top-counties-foruninsured-2.html/
Health care for the poor. (n.d). Retrieved March 1st, 2015 from http://www.irp.wisc.edu/
Publications/focus/pdfs/foc262l.pdf
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Healthcare access among the underprivileged (n.d). Retrieved March 1st, 2015 from http://
meetinglibrary.asco.org/content/114427-132
Paul Varghese. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2015, from http://www.cc.com/comedians/paulvarghese
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