As we’ve all seen and experienced this year, it can be challenging to even begin thinking about how to pivot your in-person event to a virtual one, while still capturing the same dynamic atmosphere. That was the case with our recent event, The 2020 Krueger Foundation Lectureship, a night usually marked by a lively band, delicious food, and catching up with old colleagues and their families.
The event is a chance for those in the Hampton Roads (of Virginia) medical space to come together in honor of the late Dr. John J. Krueger, a renowned doctor and professor, heavily involved in his community. The mission statement of the Foundation is “To further the educational, philanthropic, and collegial efforts of the Virginia Beach medical community.”
The night is filled with awarding scholarships, reflections, and remembrances of Dr. Krueger, a keynote speech, and the recognition of the Physician of the Year. For its 24th year, the Krueger Foundation teamed up with cred to bring this event to life virtually.
Over the past few months, The Foundation worked on gathering recordings from those who wanted to share a few words about Dr. Krueger, along with recording the awards ceremony and announcements at the event. Their IT team stitched together the pieces, so on event night there was a seamless video to stream. The end product was a lovely evening filled with kind words, recognition, and a “walking” keynote speech given by local artist P. Buckley Moss, who provided a tour through her gallery while reflecting on past lessons learned.
Our role for this event was to advise The Krueger Foundation on selecting their virtual platform (we chose Zoom Webinar), broadcasting the event, and providing consultation and insight along the way. It was a pleasure to be involved with such an honored tradition.
One aspect of the event that we haven’t seen much of in 2020 was their incorporation of live music. Before the content began, a jazz trio played songs for about half an hour. Live music is something we all miss dearly in this new socially-distanced world and it was clear the event’s attendees really enjoyed the tunes. It also gave the audience time to chat through the Zoom Webinar portal, or make dinner or a nice cocktail (usually served at the event) before they sat down for the show.
This event gave us the opportunity to flex our Zoom Webinar skills, and to tailor what is usually an intimate community gathering into an enjoyable virtual experience. We loved working with the Krueger Foundation team and can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2021!
Interested in hosting an event like the Krueger Lectureship? Get in touch!
