The Creation of the Birthday Ball Giveaway
Making an Impact
Over the course of my 17-year career with Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS), I’ve had the privilege of being part of some incredible experiences: from hosting Nelly and Cedric the Entertainer at Camp Lejeune for the For the Leathernecks Tour to supporting more than 750 Marines during Marine Week Charlotte—ensuring not a single Marine was hospitalized for dehydration, a feat of which I’m incredibly proud. I stood in the median of Route 110 at the start of the Marine Corps Marathon cheering on 30,000 runners as they surged past. I’ve delivered Mission BBQ to a group of Marines at Marine Week Nashville and was rewarded with the biggest “oorah” I’ve ever heard.
Each moment is a meaningful milestone during my time with MCCS.
But without question, the experience that has brought me the most pride, the most joy, and the greatest sense of purpose is the creation of the inaugural Birthday Ball Giveaway.
The Inspiration Behind the Idea
The idea for the Birthday Ball Giveaway took shape when I developed relationships with Deployment Readiness Coordinators (DRCs) from the six Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) Districts. Through those connections, I gained a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by our remote and isolated Marines, particularly when it comes to accessing support and services that others might take for granted.
One of the most significant challenges I learned from these DRCs is the challenges their supporting unit’s face to effectively fundraise for their annual Marine Corps Birthday Balls. These events are more than just celebrations; they are traditions that reinforce camaraderie, heritage, and pride. And yet, for many of these remote units, organizing a proper Birthday Ball was often out of reach.
A New Approach
Selling sponsorships for more than 100 Marine Corps Birthday Balls simply isn’t feasible. But drawing from my experience with sponsorship campaigns—including the Marine Corps 250th—and from conversations with countless active duty and retired Marines, I saw an opportunity to do something different.
That’s when the Birthday Ball Giveaway was born: a single, large-scale initiative that would bring globally recognized brands into the fold as corporate sponsors via a unified story and marketing campaign. This effort allowed MCCS to support remote and isolated Marines in a way that no single unit could accomplish alone.
Ultimately, the results surpassed anything I could have imagined.
The Impact
During the inaugural Birthday Ball Giveaway, we received 56,053 entries, representing more than 550 units across 12 countries. What started as an ambitious idea quickly became a movement—one that connected Marines, their families, sponsors, and supporters across the globe.
Gratitude
This project would not have been possible without several amazing people and partners:
To Hortencia, Maria, Nori, Lizeth, and Christina, thank you for the inspiration and thank you for advocating for your Marines.
To our incredible sponsors, USAA, Red Bull, and 5.11, thank you for believing in this vision and helping bring it to life.
To my team, your creativity, hard work, and commitment turned a bold idea into a reality.
And to the Marines, thank you for answering the call and for continuing to inspire everything we do.
I can’t wait to build on this momentum and make the 2nd Annual Birthday Ball Giveaway even bigger and better.
About the Author
Amanda Ayers began her career as a Marketing Intern for the Marine Corps Marathon after graduating from George Mason University in 2006. She went on to gain sales and marketing experience with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Army Ten-Miler, and eventually at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps Business and Support Services Division. Today, she proudly serves as a leader within Marine Corps Community Services, continuing her mission to support Marines and their families around the world.
Disclaimer of Endorsement
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the U.S. Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Sponsors
Marine Corps Community Services sincerely thanks and appreciates the sponsors of our events; however, neither the United States Marine Corps nor any part of the Federal Government officially endorses any company or sponsor, or their products or services.
