The 3W Podcast

The 3W Podcast: Jennifer Martinez Belt - Part 2

• Kasie Yokley

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Skip the tux and keep your hands free, you’re going to want to touch everything. We’re joined by Jennifer Martinez Belt, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, to map out what makes the Amazeum UnGala one of the most talked-about fundraising events in Northwest Arkansas: it’s casual, fast-moving, and designed around play, not speeches.

We dig into the why behind the UnGala and how the dollars translate into real community impact, especially expanding access to hands-on learning. Jennifer shares how the Amazeum operates as more than a building, with outreach that brings museum-style projects into schools, libraries and neighboring communities. If you care about early learning, family engagement, and practical philanthropy, this conversation lays out how a children’s museum fundraiser can fund far more than a single night out.

Then we get into the fun mechanics: the Tipsy Chemistry competition where guest mixologists craft signature cocktails or mocktails and rally friends to tip in a friendly battle to raise big dollars. We also preview returning favorites and new activations, plus how the Amazeum expansion and construction energy show up with creative partners, maker moments, food trucks and surprises that make the night feel like a grown-up version of the museum itself.

The Amazeum UnGala is 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 17, and it’s a 21+ adult evening. Grab tickets or explore sponsorships at amazeum.org, then come back and tell us what activation you’re most excited to try. If you like what you hear, subscribe, share the show with a friend and leave us a review.

Welcome Back And Guest Intro

SPEAKER_00

Hey everyone, welcome to the 3W Podcast. This is the third one, which I don't ever say that it's just because we've recorded two in one day, and they are the first ones for 2026 after I went through the magazine with y'all. So welcome back, Jennifer with the Amazing. I'm Jay Belt. I hope you all caught part one because it was all about her and all about the Amazing. So we're gonna dive right into it. I'm not just tell us your title. So I'm Jennifer Belt with the Amazum. I'm the chief philanthropy officer. You make all the fun out there.

SPEAKER_01

You raise all the money for the fun out there. I get to work with amazing people. We raise a bunch of money to make all the fun.

SPEAKER_00

So go see her or give her some money because then she'll make your meetings. Super fun, right? Yeah, we'll do a bunch of yeah, great things. Okay, we're gonna talk about Angela. It's coming. April is 17th. Friday, April 17th. Friday, April 17th. Six and nine, which is kind of an in and out. Yeah. It's not a massive commitment. No, I love that.

The Ungala Date Night Pitch

SPEAKER_01

I mean, it's a perfect date night. It is a perfect date night. It's a perfect. Hey, let's go do something fun. Have a quick bite. Yeah. Play a little bit. That's what's intended. We do not want you to be bored. It's not your standard Dorothy and Gala. Yeah. Teddies. Leave the snakes. Leave the tuxedo at home. Leave the formal at home. Leave the Sphinx at home. You get to come as you are, like you always do at the Amazing. Right. And play and have fun and raise, yeah, raise money for a great cause. And it's fun. It is a fundraiser. Good way to put that. I might lose that in more of our marketing. Thank you. Thank you, Casey Oakley. Drazer. Okay. Is the Angela 10 years old? The Angela is nine years old. Okay. You may remember from your dancing with the stars days. Yes. That before we opened, that was the way that was our signature event. Casey, former dancer.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, that was that was special. That was special. You know when I did that ironically, a picture just happened to pop up. Yeah, when did you do that? Um Chase is 15. So you had to be 13 years ago. Oh my gosh, before crew? Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. Like I was still trying to lose baby weight that's ready to be gone forever. Yes, I danced the cha cha, I think. I don't really remember to Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, well, if I will continue to keep that footage forever. So so many of you great, great, great leaders in our community helped us get the funds to start our building and start our mission through that event. And then came the Ungala, which is truly one of our I mean, it's our signature event.

SPEAKER_00

It's our signature event. But it's a signature event in Northwest Arkansas. Yeah. Because we have a gazillion galas. There's over 4,000 nonprofits in the two counties. Most philanthropic county in the country. Is Benton County? Is Benton County. Yes. So like we are giving and we are gala inked. Yeah. We do it a lot.

Why A No-Formal Gala Works

SPEAKER_01

Yes. I mean, that's we see each other all the time. I mean, hair. We dollar ungayla inked. Yeah. Just so great. We want to ungala it. We do not want the hair appointment. And what's really great is in being true to our mission, these funds get to network, not just network people, but you get to give back in a way that feels comfortable. So we're asking for dollars that actually go back and open doors for our programmatic work and open access for everyone in the community.

SPEAKER_00

We did not talk about excess in the last one, but you all have a mobile museum. In that we Andrew, you all will go out and visit, yes.

SPEAKER_01

You visit communities outside of Bentonville. Yes, we absolutely do. So we have a team that goes out all right. I just named it mobile museum. Well so good. But we we love well that thank you. We're all coming out. Yes, all it grab it, green Greenland. I just brought brought another community in. But um we will absolutely go out. I mean, Ungala Funds helped this. Yes, we do we do all that work for the newly mobile. We are much more than an address. The amazing, as Sam likes to say, is a movement. We will we go out and we help communities and schools and libraries and share our projects and how to do all the great things that kids need to learn about at family.

SPEAKER_00

I know you're like very holistic 360 approached the family. I love it. Yeah, uh your co-chairs.

SPEAKER_01

So they're amazing.

SPEAKER_00

They are amazing, and you have one returning, which is unprecedented. Our first ever, our first ever Lauren Shah Dade is I love how we say her name because I would have butchered it. Well her saying it.

Access And The Mobile Museum

SPEAKER_01

She trained me, and it's like the singer Shaw Dade from the 80s. So she taught me that.

SPEAKER_00

Not spelled the same way.

SPEAKER_01

No, but I hope I did it right. I hope I did it right. It's with Walmart, US. She is with Walmart, and you know, she is also a member. So that makes it it's fitting. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And then it's Mr. Dodd, right? Yeah, Michael Dodd. Michael Dodd, also Walmart, US. Yeah. And I love that you've covered because let's just be real. When you're in the philanthropy world in Northwest Arkansas, you gotta be strategic. Yeah, right. A little bit. And I love that you roped in Walmart, but they are VP of merch operations for entertainment, toys, and uh seasonal. So toys and seasonal and entertainment. And then Michael is senior merch director of home solutions, which is going to be perfect for the ELAC.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. For our early learning. But but what I love even more is that they are members. Yes, like they got in. They come and they bring their kids, and Michael has a great story with his children. So these are people that we see in the amazing. So it's yes, they have amazing jobs. And Grad Connect is a Walmart.

Co-Chairs And The Power Up Preview

SPEAKER_00

Their jobs overlap into what we do every day. What you do every day. It's like a Venn, a triple Venn diagram, whatever you call those things. And then with the Ungala, that's what I they get us. It spits all the way around.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, they get us. I mean, we we we're very fortunate to be selective, but they almost choose us, Casey, because they are passionate. And when we get to talk about our tipsy chemists, these aren't just some strangers to our mission. So they know who we are, what we do, and they also contribute as individuals. So it was, it's I don't want to say it's not easy, but it's fitting and it meant to be also too. Meant to be. So they're they're great individuals and they love us, we love them.

SPEAKER_00

But I love the fact that Lauren is coming back again. I know the first ever retrasher. No, why why? Why me? Why is this not ongoing?

SPEAKER_01

She's like, this is the most fun ever. Right, right. Um, that was that was really neat. Um, you got to attend the kickoff that we had for the event, and it was inaugural. It was a girl. It's something that we're doing. Testing the waters because we did eliminate the sponsorship hour. There was always that VIP hour that we tried to do. And what we were trying to do is the night is not about a huge stage and something huge and formal. I mean, the minute you hit um our campus, you're wanting to throw down the purse. If you brought a purse, you're wanting to just don't bring a purse. Don't bring a purse. You're wanting to put your phone on your card. Yeah. You're wanting you're wanting to get into the activities, you're wanting to start the activations, you're wanting to hit the food trucks and getting something to eat. You're wanting to get on, get a helmet on and do the 24-volt racers. You don't want to sit and listen to people do not want to stop in here, sponsors, anything like that. The sponsors aren't even wanting to stop in here themselves. So we started this first preview night called Power Power Up. The so the sponsors are the first ones that are getting to hear what's happening that night. They're getting a quick taste of the preview party of what's happening with food. So it was a really unique night, and it was our first time to really do that. And it was really neat. Um, but they got to share a little bit of their story that night and share their why. Their why. And it was so great. And that was what you would have at a normal event of that bringing home everybody. But we got to highlight a little bit of their why.

Tipsy Chemists Fundraising Explained

SPEAKER_00

And we're gonna jump into your tipsy chemistry. But you want to know my takeaway from tonight? I think all of them have little tiny kids, except for one. And I was like, She has animals and she's in charge of cats. She's in charge of the pets. I was like, oh my gosh, y'all are all spring chickens up there on the stage, and I'm old eggs back here sitting. I was like, okay, we'll just our kids are old. There's a place for everyone at the Amazon. Always. Let's talk about your tip C chemistry. And I'm gonna read this. Do you want me to read it or you want to say it? Tipsy chemists? Yeah, who they all tipsy chemistry has its own definition. Did you know this? You can you yes, I did. You can read it. Okay, because I got to look it up because I was typing about tipsy chemist and not the chemistry. Oh, about the drinks, about how they're made. Okay, yeah. So you tip tipsy chemistry is a high-energy fundraising event where tipsy chemist, aka mixologists, craft their own signature drinks and rally friends to tip during preview. Because I did look up all four of them. They're all they've all got tips already. They've all got money in there already. And but you tip that evening, so it's like a friendly competition between them. So it's like, come on, let's go.

SPEAKER_01

So at a lot of fundraisers, you have different auction items, you have people are spending money all throughout. Again, the young gala is the gala, we're different. So after you purchase your ticket, we are not, we're not gonna ask you for, you know, different ways to keep raising money throughout the night, except for the tipsy chemist. The tipsy chemist, they all four, there's four this year. They're coming up with unique drinks. And throughout the night, you get to visit four different stations of someone's might glow in the dark, someone's might turn different colors, but they are coming up with with um Mr. Kuhn. They're gonna have some really neat neat cocktails um or mocktails of what they think would be a really great recipe for fun. Okay, it's so great. And throughout this whole campaign, they started fundraising that night. They're gonna ask their friends and colleagues to support them, but that night you get to then make a tip. Yeah. So that's the only other revenue enhancer that the Ungala has.

SPEAKER_00

And their collective goal is$60,000, I believe. I think they're all five and$15,000 goals.

Meet The Four Tipsy Chemists

SPEAKER_01

All$15,000 goals. And all those proceeds go to our fundraiser. So outside of our sponsorship and outside of our ticket sales, that's the yes. This is the ass. We're asking you to support these local four that each two have a special story and they're out advocating for us. Yeah, they're all they're all out there with great whys, but they're also a lot of them are again. They're members, yes, they're coming, they're bringing their families, and they have a story to share, but they're asking for your support. And then the night of, you can also make a tip, but they're out there sharing their in the community why a mazeum is important. I love it. Let's talk about who they are. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So we have Stephen Bell with Walmart. They're all with Walmart. He is the same. I'm sorry. He has an absolute edge on this. He is the senior merch director for Wine and Spirits. Yeah. The inside track. Well, trends and the cocktail. I don't know that he's winning right now. Well, he's not winning yet, but that I'm just aside, aside. Like physical cocktail, he has the inside track on the cocktail. Now, whether he he rate kind of you know comes from behind and raises the most money, that really has nothing to do with the strength. Steven's great. Steven's great. But I was like, oh my gosh, this is so great. We have the wine and spirits person.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, he I love it. We we've got him on board. I see him as a future chair. I see him as an RA chair coming up.

SPEAKER_00

And he's got young kids too. Okay, Ashley Harrod. Herod. Yes, yes. Okay, like kind of like the store in London. So she she is so fitting. She is the senior merch director of Toys.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, she's wonderful. She's in the lead. And and she's, you know, little and feisty, and her why was great. But again, these are individuals who have a reason to give back. And um, I'm excited to see what her drink's gonna be. Steven even said that he might do a mock tail at one point. They were that's not that is that doesn't go with it. I know, but but he was he was they were all they were all in a big circle talking about like who could outdo each other on their drink. And I think one of the I know I'm excited to see what they all do.

SPEAKER_00

I cannot wait. Okay, Amy Bull, she is senior merch director, baby and toddler. And so I remember her story specifically because New York. New York, New York, it stuck out and the kids, what did they say when they were going to the like this feels like home?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. And I I think her story ranged too because what's great about having so many of the Walmart associates that are also members, I think that's part of the job as any entity is welcoming new people into our community and hearing from her that, you know, when her kids got here and they were part of, you know, settling in, going to a new school, and then they had one day at the amazing and had a great day that they walked out, they go, This feels like home. Um, because the amazing is not your typical children's museum, that you know, we're one of the, you know, top in the country, that they get to come in and have a great experience, get that hands-on learning opportunity, and they're walking out saying, like, this feels like hell. We can we can be here now because we have a children's museum.

SPEAKER_00

I love that. That one rang. I mean, I don't have any groups in New York or even a big city at all, but it rang, it rang to me.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that that story meant a lot. And we'll have all that posted on our website. People can go and look right now. All the the tipsy chemists are up there. You can click on them, you can see how they're rating and how they're doing. So I encourage everyone. We have one other one to share. Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_00

But again, Jessie Jessica, she's uh she is Jessica on print, but she goes by Jesse. Yeah, and she is a fur mama.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, she was hilarious.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and she didn't even need a microphone. No, she brought the energy.

SPEAKER_01

I loved it. And again, all these personalities stick out and they all have a story about why they're supporting um access for for learning at the Amazum. And all those dollars raised will, I promise you go back and really help us do some great things.

New Activations And Crowd Favorites

SPEAKER_00

I can't not wait to see what these cocktails I know as soon as they first of all, just look like. I just cannot wait to see what they look like because it's gonna be mind-blowing, I feel like. I I think I mean probably something's gonna bubble up with some kind of clout or something. Okay, what is new this year for the Ungala?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, well, so this year's kind of theme is powering up, and we're bringing some back of the favorites. I know everyone likes to bring see some things we've done before.

SPEAKER_00

So yeah, we do have some good. Let's just dive into what we like some favorites from the past. The giant mouse trap. That was like one or two, I can't remember. Unfreaking believable. That was a big one. See it in real life, like wild. Yeah. Um the the take a car apart or or demo a car. Oh, yeah. Or the hand demand, yeah, crush it. Yes, yeah, that was your two. That was cool. Um he likes the margarita machine. Like the spin bike margarita machine. Like pedal to mix your margarita. It was cute and fun. Yeah. And then the volt, I don't know what the voltage is. The volt racer. 24 volt racer. Okay, 24. And they will return. Oh, okay. They they seem to always everybody tip over on them. Cracks me up every year.

SPEAKER_01

Everyone loves those, and we are we are working on those again. They will return. So, of all those, they're returning perfect. We will have so many new exciting things. We are we have partners that I'd love to highlight. So B Apple will be there. Perfect. Um, a local maker, you know how we love to celebrate with our makers. We have um individuals from Brightwater. So yeah. Something to partake in, yes, and taste and trick your taste spots. Oh, really? You know, Marshall likes to do a little science himself. So maybe you'll be tasting something sour, but then it'll taste sweet, or maybe you won't know. So Brightwater is coming back. Um, we have Ray Taylor with Northwest Arkansas Community College building something that you don't know what it is till the very end. I love that. Yeah, you're all part of something that becomes something bigger. So Nargo Bikes is supposed to return those big bikes. Yes. Yes. So, and then some wonderful food trucks, and then there's so many up our sleeve. Our big steamroller. So, you know, we're under construction right now. Yes, we are building a really great addition expansion with our expanding features campaign. And Knapples is our presenting sponsor. Thank you, Knapples. Thank you. And they are going to bring out a steamroller, and we may be doing some prints that you can make and then having a big steam roller over it.

unknown

That's so great.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and you have to work the construction. And I may have even put that in here. If not, I was thinking about that. And you have to weave it in. And then you know, with Sam Dean, he's got things up his sleeve too. So there may be some could there be some explosions? Some yes, some foam, some things with the dragon's breath.

SPEAKER_01

Or I mean, you came to our to our launch party. You know that it's I love that anyway. Don't wear your tuxedo. We are gonna have a lot, a lot of fun. I think it was in our, yeah, on our ad.

SPEAKER_00

Also on your ad. It was the coolest. I don't know if y'all can see that, but look at all this color that they like. These colored people like shot the rainbow up into the air. It was so it was so much fun. Yeah. Everything this was the groundbreaking. That was our groundbreaking for expanding futures.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it was a lot of fun. So there's gonna be so many different things. We're gonna have a really fun band. Um, we're gonna do the Eugene's organ with the flames again. I mean, I can't, and then we are, you know, we opened up our new, you got to get a sneak peek of the new materials lab.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

So that has been so much fun. I can see that. And so there'll be a lot of creations happening in there. I can't, I don't want to leave anybody out, but we have really great partners. We've got really great activations you do not want to miss.

SPEAKER_00

Do you have a favorite?

SPEAKER_01

Oh. Well, I have not got to work a lot in the materials lab. I'm looking forward to that. Okay. Um, I love Brightwater. I want to do Bees Apple, I want to do steamroller.

SPEAKER_00

So no, short answer yes, no.

SPEAKER_01

I can't wait to see what Sam wants to explode. No, I mean, I he's like the eternal mad scientist. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I he is, yes, yes, he is. And it's fun science. Yes. I love science. I love him. He's always so smiley. Okay. How will that's what it was. That was my construction question. How will the expansion play into the event? And I think it's the steamroller. Yes. So we will have um I had a construction. I just didn't write the word construction, so I couldn't find it.

SPEAKER_01

So Napults being our partner, we will absolutely try to highlight some of their work. And I think the steamroller will be doing some prints with them.

SPEAKER_00

That's exciting. That's creative.

SPEAKER_01

Yep. Okay. Obviously.

Tickets Sponsorships And 21+ Details

SPEAKER_00

We gotcha. We gotcha. Do you have tickets available? We absolutely do have tickets available. It's a very busy night, unfortunately, in Bettyville. That's okay. That's just what makes our community amazing. And something to do.

SPEAKER_01

And yes, there's another great event happening on campus, but it ends, I think, at seven. Our party goes till nine. No, nine. So you can get shuttled back to their course. Just walk on over. We're going to get you in and you're going to get it to participate because you know, who doesn't want to eat from the food truck? Who doesn't want to create?

SPEAKER_00

We discovered an ice cream food truck at your event last year that um pops up at Osage Park that we have visited multiple times.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. We we are gonna have lots to do, and there are tickets still available. Tickets and sponsorships are still available. Yeah, there's still opportunities for a few more sponsors if you want to get on the back of the t-shirt. Oh, how fun. I mean, or sign inch. We still have all those opportunities, but you can go online at amazium.org, click in Gala.

SPEAKER_00

Somebody's calling you for a sponsorship.

SPEAKER_01

I just that is wonderful. They're calling in today. But visit our website, you can get your tickets. It's super easy to get in, and we want everyone to be there and have a good time. It is stuff. It's 21 and above.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, this is not for the kids. This is us to raise money. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

The kids. Yes. That's probably good that you said that. I would probably not think anything about it and bring Chase on accident. Yeah. It's an adult, it's an adult evening. Yes. Friday, April 17th. Get your tickets now. There's only one more week to get them. Even though we've recorded as long in advance. Yeah. Oh, they really want to buy tickets. Yeah. Friday, April 17th, 6 to 9, casual. Wear your tennis shoes, wear a hat if you want to. It's so accepting. It's not even funny. It's so fun. It's not even funny. It is so imaginative and creative and unique and discoverable.

SPEAKER_01

I can think of a word. You're going to walk away doing something you haven't done before. You're going to walk away having an experience that you haven't, you know, you got to try something new. Maybe it's building something, maybe it's trying something new, but you get to walk away from that evening saying, I had a really, really great time.

Final Thanks And Sponsor Shoutouts

SPEAKER_00

I had a really great time. And it's on Friday. So you get to sleep on Saturday and have your whole weekend. So it's even better. So I'm like a Saturday night event. Okay. If you need anything, reach out to 3W or Jennifer over at the Mazeum. What do good Goonies never say. Goonies never say die. So don't quit. Come to the Amazings Ungala on Friday, April 17th, 6 to 9, all casual. It's so fun. Thank you for joining me in part two. I really appreciate it. And thank you, 3W, for your sponsorship. We really appreciate it. Always support you all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for supporting this podcast. Thank you to Hershey Salty Snacks for always stepping up and supporting us with their Pirates booties, Skinny Pop, Home Style pretzels because they're freaking amazing. Cinnamon sugar is my favorite. Absolute favorite. I need you to try those. I will get them for you. Okay. We'll see y'all next time. Thanks. Thank you.