Friday, 2. April 2010
Church fundraising is often necessary for those special activities, trips or equipment needed for the church or youth group. If you have been there and done that, you know that it can not only be a huge undertaking, but can be much more work than you bargained for. You may need a new bus for the youth group, money to take the children on a special trip, or funds for a new piano. No matter what you need the money for, church fundraising should be a fun experience that is enjoyed by all who are involved – including the ones who do the organizing!
Depending on how often you have been through this before, you know that some ideas just don’t work out very well. When small children around the ages of 6 through 9 have too much to keep up with, the results can be unhappy kids and a fundraiser that doesn’t pan out as well as you had hoped. Fundraisers that involve catalog sales are often not suitable for small children, because it involves keeping up with catalogs, orders and money – not to mention having to deliver the products after they come in. In order for church fundraising to be both productive and fun, keep things as simple as possible.
If your church has participated in many fundraisers over the years, some of the products may be getting old. How many times do you want to offer jerky or candy bars? As the time approaches, everyone in your community knows what you will be selling; the same old thing you have been selling in the past. When it comes church fundraising time once again shock everyone good by offering something different that is actually useful – discount cards for local merchants! Exceptional value for the customer, easy profits for you and support for local merchants in your area.
Church fundraising often involves bake sales, car washes, special breakfasts served at the church on Saturday morning and other events. While these are all easy and low cost ways to raise money, you may have a hard time raising all of the money you need. If your church needs to raise $5,000, you will have a hard time raising that kind of money using the above methods alone. This is when discount cards really come in handy. If you have 50 people who will be participating in your fundraiser, ordering 500 cards means your profit margin is 70%! At $7 per card profit, you can easily raise $3,500 which may put you over the top for the $5,000 you need.
If you have been put in charge of church fundraising, you know how difficult it can be to organize it all and make sure that the product you choose offers value and easy profit. Your desire is to have a product that sells easily, offers real value to the customer, and brings in good profits for your group. Fundraisers can be extremely time consuming and a lot of hard work, but they don’t necessarily have to be. Isn’t it always a pleasure when everyone involved has a good time while raising the funds you need, and you don’t have to work your fingers to the bone getting it all together?
The next time your church or youth group needs money for additional activities, equipment or other causes, make it easy and fun for the entire gang! Church fundraising is simple when you include discount cards that offer savings on many products and services people in your community use every day.
Mark South
Source: http://www.easychurchfundraising.com/church-fundraising-should-be-fun-and-enjoyable-for-all-involved
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Friday, 2. April 2010
The Apple Gold Group, franchisee of Applebee’s restaurants in North Carolina, Oklahoma and Arkansas, is proud to partner with the South Wake Storm Girls Softball Team of Garner, NC to host a Flapjack Fundraiser on Saturday, April 3, 2010. All proceeds raised will directly support the team’s efforts to participate in a 14U Fast Pitch Softball Tournament this upcoming season.
“Applebee’s strives to be an active member in the community, dedicating itself to helping local programs and organizations,” said Michael Olander, President and CEO of Apple Gold Group. “The Apple Gold Group is proud to support the South Wake Storm Girls Softball Team and we wish them all the best in their tournament.”
The South Wake Storm Flapjack Fundraiser will be hosted by the Applebee’s restaurant located at 1165 US Highway 70 W., Garner, NC starting at 7 am. Tickets for the Flapjack Fundraiser are $7 and can be purchased by calling Jennifer Hillesland at (919) 868-3445. Breakfast includes a short stack of pancakes, sausage, milk, juice and coffee.
Applebee’s is proud to partner with any local non-profit organization as a way to raise money for their cause. From ticket sales to event-day staff, the breakfasts are managed by the non-profit organization with the assistance of Applebee’s employee volunteers. Breakfasts can be held on any Saturday or Sunday morning, and cost the organization around $2 a meal. The Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraisers represent the restaurant chain’s latest efforts to remain active within its local neighborhood. To request a Flapjack Fundraiser to benefit your non-profit organization, please visit www.AGGrestaurants.com.
Posted in Updated* Recent News by Christopher -
Friday, 2. April 2010
Popping kettle corn for the yard sale and boiling water for the spaghetti dinner didn’t raise their blood pressure. So for this year’s summer-trip fundraiser, a church youth group from eastern Bedford County turned to an adrenaline-pumping mission: vandalizing lawns — and getting paid for it.
That’s why three teenagers, two parents and two pastors from Forest Family Fellowship were creeping up a suburban hill the other night, toting 50 hot-pink plastic flamingos — America’s tackiest lawn ornaments — to plant in a front yard. A car down the street cast its high beams on the group, and someone said, “Oh no! We’re going to get caught.”
Teenagers from Forest Family Fellowship, a storefront Church of the Nazarene congregation on U.S. 460, this month began offering to drop a flock of flamingos on anyone’s lawn for $50. In the past three weeks, people have paid them to prank at least 15 houses, making the fundraising strategy more successful than a week of pancake suppers.
“With a spaghetti dinner or something like that, it just depends on who comes, and it’s just one event, and it can be boring,” said Jenee Whitt, 16. “Flocking affects more people because people don’t drive by a spaghetti dinner and laugh. They’ll laugh at the flamingos and they’ll remember them.”
The gag is a way of appealing to the budget-conscious. It has been employed by other Southwest Virginia youth fundraisers, from Roanoke to Christiansburg to Galax, where a Methodist group in 1990 used the money to fix houses in South Carolina. It’s unclear where the idea started.
The Forest Family Fellowship youth group aims to raise $5,500. Ten teenagers and six chaperones plan to spend the money traveling to Savannah, Ga., to help repair homes in July, said John Gilmour, the youth pastor.
The group has made trips in previous years with a nondenominational organization, Group Workcamps, to rural parts of West Virginia and New Hampshire. Funds to pay for those trips were raised through traditional bake sales, dinners and collections.
What’s distinctive about the flamingo punking is enthusiasm. Group members sing pop songs with avian alterations. Queen’s “We will rock you,” becomes “We will flock you.” Tobymac is transformed to “Somebody’s flocking.”
And they’ve given one another flocking nicknames. Whitt is called “Quasi,” though she says she hasn’t accepted the moniker. Youth pastor Gilmour is “Big Bird.” Others include Nicolas Foust-Meyer, 16, alias “Stud Muffin,” and Ashleigh Gilmour, 18, aka “Alpha.”
On Friday night, Big Bird held a briefing at the church’s storefront quarters. The house they targeted hadn’t been scouted in advance, so they wouldn’t know the terrain, he said. The owners had a dog, which Gilmour expected to be inside. Stud Muffin and Alpha listened.
Seven people packed into the church’s van, and, after saying a prayer, rolled to the street of the target house. They left the engine running as they pulled the flamingos from the van’s back door. In the darkness, they crept up the street to the two-story home with a circular driveway.
A car up the street turned on its high beams, and another drove past.
“Act natural,” said a girl as she cradled three flamingos.
They began propping the ornaments on the lawn. One of the teens dropped a flamingo, which landed with a hollow plastic thud on the pavement.
“Shh!” someone said.
Once they planted the flamingos, Big Bird hung a pink ransom note on one.
“Congratulations!!,” it read. “YOU HAVE BEEN FLOCKED! Thank you for being a good sport! It’s all in fun and to serve the Lord.”
As they drove away, everyone in the van clapped for completing the mission without trouble.
Two days later, the victim, a Rustburg High School teacher who was reached over the phone, wondered who would have targeted her house for the stunt. She said she and her husband hadn’t seen the flamingos until morning.
“For sure it has to be a student of mine,” said Stephanie Ragland. “I thought, ‘This is going to be so embarrassing. Everyone’s going to drive past our house.’ But after we knew what it was about, it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Flocking requests are stacking up, Gilmour said. The group bought 50 more flamingos for $114 last week, and they’re planning pranks at least until May.
Source: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/241686
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Friday, 22. January 2010
The First Baptist Church of Rome is holding its third annual barbecue fundraiser and is currently pre-selling tickets for a Feb. 6 pickup.
The fundraiser, which will be raising money for First Baptist Church’s youth ministry, will be selling tickets for barbecue pickup until the end of the month through tahe church office.
A rack of ribs is $15 and a seven pound Boston pork butt is $25. Both items can be picked up on Feb. 6.
John Uldrick, minister of students, said he hopes people will remember the barbecue and won’t forget the pickup date. “If they purchase a ticket and don’t show up to pick up their barbecue we’ll have a lot on our hands,” he said.
He said a rack of ribs will easily feed two people, and the Boston butt will feed a family of four “several times.”
“My family usually buys one or two and we’ll break it up and freeze it,” Uldrick said.
Uldrick said the funds raised will help offset the cost of trips and missionary work done throughout the year by youth. Those trips include the March Mission Madness in Dalton and a trip to the Passport Youth Camp outside of Charlotte, N.C. The youth participate in daytime mission work and then Bible study by night.
“Any trip we take they’ll be able to use the money they’ll earn,” he said.
Some of the money will also be used to offset the costs of the in-town mission week, when youth go around the community lending a helping hand to Rome’s neighborhoods.
For more information about ticket sales call 706-291-6850.
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Tuesday, 12. January 2010
On any given evening, the auditorium of St. Dominic Savio Church is filled with teenagers who are learning life skills, practicing new hip-hop and salsa steps, and/or rehearsing a new song in Spanish.
Amber Serrano says “Savio” — as youth call their Bellflower parish — is a place where she can relax, a place where she doesn’t have to impress anyone. For Stephanie Chavez, it is a place where she can release her inner child; for Julio Rosales, a place where he can be free, where he can show the best of himself “without being afraid of the crowds.” And Christine Mendoza says it is a place where she can talk about her religion without being judged.
The high school students are part of St. Dominic Savio’s Monday Youth Group, where they learn to know themselves and to develop leadership skills under the tutelage of Juan Carlos Montenegro, a native Ecuadoran who has applied business administration concepts to the youth ministry he directs.
“We are trying to renew the vision of what is a youth ministry,” Montenegro told The Tidings. “Youth ministry is more than confirmation classes or catechism. We help them (the youth) find the gifts God has given them and show them how to use them to help develop the youth ministry.”
Business and fun
The process starts with a simple question: “What do you like doing?”
In his book “El negocio de la salvación” (The business of salvation), aimed at youth leaders, Montenegro uses business jargon to describe the elements of a youth ministry.
“An important point is to know our competition,” he says in the section “Analyzing the competition,” which is part of the opening chapter “Analyzing the needs.”
“We can have a wonderful formation program, the best of the world,” he says. “But if it doesn’t involve any fun — such as Don Juan’s Karaoke at the corner — we won’t be able to attract the youth. Let’s just remember that young people like keeping up with fashion and that is a real challenge for those who work in Youth Ministry.”
“Many times, the best way to appeal to them is by investing a little money in technology. By buying a karaoke [machine], the youth will feel the same happiness they feel at Don Juan’s. The difference will be that they will be away from the dangers of the streets, away from alcohol, drugs, etcetera.”
While there is no karaoke at St. Dominic Savio, every single day teenagers from the parish’s surrounding neighborhoods happily attend the different youth group meetings where they grow together on their spiritual journey and learn to develop helpful life skills.
And the youth do employ new technology, videotaping their outreach activities to share with other youth groups and with the larger church community.
Time alone
It is past 8 p.m. on a Monday, and St. Dominic’s youth are enjoying the company of their peers — and reflecting on matters that they do not usually think about elsewhere.
“Write down how you would collect your thoughts, how you would use your time to be in tune with yourselves when you’re at home,” 17-year-old Monica Rosales asks a group of about 40 teenagers who are discussing listening skills in this Youth Group meeting.
“We don’t have time alone with ourselves to talk and collect our thoughts,” Rosales tells them as they write. “We are too busy texting or watching TV.”
Then she invites volunteers to read the ideas they have written.
“I would read a book,” says a girl. “I would take a nap,” says a second girl. “I would work out,” says a boy. “I would write in a journal,” says another boy.
“Post it next to your bed,” Rosales suggests. She invites the teenagers to incorporate in their lives the ideas they have written. “This will take out all the drama and will calm you down,” she adds.
Rosales is one of many Youth Group members who have trained to be counselors at Camp Savio, a summer program for elementary level children that helps teens develop leadership skills.
“By discovering their gifts they (the youth) learn to develop self-esteem and to make a difference in someone else’s life,” Montenegro explains.
Christine Mendoza agrees. “I was very shy and now I am more open,” says the high school student, explaining that she has “come to know” herself after counseling children at Camp Savio.
‘Assisting’ youth
“Let’s remember that our ‘business’ is to help the youth to be ‘better Christians and good citizens’ as St. John Bosco used to say,” Montenegro reminds the readers in his chapter, “Marketing and customer service.”
“The only way we will reach that is by ‘assisting’ them — and this word assisting has an incredible meaning in the Salesian world. To ‘assist’ means to accompany the youth, to be with them, to appreciate what they appreciate, to listen to what they listen to, in order to help them grow as human beings. St. John Bosco said that ‘Salesian assistance is provided at the playgrounds, where the youth play.’”
Or where they dance.
Daniel Garcia, 18, has loved dancing since he can remember. He joined Savio’s Youth Dance Group last year and he is now the hip-hop instructor.
“This has helped me come out of my shell,” he told The Tidings. “I have learned a lot of patience, to be understanding and not to yell.”
The experience of teaching has made him more determined, he added. “It is good to share with other people what I know. This group gives people the opportunity to dance and to explore their talent, their potential.”
The dance group started two years ago after Johnny Lara, 17, a senior at Downey High School, attended a Salesian Youth Conference and thought of creating a dance group to inspire his peers “to appreciate the gifts they have.” Lara, a lifelong dancer, persuaded his longtime friend and neighbor Liz Cardenas, 18, to take the idea to Montenegro, who gave his approval.
This year the group raised more than $1,700 from their events to help a non-profit organization in Africa. They are preparing for next year’s big fundraiser, “I Am,” to benefit an orphanage in Tijuana.
“As teenagers we tend to be selfish,” said Lara, who works as a dance teacher at Alma Latina in Long Beach, a nonprofit that promotes cultural awareness through Mexican folkloric dance. “”We don’t see the needs of others. We want a cell phone when other people need a glass of water. A cell phone is a want, not a need.”
After an hour of rehearsal, the youth regroup for discussion designed to help them grow spiritually. Self-esteem, recognition and reward are the right formula for involvement, writes Montenegro.
“Once the young person feels comfortable and welcomed, he or she will want to do something, they will try to participate in activities and this will help us fulfill our goal of helping them to develop as good Christians and honest citizens.”
For more information about St. Dominic Savio youth ministry, call Juan Carlos Montenegro at (562) 920-7796, email, youthministry@saintdominicsavio.org or visit www.saintdominicsavio.org.
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Tuesday, 5. January 2010
With the local Voyageur Lions Club’s annual “Polar Plunge” set for New Year’s Day, organizers are hoping this year’s fundraiser will be more successful than ever.
And with just a few days to go, they want those considering taking an icy dip in the name of a good cause to know it’s not too late to collect pledges.
For those wanting to “take the plunge,” which will start at 1 p.m. at the government dock behind La Place Rendez-Vous, pledge sheets are available at Emes Financial-IPC Securities (279 Scott St.) and the Vous.
Jumpers can take the plunge on their own, or as representatives of a local group or organization.
Participating groups receive half of the net proceeds raised by member jumpers while those interested in jumping as individuals raise funds for the Voyageur Lions.
Some of the groups that have signed up so far include the Muskie Sports Association, Fort Frances Squash Club, Dancemakers, St. Mary’s Youth Group, and Fort Frances High School Art Trip Fund.
A handful of the individuals include Aquanaut Jillian Gustafson, Chris Christian of the Borderland Snowmobile Club, local MP John Rafferty (jumping for Special Olympics), Dale Gill, Bill Michl, Jim Martindale, Maureen Hahkala, and Coun. Andrew Hallikas.
Every participant receives a T-shirt. A number of prizes also will be up for grabs, including individual prizes, best costume prizes, and a $500 incentive for the group that raises the most money.
The “Polar Plunge” has been sponsored by the Voyageur Lions Club for nine years. During that time, more than $60,000 has been returned to community youth groups and charities.
Last January’s “Polar Plunge” raised $14,000, with organizers hoping to up that total to $20,000 this time around.
The Voyageur Lions’ charity focus is helping children and youth, but one specific project for which it currently is fundraising is vision-assisted equipment for the new Fort Frances Public Library and Technology Centre.
Posted in Updated* Recent News by Christopher -
Tuesday, 5. January 2010
Realife Student Ministries in Ozark recently celebrated a yearlong effort to raise $200,000 for missions.
The local event, “Overflow ‘09,” was also available online as a live webcast so other youth groups from around the country could be a part of the celebration.
In 2008, Pastor Scotty Gibbons, director of Realife Student Ministries at James River Assembly, presented teenagers with an challenge: Raise more than $50,000 for missions in just 11 weeks. In the midst of a down economy, the 1,000-student youth ministry took to the challenge and ultimately gave more than $75,000.
As a result, Gibbons wrote a new book, “Overflow,” an inspirational guide to giving for students. In 2009, “Overflow” quickly sold more than 50,000 copies.
Posted in Updated* Recent News by Christopher -
Tuesday, 5. January 2010
Updated: Sun Dec. 20 2009 17:59:08
Sonia Sunger, ctvedmonton.ca
An Edmonton shelter that works to keep homeless teens off the streets says it is about severely short of its fundraising goal this year and that means teens who need help simply won’t get it.
The Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS) says they are already turning away six to ten kids a night and now the organization is about $750,000 short of its fundraising goal.
The organization says the shortfall will force them to make some very difficult decisions.
“Is it the kids who are just coming off the street who are at the highest risk that we would say no to, or would it be the kids we worked diligently through programs for months and are probably six months away from being self reliant and independent?” asked Sue Keating with YESS.
One of the youth who has been lucky enough to receive help from YESS says the organization offers a vital service that the community needs.
“It means a safe place to stay, it means food in your stomach, it means not having to sleep out in the cold, not worrying about anything,” said Martine, a 16-year-old who has been at the shelter for the past month.
Mayor Stephen Mandel agrees, saying Edmonton needs organization like YESS.
“We cannot have the most challenged of our society, the youngest of our society, on the street or without the kids of programs they have,” said Mandel.
Mandel went on to say that the city donated $1 million to existing charity programs this year.
“We’ve been in contact with the Youth Emergency Shelter Society and will make sure they get help,” said Mandel. “We can’t solve all their problems.”
For information on the shelter and how you might be able to help click here.
Posted in Updated* Recent News by Christopher -
Tuesday, 22. December 2009
HAMILTON, Ont. – Sarah Palin has been given the boot as a celebrity fundraiser for hospitals in Hamilton, Ont., but she will come to town raise money for a local children’s charity instead.
Palin has brought the American health care debate to Canada and it is causing a storm of controversy as concerned hospital supporters have protested her appearance to raise money for two local institutions in April.
The former vice-presidential candidate was supposed to speak at a fund-raising event for the Juravinski Cancer Centre and St. Peter’s Hospital in Hamilton. But a backlash of negative publicity cancelled those plans.
The Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation received about 60 angry calls and e-mails from residents since the event was announced last week. About 10 people said they would not be donating to any event in which Palin has a role.
Palin is an out-spoken conservative critic of new public health care plans in the U.S. and is scornful of Canada’s universal health care system.
“It was a bit of mixed match with the politics of Sarah Palin matched with the needs of hospitals in Canada to raise money as publically funded institutions,” said Jeff Valletine, vice-president of communications for Hamilton Health Sciences.
“Individually I’m a bit surprised by the magnitude of the reaction but I’m not too surprised. Sarah Palin is a strong personality who brings out lots of opinions from lots of folks, so that’s to be expected,” he said.
Fortunately for children’s’ groups in Hamilton, local business leaders were able to re-direct the Palin appearance so that the Charity of Hope group would be the beneficiary of the event, said Sam Mercanti, chairman of the charity and CEO of Automotive Canada.
“It’s official – she’s going to come here and the monies raised will go towards the Charity of Hope,” Mercanti said.
The Charity of Hope raises funds for local kids on behalf of school boards, YMCAs, youth groups and other institutions that benefit children.
“My opinion is if she’s going to come to Hamilton and speak here, why not have her? You have to park the politics when it comes to helping people,” Mercanti said.
As recently as November, Palin was ambushed on her U.S. book tour by Canadian comedian Mary Walsh (disguised a conservative reporter Marg Delahunty ) who asked her about Canadian health care.
“Canada needs to dismantle its public health-care system and allow private enterprise to get involved and turn a profit,” the former Alaskan governor told Wash and her crew.
Posted in Updated* Recent News by Christopher -
Tuesday, 22. December 2009
By BJ Fox
The youth group at Greenbrier’s First United Methodist Church hosted their annual fundraiser baked potato bar after the children’s Christmas play.
Dressed as different elves and Christmas ornaments, they joyfully prepared and served almost 100 baked potatoes and all the fixings to hungry kids and their families.
A love offering netted them $475.
The annual Christmas pageant depicting the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus was a huge success and everyone was in a celebratory mood.
The Youth are planning a mission trip to Hot Springs in February to attend a weekend convention experience for 7th- through 12th-grade Methodist youth.
This annual convention promises to bring together Arkansas youth for a life changing weekend where they realize God’s purpose for their lives, no matter where they are in their walk of faith.
A gospel concert is planned for Friday night, along with plenty of worship and game sessions on Saturday before a worship service Saturday night.
They plan to travel in the church bus to Hector (near Russellville) on Sunday to participate in the “Walk Through Bethlehem” experience at the Hector First Assembly Church.
This is an interactive drama to participate in the story of Mary and Joseph as they prepare for the birth of Jesus, the Christmas story.
Although the GFUMC youth are a very small group, they also plan on holding a “Buy a Teen” and dessert auction in January to help pay for their trip to Hot Springs. They are eagerly looking forward to going.
The church is located at the corner of Highway 65 and Tyler Street in Greenbrier.
Posted in Updated* Recent News by Christopher -