[Cash-and-caring] Ideas & Questions

Thu Dec 22 01:20:16 UTC 2016

Everett,

My chapter or affiliate have never done the car crusher, but years ago, a
youth group I participated in did. It was pretty successful. Lots of people
showed up and a lot of people (mostly guys) wanted to take a chance smashing
the car with a sledge hammer. Don't remember how much money was raised, but
it was well attended.

Bridgit

From: Cash-and-Caring [mailto:cash-and-caring-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Everett Gavel via Cash-and-Caring
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 5:19 PM
To: 'Fund-raising assistance for Chapters and Affiliates'
<cash-and-caring at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Everett Gavel <everett at everettgavel.com>
Subject: [Cash-and-caring] Ideas & Questions

Hi Janice, and All,

It's human nature, sadly. It's the 80/20 rule. More often than not, you have
the few that do most of the work, as others 'support' it while doing as
little as they can, such as cheering, clapping, voting for it, etc. maybe
even attending it. But to help setup, tear down, market, administrate, and
more? Nope, nein, nyet, nada, no way. When you find a type-A personality, a
go-getter, go get 'em! 

As for ideas that work, I have a few questions on ideas. 

Anyone yet rented a dunk tank? Did you make or lose money? 

How about golfing events? In Northeast Ohio, some organization, I think it
was the local rehab hospital maybe, has been having mid-winter golf
scrambles for years as a fundraiser. They use orange balls in the white
snow. It's talked about and looked forward to by golfers in the region all
year long. It's just plain fun, as that's the way they've marketed it. 

Anyone ever done a car crusher sort of event? I remember reading about one
idea I've not yet gotten around to trying. It could work especially well I'd
think, if you have a college campus nearby to do it on or near. What you do
is purchase a car, a beater from a junkyard. You probably will have to pop
out the glass first, but they could do that at the junkyard. I don't
remember all the safety regulations. But it's been done, and likely will be
done again. What you do is have a tow truck or whomever, place the car on
some property you've worked it out with, and sell, say, $5 chances to take 3
good swings at the junker with a sledge hammer. Most people find destruction
more exciting than construction, y'know? What I've read about this one in
past years, it's been successful and memorable when done. I'd actually
forgotten this one for the last few years until just now. But I'm gonna do
this one, one day. You'd have to give work gloves and goggles to any
participant before they took control of the sledgehammer, of course. It just
occurred to me that you could even offer small cash prizes, like $20, to the
first person to knock off a bumper, or a door, or to pop open the trunk.
With that last one, you could even put something not easily destroyable in
the trunk, and rather like a pinyata, whoever popped the trunk  would then
win that prize? What would you call that event? Well, something to do with
Junk in Your Trunk, of course.  :) 

Lastly, in a similar vein, has anyone ever put on a demolition derby? I
don't know how feasible this one would be. I've just always wanted to enter
one. Supposedly you don't need a license to drive in one, you just need the
car to enter, and to sign the waiver I suppose. I've been told in both Ohio
and Colorado that no, you don't need a license to enter one. Anyway, again,
I don't know how financially feasible this might be. But if you get several
blind people entering, it's an easy gig for some positive PR.  :) 

That being said, I guess you could just work it out to get a few blind
people to pay a few hundred bucks each to get a car for each to enter, and
have fun with it. It could be someone else's event, but you could get some
PR pretty easily I'd think. 

Strive On!

Everett

From: Cash-and-Caring [mailto:cash-and-caring-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Janice Toothman via Cash-and-Caring
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 8:59 AM
To: Fund-raising assistance for Chapters and Affiliates
<cash-and-caring at nfbnet.org <mailto:cash-and-caring at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: Janice Toothman <janice.toothman at verizon.net
<mailto:janice.toothman at verizon.net> >
Subject: Re: [Cash-and-caring] IABS IDOL

Bridget,

I want to say that I share your frustration.  It is often hard when a few in
the Chapter/Affiliate do most of the work and the majority remain apathetic
or unmotivated.  

It is difficult enough coming up with ideas that will be successful and that
our members will feel excited about enough to be involved with getting the
project done.  I think we have to keep trying because the work of the
Federation is vital.  It is also a way to empower individuals that may not
have felt that had a say in their own future.  If they can recognize that
participating in fundraising,helps them build skills and confidence that
will make them a more independent and effective blind person.

Janice

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