01/04/03

Evening Rotary Club Members,

Attached are fundraising ideas for our club to consider. I asked our
District Governor, Duane Benton, if Rotary International could provide us
the top fundraisers that clubs are using. Here they are. As you know, our
club needs to identify a fundraiser that will work for us. Food for
thought!

Your feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Yours in Rotary,

Vic


----- Original Message -----
[[BR]]From: "Michael Smith" <Smithmi@rotaryintl.org>
[[BR]]To: <victomlinson@earthlink.net>
[[BR]]Cc: <donalberti@aol.com>; <Duane_Benton@osca.state.mo.us>; "Roylene Gallas"
[[BR]]<gallasr@rotaryintl.org>
[[BR]]Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 2:28 PM
[[BR]]Subject: Fundraisers

Dear Vic,

DG Duane forwarded your email regarding fundraising to me. I asked Roylene
Gallas, Senior Fund Development Supervisor - Annual Giving to shed some
light on your request. What follows is the content of her email. I hope
you find it to be informative and thought-provoking.

Don't hesitate to contact me or Roylene with any further questions.

Most fund-raisers get promoted at the District level but here are a few
ideas:

* The Rotary Club of Naperville, IL raffles off a house ($250,000 home or
$175,000 in cash) every year. A limited number of tickets at $100 are sold.
They raise about $60,000 of which $35,000 goes to TRF and the remainder to
local community projects. Other clubs similarly raffle off cars.

* Many clubs host Gala Dinners -- dinner/dances with silent and live
auctions that raise anywhere from $30,000 to $300,000. Proceeds are
dependent on the wealth of the audience and quality of auction items. Some
try to get local celebrities to participate and give the event added
publicity. Additional sources of revenue come from Ad Book sales and raffle
tickets as well. Some apply this same concept to hosting a benefit musical
concert.

* Gaining popularity are fundraising sporting events -- 8K Runs and walks.
Many of them have been started recently to support polio eradication.

* The Rotary Club of Winnipeg was going to host fundraiser of having built
the most snowmen a couple of weeks ago -- but they did not have enough snow
(for the first time ever) at the posted time. I don't know what has become
of this event.

* Clubs that reside in river towns host the Great American Duck Races.
People adopt a "numbered" yellow rubber duck for $5. The ducks are released
into the water and prizes are awarded to the first ducks that cross the
finish line.

* Some Rotary Clubs set up food booths at county and local community Fairs
and use the proceeds to support Foundation and/or local projects. Many are
successful at raising $5,000 or more in a weekend doing this.

* For the "Hollywood" inclined, some Rotary clubs have developed Community
Theatre into fund-raisers. This of course takes a lot of work on the part
of many people.

It is important to keep in mind, that any fundraising event that is
undertaken be relative to its audience. A Black-Tie dinner might work in
New York, Chicago or Beverly Hills to raise $100,000 but may not work in a
small town where the demographics do not indicate a wealth factor. By the
same token, a Duck Race might work in a small town but not in Chicago. A
raffle program may not be allowed in states, counties or cities where laws
prohibit them.

I don't know if this helps or not but I would be happy to speak with Vic
Tomlinson and flesh out any ideas he may have.

Roylene

Michael Smith
[[BR]]Major Gifts Officer
[[BR]]Zones 17, 18, 29 & 30
[[BR]]phone: 847.866.3220
[[BR]]fax: 847.328.5260
[[BR]]rotary.org
[[BR]]Please give generously to The Polio Eradication Campaign