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“a very special division of potter, clay and blessings, inc.”  F U N d - F e s t i v a l s - T o - G o
You let us know what you are raising money to buy—we bring the festival, the FUN and help you raise the funds for your project! It's about that simple, yet, because no one else is doing anything like this—we have a difficult time explaining this program to others. Recently we sent a letter to a man who teaches “Pioneering 101” and wanted to know if we could help several nursing homes raise money for kick-off projects their corporate budgets wouldn't cover. We answered him with this letter... we're hoping it helps you understand...
Dear Friend,
You know a little about potter, clay and blessings, inc. but asked about our FUNd-Festivals-to-Go program. It's really quite simple. Greg Andrews and Steve Schaefer handle the FUNd Festivals. They work with the host organization (it doesn't matter if they are for profit or not, large or small, etc.) and actually TEACH them how to raise some funds for a special project.
The festival can be internal (only people who live and work at the nursing home attend) or external (the home people and the general public.) Obviously there is more money made with an open festival, but it's also a bit more work. It does, however, get a LOT of positive publicity for the nursing home—and you can often see census rising during our activity period and shortly afterward...but that's not a promise, just an observation.
We ask the host group to choose something they want or need to be the focus of the fund raiser. People are more likely to give and participate when they know where the money is going. We've helped people get little things—like picnic tables...and we've helped one group get a wheel chair accessible bus and another get several thousand dollars in exercise equipment for a facility workout room for staff and residents to share.
Once the group has a specific goal we set a date for the festival itself –usually at least 30 days out-- but we have done them with 2 weeks notice twice and they went OK in meeting their goals.
During this period we provide a lot of education and fun activities that get people focused on the festival and raising some seed money. The seed money is used to fund the festival itself. The facility NEVER is asked for cash up front. We provide the cash flow to get it started. We do ask them for help in the activities, but they are all fun and educational and related to their own specific goal. We pay ourselves back from the profits of the FUNd Festival. Then we split the net profits 50/50 with the group. We do a whole lot of the work—so it's a well deserved split. Plus, if they pay attention during the prep month—they can do it again without us.
On the day of the festival (we've found payday to be the best day to schedule) we set up and usually residents, families and staff help with the various activities. We have a very popular Jail and Bail, a Dunk Tank (summers/outside), Silent Auction, Raffles, Children's Games, Balloons and access to a variety of other activity like massage, palm reading, miniature golfing tea, etc. While we don't guarantee anything so far every group has met their goal and had a lot of fun. This is not a HUGE fund raiser like some we see as far as money goes—but it's one that involves residents, families and staff as equals.
F U N d - F e s t i v a l s - T o - G o is not limited to nursing home groups. We can provide this program for churches, day cares, really anybody. At this writing we are working with Helping Hands Medical Transportation Company as hosts for a F U N d - F e s t i v a l s - T o - G o where they are raising awareness about poverty and collecting money and canned foods for local pantries.
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Greg@potterclayandblessings.org
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Greg Andrews lived in a nursing home. He was just over 40 years old, had been born with multiple-physical challenges and lived in a very black and white world. Most of the time Greg was just angry. And then he got involved in a program with other nursing home residents and staff who wanted to lose weight. After some time the group decided to put together a workout room. One piece of special equipment the group wanted cost about $5000 by itself. For about a month Greg and his new friends educated the staff and other residents about fitness and got them excited about the possibilities of funding this special program. At the end of that month there was a FUNd Festival. The cash was counted and the group was able to purchase their big expensive machine—and had more equipment donated then they could possibly use. As Greg and Steve cleaned up the mess the excitement lingered. Greg turned to Steve and said, “Can we do this again tomorrow?” He wasn't kidding. Greg began an excited dialog where he suggested other nursing homes could probably use some extra money and we could bring this program to them.
A bond was formed and Steve saw F U N d - F e s t i v a l s - T o - G o as a catalyst to provide Greg and other people without much work experience or interaction with the world to learn and build self-confidence and esteem. These are Greg's own words...
“I lived in a nursing home where I just wasn't happy. I didn't fit in. My mom had died, my girl friend had died, our house was foreclosed and then I was in a car wreck. Because of my obvious physical deformities the hospital assumed I couldn't walk and didn't give me the exercises I needed while I recovered from the accident. After a long period of recovery I ended up alone, in a wheel chair, with a bed sore and now living in a nursing home where I didn't know anybody. It was pretty horrible.
But then one of the physical therapy people put together a group for people who wanted to lose weight. I joined and we decided to make a gym out of one of the empty rooms. Steve Schaefer was a friend of one of the other residents and visited pretty often. He helped us with a festival to raise money but for every day the month before the festival I hung signs with facts about fitness around the nursing home. Then once a week another lady and I took a cart of fruit around and sold it. We discovered that if 75 people each gave $75 we'd meet our goal and it began to seem easy.
On the big day of the FUNd Festival it was so much fun. People were laughing and getting all involved. Steve trusted me to handle the money box and sell tickets. I was also the bailiff at the jail cell. I can't tell you in words how much fun it was that day. I just wanted it to go on forever.
Now I'm helping Steve get F U N d - F e s t i v a l s - T o - G o moving as a legitimate part of the company. The name was my idea. I'm out living in the community again—at a Senior Housing Complex, but I have my own apartment. I get to volunteer for F U N d - F e s t i v a l s - T o - G o and am hoping that one day it will be able to employ me and others with similar backgrounds.
I'd like to invite you to help color my world. It's not black and white anymore. Click on my picture above and you'll go to a site that will let you paint a picture for me. Use lots of colors. Make it FUN. I'm collecting drawings from our readers so please put my email address in the SEND space at the coloring site! Thanks, I am looking forward to hearing from you and adding your colorful painting to my collection.”
James Gregory Andrews 2006
Greg@potterclayandblessings.org
FUNd-Festivals have raised money for:
- Alzheimer's Association
- MS Society
- Michael J Fox Parkinson's Research
- National Association for the Mentally ILL (NAMI)
- Fitness Across Time
- Purchase of a Wheel Chair Van
- Salvation Army Food Pantry
- Main Street Specialized Services
- Community Awareness and numerous nursing home groups
Contact Stephen@potterclayandblessings.org
(618) 334-0684 |
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