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Sons of The American Legion National Children & Youth Conference September 21-23, 2012 Indianapolis, Indiana Slide 2 Sons of The American Legion FUNDRAISING SUGGESTIONS Slide 3 Classic Car Shows Classic Car Shows are fairly easy fundraisers to hold. Members of Car Clubs love to bring their vehicles out and show them off and share camaraderie with other owners Slide 4 MOTORCYCLE RIDES Motorcycle Rides are always a popular fundraiser. Working with The Legion Riders, these events can also be fairly simple to organize. Rides on a much smaller scale than the Legacy Ride can still be very successful. Slide 5 Gun Shows While more complicated to organize, many Posts hold Gun Shows to raise monies for their programs with much success. Slide 6 Gun Shows Be advised that there are local and state laws that govern this type of fundraiser that you will need to be aware of. A good place to start is the website: GunLawsByState.com Slide 7 BULL ROASTS AND FEEDS, ETC Im sure that everyone is already doing this type of fundraiser. The key to making these fundraisers successful is advertising prior to the event. Your goal should always be to put on an event where attendees want to come back again and thus advertise FOR YOU by word of mouth. Slide 8 MALE PAGEANTRY All you need to hold this type of fundraiser is Post & Squadron members who are good sports and will dress up as women & put on a show. You CAN be a good sport.cant you? Slide 9 CANT YOU?? Slide 10 DOING OTHER FOOLISH THINGS The Sons are not afraid to sometimes do foolish things to raise monies for our Children & Youthsuch as shaving our heads. Pictured here is Past SAL National Commander Bill Mastoska taking the first swipe of the clippers on Past Detachment of Maryland Commander Buddy Mastin who shaved his head to benefit Special Olympics. Slide 11 DOING OTHER FOOLISH THINGS You can raise big monies and in this case, even look BETTER when youre done. I know that this type of fundraiser has also worked for Past CWF Chairman Jeff Frain and Detachment of Michigan Adjutant Sandy Lipman among others. Slide 12 S.A.L. FUNDRAISING Please allow me to detail some fairly unique and extremely successful fundraisers held by our various Squadrons and Detachments from around the country. Slide 13 S.A.L. FUNDRAISING Squadron 15 Detachment of Maryland Ice Splash Slide 14 ICE SPLASH The Sons of The American Legion Squadron 15 In Elkton, Md. holds an annual Ice Splash Slide 15 ICE SPLASH This Ice Splash benefits the local Special Olympics Chapter in Cecil County Maryland Slide 16 ICE SPLASH 2012 marked their 12 th Annual Splash Slide 17 ICE SPLASH Living up to its name, in 2 of those years, Legion Family members had to cut the ice on the river to allow participants to enter the water. The premise of this fundraiser is simple. Slide 18 ICE SPLASH Squadron members sign up participants who each in turn then lines up sponsors prior to plunging into the frigid water. There is also a teams competition where local businesses compete against each other in raising funds. Slide 19 ICE SPLASH In Their First Year 2001 this Squadron with only 78 members Raised $2,000 Slide 20 ICE SPLASH As proof that even SMALL Squadrons can do BIG things! Proceeds have increased every year and in 2012, the Squadron 15 Ice Splash raised $39,400 for Special Olympics! AWESOME! Slide 21 ICE SPLASH And the water wasnt even cold! Im still smiling. Does this fundraiser look like something you could do? Slide 22 S.A.L. FUNDRAISING Squadrons 17, 21 & 178 Detachment Of Colorado Great Clear Creek Duck Race Slide 23 DUCK RACING Fourteen years ago, Squadron 21 wanted to earn a Gold award from CWF for a donation of $1000. Slide 24 DUCK RACING It took holding a lot of dinners though to raise enough monies to donate just $250 from their small Squadron. What to do? Slide 25 DUCK RACING Then while assisting Post 21 in running a concession stand during Golden Colorados Buffalo Bill Days Festival, a Legionnaire serving on the festival committee gave them a suggestion. Slide 26 DUCK RACING This Legionnaire relayed to Squadron members that about ten years before; the Friends of the Library had run a small scale duck race. He remarked, Why dont you fellas try something like that? Slide 27 DUCK RACING A few days later at a Post 17 dinner, the discussion turned to CWF. Squadron 17 Commander John Osckel, happened to mention that in fact they had 3500 rubber ducks in their Post storage shed. And the Great Clear Creek Duck Race was born. Slide 28 DUCK RACING Squadron 178 joined 17 & 21 in the 2 nd year. The focus of this race has always been on children and the cost of ducks has been kept low to allow children to purchase their own ducks. Slide 29 DUCK RACING The community enjoys watching the SAL members trying to collect the ducks at the finish line and cheer when the river knocks one of them down. Slide 30 DUCK RACING Pictured here are American Legion National C&Y Chairman Dennis Boland and Sons of The American Legion Past National C&Y Chairman Mike Moss helping to round up the ducks. Slide 31 DUCK RACING It appears that SAL National Child Welfare Chairman Pete Sierminski has the right idea. Stay dry and catch the On Shore Ducks. This years event raised about $6,000. Does this fundraiser look like something you could do? Slide 32 S.A.L. FUNDRAISING Detachment Of Maryland Laps Of Love Slide 33 LAPS OF LOVE As you can see by the logos within the logo, this fundraiser benefits 3 charities,- Special Olympics, Child Welfare and the Casey Cares Foundation- a local charity that provides programs for critically ill children & their families. Slide 34 LAPS OF LOVE This fundraiser is based on a very simple premise also. All you need is a local track and some people or Hoggettes willing to walk or run around it. Slide 35 LAPS OF LOVE The entire Legion Family participated. The RUN portion of this event was lead by Special Olympic athletes and the WALK portion was lead by families that have benefitted from the programs of Casey Cares. Slide 36 LAPS OF LOVE Pictured here is Detachment C&Y Chairman JR Hall [2 nd from L] with other participants. JR came up with this idea and organized the event. This 1 st Annual Laps Of Love raised nearly $15,000, $5,000 for each of the three C&Y charities. Does this fundraiser sound like something you could do? Slide 37 GO RAVENS!!!! Slide 38 Sons of The American Legion Once the fundraising is complete, its time to give the money away to benefit our Children & Youth. These next slides show some of the things that the Sons of The American Legion do with the monies they have raised. Slide 39 JOSH DOGS Pictured here are members of the Detachment of Nebraska with an amazing amount of Josh Dogs being donated to the kids at their local Childrens Hospital. Slide 40 JOSH DOGS Here is then National SAL Commander David Dew brightening the day of a sick child by presenting her with her very own Josh Dog. Slide 41 HOLIDAY PARTIES FOR KIDS Easter, Halloween & Christmas are excellent times to give back to the community. Why not hold a holiday party for the local children near your Post. Slide 42 HOLIDAY PARTIES FOR KIDS And if youre lucky like I was, you can even arrive with Santa in a horse drawn sleigh. Slide 43 HOLIDAY PARTIES FOR KIDS What would a Kids Party be without face painting? Slide 44 PARTIES FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES Squadron 80 of the Detachment of Florida holds an annual Christmas party for Special Olympic Athletes that obviously incorporates face painting. Slide 45 TOYS FOR TOTS Another program that many Posts & Squadrons participate in is Toys For Tots. Its very easy to set up your Post as a collection point and Toys For Tots will provide you with collection boxes. Slide 46 TOYS FOR TOTS Local Marine Corp Leagues will even pick up the toys at your Post. Please consider participating in this special program and help to brighten the holidays for a less fortunate child. Slide 47 Slide 48 My Favorite Quote Of All Time! 50 years from nowIt wont matter the type of house I lived in, The make of car I drove, Or how much money I had in my bank account.. But the world may be better Because I made a difference in the life of a child!! Slide 49 The Sons of The American Legion FUNDRAISING AND HAVING FUN!! DONATING AND HAVING FUN!! AND HAVING FUN!! Slide 50 Sons of The American Legion The Sons of The American Legion are the ONLY program of The American Legion that works to support the other programs! And we will continue to do so. Lets make 2012-2013 The best year ever for our Children & Youth! Slide 51 THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THE S.A.L. THIS WEEKEND AND ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR CONFERENCE Larry Bear Weinzirl Sons of The American Legion National C&Y Chairman 2012-2013