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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
  
Location: Texas | My dear friend has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. Not sure what stage right now or many other details, but it's bad... She is young(mid 30's), no insurance, she is married and has a little boy. This is not her time to go, they have had other struggles and things had just been turning around.
We are getting a barrel race together for her(january/february 2015) at Twin Lakes arena. We are so thankful they donated this nice arena!!! So everyone be thinking about coming to that, we are gonna make it an amazing race. What are some tips for these benefits? Some cool things you've done to raise money? What makes you go to a benefit race, over all the other races out there, if you don't know the person personally?
Any help and all the prayers we can get would be grealty appreciated!!! |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Look into getting it BBR/BFR/WPRA/whatever's hot in your area approved. See if you can get silent auction items/division awards/concessions/$$ donated. I think those are going to be two biggest attention getters.... And advertise anywhere and everywhere you can. I'm no help at organizing, those are just some things that would make me choose your race over another option.
I will go to a benefit race over just a regular race as long as it's not a bad drive. I like to think I'm being a good person when I donate my entry fees to a good cause vs your everyday producer.
good luck and prayers for your friend!! |
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  Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | Longneck - 2014-10-21 4:42 PM Look into getting it BBR/BFR/WPRA/whatever's hot in your area approved. See if you can get silent auction items/division awards/concessions/$$ donated. I think those are going to be two biggest attention getters.... And advertise anywhere and everywhere you can. I'm no help at organizing, those are just some things that would make me choose your race over another option.
I will go to a benefit race over just a regular race as long as it's not a bad drive. I like to think I'm being a good person when I donate my entry fees to a good cause vs your everyday producer.
good luck and prayers for your friend!!
I agree with what Longneck said. If you have someone involved that is good at asking for donations you might try to find someone that would donate a saddle or some other big item is all I would have to add. |
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 Regular
Posts: 95
Location: Texas | Sorry I don't have any tips for you but sending PRAYERS for your Dear Friend  |
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 Looking for Lady Jockey
Posts: 3747
Location: Rodeos or Baseball games |  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1580
Location: Down South | A faithful and hardworking member of my NBHA district was diagnosed with colon cancer several months ago. When she was diagnosed we immediately began organizing a benefit barrel run for her. It's happening November 1. Our member is so well known, loved and respected throughout the entire barrel racing scene in Mississippi. I organized a committee of a few people and began looking for donations of money for added $ and items to hold a silent auction. The response has been great. Potential sponsors typically will always donate for a worthy cause. I say this because at the same time I'm organizing the benefit, I'm also producing/organizing a Turkey run on Thanksgiving weekend. The response to the needs for the benefit have far outweighed the response for the Turkey run. I've even had people I didn't ask come to me with items to donate. I had a Back on Track mesh sheet donated that we are selling $5 raffle tickets for. I asked an equine chiropractor to be on-hand at the event for equine chiropractic needs. The person we got to do concessions is donating a % of his profit to the benefit. Get as much donated and volunteer workers as you can. The less you have to pay for, the more will go for the person in need. Best of luck to you and prayers for your friend. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Many prayers for your friend A silent Auction is a good money maker, love these.  |
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Expert
Posts: 1580
Location: Down South | Here's another idea...... set-up an on-line fundraiser through gofundme or youcaring. I just set one up today for the benefit I'm having next weekend for our friend battling colon cancer. Main purpose of mine was to give people that are not in my area the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for the Back on Track Mesh Sheet we are drawing for next Saturday. I used youcaring.com. The website is free, however if you use "wepay" to get your money, there's a small fee (I calculated it to be just under 4% of what the person donating specifies). That is really a small amount/fee to pay when it gives you the chance to reach potential donaters that are not in your immediate area. Here is the link to the page I did if you would like to look at it..... http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-martha-gomillion-fight-colon-cancer/253327 |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I would donate some THE, just let me know the details. Maybe have a silent auction so people can send you things to auction off? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | HUGE hugs and prayers for her and her family, and you.
Benefit tips:
Social Media is your friend. Make the event it's own event page, don't be afraid to call radio and TV Stations as well as news papers, advertise on craigslist and put it on every single FB and Meetup group you can find.
Get awards sponsored and start on it now, have those companies advertise for you too.
Do a silent auction, most benefits I've done make half the money from the silent auction side. Advertise this through the FB, etc. and get artistic people from the community to do it.
See if you can get it sanctioned through whatever is popular in your area. This helps a TON. Even if you can't get it sanctioned ask local associations to put it in their newsletter, same with local riding clubs.
Don't be afraid to advertise far away, I've had people attend from six plus hours away.
Get the family involved it's such a morale booster when you have awesome updates for them as far as how many people care and are willing to be involved and help.
Run it with checks sent directly to the her or make it it's own account so there isn't any confusion, and if people want to make a private donation they can do it that way.
Let me know if you need anything else!
ETA: make a colorful flier with her on it, and make that flier appear everywhere including all social media outlets. most radio stations have an events page stick it on there and call call call call call!
Edited by redmansmyman11 2014-10-26 3:21 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | bump |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 412
Location: In Husker Land | We are doing the same thing for one of my husband's best friends..they al ready had a poker run the 2nd weeked of October, but we felt we needed to do something too.. so we are doing a benefit barrel race and silent auction too. Get it sanctioned with different association's and advertise. I have had sponsors come to me which is great. Sounds familiar..out best friend just found out he has stage 3 brain cancer, he is the same age as my hubby and they have a little boy that is 5. Been a tough month..good luck with yours and lots of prayers to her too.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 963
Location: Deep in the heart of Texas. | Maybe a pie auction or a bake auction. |
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Folks on-line