BoosterTrends Newsletter

APRIL, 2004

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Dear Booster........

Send Dear Booster your letters, comments and concerns. We will publish one each month and share Dear Booster answers with other clubs around the country.

Do you have something you would like to submit for the upcoming Dear Booster column? Send it to Dear Booster now.

Updates

Online Coordinator Registration now active

City Partner Registration program now active

We Want To Know

We want to hear what you think about this enewsletter.

Do you know of a booster worker who deserves to be recognized?

Club Fact

Mentoring Your Club

If you want to see your booster club continue to grow year after year make sure that the last year of office for your executive officers is spent in a mentoring or emeritus position.

Each year booster clubs elect into officer positions parents and volunteers who have reached their senior year of support. What this does is to take away a natural mentoring opportunity and places the new officers in a position where they have no place to turn for experience and support.

By electing underclass parents into executive officer positions and allowing the senior parents to assume mentoring or emeritus positions you accomplish two very important feats. First, you put into place a natural mentoring and support system for incoming officers and second you allow parents the ability to move onto supporting other worthwhile activities.

Quick Online Links

Command Central

Online Chat

Fundraising Corner

Vendor Showcase

Club Membership

Vendor Membership

Check out past issues of Booster Trends

Visit us at: boosterclubs.org

To find out more click here

Dear Readers,

For those of you who are just receiving Booster Trends for the first time - Welcome! You join a growing list of fellow booster associates from around the country.

We encourage you to keep your letters, emails, comments and questions coming. Staying in touch with your needs is our key focus. As we work to help provide a support system for booster clubs we thank you for allowing us the ability to play a part in helping you and your club succeed. Together, we are making positive progress that counts!

Now, on to this month's issue.

in this issue. . .
	• Executive Directors Column • New NBCA Vendors • My Free Travel • Building a Successful Booster Club - continuation series • Vendor of the Month • Do-It Yourself Fundraiser • Dear Booster • Vendor Spotlight • Seeking National Helpers • Monthly Booster Club Survey

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS COLUMN

Thank You!
I want to thank the more than 850 of you who took the time to respond to my column in last months issue.

Your support helps fuel our commitment of working towards the goal of insuring that ALL booster clubs receive the support and assistance they need to help insure the continuation of extra-curricular programs for all kids.

This month I would like to touch on a less disturbing but equally as important subject. That of compliance and proper club registration.

Next to fundraising and how to increase parent participation the largest inquiry we receive is for guidance in organizational structure. It seems that the lion's share of booster clubs, ranging from start-up to those who have existed for multiple years all struggle with organizational compliance and structure. We receive literally hundreds of emails weekly with regards to this topic.

Some months ago in a survey taken by the NBCA we found that less than 18% of the booster clubs polled were in fact properly registered and compliant. This lead us to believe that the majority were just getting started, but after polling additional questions we found that approximately 94% of the clubs polled considered themselves to have been organized and running as a booster club for 2 years or more.

If your booster club is one of the many currently conducting business under your schools registration then now is the time to stop and properly register. Booster Clubs are legal entities and as such must be properly registered. Whether you choose to establish a public operating foundation under a public charity or you go the route of incorporating and filing for tax exempt status take the actions to move toward proper compliance and registration.

I wish each of you the best of success.
Happy Boostering!

Steve M. Beden
Executive Director

NEW VENDORS

We would like to welcome the following companies to the National Booster Club Association and want to encourage you to patronize each of them. Their products and services are top notch.

ALLOW CARD OF AMERICA
Allow Card of America empowers teens through literacy by providing online money management lessons and a practical payment tool called the Allow Card (allowance card). Visit this members website at: www.allowcard.com.

ERS/FUNDING FACTORY
The nation’s largest free recycling fundraising program, FundingFactory helps schools and nonprofits. Unlock the Power to fundraising success through recycling of printer cartridges and cell phones. Visit this members website at: www.fundingfactory.com.

WRIST RIPPER
We market a wrist roller forearm exercise product designed to help athletes (baseball, golf, tennis, hockey, wrestling) strengthen the muscles of the hands, wrists, and forearms. Visit this members website at: www.wristripper.com.

ENVIRO SOLUTIONS
Recycle used inkjet & laser printer cartridges for cash. Free collection & shipping supplies. Return cost paid by us. No cost to your organization. Visit this members website at: www.envirosolutionsllc.com.

ROCK SPORTS
RockSports manufactures customized apparel for schools, clubs, and organizations that are looking for creative spirit wear and/or fundraising products. Visit this members website at: www.rocksports.net.

SHERWOOD FOREST
Fundraising program selling evergreens from the Pacific Northwest. Profitable and easy fundraising program selling fresh, fragrant holiday evergreens from the Pacific Northwest. Visit this members website at: www.sherwoodforestfarms.com .

SOUTH FUND FUNDRAISING
Fundraising products, fundraising ideas, or school fundraising support. Whatever your need, we can help! We have discount card fundraisers, scratch card fundraisers, and candy fundraisers. Visit this members website at: www.southfund.com.

TROPHY CENTRAL
TrophyCentral has a great selection of trophies, awards, medals, plaques, sashes, lapel pins, display cases, custom T-shirts, sports uniforms and other custom items. Yahoo 5-star merchant. Visit this members website at: www.trophycentral.com.

CABANA BANNERS
Cabana Banners, the Nation's leader in the most unique and dynamic banners, offers many fundraising opportunities. From sponsored banners to chair-back cover, Cabana Banners can assist. Visit this members website at: www.cananabanners.com.

COOL DRAFT SCIENTIFIC
We offer a complete line of portable misting fans for use on sidelines, practices, and events. Cool Draft misting fans reduce the affects of heat stress. Visit this members website at: www.cooldraft.com.

GOUROCK
Gourock specializes in high quality netting applications. Barrier nets, impact netting, and netting enclosures/cages are all available. Custom dimensions and projects can be manufactured as well. Visit this members website at: www.gourock.com.

WILD CARD
Fundraising for schools, youth groups, churches, etc., with discount cards. Visit this members website at: www.wildcardfundraising.com7.

DIGI-LABS
Easily create and print fully customized Fundraising Photo Calendars. All elements of the calendars can be customized, images, text and dates. No minimum quantities. Visit this members website at: www.digi-labs.net.

FEDHEALTH
Earn 65% using Fedhealth's reference book that helps families and communities prepare for terrorism, first aid & most disasters. This project can save a life! Visit this members website at: www.fedhealth.net.

ATHLETIC EDGE APPAREL COMPANY
The #1 choice for all your decorated apparel needs including knits, woven's and jackets. Low prices, top quality, free freight, quick ship. Easy and fast. $2.00 Flat embroidery up to 8,000 stitches, Free Tapes. Visit this members website.

GO FLOW, INC.
Go Flow is your source for misting and hydration. We offer many unique products and fundraising ideas for your team or club. At low prices! Visit this members website at: www.goflow.net.

We are excited to have each of these tremendous company's onboard and look forward to the opportunity of helping you become involved in the tremendous products and services each provides.

We encourage you to visit each of them on BoosterWorld and check out the opportunities they provide to support your organizations.

MY FREE TRAVEL - ONE HOT PROGRAM

How do you fire-up a sales force you can’t fire!
Give them a program that is HOT!

By Hal Yaffe
When your kids NEED to raise funds, and you have selected your best fundraising opportunity, how do you “fire-up” your team?

In this article, we will first focus on how and why the Vacation Voucher program works and makes sense; we will then provide some professionally worded tips and techniques that will make your job easier, because the kids can master it in minutes.

The gist: Your organization will be able to award each and every person who makes a contribution to your club (at the level you determine) with a FREE VACATION worth hundreds of dollars.

Really!
HORT Financial, founded in 1987, is the parent company to one of the hottest new fundraising programs in North America. My Free Travel, a wholly owned subsidiary, is offering a FREE HOTEL ROOM program that has been available to sales and marketing professionals since 1994. NOW, this program has been converted to a simple and extremely effective fundraising program.

How?
What is the program? My Free Travel is a leading supplier of Incentive Travel Promotions. Relax; these programs do NOT require any timeshare presentation or additional purchases. In fact, as you will see, they are providing a service to the travel industry.

How do you raise funds?
First: The program is easy to manage and operate. The vacation certificates have NO EXPIRATION DATE. If you have extras, use them another time. There is nothing that can break. Nothing to spoil. No Mess. No assembly. Never any additional fees. Storage and transportation is easy as the certificates are small and compact. “This was our best fundraiser yet”, said Dianna Bacchi, Regional Director of the American Heart Association of Plainview, New York.

How can this be?
The first rule of fundraising: Buy low, sell high. Typically, we see organization turn 5000 certificates into 5000 individual $10.00 & $20.00 bills. These certificates are available to your organization in bulk packages for less than cookie dough, wrapping paper, cookies or magazines. PLUS: We offer 25% of the processing fee back to your organization. Known as “redemption rewards” MFT will award $5.00 to your club for every vacation voucher that is activated with the $20.00 processing fee.

Does this really work?
One of the major issues facing your campaign will be the consumer’s skepticism. Understanding how the program works will help ease their uncertainty.

Consider this:
My Free Travel has arrangements with over 300 resort hotels in 25 destinations. We have agreed to purchase a block of rooms from each hotel, and promise to fill them with travelers who will (probably) spread some money within their property. Remember the last time you where in a hotel? How often did your wallet open? Room service, Mini bars, in-room movies, lounges, restaurants, gift shops, parking etc. The hotels provide MFT with advantageous rates so we WILL send our travelers to their location. They also know people will want to stay additional nights. They pledge to treat all guests as first class visitors, because they want them to become ambassadors for their property. They want visitors to return on their next visit to town!

Is the company legit?
Check us out. We have a 100% clean bill of health with both the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau. Our headquarters are in Downtown Chicago, on Michigan Ave. next to Nordstroms. Last year our program accounted for more than 100,000 hotel room nights. We bet your club’s friends and families will help us grow that number.

OK, so what do you say?
Imagine walking up to a person and saying “I’m with the Southview High School Booster Club”. . .(hand them the certificate) “if you were to receive 3 days free vacation, which one of these 25 North American resort cities would you choose?”

(Wait for them to answer. “This certificate will be yours with any donation of $10.00* or more.” (Your club sets the level)

“This certificate is valid for 3 days / 2 nights at a three star or better national brand hotel. Your only commitment is a one-time $20.00 processing fee and the room taxes for the location you choose. That’s it. Our club also gets 25% of the processing fee, so please be sure to redeem you voucher for your free hotel rooms! Knowing that hotel rooms can range from $100 - $200 PER NIGHT, this really quite a bargain! Your $10.00* would really be helping our booster club, and at the same time. . .I’ll bet you could use a vacation, right?

(What city did you say you’re going to pick?)
I knew we could count on your support! Thanks!

Frequently asked questions:
Is there any fine print:
All reservation must be made 60 days in advance (or pay a nominal surcharge)
Check in is midweek (or pay a nominal surcharge)
They pay the taxes.

How do they redeem the certificate?
They select their city. Return the certificate with the $20.00 processing fee. They will then be sent a Reservation Request Form for their selected city. Once the city has been selected, then the taxes will be determined, they range from $7.00 to a maximum of $12.00 per night.

They pay the taxes and secure their travel dates.
That’s it.

So how do you fire up the troops?
With each 5,000 pack of certificates, we will offer a two years worth of FREE vacations to the person who collects the most donations. They and their family will be awarded a certificate valid for a 10-day Mexico getaway, usable as 5 nights in Cancun and 5 nights in Puerto Vallarta.

For more information on how you club can start offering Free Vacations, contact Hal Yaffe, National Sales Manager, My Free Travel. 1-800-219-4152 x 8270. Or visit MFT on the web at www.MyFreeTravel.com You can also send an e-mail to Hal@MyFreeTravel.com

Hal Yaffe
National Sales Manager
My Free Travel

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BOOSTER CLUB

This month we cover topics #7 and #8

Behind every successfully funded athletic program, there is usually an active and thriving booster club helping to pave the way. Without a properly running support branch, athletic departments and alumni would be forced to constantly operate and support under a dark cloud of uncertainty, debt and cutbacks.

Booster clubs are an essential part of not only the fundraising process, but also the community process. The effectiveness and efficiency of an enthusiastic booster club can provide an excellent vehicle for community involvement and a perfect way to offset the rising costs afflicting athletic departments across the country.

However, having an effective booster club is much more than monthly meetings and money drives. It is about teamwork, responsibility, accountability and awareness.

Here are 15 of the most common mistakes (listed randomly) made by booster clubs across the nation. Each month we will provide expanded topic and tips for two (2) of the topics noted.

1	Senior parents running the booster club... (Covered in January's Issue)
2	Isolating a club... (Covered in January's Issue)
3	Conducting consecutive and/or multiple fundraisers... (Covered in February's Issue)
4	Lack of mission and vision statement... (Covered in February's Issue)
5	A lack of an Executive Booster Club... (Covered in March's Issue)
6	Gaining tax exempt 501(c)3 status... (Covered in March's Issue)
7	Accounting policies and procedures... An overwhelming 90% of booster clubs recently polled responded that they had not formally established any accounting policies and procedures. In addition, 78% stated that they were unsure if they had filed or were required to file tax statements. Establishing an accounting system that will properly track receivables and payables as well as the handling of funds is a must. Tip: Quickbooks offers a non-profit accounting program that can be easily customized to offer all of the accounting features needed for a club. Develop your accounting policies and procedures book and build in sections that will outline the following areas: bank account information, policies for - making deposits, issuing checks, acceptable and non-acceptable expenses, making check reimbursement requests, petty cash and handling of money. It is also advised that you include sections that provide guidance on areas such as how much cash and what denominations should be used for starting concessions, raffles and tables selling goods.
8	Keeping in contact with friends, alumni and business supporters... Communication is a key component to helping build successful teams and programs. A coaching staff that cannot communicate will lose the game even with the best players. The same applies to a booster club who has not established a multiple level of communication techniques for keeping their events, activities and opportunities in front of parents, administrators, alumni and the community. Tip: Develop a monthly newsletter and send it to current and past supporters. Provide ample opportunities to continually gather new and updated contact information. Including an online link from your club website where supporters can update their contact information.
9	Overstepping boundaries...
10	Understanding the booster clubs job...
11	Keeping the club compliant with state and federal guidelines...
12	Staying in-tune with district policies...
13	Establishing a working relationship with school administrators and coaches...
14	Lack of policies and procedures...
15	Outlining job descriptions and areas of responsibility...

VENDOR OF THE MONTH

Our Vendor of the Month is CHEF-CO DBA LIL’ ANNIE’S

Established as the Carter & Hammons Exciting Fundraising Company in 1986, Chef-Co is now a leading figure in the fundraising industry. Chef-Co was created for the purpose of helping organizations raise necessary funds. Our goal was to provide non-profit groups customized fundraising services and quality fundraising products at competitive prices. What first began as a local fundraising program with one product has now grown to a nation-wide business offering hundreds of products and customized services. Since 1986, Chef-Co has helped thousands of groups raise millions in additional funds! We are proud to celebrate 15+ years of commitment to excellent quality and service.

We are proud to have this kind of a company as an associate of the National Booster’s Club. Please take another look at Lil’ Annie’s on our website. Or visit their website at www.chef-co.com.

DO-IT YOURSELF FUNDRAISER OF THE MONTH

Radio Days
A local radio station reserves one day each year for the Pioneer Lions to read commercial advertisements "live" on the air which club members have previously sold to area merchants. The club receives 60 percent of the revenues from commercials sold. The activity continues from six in the morning until six at night. Two or more Lions man each shift along with the radio station disk jockeys. Lions read the commercials live, and tell the radio audience about who the Lions are and what we do in the community. The project is both financially rewarding and good for Lions Community Projects.

DEAR BOOSTER .....

Dear Booster,
Our school is facing some tough financial times and we were recently told that they may eliminate the sports programs as a cutback. Is there anything the booster club association can do to help??

Penny L .
Kennedy High School

Dear Penny,
For the second month in a row we find ourselves focusing on issues surrounding the potential cutback or elimination of extra-curricular programs and this is quickly becoming a sad statistic facing a growing number of schools around the country. I would like to share the suggestion given to another parent because it applies equally to your situation.

In order to help provide alternative solutions to cutbacks you must organize the parents so that they can help provide an alternative solution. If your school does not already have a booster club this is one of the first steps you need to take. Forming a booster club is a fairly simple process. But like we shared last month forming a booster club that will produce ongoing results that impact at the bottom level, year after year requires a bit more work and just like starting any business the matter in which you go about building that success is largely determined by the experience or lack of from the group that will come together and form the club.

The association is ready to assist your group in building a successful booster club organization. The first step that we ask you take is to complete an online questionnaire form that will help our staff better assist guiding you in forming the club, gaining parent support and then conducting activities that will build a solid foundation. You can find the form located on BoosterWorld or by visiting the following link: http://www.boosterclubs.org/club_questionnaire.shtml

You can submit the form and will receive a comprehensive report that will assist you in taking the correct steps based on your clubs status, needs, goals and current situation. From there you will have direct contacts that will assist you as you continue building and expanding your club.

Send us your Dear Booster.... article and we will select one each month to share with the readers of Booster Trends. To submit your email send to: dearbooster@boosterclubs.org.

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Vendor Spotlight falls on PINAH’S CRUNCHY BREAD CHIPS

In 1913 master baker Christ Pinahs settled in Milwaukee from Germany. It was only after a few years that he opened a family bakery here and later after World War II Christ passed on the family business to his son, George. Continuing the Pinahs family tradition of imagination, George created a special new recipe for traditional Vienna Rye. Soon this "new" but traditional rye bread was being served not only to customers of the neighborhood bakery, but also to customers in the finest restaurants around Milwaukee.

Fortifying the family tradition in 1955 Marge Pinahs, George's wife, experimented in the family kitchen and created the first Pinahs Crunchy Bread Chip using a variation of George's Vienna Rye recipe. Marge made Pinahs history with her secret bread formula for the fried chip with a bit of garlic. Soon the Crunchy Bread Chip out-sold all other products in the bakery. Marge's fried Crunchy Bread Chip laid the foundation for the current Pinahs business.

Since 1981, Carl and Chris Pinahs, brothers, and sons of George and Marge Pinahs, have stepped into management of the family business. Growth and expansion of the business moved the Pinahs Company to a Milwaukee suburb and into a larger facility. Only 18 months later, an even larger facility was necessary, and by 1990 the current plant in Waukesha, Wisconsin, has housed the corporate offices and production.

Pinahs has a great product and we look forward to a long relationship with them. Please look at their website www.pinahs.com and see what they have.

SEEKING NATIONWIDE HELPERS

We still have a few openings left for the following positions:

Club Coordinators - The NBCA is seeking individuals who are currently working with or involved with booster clubs. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone currently working with a club or team who would like to turn the time you are spending into an opportunity to receive prizes, awards, recognition and compensation. Club Coordinators do not have to do anything more than you are currently doing. If you would like to be considered for the position of Club Coordinator, please email your name, club affiliation, city and state. No telephone calls, please. Email us today @ marketing@boosterclubs.org

CLUB SURVEY RESULTS

In last month's issue we asked the following question:

How do you view the support or lack of support from your schools administration?

The following responses were received:

53%

Responded that they were not supported by their schools administration.

37%

Said that they received very little support from school administrators.

10%

Stated that they viewed the support from their school administrators as a big help and a strong part of their activities.

To all of you that took the time to respond - thank you! Your responses help us to better understand how we can provide you support, guidance and assistance.

This month we would like to get your response to the following question:

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR REGISTERED BOOSTER CLUB MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERED ACTIVE?

Submit your answers now
We will report the results in next months Booster Trends e-newsletter.

FAST FACT

Fact of the month-
Annual planning meetings with your school or groups administrators is the perfect opportunity to form boundaries, establish joint goals and to form a working relationship.

Quote of the month-
"Your attitude is an expression of your values, beliefs and expectation."
-- Brian Tracy

Check out BoosterWorld @ boosterclubs.com, net & org.

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National Booster Club Association
100 N. Morain St., #208
Kennewick, WA 99336
info@boosterclubs.org
509-735-2878
Fax: 509-735-4917