Fundraising News From Around the World

Live Oak, FL: Community services group sponsors annual lawnmower race to support people with disabilities; Midhurst, ON: Museum holds ‘Pedicures and Parasols’ fundraiser for Mother’s Day featuring spa services and a full afternoon tea; Benton County, AR: Junior League sponsors ‘Touch a Truck fundraiser where attendees can touch and climb on vehicles of all types, including construction vehicles, emergency vehicles, motorcycles and big rigs; Richland, WA: Riders participate in 'Ridin for Rover' poker run fundraiser for humane society; Tasmania, AU: Marathon runners raise funds for secure wildlife park for shrinking Tasmanian devil population; Asphodel-Norwood, ON: Students, staff and community members pucker up to kiss a pig as part of a fundraiser to send students and teachers to Jamaica; Dallas, TX: High school tennis team holds all night, non-stop tournament to raise funds for scholarships and education programs; Champagne-Urbana, IL: Experts appraise vintage and antique items as part of fundraiser for senior citizens programs; Lexington, KY: Students line up to take a pie in the face and wrestle in a pool of pudding in college fundraiser; Battle Creek, MI: Local artists paint chairs for fundraiser for low- or no-income women and their families; Hattiesburg, MS: 7-year-old student, recovering from lymphoma and cancer treatment, takes stage as Elvis impersonator in fundraiser for American Cancer Society; River Falls, MI: Sexual assault team fundraiser features auction of guitar autographed by Bon Jovi band members; Warrington, UK: A group of seven women bare all on television to raise the profile of the charity that they work for; and Van Wert, OH: Teachers and administrators serve ice cream in local ice cream parlor in fundraiser to purchase library equipment.

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Do-It-Yourself Fundraiser Of The Month

One elementary school, formed the Potty Pack to raise funds for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, by selling "potty protection insurance". For $10, you could have one of the tacky pink and purple toilets placed anywhere you chose, including local businesses or someone's home. To have the potty removed, the recipient must pay $15. A second option is to pay $10 to have it passed on to someone else. If someone decides to be a "potty pooper" the group will remove the toilet for no charge. They also offered "potty protection insurance" for $25. This insurance ensures that the potties will not be delivered to your home or business. Another school used a slight variation with a traveling toilet to help raise funds. Enter the Traveling Toilet. The Toilet traveled from one yard to another for a price – $2 moved it out of your yard, $5 moved it out of your yard and into the yard of your choice, $6 moved it out of your yard and into some else's and guaranteed that it would never return to your yard.
 

“Love That Smell” Candles: Free shipping and complete fundraising start-up packet for your school, church, team, individual fundraiser. Premium quality, triple-scented jar candles to max out high profits. Order brochure sales or risk-free 30 day “consignment” plan includes return of any unsold candles for 100% credit. “Easiest fund-raiser my students have ever done.…so very easy to work with. I would highly recommend this as a fundraiser!! Wonderful service!!” (Sandra-Sullivan South High School) Call: 866-379-8493 or visit www.lovethatsmellcandles.com.

Non-Profit In The Spotlight

More than 280,000 people are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Another 25 are added to those ranks each day. Since 1973, no service member, regardless of rank, is ever buried without someone in attendance thanks to the Arlington Ladies. These volunteer military wives or widows, attend every service members funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. Rain or shine, snow or sweltering heat — they are always there. Their role in the ceremony is brief. When the flag has been presented to the grieving family, they approach, offer a few words of comfort and a handwritten note and back away, never once turning their backs on the flag. If family is unable to attend a funeral, an Arlington Lady will send a letter describing the service and the day, right down to the sounds and smells in the air. They also write the family a follow-up letter six to eight weeks later. There are approximately 160 Arlington Ladies, each of whom works an average of one day a month. Although none of them can really say how many funerals they have attended, it is estimated that each Arlington Lady attends between six and eight funerals on the days they work. (Note: While the Arlington Ladies are not a non-profit organization, we included them because of their valuable service.)

The Croquet Alliance: Have an organized croquet match as a fundraiser and people will talk about the fun they had for ages! Its different and we handle it all. We can provide your fundraiser with a fun croquet theme, with everything needed for a fun time for your participants. If it is a period event, with Victorian wickets and mallets, we can do that, even candle lit wickets for evenings just like they did in the 1890s. Or we can organize a formal competitive fundraiser. Please visit our website if you are in the New England area and would like more information.

This Month In History

"Buffalo Bill" Cody's first Wild West Show (5/1/1883); Cereal food "Cheerios" hits store shelves (5/1/1941); Mickey Mantle hits his first home run (5/1/1951); Mr. Potato Head was introduced (5/1/1952); Martin Luther King Jr. makes his "I Have a Dream" speech (5/3/1963); Manhattan Island was purchased for $24 in cloth & buttons (5/4/1626); John Deere produces the first steel plow (5/6/1833); George Eastman patents the Box Camera (5/7/1888); The U.S. Post Office was established (5/8/1794); Mad Magazine hits the newsstands (5/8/1952); The flush toilet was patented (5/12/1792); Two dozen merchants and brokers established the New York Stock Exchange (5/17/1792); The first Kentucky Derby horse race took place at Churchill Downs in Louisville (5/17/1875); Separate but equal educational facilities were ruled unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education (5/17/1954); The 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, prohibiting Congress from giving itself pay raises (5/19/1930); Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (5/20/1932); The nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was written by Mary Hale of Boston (5/24/1830); The movie "Star Wars" was released (5/25/1978); 200,000 people celebrated the grand opening of the Golden Gate Bridge by strolling across it (5/27/1937); and the brassiere was invented (5/30/1889).
 

  Digilabs offers two unique fundraising programs, fundraising calendars and online fundraising. Fully customized fundraising calendars with your groups images, events and even sponsor information. The online fundraising program is simple to set up, no risk, automatically managed, viral spread. Valuable to users and works year round.

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