Marilyn expressed there were two reasons for the club to consider this new Fund Raiser idea.
1. To increase Annual Available Money for the Club,
Historically the Club has had 45-60 members, and had conducted 3 Annual Major Fund Raisers netting an income of between $50-60,000. Recently we've netted $28,000.
2. The ability to take part in major community projects.
The Club has contributed to a wide variety of community projects in the past. Showing monetary support ranging anywhere from $5000 - $20,000 regularly, and even $75,000 to Rotary Place.
In an effort to recapture that level of output there have been a number of brainstorming sessions, in particular looking at other club's fundraising ideas. This has led to the idea of a Car Raffle. A fund raiser which has been wildly successful within the Halliburton and Fenlon Falls clubs.
Fellow Rotarian, Ted Brandon, from the Fenlon Falls club cam to present on their clubs success with the same. They sold tickets asking $20/ticket, 3 for $50 and 7 for $100. With their 25 member club they sold ~ 6000 tickets, mainly using direct mail. They made a profit of $57,000. They also had an early Bird draw to encourage people to keep deadlines.
Marilyn then showed the break down of their profit and loss.
She has already spoken to local groups who engage in the same fund raiser - The Knights of Columbus, the Gravenhurst Lions, and the Elmvale Lions. The later having done this fundraiser since 1964, and selling around 7000 tickets a year at $20.
This Fundraiser would run very smoothly, should we decide to undertake it, in the long term. It is the short term growing pains we have to decide whether or not to endure. In particular where each member would have to take on responsibility of selling about 40 tickets.
There were some concerns raised and a number of ideas, should we move forward, including: 1. The potential of a Non-Addressed blanket mailout. 2. A reduction in the winnings if the winner opted for the money. 3. The use of emails to plan for the efficiency of this fundraiser in the future. 4. The potential to raffle a Truck rather than a Car.
The presentation was well received. We commend Marilyn on all the work and research she's done regarding the same already. The majority of the club seemed to be in agreement with the project though a formal vote will take place following another presentation to be made to the Satellite group.
Thanks Marilyn!
