Hey everyone. I'm new to this site... so hello, and I hope I post this in the right section.
I'll try and make this short & to the point.
9-9-06 My stepson dove in the ocean, wave took his legs back, broke his neck. c5 incomplete quad.
after his 9-11 surgery (i know) he went to santa clara spinal cord rehab facility for about 2 months. after a year of resting & some therapy here where we live (which kinda sucks to be honest) he is now attending project walk in san diego. His therapy is $100 a hour. He goes 3x a week, 2 hours a day.
last year we had a golf tournament /dinner fundraiser. this year we are looking to do the same, however we dont want to have it at the same location because they dont even want to give us a break on the pricing, which basically means we dont make any money. Last year most of the money we made were from auction/raffle items I obtained..
Anyhow, he also didnt have insurance when he got hurt. (He got kicked off his dads insurance because he was 18, and not in school. he graduated hs the year before and was actually in the process of enrolling for college in jan 07)
SO... my question is... (or are)
How do you go about getting clubs/venues to donate their facility? Do you negotiate? It seems like no one really cares to be honest. He does have a tax id number...
Any ideas how I can go about being more successful for donations..?
Maybe this isn't so short, ...sorry! But thanks for listening & any advice!~
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Fundraiser for 20 yr old step son...help please=)
- By jenefour
- Posted March 3, 2008 at 9:39 pm · 10 replies
- In Funding your care (grants, fundraising, resources)
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- By pdecrease
- Posted March 5, 2008 at 7:20 am
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If you or any family members belong to churches - you could reach out to them. A family member for us had a hall donated and we only had to pay cost for the food. State parks often have pavilions you can rent, they are usually cheap. I think a personal contact or by telephone asking for donations from halls/centers is better than by mail. My son is considering holding a second fund raiser this year, he's been on the phone for months working out details, collecting prices. We put away some funds from the last one to help us with the cost of a second. We also attended a small one for another gentlemen last winter. The family made all the food, local stores, shops and businesses donated the raffle items and a family member go their townhouse clubhouse to use. It did not hold a lot of people, but it got them a start. I wish you luck. P. DeCrease
- By Toni2
- Posted March 5, 2008 at 1:16 pm
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We have had many fundraisers for my step son too including golf tournaments. The price the golfers pay really does basically pay for them to play and dinner, maybe come out with $20-$25 profit a player, not much considering the work involved. Have you tried hole sponsers? With the registration form we added prices and level of sponsors and you have a sign made up ($10) and put on the holes (golf course staff usually puts them out for you) A lot of people would even sponsor in memory of a loved one and we were lucky to have generous bussiness sponsors. This would be anyone from hitting the pavement door to door to friends and colleagues that had bussiness. Our sponsor totals would be around $15, 000.00 minus $400 or less for the signs. That made it worth while. Raffle and auction would pull in the rest. Also bargain with the course, one made us buy boxed lunches and other stuff for the golfers for $15-$20 a person but others let us open up their snack shed and if the golfers wanted a burger they could buy it themselves instead of me throwing out 100 or so boxed lunches. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions. We have held off on tournamnets because right now we have a substantial amount for his future and all the handicapping is complete thanks to the success of our tournaments. Good luck
Toni
- By horsestail
- Posted March 5, 2008 at 3:25 pm
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Jenefour
I think Toni has given you some good suggestions as I have helped in the past with my alumni golf tournaments and they get sponsors. They also get companies to donate drinks & food. Mine did a silent auction. They got donations from businesses and tried to get some thing signed from a well known person. One year I think they got a football signed by the Clemson football coach and Clemson Tigers is the big thing here. Getting things from places like Lowes, Walmart, a florist, or even certificate for dinner or massage. Involve family & friends to find items to be donated from businesses. Doing phone calling or going in person to visit businesses is best, but also follow up with written information & thank yous. The gulf tournament even has a dealer that donates a vehicle that is if a golfer gets an hole in one on the hole that is tagged for that purpose/sponser.
Check around with some of the other organizations that do golf tournaments to see how they get help with getting golf courses.
I wish you the best.
- By LJMurray
- Posted March 5, 2008 at 3:52 pm
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jenefour -
(Didn't read other posts - this may be redundant.) Have you approached local community service organizations? Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Elks, Moose, Masons, etc. Is your stepson a vet? Lots of help there (Palo Alto).
I did my rehab at SC, too. Great experience initially, but had serious clotting about four days before release. Left in lousy shape. Rehabbed on my own. Tough, but all OK now.
Live in Placerville and run an sci support group. Are you and/or your stepson connected to one? If yes, USE 'em! That's why they (we) exist - to help folks get through the &*(^% we already went through.
Let me know if I can help. -Lynn
- By tfox
- Posted March 5, 2008 at 4:45 pm
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I'm sooooo sorry to hear about your stepson. Unfortunately, I know all about being a quad. I had a bodysurfing accident 7 years ago.
I don't have any ideas for a fundraiser, but I thought you'd be interested in my autobiography that took me 7 months using 1 finger! If you're interested, e-mail me at tfox@bendnet.com
- By LCrowe
- Posted March 5, 2008 at 7:05 pm
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Hi,
I read your discussion and all of the comments. Putting together a fundraiser is a lot of work. Prior to my paralysis in Sept. 2000, I was a Human Rsource Manager in the textile industry. I was in charge of putting together fundraisers for both the United Way and March of Dimes WalkAmerica. It required a lot of work, but the end results were very rewarding.
Where is it that you live? What is the name of the club that you used? What other clubs are near by? I have family and friends in CA, maybe they can help you.
I know how expensive rehab can be if you don't have insurance. Good luck!
Laurie
- By jenefour
- Posted March 10, 2008 at 11:58 am
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Hey laurie.. i live in the palm springs area.
to everyone else.. thanks for your suggestions. we have done the hole in one sponsor and also the signs on each hole.
im really looking to find a big donation from a business. (at this point $1000 is big) i mean..how do u find the businesses that have that kind of money that would make a donation?
I think more of my question shoulda been rephrased..like how do u find these people?
i'm sure there's alot of people or businesses out there that would donate..it's just a matter of finding them... so its like..where do i look? anyone ever have a radio station help them out?
sometimes it just seems like people dont wanna hear it and dont have the time.
- By ResourceCenterStaff
- Posted April 14, 2008 at 4:29 pm
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Hey,
Not sure if this was mentioned you may want contact the National Transplant Assistance Fund NTAF. They have a catastrophic injury program and they assist family member and friends with fundraising. More information can be found on their website.
http://www.transplantfund.org/Catastrophic/fundraising.cfm
-Resource Center staff
201
- By Tanka
- Posted April 18, 2008 at 12:18 am
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I've heard good things about the NTAF folks from another forum. They basically have the fundraising paperwork, press releases, letters, etc all ready to use. You use their tax deductable status #, so donations over $250 are tax deductable, and they take credit cards. I've heard from people who have used them, and they were really pleased. As soon as I have time to take it on as a project, they are the group I will work with. The money is held securely for you un til you need/request it, and I think they charge 4 cents per dollar raised.
- By writerlass
- Posted April 18, 2008 at 9:55 am
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As others have mentioned, you may want to contact the National Transplant Assistance Fund. They can help guide you through the process of fundraising.
As far as finding places that will donate towards holding the fundraiser, maybe you can contact local media and they can highlight your stepson's story...that way, business owners in the area are aware and likely to help out a local family.
I hope this helps!
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