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Feature Articles:
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Wolbrink: Successful Fundraising Helps Build Positive Image of Lodge in the Community
> For Kurt Wolbrink, Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Moose Charities, fundraising is a full-time job—and Monday morning, he offered insights and useful tips on the nuts-and-bolts of it: recruiting volunteers and running successful events to raise the necessary funds.
Reliable volunteers are essential for successful projects, and should be approached face-to-face, Wolbrink said.
“If you cannot take the time to carefully select the person and go to talk with them about the work that needs doing, then the task must not be very important,” Wolbrink said. “When you have the right volunteers involved in your activities, there is truly no limit to what you can achieve in the service of humanity.”
Two critical objectives for fundraising are to properly tell the “charitable story” (explain why and how Mooseheart, Moosehaven, local Community Service etc. are deserving projects), and then, conduct the mechanics of raising the needed funds. These efforts should not dip into normal Lodge operating accounts but instead be kept separate, Wolbrink stressed.
“Fundraising often defines and validates the groups who undertake them. This is your opportunity to build the positive reputation of your Lodge based on the causes you support and the way you go about doing it,” Wolbrink said.
Wolbrink offered these tips for successful fundraising events:
• Make it repeatable, such as an annual festival or seasonal sale.
• Publicize the event far in advance with local media.
• Plan for a growing audience—thanks (hopefully) to returning participants.
• Link your activity to a date such as Valentine’s Day or Memorial Day so participants remember it and plan on returning each year.
• Involve many volunteers, to increase total participation.
• Hold the event in an unusual location (like a zoo or museum), or have a memorable and fun theme.
• Team up with another event in the community, double the market and double the participation.
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Please click on any photograph below to view a larger image.
Kurt Wolbrink |
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Reemts Details ‘Formulas for Success’ in Social Quarters
> Director of Fraternal Education Mike Reemts addressed the basics of operating a Moose Social Quarters on enough of a margin (revenues over costs) to support the facility’s healthy operation, and the fraternity overall.
He detailed how to price food and beverages to adequately fund payment of taxes, mortgages, salaries and other expenses. Pricing is often too low in many Moose operations, Reemts said.
Reemts said the Social Quarters can become a cash-generating machine more readily with these steps:
• Making sure the price is right, through proper retail pricing.
• Adding value for the customer; offering a pleasant, friendly environment with things that others do not.
• Utilizing sound business systems and management practices.
For more information, contact Reemts at 630/966-6635.
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Mike Reemts
Reemts’ charts detailed how Costs of Goods Sold should be at 32% or lower to earn a decent margin.
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‘We’re Here to Pump You Up!’
Family Events, Sports a Tandem
> In keeping with the NASCAR theme in Charlotte, an energetic Jim Morgan and Joe Birner introduced themselves as the “pit crew” and shouted in Hans-and-Franz style: “We’re here to pump you up!”
Morgan, who runs the fraternity’s Community Service programs, and Birner, Director of Ritual & Sports, spoke on the importance of active Family Activities and Sports committees and dynamic committee chairmen.
Morgan said, “These two committees work like turbochargers to increase the power of our fraternal engine.”
The two stressed how important it is for both Family and Sports committees to comprise varied age groups. They should have regular meetings and maintain continued contact with Lodge officers.
Morgan and Birner also gave a role-playing demonstration of a Lodge holding a Moose combo family dinner and dart tournament on the same night, which would together draw more people to the Moose facility than they would separately.
Both committees, Morgan and Birner explained, need to seek feedback as to what worked and what didn’t—and need to make sure a successful event gets displayed in the Lodge newsletter . . . and then start promoting the next event!
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Left Jim Morgan, right Joe
Birner
Tools and resources available to help promote family activities include (from left) the Family and Sports Activity Guidebook, the Moose Olympics and Family Activities Day Guidebook, and Moose Magic, which provides for five different activities each month. |
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Chambers: Attractive Moose Homes Important to Growth
> General Governor David Chambers spoke Monday morning on the selection criteria for the Moose International Shining Star for Home Improvement of the Year.
The Home Improvement Shining Star is not based on the amount of money spent; on the contrary, the award is intended to reward the Moose home that creatively makes the most significant improvement with less money rather than more, Chambers said.
“Open, airy, warm and inviting Moose homes provide a place that members and their families want to go to; they help the Moose home and the fraternity project a positive image, and they promote membership growth,” Chambers said.“First impressions are invaluable. Does your Moose home have ‘curb appeal?’” He explained that from the street, in the eyes of outsiders, the facility should appear attractive and welcoming.
Because Moose Family Centers comprise men and women working together to create a home away from home, the Home Improvement Shining Star is a “joint” award recognizing both the Lodge Governor and Senior Regent. The award is administered through Chambers’ office, along with that of WOTM Director of Membership & Training Debbie Meyer.
This year’s Home Improvement Shining Star winner was Oak Ridge, TN Lodge 1316 and Chapter 1062.
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David Chambers
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August/September/October 2004
