Sons of The American Legion
National
Children & Youth Conference
September 21-23, 2012
Indianapolis, Indiana
Sons of The American Legion
FUNDRAISING
SUGGESTIONS
Classic Car Shows
Classic Car Shows are fairly easy fundraisers to hold.
Members of Car Clubs love to bring their vehicles out and show them off
and
share camaraderie with other owners
MOTORCYCLE RIDES
Motorcycle Rides are always a popular fundraiser.
Working with The Legion Riders, these events can also be
fairly simple to organize .
Rides on a much smaller scale than the Legacy Ride can still be very successful.
Gun Shows
While more complicated to organize,
many Posts hold Gun Shows
to raise monies
for their programs with
much success.
Gun Shows
Be advised that there are local and state laws
that govern this type of fundraiser that you will need to be aware of.
A good place to start is the website:
GunLawsByState.com
BULL ROASTS AND FEEDS, ETC
I’m sure that everyone is already doing this type of fundraiser.
The key to making these fundraisers successful
is advertising prior to the event.
Your goal should always be to put on an event where attendees want to
come back again and thus advertise FOR YOU by word of mouth.
MALE PAGEANTRY
All you need to hold this type of fundraiser is Post & Squadron members
who are good sports and will dress up as women & put on a show.
You CAN be a good sport….can’t you?
CAN’T YOU??
DOING OTHER FOOLISH THINGS
The Sons are not afraid to sometimes do foolish things to raise monies
for our Children & Youth……such as shaving our heads.
Pictured here is Past SAL National Commander Bill Mastoska
taking the first swipe of the clippers on
Past Detachment of Maryland Commander Buddy Mastin
who shaved his head to benefit Special Olympics.
DOING OTHER FOOLISH THINGS
You can raise big monies and in this case, even look BETTER when you’re
done. I know that this type of fundraiser has also worked
for Past CWF Chairman Jeff Frain and
Detachment of Michigan Adjutant Sandy Lipman
among others.
S.A.L. FUNDRAISING
• Please allow me to detail some fairly unique
and extremely successful fundraisers held by
our various Squadrons and Detachments from
around the country.
S.A.L. FUNDRAISING
Squadron 15
Detachment of Maryland
“Ice Splash”
ICE SPLASH
The Sons of The American Legion Squadron 15
In Elkton, Md.
holds an annual
Ice Splash
ICE SPLASH
This Ice Splash benefits
the local Special Olympics Chapter
in Cecil County Maryland
ICE SPLASH
2012
marked their
th
12 Annual Splash
ICE SPLASH
Living up to it’s name, in 2 of those years,
Legion Family members had to cut the ice on the river
to allow participants to enter the water.
The premise of this fundraiser is simple.
ICE SPLASH
Squadron members sign up participants
who each in turn then lines up sponsors prior to
plunging into the frigid water.
There is also a teams competition where local businesses
compete against each other in raising funds.
ICE SPLASH
In Their First Year
2001
this Squadron with only 78 members
Raised $2,000
ICE SPLASH
As proof that even SMALL Squadrons can do BIG things!
Proceeds have increased every year
and in 2012, the Squadron 15 Ice Splash
raised $39,400 for Special Olympics!
AWESOME!
ICE SPLASH
And the water wasn’t even cold!
I’m still smiling.
Does this fundraiser look like something you could do?
S.A.L. FUNDRAISING
Squadrons 17, 21 & 178
Detachment Of
Colorado
“Great Clear Creek
Duck Race”
DUCK RACING
Fourteen years ago,
Squadron 21 wanted to earn a “Gold” award from CWF
for a donation of $1000.
DUCK RACING
It took holding a lot of dinners though
to raise enough monies to donate just $250
from their small Squadron.
What to do?
DUCK RACING
Then while assisting Post 21 in running a concession stand during
Golden Colorado’s “Buffalo Bill Days” Festival,
a Legionnaire serving on the festival committee
gave them a suggestion.
DUCK RACING
This Legionnaire relayed to Squadron members that about ten years
before; the Friends of the Library had run a small scale duck race.
He remarked,
“Why don’t you fellas try something like that?”
DUCK RACING
A few days later at a Post 17 dinner, the discussion turned to CWF.
Squadron 17 Commander John Osckel, happened to mention that in fact
they had 3500 rubber ducks in their Post storage shed.
And the “Great Clear Creek Duck Race” was born.
DUCK RACING
Squadron 178 joined 17 & 21 in the 2nd year.
The focus of this race has always been on children
and the cost of ducks has been kept low
to allow children to purchase their own ducks.
DUCK RACING
The community enjoys watching the SAL members
trying to collect the ducks at the finish line and cheer
when the river knocks one of them down.
DUCK RACING
Pictured here are
American Legion National C&Y Chairman Dennis Boland and
Sons of The American Legion Past National C&Y Chairman Mike Moss
helping to round up the ducks.
DUCK RACING
It appears that SAL National Child Welfare Chairman
Pete Sierminski has the right idea.
Stay dry and catch the “On Shore” Ducks.
This year’s event raised about $6,000.
Does this fundraiser look like something you could do?
S.A.L. FUNDRAISING
Detachment Of
Maryland
“Laps Of Love”
LAPS OF LOVE
As you can see by the logos within the logo, this fundraiser benefits 3
charities,- Special Olympics, Child Welfare and the Casey Cares
Foundation- a local charity that provides programs for critically ill
children & their families.
LAPS OF LOVE
This fundraiser is based on a very simple premise also.
All you need is a local track
and some people …or Hoggettes
willing to walk or run around it.
LAPS OF LOVE
The entire Legion Family participated.
The RUN portion of this event was lead by Special Olympic athletes
and the WALK portion was lead by families
that have benefitted from the programs of Casey Cares.
LAPS OF LOVE
Pictured here is Detachment C&Y Chairman JR Hall [2nd from L]
with other participants.
JR came up with this idea and organized the event.
This 1st Annual Laps Of Love raised nearly $15,000,
$5,000 for each of the three C&Y charities.
Does this fundraiser sound like something you could do?
GO RAVENS!!!!
Sons of The American Legion
• Once the fundraising is complete, it’s time to
give the money away to benefit our Children
& Youth.
• These next slides show some of the things
that the Sons of The American Legion do with
the monies they have raised.
JOSH DOGS
Pictured here are members of the Detachment of Nebraska
with an amazing amount of Josh Dogs being donated
to the kids at their local Children’s Hospital.
JOSH DOGS
Here is then National SAL Commander David Dew
brightening the day of a sick child
by presenting her with her very own Josh Dog.
HOLIDAY PARTIES FOR KIDS
Easter, Halloween & Christmas are excellent times to
give back to the community.
Why not hold a holiday party for the local children near your Post.
HOLIDAY PARTIES FOR KIDS
And if you’re lucky like I was,
you can even arrive with Santa in a horse drawn sleigh.
HOLIDAY PARTIES FOR KIDS
What would a Kids’ Party be without face painting?
PARTIES FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES
Squadron 80 of the Detachment of Florida
holds an annual Christmas party for Special Olympic Athletes
that obviously incorporates face painting.
TOYS FOR TOTS
Another program that many Posts & Squadrons participate in is
Toys For Tots.
It’s very easy to set up your Post as a collection point
and Toys For Tots will provide you with collection boxes.
TOYS FOR TOTS
Local Marine Corp Leagues will even pick up the toys at your Post.
Please consider participating in this special program
and help to brighten the holidays for a less fortunate child.
My Favorite Quote Of All Time!
“50 years from now…It won’t matter the type of house I lived in,
The make of car I drove,
Or how much money I had in my bank account……..
But the world may be better
Because I made a difference in the life of a child!!”
The Sons of The American Legion
• FUNDRAISING
• AND HAVING FUN!!
• DONATING
• AND HAVING FUN!!
• AND
• HAVING FUN!!
•
Sons of The American Legion
The Sons of The American Legion
are the ONLY program of The American Legion
that works to support the other programs!
And we will continue to do so.
Let’s make 2012-2013
The best year ever for our Children & Youth!
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING
THE S.A.L. THIS WEEKEND
AND ENJOY THE REST
OF YOUR CONFERENCE
Larry “Bear” Weinzirl
Sons of The American Legion
National C&Y Chairman
2012-2013