Relief Sale Newsletter

 

Sounding Board

North American Relief Sale Newsletter
September 2004

Coordinators' Report

In our abundant society there are many of us that have more than we really need. At a recent sale we were attending, someone came up to me and said, "I really support the work of MCC, but I already have too much stuff and there is no reason for me to bid on anything here". I suspect that there are folks attending your sale that feel the same way. The most frequent response to our market survey question, "What to you like about this sale?" is The Cause and the Fellowship.

The Generations at Risk Aids Quilt has been displayed at many sales and has raised over $158,000. When given the opportunity to donate to an important cause there are many who are ready to give and to give generously. At the Southern California Sale last year the auctioneer started asking for bids/donations of $200 on the AIDS Quilt. There were several positive responses and then some one in the audience said, "I want to give $1,000" she did and several more also pledged at this level.

You too can present an MCC Project on the auction floor and give folks an opportunity to "bid on absolutely nothing". Currently there is a great crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan (we see it on our newscast almost every evening). MCC is there to help and needs $532,000 for shipping costs and locally purchased supplies.

Relief Sales can help to raise this money and give those that have "Too Much Stuff" an opportunity to join in on the auction activity. Take ten minutes out of the quilt auction to offer a MCC Project and see how much money is raised.

 

Blessings,

Doug & Harriet Berg

 

Read more about the Mennonite Disaster Service response to damage by Hurricane Charley

 

 

Penny Power

Penny Power is still generating a lot of excitement and fun at many sales.

The water project toolkit is available through your regional or provincial offices. This is a great aid to help keep Penny Power in front of your congregations year round.

The results are in from three recent sales that have "year round" programs in place and the amounts raised are impressive: Northern Michigan raised $8,000, the Tristate Sale raised $10,400, and the Ohio Relief Sale raised $43,119 for Penny Power. At your wrap-up meeting or fall kick-off meeting, plan to get your Penny Power program off and rolling for 2005.

Total Penny Power To Date: $426,253 Cdn./$326,056 US. This includes matches from donors of $133,134 Cdn./$101,800 US

New! Penny Power email newsletter "AskThePenny", for the young and young at heart! If you or the young folk in your area would like to learn about helping others through Penny Power, send your name, address, and email address to .

 

 

Cycling

Fundraising for the 20th annual Brandon MCC Relief Sale had a great start on Saturday, July 3, 2004, as 55 cyclists completed the 34 km around Clear Lake in beautiful Riding Mountain National Park. It was a cool morning with a light drizzle, ideal conditions for cycling, except for some of the wooden bridges which were slippery and treacherous. Apart from a few reported wipe-outs and end-overs all went well as about $18,800 Cdn was raised for MCC!

Go to www.brandon.mccsale.org for a map of our route and more information.

 

Arnold Hildebrand, Brandon MCC Relief Sale, Brandon, Manitoba

 

See other Relief Sale Bike Events. Contact your regional/provincial office to post your bike event online.

 

 

Upcoming Workshop

October 30, 2004-Morton, Illinois

A one-day workshop highlighting Auctions (Collections, Silent Auctions, Children's Auctions) and Advertising.

By now your chairman should have the registration forms for the upcoming workshops at Morton, Illinois. We will gather on Friday evening for a time of relaxation and fellowship and then get down to work on Saturday morning.

At the recent workshop in Winnipeg this spring we had over 30 in attendance (even with the threat of a prairie blizzard) Don and Ruthie Roth say it will not snow in Morton in October - so we expect a large group to attend!!

If you cannot attend these workshops: then start to plan now for the Biennial Workshops that are scheduled for May 26 and 27, 2005 in Waterloo, Ont. Canada and plan to stay for the Ontario Relief Sale in New Hamburg, Ontario May 27 & 28, 2005.

 

 

Need an Idea for a Food Booth at Your Sale? See what some Relief Sales are offering

 

The Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale has 50 food booths including:

• Applebutter - made on site
• Apple Dumplings - made on site
• Apple Fritters - made on site
• Belgium Waffles
• Welch Cakes
• Half-Moon Pies
• Pluma Moos
• Pancakes & Sausage
• Fried mush and headcheese
• Breakfast sandwiches
• Breakfast served restaurant style
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Pies, whole and pieces Pizza
• Whole hog sausage sandwiches - roasted on site
• Whole hog stuffed sausage by the pound
• Cheese - varieties
• Homemade ice cream, Soft ice cream
• Bar-B-Que chicken (specialty in this location) dinners & carry-out
• Dutch Haus serves beef & noodles, ribs, salads, etc.
• Chicken noodle soup, cooked over the fire in iron kettle (when we can find enough volunteers)
• Popped popcorn
• Unpopped popcorn by the pound
• Kettle corn popped on site
• Whole wheat flour ground on site
• Decorated cookies
• Sweet Rolls
• Nachos and Cheese
• Quarter-pound hamburger Restaurant-style lunch serves fish, hotdogs, hamburgers, pie, salad, chili, soup, etc.
• Cotton candy
• Elephant Ears & Hot Pretzels
• Beverages - Coffee, Latte, Cappuccinos, coffees booth, apple cider, coke, water

Melba Nunemaker, Michiana Relief Sale, Goshen, Indiana, September 24 & 25, 2004

 

MCC Alberta Relief Sale in Coaldale, Alberta:

• Friday evening Beef on a Bun supper raised $8,600 Cdn.
• Pancake breakfast
• Watermelon and Roll Kuchken
• Verenike and Sausage
• Borscht
• Obstmus (Pluma moos)
• Tacos
• Mennonite Sausage on a bun
• Panes con pavo
• Tamales Pop
• Ice Cream
• Fresh Fruit and Pie

Ernie Engbrecht & Phil Klassen, co-chairs
MCC Alberta Relief Sale, June 18 & 19, 2004

 

Fraser Valley Relief Sale, Abbotsford, B.C.:

• Vereniki (Perogies)
• Portzelky
• Watermelon & Rollkuchen
• Pork BBQ (grilled pork loin, served with baked potato, coleslaw, and grilled veggies)
• Borscht
• Chow Mein & Egg Rolls
• Chicken Nuggets & Fries
• Sausage in a Bun
• Pizza
• Bison Burgers
• Poffertjes (Dutch ) and Scones
• Pancake & Sausage Breakfast
• Pie/ice cream & Coffee
• Ice Cream Cones
• Popcorn
• Beverages - pop, coffee, juice, water, cappuccino
• We also sell frozen perogies and uncooked farmer sausage.

Dora Hoeppner, Central Fraser Valley Coordinator, September 17 & 18, 2004

 

 

Advertising and Publicity Tips

1. A media campaign is a plan of action.
   1. It has a set of yearly objectives, targeted activities, measures of success.
   2. It also has costs. The organization must make a commitment to spend funds if it wants to reap the rewards of a coordinated media campaign.
2. Goals of the publicity committee
   1. Draw as many people as possible to the sale
   2. Maximize the amount of money raised
   3. Increase the number of active volunteers from the churches
3. Create a Great Image
   1. Quality of Event
   2. Friendliness of Volunteers
   3. Safety/Security
   4. Environmental Concerns/Cleanliness of Event (consider recycling)
   5. Past Successes/Adapting to Current Times/Trends
   6. Strong Organizational Logistics
   7. Well-Defined Mission
4. Target Audience - do research - who is your audience?
   1. Participating churches
      1. Letter to pastor and sale representative (if one), asking for their help and thanking them ahead of time for helping to spread the word
      2. Bulletin announcements
      3. Bulletin inserts
      4. Special event flyers and posters
      5. Articles and updates in Conference newsletters
      6. Newsletters
   2. General local Christian population
      1. Bulletin announcement for non-Mennonite churches
      2. Announcements to local Christian radio
   3. General Public
      1. No Cost
         1. Public Service Announcements - newspaper, radio, cable TV, Quilter's Guild newsletter calendars
         2. Newspaper articles
            1. Highlight Items to be sold, relate stories of individuals i.e. long-term volunteers, older volunteers, young people
            2. Report the local churches/relief sale response to a worldwide need which has been publicized through the national media
      2. Cost - (Explain to all vendors why you are holding the event, the mission of MCC, and ask them "can you help us?" Some will give a discount, some will give extra time for ads to run, some will be interested in attending. )
         1. Ads - newspaper, radio, TV, Cable TV, travel magazines, placemats
         2. Billboards
         3. Posters
         4. Flyers to local businesses etc.
         5. Join local Chamber of Commerce - many benefits with membership
         6. Booklet - distribution prior to and/or including event - Explain Mission of MCC, Highlight events and special items - Include Schedule
         7. Brochures - include with all press releases, ads, solicitations
         8. Mailings - brochure or flyer to previous bidders, donors, volunteers