Chris Krueger asked Allan Cady to bring members up-to-date on the 2018-19 Mesa West Sponsorship Program at the January 23 club meeting. She said there will again be a Steak and Bean celebration at the end of the sponsorship campaign, and that those who do not participate will be eating beans this year.Allan had placed sponsorship brochures on the tables, as well as lists showing team assignments. He said that the stated goal is $40,000 because we achieved that much last year, but he believes with better participation, we could easily raise $50,000. We already have over $20,000 in donations received or already committed.
In the brochure, there are several choices of specific programs donors can choose to support, but most donors last year chose "Undesignated (to be used where most needed)." This choice allows us to respond to Rotary funds that are set up after major disasters in our state, nation, or the world, as well as respond to worthy requests for funds which would have been impossible to anticipate.
Allan said that members have asked him how he was so successful last year, and already this year in securing donations or pledges. He said when he reaches out to those he knows have the means to be generous, he spends some time on their existing relationship, catching up on what is happening in their family, their business, and their known hobbies. Then he moves on to talk about some of the things he is passionate about, ending with the things he enjoys most about his involvement in Rotary. It frequently results in the person he is talking to indicating that they are impressed with all that Rotary does and admire his involvement. It is then easy to offer to share a brochure that tells about some things we, as Mesa West Rotarians, specifically do. Some offer to make a donation on the spot. Sometimes it is a pleasant surprise after-the-fact to see how much they mail in after looking the brochure over. Some of his donors are family - others are long-time business associates or friends. The people who are closest to us are the ones most likely to support what we care about. CLICK HERE or on the image to download this year's Sponsorship Brochure.
Also on the table were ideas of people we might interact with regularly with whom we could have these relationship building conversations: school associates, other professionals, adult friends of our young children, old business associates, people frequently seen or owners of our health club, old neighbors, children's school and PTA, spouse's friends, waiters/waitresses, church associates, cleaning establishments, civic activities, har/barber salon, insurance agent, previous job, real estate agents, bankers or credit union, doctor, dentist, restaurants, country club, neighbors, relatives, sports/hobbies, or accountant.
TEAMS
Chuck Flint
Melodie Jackson, Aubrey Luma, Steve West, Sharon Spane, Ted Williams, Darl Andersen, Karen Chavez, and Immanuel Beeson
Frank Rosenberg
Rick Deponte, Dick Myren, Polly Schumacher, Daryl Bethea, Keith Deering, Robert LaBarge, and Kristen Klein
Steve Ross
Bob Jensen, Jim McGown, John Benedict, Donna Goetzenberger, Don LaBarge, Jim Crutcher, Bert Millett, and Mai Ly Duong
Tim Troy
Kevin Gustafson, Jack Rosenberg, Don Boucher, John Bethea, Brian Harvey, Mike Whalen, and Mike Polley
Dan Coons
Wendell & Carolyn Jones, Aaron Huber, Jim Schmidt, Ray Smith, Polly Cady, John Pennypacker, and Colleen Coons
Terry Diedrick
Kurt Klingenberg, Chris Krueger, Jeanie Morgan, Geoff White, Lucinda General, Wayne General, and Erica Williams
Bob Zarling
Pam Cohen, Ed Koeneman, Greg Okonowski, Alex Cohen, Shane Buntrock, Warren Williamson, and Ron Thompson