The Fundraising Factory - Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category

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Random Acts of Giving

Friday, November 30th, 2012

I wish this day could be the movie Ground Hog’s Day.

Four girlfriends thought they would get together, have a bite to eat then do a little Christmas shopping.
During lunch one of the women announced she had an idea.   You’ll see this really turns out to be a mission.  She reached in her wallet and handed each of the
other women a Benjamin, WHOA!  We quickly learned there were strings attached.   The $100 came with some serious ground rules for our shopping experience.

First… You must buy a gift for yourself.  Giving to yourself is first and foremost.   I liked where this
was going.

Second… You must buy a gift for someone you know.  Giving to those we love strengthens our relationship bond.  No problem.  I can do that.

Third… You must buy a gift and give it to someone you do not know.  Random acts of giving open your
heart and the heart of the recipient.  Now this excites me!

Finally… You must return in an hour and a half  with the gifts and pictures as proof of the random giving
act.  Should you not be able to complete the mission as the rules dictated then you had to return the 100
dollars.

Just before we set out to shop, our server placed a big and beautiful sugar rimmed Maine Blueberry Margarita in the center of our table.  We toasted a “Merry Christmas” and on the count of 3 only the ice cubes and 4 straws remained in the glass as evidence we had been there.

An hour and a half later we reconvened… at a local tavern. We broke out in a show and tell session and
gleeful stories rolled off our tongues. We passed our phones around staring at pictures of strangers who
received the random act of giving.

Lisa is in the middle.  She  gave this family of 4 a gift certificate to LLBean.  Definitely happy campers with their two adopted Indonesian children.

 The man smiling at Sandra is happy because she just bought he and his wife lunch.  They plan on paying it forward for sure.  The joy of Random Giving is flowing!

This pair of Jill McGowen texting gloves wound up on the paws of this young woman who I met in Starbucks.  She was a bit taken back and shy at first but it looks like she got beyond it.   She was so cute.  She told me she got a great parking spot at work today and she knew that meant she was going to have a great day.  She was right!

Everyone we came in contact with wished they were doing what we were doing and those who were the
recipients of random acts of giving were blown away and all of them said they were going
to pay it forward!

Funny thing is, anyone can do what we did.  It’s the giving that makes the difference not the amount of
money spent.

It was a super amazing shopping day to say the least!  I don’t want to make this a national holiday I just want to make it a habit.

If you have a random act of giving story please share.

 

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Chocolate “Salami” Dessert

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

At my fundraiser brunch to benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation I promised I would let you in on a few of the recipes and also the results of my fundraising efforts.  It’s probably not the best idea to experiment with new recipes on guests but I have been known to be a risk taker and rule breaker.  Is anyone thinking Pat Benatar right now?  No, Okay.  Anyway, I tried a few new recipes out on my friends/guests and this one was definitely a hit so I knew I needed to share it with you.   By the way I raised a few thousand dollars from that brunch.  Now that’s some sweet!  If you are interested in how I did that just click this link.  I am not finished fundraising for MCF yet but you can be sure that I will let you know the final tally when I am done.

Meanwhile, here is the recipe for this cute little finger dessert.  What you will love about this besides for the fact it’s chocolate is that it is super easy to make and can be done a day in advance.

 

Chocolate “Salami” for Fundraising Brunch

What you need:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips. I used Godiva but Hersey’s will do just fine.

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced into 6 to 8 pieces

2 Cups (1/4 of a 12 oz. pkg) vanilla wafer cookies crushed into crumbs 1/3 Cup sliced almonds. I bet you could try walnuts and also add dried fruits cut up into small peices as well if you wanted to get a little creative. I am thinking dries cherries would be good. I mean chocolate and cherries. That’s a YES!

raspberries and mint for garnish

What you do:

1. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or a metal bowl or saucepan that will rest on top of another sauce pan.  Fill the bottom pan half way with water.  Put the chocolate and butter in the top pan.  Heat the water over med/low so the water is barely steaming.  After about 1 minute, gently stir the chocolate and butter.  Every minute or so stir.  Once about 80 percent is melted remove from heat and continue stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth.  It should be just warm to the touch.

Add the vanilla, cookie crumbs, almonds.  If you went the creative route now would be the time to add dried fruits.

2. Put the pan in the freezer until the mixture is slightly firm.

3. Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable cooking spray.  Spread the mixture evenly along one long side.  Roll to form a log shape about 21/2 to 3 inches in diameter and 10 to 12 inches long.  Place the log in the freezer for at least an hour until firm or overnight for use the next day.

4. Remove the log from the freezer about 2 hrs before plating and cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Garnish with raspberries and mint.

5. Watch them disappear!

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Quinoa Summer Salad – Vegan and Gluten-Free

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

These days everyone seems to be on a different diet.  This is a vegan-gluten free dish I made for my recent fundraising brunch.  You don’t have to be vegan to love this salad.  It’s so simple to make, incredibly healthy and wildy delicious.

What you need:

1 clove of garlic, peeled
2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked quinoa
A sprinkling of sweet grape tomatoes- I use both yellow for sweetness and red for color
1 carrot, grated
4 scallions, sliced (white and light green parts)
1/4 cup Kalamata olives chopped. I have substituted Greek but used less since the flavor is so much stronger.
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds or pinenuts
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1-2 lemons or limes.

What you do:

Rub the clove of raw garlic inside a non metal salad bowl.

While the cooked quinoa is still warm spoon it into a bowl and fluff with a fork.

Halve the grape tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Add in the grated carrot, sliced scallions, Kalamata olives, and toasted slivered nuts. Toss lightly to combine.

Season with sea salt and ground pepper. Add the chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil- enough to moisten. Toss again. Squeeze a lemon or a lime all over the salad and give it one final toss.

Cover and chill until at least one hour before serving. Serving chilled can stifle flavors so I prefer to serve at room temperature.

Before serving, adjust seasonings if needed.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Enjoy!

 

 

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Thought Training

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

Maine’s Tri For The Cure is in 6 weeks.  If you have been following my blog then you know that I am not only raising funds for the cause but racing in the triathlon as well.

Last week I was out on a “training” ride of about 15 miles.  Half way through the ride I realized I had forgotten my water bottles and was really thirsty and began obsessing in my head how dry my mouth was and wanting  really bad some H2O.  No sooner had I “wished” I had some water when the skies opened up and it began to pour rain.  I chuckled to myself as I know all too well that you do get what you ask for.  Or put another way, be careful what you ask for, you just may get it!

My bike ride was a good reminder.  Be mindful of  thoughts.  They are the most powerful tool you have when it comes to creating a desired reality.  A goal or dream was never achieved without imagining it first.  And remember a wandering mind leads to a lost soul.  Don’t let your mind drift, really focus on where you’re going, whether it’s winning the race or imagining your next best self!

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Fundraising – One Person at a Time

Friday, May 25th, 2012

Recently someone asked me if I had any ideas about how they could run their own personal fundraising campaign.  Of course I do because this is something I am in fact doing right now.  Non-Profits take note – this might be an idea you could share with your potential donors as well.

So, here’s my own ‘one person’ show fundraising plan.

This year I am in Maine’s Tri for a Cure event that benefits the Maine Cancer Foundation.  It’s a swim, bike, run triathalon.  Besides having to get into shape, I mean get into training mode, I also have a responsibility to fundraise for this charity event.

Cash Mobs – have you heard of them?

  • A variant of crowd funding, cash mobs entail rallying people to a local business to have a good time and spend some money.  Here’s how I am capitalizing on this concept.  I held a fundraising brunch in my home to kick off my efforts.  I invited lots of people from all walks of my life.  I prepared all kinds of great foods (don’t worry I will share some of those recipes in future posts) and about 40 people showed up.
  • Once everyone arrived I made a pitch for the Maine Cancer Foundation.  I asked my guests to help me raise $5000! Yowza! By my calculations each of my guests would need to contribute about $125 each for me to reach my goal. That’s seems like a lot to ask of one person, I mean my cooking is good but is it worth 125 bucks?
  • However, I made it really easy for them to help me.  I introduced them to LULU Cubes.  You can read about how they work in a past blog post or get the how to do it details on my website.  Each person took one with them when they left.
  • I invited them to come back to another party July 4th, which would give them 6 weeks to fill their LULU Cubes with donations.  They loved the idea for a variety of reasons.  It’s social, it’s fun, it’s easy and they can be a part of something bigger when they come together again at the July 4th party and see the results of the entire group!

Engaging Donors in my Campaign

To engage my ‘friends mob’ in the efforts of the group,  I created a LULU Cubes Facebook page where everyone can upload and share images of their LULU Cubes as they get them filled with donations.  I will also send a weekly e-mail to all the LULU Cube owners sharing ideas of where to take their cubes and inspiring them to be the best fundraisers they can be.  This really does speak to my saying. “Your One Choice Away From Changing the World!”  It’s true, anyone can give something, even if it’s only a nickel to their LULU Cube!

Hey if you want to follow along with how we’re doing go to facebook.com/LULUCubes.

 

 

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The Huffington Post Tells a Good Story if You Can

Monday, May 7th, 2012

You’ve heard of the largest online newspaper in the world right?  The Huffington Post on Friday featured me in an article in the  small business section.  Need I say that I spent a good part of my weekend and all day today responding to the crazy activity that the good PR created for my business.  Weather you are a business or a NonProfit  PR is something we all want and need.  So how do you get it is the question and the answer is real simple.  Tell your compelling story.  Every person, business, and nonprofit has one but many people don’t know how to tell a story well enough to get the attention they deserve.  Check mine out.  Let me know how I did telling the story.  In an upcoming post I will share some tips on how to tell a captivating story.  Maybe it will help you to get the Huffington in your back pocket!

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Making Patterns and Butterflies

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Today, I want to share with you a couple of patterns and pins I created this week.  These whimsies come partly from childhood experiences and memories to create new and never seen before patterns and colors that mimic the beauty of nature for my fundraising Butterfly Pin designs.
                                   
Here’s a peek at little Lucinda.

Running and chasing until breathless in hopes that a butterfly’s flight would come to rest; usually on a flower or goldenrod weed is how I spent  many summer days growing up in Maine.

Only as quiet as the grass under my feet would allow, my tiptoe approach to the butterfly would start.  With as much patience as a 9 yr old girl can summon, a staring waiting would begin. The anticipation welled up inside of me, a hope that I would get a glimpse of the open and closed fanning wings bearing their perfect symmetrical patterns. Watching without blinking, even holding my breath not to disturb them, my fingers would cross and I would silently pray that before they took flight again a color not found in my Crayola box would be revealed.  I memorized every detail as best I could during the length of our time together.

Dashing home and eagerly searching through my butterfly book to confirm I had just seen something I had never seen before and proudly announcing its name made me an adventurer, an explorer conquering my own backyard!

Oh a Maine summer memory, my heart’s all a flutter thinking of you!

 

 

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Your Wish Is My Command

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

The Play it Forward Lulu cube has been launched!  It happened in the small town of Peoria, Illinois on April 17th.  That’s the day that the YWCA’s Leaders Luncheon was held.  The YWCA is the largest provider of homeless services in the community.  The average age of a homeless person in Peoria is 10 years old; a hard truth to accept.

It was my privilege to be the keynote speaker.

Not only was I excited about being able to share my personal story of homelessness but I was also able to revisit how Designs by Lucinda was born in 1989 as the creator of pins with purpose that helped the homeless.  The YWCA had 3 wishes.  More volunteers, more people talking about their cause and more donations.

As the keynote unfolded it became clear that the audience held the hope for changing the lives of the homeless in Peoria.  They learned that they are part of the solution.  As the speaker, I wanted to give them MORE than something to think about as a take away.  I needed to give them some thing to do, a simple and easy call to action.  An action step that would satisfy the 3 wishes  of the YWCA.  Ah!  I knew just what to do.  I would give them a physical take away,  something they could actually hold in their hands.  My newest fundraising idea, LULU Cubes would be perfect!

The Play It Forward LULU Cube is designed as a fundraising donation bank to be passed along from one person to another until the bank is filled with coins or bills.  As the cube is passed along the organization also gains exposure and visibility.  The donors become engaged with the organization.  YWCA, all 3 wishes are your command!  As the final note to my keynote the LULU Cube was launched right then and there!

The audience left with LULU Cubes in hand and I wondered how many other hands they will reach, how many new people will learn that the new homeless, 10 yr olds and about the services the YWCA is providing to those children and their families.  I said a silent little prayer “let the LULU Cubes be filled”.  As I watched my ever so attentive audience depart one by one toting their LULU Cube, I smiled as I realized that was my applause!

You can see what happens and follow the LULU Cubes in Peoria on this Facebook Page.

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You can dress me up but do I want to go out?

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

An annual major fundraising event can be a time when a non profit has a chance to turn attendees into donors and ambassadors for their organization.  I went to two of them last week.  Here’s what happened at one.

The first was a $150 a plate fundraising dinner.  Looking forward all week long to a great evening and a good meal I went shopping for a new dress.

Here’s the shakedown.  The evening  started with a cocktail hour and then a sit down meal.  I chose vegetarian.  It was average at best.  The keynote speaker presented during the meal.  Since I am a speaker at events like this I watched closely and in my book this is a BIG no no.  This causes people in the audience who are trying to eat to have to turn around in their chairs to see the speaker.  It’s uncomfortable for the guests AND it’s rude to the speaker to be honest.  Then, sadly the executive director missed the opportunity to speak passionately and with authenticity about the non profit.  Instead she told us she had adjusted well in her new position as it was her first full year on the job.  Ho hum

The icing on the cake?… and no pun intended here but get this…finally the tiny cupcake wrapped in cellophane that had been sitting on the table in front of me all evening to my astonishment was dessert!   It was donated by a discount wholesale food club and the E.D. thought it worthy enough to be mentioned aloud!  Good Lord who knows how long that thing had been sitting in a warehouse somewhere!

I can live with an average meal, however I would have liked to have been able to respectfully give my full attention to the speaker.  Most importantly,  I wished the ED inspired me to make an effort to become a serious donor.   Come on it was a fundraiser!  Lastly, and I am no snob but seriously  for 150 bucks I expect more than a twinkie.

You can dress me up AND you can take me out but unfortunately next year when this event comes around I’ll enjoy the best part; shopping for the new dress and just skip the rest.

 

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Posted in Fundraisers, Fundraising Events, Non Profit Profiles, Personal, Rants, Speaking Engagements | 1 Comment »

Is there a Pattern in your Fundraising?

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
It’s seems I have been living in the dark ages until I found Pinterest.  It is a content sharing service that allows you to pin images you like to so called boards and share them.  Fair warning, let me tell you first hand it is addictive and more likely so if you possess the creative gene.
So I got to doing searches on the Pinterest site for patterns.  Looking for some inspiration and ideas I wanted to see if anyone had pinned any pattern designs to boards and sure enough hundreds immediately popped up on my screen.  Talk about an IV drip of inspiration.  Wow I was as I would say out of my mind.
To my surprise bazillions of pinners are into patterns just like me so I thought it would be fun to share a few of my own.  We have been designing patterns for 20 years and using them as part of the many fundraising pins we make.  The patterns shown here will be used as the sides to LuLu Cubes and also for the dresses on some of my Women Pins.  Coming up with new patterns and designs is so much fun.  My secret desire?  Sometimes I wish to turn them into fabric and wear them!

Cactus Tile

Marble Kaleidoscope

Watermelon Soup

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