| July 1, 2021 -- Summer is finally here and after a year-plus of lockdown and inactivity, the summer of 2021 is going to be filled with fun! How is your Grange going to capitalize on this opportunity to get back into the eyes of your community?
Start by asking a few questions --
1 When was the last time your members discussed the state of your Grange?
2 How easy or hard is it for your Grange to host public activities?
3 Do other organizations in your community have the ability to work with your Grange?
4 Do you feel that the experience your Grange provides, not only to your membership but to your com- munity, lives up to your Grange’s mission and vision?
Perhaps the place to start is to tap into the summer fun by hosting an event just to inspire your members. A potluck picnic or barbecue at a member’s home, or a group outing to a concert in the park, the beach, or a Fair or Carnival may be just what your members need to get to know each other again, as well as generate enthusiasm. You can even invite prospective members and introduce them to your group.
Once your members are pumped up about working for your Grange, the next step is to make a plan and a good old-fashioned field day this summer. Ask for a minimum do- nation and be sure to host classic events like a sack race, three-legged race, egg-and-spoon race, water balloon toss, and games of capture the flag, and tug-of-war. Set-up a food booth where the Grange could sell family-friendly pre-packed foods, like cookies, popcorn, and chips.
5 A Cornhole Competition. (Also known as a bean bag toss). Cornhole is a great summer activity to design an event around because it’s affordable to host and easy to scale. Make the competition elimination style complete with a bracket, so that it moves along quickly and easily. Don’t forget to provide food and drinks and offer a series of prizes for participants who make it to each bracket.
6 Plan a Summer Concert. Talk with local musicians and allow them to set-up a booth and sell their merchandise in exchange for playing. Make the event free admission to maximize attendance and hold a prize drawing to raise extra funds. You can even set-up a VIP viewing area, where you can charge a minimal set price for those closer seats.
Host a Food Truck Night at your hall. Food trucks have big followings. Contact 4 or 5 local food trucks and set a specific date where they can set-up in your Hall parking lot. Let folks eat on the lawn, in the Hall, or bring their own chairs. Be sure to set-up a booth all about your Grange and how to join. Have a couple of fun drawings like guess the number of candies in the jar or spin the wheel for a prize. This event could even be combined with
the Summer Concert.
1 A Car Wash. Pair with a local youth group like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little League Team, 4-H or FFA for volunteers to wash the cars, set a price, and then split the proceeds as a donation to the youth group. You could even work with the local volunteer fire department and split the proceeds three ways.
Whatever event or activities you plan, be sure to promote it properly. Write press releases at least 3 weeks in advance and submit to all the local newspapers, radio and TV stations. Set-up a Facebook Event and invite all your members, local press, and Facebook friends. Post numerous times on your Facebook Page about your event and encourage your followers to share. Cross post into Facebook Groups about your community. You could even boost a Facebook post with a 50- mile radius around your location for as little as $5 a day.
Need help getting the word out about your Grange and its activities? Send a note to information@ ctstategrange.org or publicrelations@ctstategrange.org . We’re here to help!
Source: https://www.classy.org/blog/creative-summer-fund-raising-ideas/
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