4-h help

[strooks]

Our 4-H club is starting to plan for our 3rd annual fishing derby. Last year we had over 100 entries

We have had very good prize packages but are trying to get them better.

If anyone knows of any corporate or business that may be willing to donate please let me know.[]
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[ssor]

strooks,
Thanks for registering and welcome to the great Bigfishtackle message boards.
You might recieve better responce on this if you post it in the forum of your stats.
To do so just go to the main index and scrole down to the proper forum.[]
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[theangler]

Hello Srooks,

Welcome to the bft message boards!

You can also forward proposals of this nature to [url "mailto:mgh@bigfishtackle.com"]mgh@bigfishtackle.com[/url] but typically we budget out 2 quarters (so we need at least 6 months lead time) for events like this, but occasionally something gets free'ed up in the budget to allow for further sponsorships.

SSOR's idea is a good one, typically companies have more flexibility (in thier budgets) when supporting groups in thier local area. Also local companies can usually prove to be ongoing supporters year after year.

Good luck to you!
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[davetclown]

hi Strooks

When working with my 4-H activities I try to be creative in my search for novelty gifts I tend to use a creative approach to finding gifts.

I have been running Fishing derby’s (mostly kids ice fishing and summer 4-H derbies) for about 15 years.

Judging by your attendance you are doing very well.

If you don’t mind may I ask what state and county you are working out of and then what is the name of your club?

As for the information provided by ssor and the angler, I have found that local affiliations are your best in the endeavors to gaining material assets and supplies. Also remember that if it is a club-sponsored event to include your youths in the planning and the pursuit of materials (soliciting - fund raising - planning - preparation - conducting - and final reports)

keep in touch and let us know how your derby is doing and dont forget to include dates and list statistics of the day.

befor I forget welcome to the forum
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[strooks]

Our club name is The Gila River Bandits 4-H club. We are located in Gila New Mexico. Gila is in Grant county which is located in southwest N.M. We hold our derby at Bill Evans lake. We have 4 age groups in the derby: 5 & under, 6 thru 10, 13 thru 17, and 18 & over. Our grand prizes the last two years have been a 12ft boat with a 44lbs trolling motor, a guided fishing trip and a free fish mount. Each year we also give away 20 to 25 rod reel combos, tackle boxes, ice chest, all types of fishing gear, caps and t-shirts. This has become big enough that it has become our only fund raiser for the year. We use the proceeds to help pay expenses for our kids to go to competitions and to 4-H conferences. It also helps pay foreducational events he put on for any kid in the community even if they are not in 4-H. Some of these are hunter safety, fly tying, baking, animal care. We also have cut wood for senior citizens, delivered baked goods to the senior citizens center, we are participating in the Adopt a Soldier Program.

We do get alot of local sponsorship and many bussiness' have helped a great deal. But, here as well as everywhere else the economy is tight. We were hoping if we got some of our prizes thru national sponsors we might be able to swing real nice reserve grand prizes. Any help we can get is greatly appreciated.

Stewart Rooks[]
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[davetclown]

Wow what an event.

the only thing you did not tell me is when your derbys are and what the entry fees are.

judging from this report I should be asking you for hints []

we do not charge our kids entry fees so we keep our prizes simple and manpower down to a minimum and our turnouts at their maximum.

try checking other business in your area for non fishing consulation prizes.

you will be surprized that you just may find that you might get hotel reservations for a prize or Pizzas posibly even movie passes. Be creative in your searches and remember to promote the business that donate to your program in your advertising, Business love when they donate and you give them a plug-in in your advertising.

I have not had a club of my own for about 3 years now the kids in my club have grown and are building lives of their own now. so now I do a great deal of work with low income and disabled children.

you wouldnt by chance have any pic's of your event to show off do ya? I'd love to see them.
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[strooks]

The derby is going to be April 5, 2003. The first two years our youngest age group was 12 and under. This year we are splitting that up into 5 & under and 6 thru 12. As far as costs and prizes, 5 & under is $3.00. They fish for trophies, rod/reel combos and tackle. In the 6 thru 12 the fee is $5.00. The last two years the grand prize has been a free fish mount but I think we can come up with something better than that because i'm afraid they may not be cashing in on that so we may do something like a $100.00 gift certificate or savings bond or possibly something else if we can think up a good grand prize. Int the 13 to 17 the fee is $15.00. The grand prize is a guided fishing trip for 4. In the 18 and over the fee is $20.00. The grand prize is a 12' boat with a 44lbs trolling motor. We also let families of 4 or more enter for $50.00. That way a large family could all fish without going broke. All of the kids from 17 down got McDonalds gift certificates and water pistols if they wanted them. We also had a hardware store donate 4 dozen knives, so all of the 18 and over gat a free knife. Again we did give away 20 to 25 rod/reel combos and alot of tackle. We also ahve "fun" catagories such as most sunburned, best hat, worst hat, worst tackle box, dirtiest face, best couple, we even gave a prize to a lady who out-fished her husband. For things like this we gave away pizza certificates, gas cards, t-shirts, caps and the other misc. prizes we had donated. Over all it's really a pretty good event. One thing that we do try to stress is to bring alot of kids, that is what is it all about.

I appreciate the interest you have shown and you have given me some new ideas to think about. I wanted to let you know that I will be gone for the next 5 days so if you send another reply it might be Wednesday before I get back to you. Talk to you soon.

Stewart Rooks

PS. I will get some pics scanned and sent to you
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[davetclown]

that is truly impressive

here is a couple things more that you may want to concider and that is kids international champianships,

there is a company in florida that conducts a kids salt water international

there is a fresh water national in wisconson

there is a fresh water international in wisconson

there is a fresh water ice fishing international in wisconson

sponcering a winner and his/her family to one of these events and covering traviling and hotel accomidation cost is a terific way not only for a prize but to further the fishing experience and represent your region in the compitition.

utilizing this type of program will also help to get funds from local business for schollarship bonds and cost to send your contest winners to compitition.

this may be a little late for you for the next event (or maybe not) If this is somthing that you mite be interested in researching let me know and I will dig through my vast data base for the information.
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[davetclown]

I had almost forgot

how about a free web site for your club and derby

it is provided by Bigfishtackle.com

just click on the link below and at the bottom of my home page is a link that says build a free web site. it is easy to do , you dont have to be a programmer to build a nice website, all you realy need is there for you.

if you have not already been there check it out already you will see a little of what I do...

I hope you or some one in your club decides to build a site, there are a number of clubs that have a site for their various clubs.
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