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A Big Moo Canoe club event can be as small or large as your group would like to make it. The priority should be to have a great time while helping out a great charitable organization.
We hope that your club decides to stage a Big Moo Canoe event for your members and the community in 2009. In the planning stages, we encourage you to work closely with your membership to form an event team, define your goals and integrate the charitable aspect in a way that reflects your club's culture and supports your outreach goals.
The connection with Heifer International and The Big Moo Canoe should provide your club an additional vehicle to attract media attention when you promote your event. Hopefully this will also gain additional participation and maybe even attract new members. Your membership can take pride in being a cornerstone in this new national, paddling-based program for Heifer International.
Make it fun and charitable
The charity element of any club event could manifest itself in a variety of ways. For example, your club could set a charitable goal and then members and the public would respond with donations. Here are ways to encourage that::
- A big goal - The club could decide to sponsor Heifer International by making a basic on-line donation link available through the Team Heifer web site. This would allow participants and other non-paddlers a chance to help complete your club's goal as the event draws near.
- A donation fee - An event donation fee could be integrated into the activity structure, if appropriate.
- Paddle for donations - Canoes and kayaks could be made available in exchange for a donation to Heifer International.
- Team activities - Fun paddling activities could be organized where teams of participants could solicit donations from friends and family in advance of the paddling day to help raise money. Then try one of these ideas:
- Relays and races - Hold a relay race, distance race or an on-water obstacle course where multiple teams compete for fun the fun of it, for a silly trophy or for a matching donation from a local sponsor for their team.
- Timed paddle - Hold a one hour paddle making laps around the lake where participants have requested donations in advance for their effort.
- Local sponsors - Speak to a local retailer who could support and/or sponsor the event. If they are an outdoor outfitter, ask if they might provide boat demos. People could be encouraged to donate to Heifer International and their donation allows them the opportunity to take a boat out for a demo paddle. Sponsors such as this might also offer to make a $20 donation to Heifer per boat that participants purchased after the event.
Heifer Volunteer Support
The event could potentially be supported by a local Heifer International volunteer group in a variety of ways if they are available in your area.
- Heifer booth - Staff a tent/booth with information about the charity and to collect donations. The Heifer Team would bring all of the donation forms as well as some additional giveaways for that day.
- Presentations - The volunteers could organize a short talk for event participants about Heifer International and what their 60 year mission to end poverty is all about. They may also be able to speak about the original "Big Moo Canoe", why it was done and how we hope that paddlers tell their friends around the country to get involved.
- Living Gift Market - You could help in organizing a small Living Gift Market where people would visit small table-top booths and learn about how each of the 9 "living gifts" help communities all around the world. Living gifts are heifers, sheep, pigs, llamas, chicks/duck/geese, rabbits, water buffalo, bees and trees and goats.
Whichever plan your club decides to choose to organize a Big Moo Canoe event, please make sure you celebrate your club's hard work and their commitment to help ending poverty forever.
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