empowering young people to own their economic success 2015-2016 Bowl-A-Thon Toolkit
Table of Contents The JA 4-1-1 2 What is a Bowl-A-Thon 3 FAQS 4 How it Works 5 Deadlines and Timeline Guide 6 Evening of Events 7 Online Giving and Registration Set-Up Instructions 8 2014-2015 Top Bowling Companies Acknowledgement 9 Contact Information JA Bowl-A-Thon Coordinator: Emma-Rose Chemidlin echemidlin@ja.org 609.419.0404 x114 JA Bowl-A-Thon Coordinator: Rachel Luciano rachel.luciano@ja.org 609.419.0404 x112 Interested in Volunteering? JA Education and Training Specialist: Christy Tighe ctighe@ja.org 609.419.0404 x105 Visit us online at www.janj.org
The JA 4-1-1 Junior Achievement of New Jersey is a nonprofit organization providing a series of business, economics, employability skills, and work-readiness programs to enhance the education of young people. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA offers in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12. JA programs focus on seven key content areas: business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/ character, financial literacy, and career development. A Statewide No-cost Education Solution and Provider Junior Achievement uses hands-on experiences to help young people understand the business of life. In partnership with business and educators, Junior Achievement brings the real world to students, opening their minds to their potential and preparing them for the world of work. These programs are provided to schools at no cost. In 2013-14 alone, more than 57,000 NJ students, many of whom live in underserved communities participated in JA s programs such as JA Our City, JA Our Nation, JA BizTown, JA Finance Park, JA High School Heroes and JA Career Success. For more information, visit www.janj.org. 2
What is a Bowl-A-Thon? It's an evening of networking, camaraderie and good ole fashioned fun! JA s Great American Bowl-A-Thon Challenge brings together companies and business professionals to raise awareness and funds for JA. Participating in a Bowl-A-Thon is a great way for companies and individuals to support students in their community, while also having fun with colleagues, friends, and family. Last year s JA Bowl-A-Thon at a glance: 19 Companies 889 Bowlers $100,000+ Raised 2,702 Students Impacted Every dollar raised through the Great American Bowl-A-Thon Challenge will help provide K-12 programs to the students of NJ at no cost to the students, guardians, and schools. Junior Achievement uses hands-on activities to show students, how the business world operates and how it affects them as students, family members, citizens and consumers. 3
FAQs How do I sign up to bowl? Check with your company coordinator. Team Captains register their teams online at http://janj.org/events/bowl_a_thon. Is there a registration fee? No. How many bowlers can I have on my team? Each team consists of 5 bowlers and 1 team captain for a total of 6. We encourage no more than 6 so that each person can bowl as much as possible. Friends, family, co-workers all are welcome to join! What does my donation support? Your gift allows JA to provide financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs to students at no cost to NJ students. How much money do I need to raise? Each bowler should raise $110, or $660 per team before the event. $660 is the cost of a program for a JA classroom so if every bowler on your team raises $110, your team can provide a JA Program to an entire class. How many games do I bowl? As many as you can fit into 2 hours so it is important to arrive on time! Do I need to know how to bowl? No, you do not! Skills are not required! Join us for a good time and help NJ students prepare for their future. Can I pledge money and not bowl? Of course! You can come watch the fun and/or support your company or a particular bowler at janj.org/events/bowl_a_thon. Can I use my company s matching gift fund? Yes. We encourage it! Please check with your company to see if they match. Is food provided? Yes. Pizza and soda (and lots of candy) is provided. Are drinks provided? No, but we will make sure the bar will be open during the duration of the event. What if I receive money after the Bowl-A-Thon? We gladly accept money raised after the event. Please forward the money to either your company coordinator or directly to JA. Is my donation tax deductible? Funds raised for the Bowl-A-Thon is 100% deductible! 4
ARE YOU A: Company Coordinator? How it Works Team Captain? Bowler? Teamwork makes the dream work. See how a Bowl-A-Thon is organized and the role you can play. JA could not run a Bowl-A-Thon without you and your support! THANK YOU. A company JA-Champion is recruited to have your company bowl with JA! This JA Champion will recruit company coordinators who will work directly with JA to plan a successful event. After many emails and communications between JA and the company coordinators to finalize the perfect date, time, and location, it is time for these coordinators to recruit team captains and keep track of the fundraising goal. The more teams recruited the merrier! And yes, coordinators can be part of a bowling team too! A little friendly competition goes a long way and team captains play an important role to recruit 5 other bowlers to bowl and help fundraise for JA! The Bowlers: Fundraise $110 per person or $660 per team! $660 is the cost of a program for a JA classroom so if every bowler on a team raises $110, your team can provide a JA Program to an entire class. 5
Timeline In order to plan a successful Bowl-A-Thon, it is important to develop a strategy. This toolkit will serve as a guide for deadlines and timelines to look back and make sure you re on track to reaching your fundraising goals! 8 WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT Company Coordinators work internally within your company to find the best date and times to hold a Bowl-A-Thon. Coordinators give JA the dates and times you would like for your event, and they will reserve the lanes for you. Review company fundraising goals. Establish check-in calls with the JA team before the event takes place for Company Coordinators and/or Bowlers. 6 WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT Coordinators recruit Team Captains. Hold a Team Captain meeting/training to cover the Team Captain responsibilities (JA will be happy to facilitate). Coordinators and/or Team Captains be sure each are obtaining five other Bowlers to join their teams. Coordinators contact Team Captains to ensure that all bowlers are on track and securing pledges to help meet their own goal, as well as the company s goal! 4 WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT Fundraise, fundraise, fundraise! With only a month away, JA is here to help! Let us know if you would like a JA staff member visit your company s facitity to help recruit bowlers and fundraise to meet the goal! Send email reminders to Team Captains and Bowlers as a friendly reminder to donate and bring awareness to the JA mission. Check to see if your company participates in matching gifts! Please let JA know so we can swiftly move the pocess along anyway we can. 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT Ensure that funds and pledges are turned in and notify JA for bowler attendance/headcount. WEEK OF THE EVENT Coordinators reconfirm attendance with all Team Captains. Make sure they do the same with all their bowlers. Coordinators remind Captains and Bowlers to finalize fundraising collections. Coordinators provide lane assignment list (if applicable) to your JA Contact. 6
Evening of Events The day has finally come and it is time to BOWL! Here is a quick breakdown of the event: Arrive on-time to the alley and check-in with the JA Staff. You will be able to spot them right at the door with our JA banners. If lane assignments were not provided by your company coordinator, one will be given to you at this time. Relax and get set-up. The JA Staff will direct you to the shoes and will let you know when the party starts! Once you start bowling, the JA staff will come around and greet everyone with candy and one raffle ticket. This ticket is completely free and our way to say thank you for joining us. Raffle prizes include various gift baskets and wine to win at the end of the night. After you ve been bowling for a little while, pizza and soda will be served for each lane 30-45 min. after the start time. Throughout the night, the JA Staff will come around and take team photos, so be sure to come with your funny faces! At the end of the night, a huge company group photo will be taken. If your company has a banner you would like to bring, we most certainly encourage it. Check with your coordinators to see if your company has one. Last but not least, we will be announcing raffle winners and how much you raised for JA! 7
Online Giving and Registration Set-Up Instructions JA makes it easy to register and raise money for the 2015 JA Great American Bowl-A-Thon Challenge. It s an EASY and SECURE way to raise money and help fund JA programs, and it only takes 5 minutes! Here s what you need do: 1. Go to http://janj.org/events/bowl_a_thon 2. Scroll down and click on The Great American Bowl-A-Thon Challenge link. 3. Select your company (It will be a drop down menu). 4. Select your date, time and location (It will be a drop down menu). 5. Follow the prompts to register yourself as team captain, bowler, or donate to a particular bowler. 6. Raise $110 per person by donating or pledging online. 7. Check to see if your company participates in matching gifts! Although there is a $660 team fundraising goal, we encourage you to set a higher fundraising goal! After each of your bowler registers and donates to JA, you can easily review your team s fundraising report. Fast Facts Examples of how your pledges can help children in JA: $37 Supports a JA Student $100 Funds a JA Classroom Kit $660 Provides JA to an Entire Classroom JA will be at the event to accept checks and cash donations as well. Please make all checks payable to: Junior Achievement of NJ 4365 Rt. 1 South 2nd Flr Princeton, NJ 08540 For more information about JA, visit janj.org. Not that tech-savvy? Have questions? No worries. The JA staff will be happy to help answer questions or register you and your team. Please contact Emma-Rose Chemidlin at echemidlin@ja.org or Rachel Luciano at rachel.luciano@ja.org 8
2014-2015 Top Bowling Companies A little friendly competition goes a long way. JA would like to thank last year s top bowling companies (Great American Bowl-A-Thon) for their fundraising efforts: 9