LIONS FOUNDATION OF CANADA DOG B WL BOWLING IN THE DARK IN SUPPORT OF SIGHT AWARENESS ORGANIZER S GUIDE

LIONS FOUNDATION OF CANADA DOG B WL BOWLING IN THE DARK IN SUPPORT OF SIGHT AWARENESS ORGANIZER S GUIDE

Table of Contents About Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides...3 History and Vision...3 Key Responsibilities of Organizers...4 Dog Bowl Committee...5 Participants...6 Local Sponsorship and Fundraising...7 Media and Promotion...8 Registration...9 Timelines...10 Tips and Tools...10 Post Dog Bowl and Remitting Funds...11 2

SECTION 1: About Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides Lions Foundation of Canada is a national charitable foundation that was created by Lions Clubs in Canada in 1983. Its mission is to assist Canadians with a medical or physical disability by providing them Dog Guides at no cost. Each Dog Guide costs approximately $25,000 to raise, train and place with a qualified recipient. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides trains six types of Dog Guides. Canine Vision Dog Guides for people who are blind or visually impaired Hearing Ear Dog Guides for people who are deaf or hard of hearing Service Dog Guides for people with a physical disability Seizure Response Dog Guides for people who have epilepsy Autism Assistance Dog Guides for children with autism spectrum disorder Diabetic Alert Dog Guides for people who have type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemic unawareness The training of a Dog Guide is an intensive four to six month period, training one-on-one with a qualified trainer. Once fully trained, the dog is matched with its handler who then spends two to four weeks at the Oakville, Ontario training school, learning how to handle, trust and bond with their new Dog Guide. SECTION 2: Dog Bowl History and Vision In 2010, the St. Catharines Garden City and Merritton Lions Club joined together with the hope of piloting a fundraising event that would one day become a national Lions project. Their idea was to host a blind 5 pin bowling fundraiser to provide increased awareness for people who are visually impaired. Through a blindfold or specialized glasses that mimic various eye disease and disorders, each bowler experiences seeing and bowling through the eyes of someone who is visually impaired. Today, this goal is being realized with the new national Dog Guide s Dog Bowl event that is open to the public. Proceeds raised from these bowling events support Canine Vision Canada Dog Guides. Special thanks to Lions Bill and Linda Sowrey, Jim Stewart, Katherine Reid of the St. Catharines Garden City Lions Club and Lions Jeff White and PDG George Hostick of the Merritton Lions Club for inspiring the Lions Foundation to launch this project nationally. We started this project to educate the public about the daily struggles of legally blind and totally blind people Lion Bill Sowrey Thank you for organizing a Dog Bowl event in your area; together we are changing the lives of Canadians with disabilities. 3

SECTION 3: Key Responsibilities of Organizers Each Dog Bowl is hosted by a local Lions club with the assistance of Lions Foundation of Canada. The Foundation provides each host club with an Organizer s Guide that includes information on step by step organization, sponsorship, media, donation forms and prizes. Once a date and location has been confirmed, the host then decides on a team registration fee. A suggested team registration fee is $150. This will cover the teams cost to bowl, shoe rental and may be used to help kick start fundraising. Funding is also raised through individual bowlers who collect donations on behalf of their participation in the charity Dog Bowl. Additional fundraising activities offered at each bowling event vary and are encouraged as an additional means of fundraising revenue. The vision for Lions Foundation of Canada s Dog Bowl is to have a national presence, with Dog Bowls hosted in communities throughout Canada. This section outlines the key roles and responsibilities. The Foundation s Role Organizer Support Organizer s Guide Website Email and/or written communication to supporters Glasses kit Promotional Material Posters Donation and registration forms National Sponsors Obtain national sponsors to help offset printing, promotion and media costs Local Media Press releases sent locally to media outlets Website Maintenance of webpage Insurance Liability insurance certificate available upon request Organizer s Role Organizing Committee Meeting schedule Timeline Research locations, collect information Delegation and execution of tasks Blindfolds Distribution of Promotional Material Secure volunteers and local businesses to help with event promotion and distribution Local Sponsors Obtain local sponsors for general donations and refreshments (if applicable), prizes and other fundraising opportunities Local Media Supply the Foundation with a list of local media to ensure maximum coverage of Dog Bowl Website Content Update Provide information on event location and pertinent details Facility Management Assign event roles and review tasks Event management Participant Needs Refreshments Donation and registration forms Event information Prizes 4

SECTION 4: Dog Bowl Committee Recruiting committee members will help balance the work load and help make your Dog Bowl more successful. Use this outline as a guide, as roles will vary depending on the size of your committee and community. 1. Bowling Kingpin (Event Chair) 2. Leadoffs (Team Captains) 3. Headpins (Event Coordinators) 4. The Pitch (Promotions and Media Manager) 5. The Strike (Sponsorship Coordinator) 6. Anchorman (Treasurer) 1. KINGPIN Establishes the date of event and sends request to Lions Foundation of Canada to host a Dog Bowl Signs the privacy and host agreement on behalf of the committee Seeks volunteers to be on the organizing committee Chairs meetings and establishes meeting schedules Acts as a liaison with Lions Foundation of Canada Provides leadership to all committee members to ensure their tasks are carried out efficiently and on time Invites clients to the Dog Bowl Organizes and submits final day of donations in a timely manner to the Anchorman (Treasurer) Publically announces warning of using special glasses to all bowlers 2. LEADOFFS Researches and reserves bowling alley Organizes team schedules and time slots Acquires permits (if applicable) Manages registration, directs flow to shoe rental Communicates directly with event participants via phone and/or email 3. HEAD PINS Coordinates any additional event games, raffles, 50/50 draw, silent auction and prizes Oversees refreshments (if applicable) Provides hands on support to bowling teams and other committee members during Dog Bowl event 4. THE PITCH Ensures the coordination and distribution of posters, team registration and donation forms within community Provides hands on support to bowling teams and other committee members at Dog Bowl 5. THE STRIKE Contacts potential sponsors regarding opportunities to support Dog Bowl Ensures local and national sponsors are acknowledged on day of Dog Bowl Sends appropriate thank you letters to local sponsors and any special guests 6. ANCHORMAN Prepares and manages the Dog Bowl budget and donation forms Ensures donations are reconciled in a timely manner and sent to Lions Foundation of Canada Prepares financial information for submission 5

SECTION 5: Participants The more people you can recruit, the larger and more successful your event will be. Find out where you can find potential participants and volunteers. DOG GUIDE GRADUATES The Foundation will contact graduates in your area A list will be provided to the King Pin upon receipt of a signed Privacy Agreement. Event organizers should contact graduates by phone approximately one month before the Dog Bowl to encourage their attendance Be prepared to offer transportation assistance to Dog Guide teams if necessary (These lists only to be used for the promotion of the bowling event. Use of information for any other activity is prohibited.) LIONS, LIONESS AND LEO CLUB MEMBERS Contact other clubs in your city, zone and region to collect donations. You can also challenge them to send a team of bowlers GENERAL PUBLIC Approach local retailers and public buildings to display your posters and donation forms PROMOTIONAL AND INFORMATION DISPLAYS Prior to your Dog Bowl set up a manned display booth at your local mall and other high traffic retailers to promote your event. 6

SECTION 6: Local Sponsorship and Fundraising Local sponsors can improve the success of your event without incurring additional expenses. Sponsors can increase awareness and provide additional funds. HOW TO INCLUDE LOCAL SPONSORS IN YOUR DOG BOWL Cash donations can go directly to your fundraising goal Lane sponsorship is a great incentive for local business. Set an amount to sponsor each lane Product donations increase event value; donations may include prizes, auction items, food and refreshments for pre and post bowling Ask retailers and businesses to provide space for your promotional displays, promote your Dog Bowl to their employees or register a team LOCAL SPONSOR RECOGNITION AND INCENTIVES Company name or logo on promotional flyers, Facebook or Twitter page, emails Company name or logo on a sponsor display at the bowling alley Recognition in announcements made during the Dog Bowl Opportunity to provide product display or other promotion at the bowling alley Thank you letter recognizing their contribution Please note: Sponsors generally do not receive a tax receipt. Revenue Canada specifies that any charitable donations for which the donor receives a benefit are not eligible for a tax receipt. Please contact Lions Foundation of Canada should you require further clarification. 7

SECTION 7: Media and Promotion Working with the media in your area will help to reinforce the Lions Foundation s media efforts. If you have the opportunity to take part in a media interview, please remember the key messages. If you are unsure how to answer a question, please refer the journalist to the Foundation. The Foundation will do the following: COMMUNITY LISTING The community listing will be sent to media outlets in each participating community. It will provide details of the Dog Bowl (i.e. time, location, date etc) Media Release - a detailed written piece about the Dog Bowl and those it benefits. A story of a client in the area of a particular Dog Bowl will be submitted to local media outlets Media Alert and Photo Opportunity - this invitation will be sent to local media outlets as a final invitation and reminder about the Dog Bowl SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is a great tool to promote your Dog Bowl; it provides the opportunity to reach out to and connect with people that you may not interact with on a daily basis. Social media will increase awareness of your Dog Bowl and therefore increase the likelihood of a greater turn out as well as increased donations. Best of all, it s free. Twitter and Facebook can be an effective way of promoting your event. Encourage friends and family to join the Facebook and Twitter pages of Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, and to follow your Dog Bowl. Below you will find information on how to conduct a successful social media campaign. Twitter When tweeting about your event, make sure to use the hashtag #BFDG14. For example, you could tweet So excited to be organizing a Dog Bowl for the #BFDG14 or Dominos has agreed to sponsor my Dog Bowl. Thank you Dominos! #BFDG14. This will allow all conversations about your Dog Bowl to be easily tracked on Twitter since it keeps all tweets organized under a single search term. Inform your followers about this hashtag and encourage them to use it as well Send LFC a direct message on Twitter (@LFCDogGuides) so LFC will follow you and retweet your mentions about the bowling event to followers. This will help spread the word about your Dog Bowl to a larger audience Facebook The purpose of your Dog Bowl Facebook page is to attract participants. Please keep content light and upbeat Share date and time, sponsors, event highlights, photos, encourage registration and donations, encourage team members to post key messages about LFC 8

SECTION 8: Bowling Registration Registration is the most important aspect of your bowling event since all participants must register to play. A smooth-flowing collection process will leave your participants impressed and allow your event to start on time. Make sure your registration operators are: Well prepared: have them review collection procedures in advance Equipped with calculators, pens, paper, and a safe place to store cheques /cash Informed about the event details such as times, prizes, activities, refreshments, shoe rental, lanes, special guests and point persons for each station REGISTRATION DUTIES Welcome bowlers and thank them for attending Collect donation forms and team registration forms Calculate each bowler s total donations Ensure bowler information is legible and complete Distribute incentive prizes to eligible bowlers (if applicable) Thank bowlers and provide details of next steps including where shoe rental is, what lane they are in and start times Distribute visually impairing glasses with the following warning Please note: The glasses provided to each bowler should not be worn with prescription glasses and/or contacts. They are to be used only when bowling and should be immediately removed if the user is experiencing a headache and/or abdominal discomfort. 9

SECTION 9: Timelines In this section, we have provided an outline of each phase of the planning process to help keep you on track. (This is a suggested timeline. If you begin planning a bowling event later than the time suggested, simply adjust the timelines.) 4-5 MONTHS TO DOG BOWL Select your organizing committee Hold your first meeting and set a schedule for future meetings Propose an event date and start/registration times Research and book bowling alley Usually weekend mornings work best, check when leagues use the alley Consider location accessibility, refreshments, parking, flexibility with fundraising attractions, etc. Determine the number of 5 pin lanes If there are just a few, you will need to offer a few different sessions of bowling throughout the day see chart below Registration 9:00 a.m. Bowling 9:30 a.m. Registration 11:00 a.m. Bowling 11:30 a.m. Registration 1:00 p.m. Bowling 1:30 p.m. TEAMS Team A Team E Team I Team B Team F Team J Team C Team G Team K Team D Team H Team L Contact Lions Foundation of Canada with your confirmed bowling details as soon as possible SECTION 10: Tips and Tools 1. Use your connections. Clubs that join together are often more successful, reaching a wider audience 2. Provide a variety of bowling session times 3. Encourage Lions Foundation of Canada graduates to attend with their Dog Guide 4. Ask local businesses to donate prizes and advertise that there will be prizes awarded for the best bowling team score in a session and the best individual score during a session 5. Offer lane sponsorship. This is a great way to obtain the interest and support of local businesses 6. Organize and advertise additional fundraisers such as raffles or silent auctions 7. Utilize social media it is free and a great way to publicly advertise 8. Find out when your local bowling alley has bowling leagues booked Booking your event off season works best when the alleys are slower 10

3 MONTHS TO DOG BOWL Contact local businesses for donations such as prizes, food and beverages (if applicable), printing and pre-event promotion Inform and invite local officials (i.e. Mayor) and other local celebrities Contact LFC to request donation and registration forms and posters Create a bowling team track sheet and begin assigning registered teams to a bowling session and lane This should be booked on a first come, first served basis Invite Dog Guide clients Distribute donation forms and posters throughout the community 1 MONTH TO DOG BOWL Dog Bowl sponsor recognition. Ensure you have recognized sponsors as promised on any printed materials or displays Confirm refreshments, prizes and any other fundraisers Organize any last minute promotion at local malls, community fairs, etc. 2 WEEKS TO DOG BOWL Review pre event and event day assignments with committee members Finalize event day timelines and teams Follow-up and delegate any outstanding calls and inquiries 1 WEEK TO DOG BOWL Pre-event planning tasks should be completed (signage, registration table, supplies, equipment, prize donations, giveaways, incentives (if applicable) etc. Ensure sponsor and volunteer acknowledgements and speeches are prepared DAY OF EVENT Pre event meeting review roles and tasks Setup stations, equipment and supplies Ensure all prizes and donations are accounted for Setup signage this should include recognition of event sponsors SECTION 11: Post Dog Bowl and Remitting Funds REMITTING FUNDS Deposit all monies into your personal or business account and issue a cheque payable to Lions Foundation of Canada If all participants have donated in the form of a cheque, they may be submitted to LFC, or if you have a combination of cheques/cash, you may submit the participant cheques along with a personal or business cheque representing the cash portion Please send Lions Foundation of Canada all funds accompanied by your donation forms within two business days following the event Create a Summary Report to indicate where any extra monies have come from other than Dog Bowl donations (raffles, silent auction, refreshment sales, etc.) Send photographs from your event to LFC and to any sponsors along with their thank you letter Issue letters of appreciation to volunteers, VIPs and other guests TAX RECEIPTS Lions Foundation of Canada will issue tax receipts for donations of $20 or more, providing the address is complete (with postal code) and legible 11

Lions Foundation of Canada is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Guide & Assistance Dog Schools and an accredited member of International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides 152 Wilson St. Oakville, Ontario L6K 0G6 Phone: (905) 842-2891 1(800) 768-3030 TTY: (905) 842-1585 Fax: (905) 842-3373 Email: info@dogguides.com www.dogguides.com Charitable Numbers Lions Foundation of Canada 13024 5129 RR0001