Help me get 150+ kids their first real disc

[stpitner]

For the 3rd consecutive year, I've been invited to come back out to hold a disc golf "clinic" (more like me talk for 5-7 minutes and the rest of the time let them play disc golf) for 150+ kids at the "Hot U" day camp in St. Charles.  Last year I received lots of loaner baskets and set up a short 12-hole temp course for kids to play.  Thanks to all who loaned me a basket!  I'm sure I'll post about borrowing baskets again sometime soon

I attached one of the pictures of some of the kids from last year.  They all received a disc to take home.  The only problem was that these discs were from Oriental Trading and were terrible for throwing.  On top of that, they cracked and broke, they fell right through some of the baskets, and if you threw a disc into a headwind it would fly forwards about 3 feet and then fly backwards 15 feet.

This year they have an alternate solution for the discs, but they still aren't that great.  They are a higher quality, but it's still nothing compared to an official disc.  They are working with a limited budget, and they can't get these kids what they really need - a real disc.

I thought it would be super cool if it were possible to get these kids a lightweight putter.  The sports director is looking into receiving approval to use the Hot U camp logo as a hot stamp on these discs.

The tough part is that there will be at least 150 kids.  In order to get a real putter I would have to subsidize the cost of these discs by about $2.50 per disc.  I would have a goal to order 200 discs to ensure that there is enough for everyone (and possibly extras for the volunteers).  That comes out to $500 as a target to get the discs.

I'm posting this for two reasons: 1) to see if anyone would be interested in making a donation to help me subsidize this cost, and 2) to ask for suggestions on what kind of fundraiser I might be able to do with proceeds to help subsidize the cost of the discs.

In the long run I'd love to have enough funds to cover 100% of their cost, but I know that $500 is already a hefty goal!

I'm currently scheduled to host the clinic on July 21st, so time is a little limited considering the disc manufacturer would need enough advanced warning to produce the hot stamp.

Thanks for any ideas or support!
Scott

[Chainmeister]

Scott

What if you ran a 50/50 raffle or 50/50 skill event at some upcoming event? They do 50/50's at baseball games and everybody seems to want to get in on the gambling. The proceeds usually go to a charity.

[JCthrills]

Contact Dave at Gateway, they are great about supporting efforts such as this.

[Bruce Brakel]

Diana and I are supposed to be doing a junior disc golf thing next week and we have done these before.  Our approach to paying for it has always been very simple: we make them pay for the disc.  We've never been asked to do a thing for destitute orphans.  If these kids are destitute orphans this strategy might not work.  Otherwise, they spend $5 when they stop at Burger King or 7-11 after school.  They've got $5.  It is not too much to ask that they cough up the $5 for a new disc. 

[stpitner]

Scott

What if you ran a 50/50 raffle or 50/50 skill event at some upcoming event? They do 50/50's at baseball games and everybody seems to want to get in on the gambling. The proceeds usually go to a charity.

unfortunately my next scheduled event is AFTER this clinic, so it wouldn't work out as well.  "help pay for an event that already happened!" not the best marketing

Contact Dave at Gateway, they are great about supporting efforts such as this.

Already contacted.  Unfortunately I asked him about other stuff in my email as well and he only responded to that portion.  I'll have to email him again.

Diana and I are supposed to be doing a junior disc golf thing next week and we have done these before.  Our approach to paying for it has always been very simple: we make them pay for the disc.  We've never been asked to do a thing for destitute orphans.  If these kids are destitute orphans this strategy might not work.  Otherwise, they spend $5 when they stop at Burger King or 7-11 after school.  They've got $5.  It is not too much to ask that they cough up the $5 for a new disc. 

I can't ask the kids to pay because it's a 5-day camp, and there's one fee the parents pay to place their kid in the camp.  They are 1st-5th graders, not all of them would have $5 either.  I would be paid by the group hosting this camp, but they would rather pay the $2.15 or whatever it is to buy a cheap Frisbee as opposed to the purchase of golf disc.  That's why I'm trying to raise money to subsidize the cost to get them a decent golf disc instead.  Disc golf is just one of their many activities of the week, and they have a limited budget to make sure everything is covered.

[can't putt]

If these kids are destitute orphans this strategy might not work.

I can't image that these kids come from destitute families.  The program is run by Christ Community Church, a mini-megachurch on a large piece of prime property in an affluent section of St. Charles.  Set up a merch table where the moms drop of the kids, charge double for the discs, and donate the net back to the church.

[stpitner]

That's still not the point - it's a flat fee to sign up for the Hot-U camp, and it's not worth my time to set up a temp course and bring merch.  I may bring pamphlets with coupons, but no merch.

[Working Stiff]

If these kids are destitute orphans this strategy might not work.

I can't image that these kids come from destitute families.  The program is run by Christ Community Church, a mini-megachurch on a large piece of prime property in an affluent section of St. Charles.  Set up a merch table where the moms drop of the kids, charge double for the discs, and donate the net back to the church.

You mean that massive church on prime Randall Road real estate that adds on an eight-figure addition every two years?  My charitable mood just went out the window.

[Bruce Brakel]

So what I'm hearing is the day camp is charging money for the kids to be there and obviously paying their staff money to do the work.  It is not a charitable endeavor so your only problem is that you are acting like it is.  You should be telling them that the cost is $5 per kid if you value your time at zero, or $6 a kid if your time is worth a buck a kid.  If they can't afford it, it's like anything else they can't afford. 

[stpitner]

I'm volunteering my time because I want to teach these kids about disc golf.

They already have the option picked out to buy a plain frisbee at $2.15 a disc for the kids.  When that disc is "serviceable" why should I tell them I need $5 or $6 a kid for this when they can use that extra money to buy extra art supplies, materials, and whatever else for some other activity?  I'm trying to be nice to help them out.

As far as I know everyone is volunteering their time to help make this event run.  There's probably about 2-3 adult volunteers for every 10 kids, and there's 500 total kids.  Only about 150-200 of them do disc golf.  I don't know all of the financials, but I know that it's $55 to send a kid there for the 5 days.  $11 a day to cover 2 core activities, food, craft, and lesson materials doesn't amount to a whole lot (I don't know the full schedule to see what else they do during the day).

If you choose not to help, that's fine.  I'd appreciate ideas from those that think it would be cool to upgrade their disc to some pdga-approved plastic.

[WkeBrd3]

I could donate a new disc or two, if that helps. Maybe throw them up as prizes for an event/activity they can compete in.

[can't putt]

I'm volunteering my time because I want to teach these kids about disc golf.

They already have the option picked out to buy a plain frisbee at $2.15 a disc for the kids.  When that disc is "serviceable" why should I tell them I need $5 or $6 a kid for this when they can use that extra money to buy extra art supplies, materials, and whatever else for some other activity?  I'm trying to be nice to help them out.

I don't mean bring your whole merch setup, just the camp hot stamped ones you mentioned earlier.  Kudos to you for volunteering your time.  Your  secondary goal is to get the kids better discs.  The parents can afford them and will trip over each other to make sure their kids have all the best equipment.  Give them the discs you have pre-arranged and sell them the hot stamp, either at cost or donate the proceeds.

Yeah, Working Stiff, that's the one.

[mirth]

contact Innova. the club had a crapload of 150g x-out aviars that were bought for right about the same price as what the church is looking to pay for the wham-o's.
could also see them donating some instead of making you/the church buy them all.