Different ideas for DU fundraisers?

E

ed gagne

Well-known member
Im looking to see whats out there for Ducks Unlimited fundraiser ideas. Here in Vermont our 10-14 chapters have done almost the same thing for years and theres been recent talk of it being old and kind of boring. Most likely as of next year I'll be heading the Champlain Islands Chapter and Im looking to change it up a bit. Our typical event consists of a semi formal buffet dinner, live auction, silent auction, raffles and games.

I would like to here what other chapters or other organization's fundraising events in the country are doing to boost interest and memberships. Any idea is welcome and appreciated.

Thanks
Eddie Gagne
 
Ed,
First, I don't know if you can really top the net you get from the traditional format. I've been involved with a some second events that were pretty successful. Here are a couple of ideas that have gone over really well:

game night. Boil up shrimp cajun style along with corn on the cob, veggies and bread. We did a second type of meat for those that don't eat shrimp. Then, we had TONS of games to play. Various card games, dice games of various sorts, lots of raffles with LOTS of prizes (bucket style raffles are really good). The idea was everybody walk out with something. It didn't net quite as much as the big banquet (as is expected since we didn't tap every resource for the second event and there were a lot fewer sponsorships sold), but it was a huge hit with attendees and as a second event it did REALLY well.

Shoot out. This was fun, but it didn't net as much as the above event. It's an annual sporting clays shoot. Prizes for various classes of shooter. We divided all shooters into men's, women's and youth and then separated each division into 3 flights each based on score. That way those of us that can't hit the broadside of a barn aren't competing against the guys that shoot clays 5 days a week. We did allow participants to shoot more than one round by buying in again. We also added in "bonus" targets that would win the shooter a prize on the spot (throw in odd color targets at random stations throughout the sporting clays course). We also set up a 5 stand range but changed it up some. We built a 2 man "blind" and set a pair of shooters in the blind, giving each shooter X number of shells. When they said pull, the guy running the shoot would proceed to trigger 25 birds in about 40 seconds (I'm not positive on the timing, but it was pretty quick). This is an awesome game and was very easy to run. Set up a prize for top score and possibly a bonus prize for a perfect run. Again, you could add in some bonus clays to this game as well. After the first year, we had people lined up all day to shoot this event. We incorporated a small silent auction, and had a cook out (burgers and dogs, etc). Again, we didn't net TONS, but it was fun for everybody including the committee since we were able to participate more than run the event.

One that I always wanted to try but never have gotten around to is a poker tournament. I haven't investigated the logistics of it, or really analyzed the costs, but it would be a fun way to raise money.

Scott
 
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Waterfowl Hunter's Party (WHP)--- this concept was brought about 4 or 5 years ago by DU. This event is geared at getting the waterfowl hunters to the event. Lots of decoys, guns, calls, and gear for the waterfowl hunter. My local DU chapter has held these events with some great results, good $$$ and a fun event.


Tim
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I am on a committee that runs a WHP as a large event at the end of the summer with a duck boat show wild game meal a flat bed trailer of GHG decoys for raffle and decoy contest on the lake, so we do have that. There's not much for shooting clubs in the islands. I'm not sure if there even is one but our Waterbury/Stowe chapter has a shoot just like what was mentioned. I like the poker and fishing derby ideas. Being on the "Sixth Great Lake" a fishing derby would be a great possibility.

Please keep the ideas coming.

Thanks
Eddie Gagne
 
Jeff,

I have a little bit different situation as far as crowd type but I have found these things to be successful for us.

FREE BEER. A keg costs you $70. Every time a guy doesnt have to buy a beer thats an extra $5 bill he has in his pocket to put into a walkaround raffle or something else. The kegs more than pay for themselves

The $25 ticket. Nothing better than getting your yearly membership renewed, a buffet meal, and FREE BEER for the cost of your membership anyway.
 
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I like the free beer idea. The folks at Memphis I met last week who were from UP Michigan had a Chili cookoff. They had 200 people show up. No cost for the main course, so the price is lower to attend, = more people.

Hitch
 
I did this for a stag event. Hired the hottest girl from the local Hooters and dressed her up in new camo boots, coat, hat, duck and goose call on a lanard, etc and we auctioned off all the stuff she was wearing with the exception of her bikini! I think that raffle alone netted us $1500.00.
I know I am a pig but hey, it was for the ducks!
Jim/Fowlfishing
 
It just so happens i have quite a few good looking female friends one of which is my room mate a former ring girl, you know the ones that hold up the round number cards at fights and boxing matches. I'm thinkin......thinkin......thinkin...... wait what was this for again? haha. I like this idea.


eddie
 
I don't think it's so much as the typical DU dinner is boring as much as this whole economy has taken such a hit on everyone. I used to go to 2 or 3 DU dinners a year and I can't recall the last DU dinner that I went to. A couples ticket and drinks and raffle tickets is a $300 night....If you don't bid in the auctions. I can't afford that these days. A lot of the guys still going are stressed by the whole economy, still go to the dinners, but just don't.....can't....spend what they used to spend. At the other end of the spectrum, DU is putting more and more pressure, not to maintain status quo on revenue, but to INCREASE the revenue.

In other news...NDR....our new governor wants to increase my personal, just for me, tax burden by around $200 per MONTH....I won't be too philinthropic this year either.....
 
Ed,

Let me know if you need some more info on doing an event like this.

It's already been tried as a freshwater tourney by a DU chapter in the midwest & was a huge success.



BTSflyer2011.jpg

 
I don't think it's so much as the typical DU dinner is boring as much as this whole economy has taken such a hit on everyone. I used to go to 2 or 3 DU dinners a year and I can't recall the last DU dinner that I went to. A couples ticket and drinks and raffle tickets is a $300 night....If you don't bid in the auctions. I can't afford that these days. A lot of the guys still going are stressed by the whole economy, still go to the dinners, but just don't.....can't....spend what they used to spend. At the other end of the spectrum, DU is putting more and more pressure, not to maintain status quo on revenue, but to INCREASE the revenue.

In other news...NDR....our new governor wants to increase my personal, just for me, tax burden by around $200 per MONTH....I won't be too philinthropic this year either.....
Click to expand...


Precisely. This is why I love the $25 event. Hard to find a fish fry and have drinks all night for that anywhere and a guy can still bring his wife and some money to throw in the raffles
 
I don't think it's so much as the typical DU dinner is boring as much as this whole economy has taken such a hit on everyone. I used to go to 2 or 3 DU dinners a year and I can't recall the last DU dinner that I went to. A couples ticket and drinks and raffle tickets is a $300 night....If you don't bid in the auctions. I can't afford that these days. A lot of the guys still going are stressed by the whole economy, still go to the dinners, but just don't.....can't....spend what they used to spend. At the other end of the spectrum, DU is putting more and more pressure, not to maintain status quo on revenue, but to INCREASE the revenue.

In other news...NDR....our new governor wants to increase my personal, just for me, tax burden by around $200 per MONTH....I won't be too philinthropic this year either.....
Click to expand...


My biggest gripe on banquets these days is that nearly all the raffle/auction merchandise is GARBAGE. 15 years ago the worst gun at the Banquette was an 870 express, now that's the best gun there. They also simply had a lot more guns overall. All the decor is cheap @zz chinese made crapola, etc. I would bid on wooden decoys, calls, knives, etc, but not the crap they're offering over the past few years. Obviously it would cost more to have a buck knife or other reputable maker, but at least at the end of the night, the person has a real knife. The last several banquets I've been to didn't have any calls, no ammo, no working/plastic dekes, no boats, no "hunter package" raffles, etc. It was like looking at the DU merchandise catalog they used to send: Wine racks, grilling tools, blankets, and just a smattering of some of Avery's more useless products.

I haven't had a chance to go to a Waterfowler's Party yet, but I'm going to a Sportsman's Night Out on Friday. Should be interesting . . . I don't expect to win anything, but it'd be nice to get inspired to bid on something if they do a silent auction or whatever.

I participated on a committe a few years ago and got an education from veteran committee members on how to exploit the raffles . . . needless to say I wasn't real impressed with that lack of ethics and that's another thing that could be addressed. Volunteers should be there to raise money for the ducks, not work the odds and take home as much merch as possible.
 
No ones happy with the crap that DU sends us. Having put together countless tricycles rocking chairs flat ware sets and other things i know how cheap and aweful the products are first hand. My new approach is to minimize the DU package that we order and go into local businesses and try to get locally made products and uniquely Vermont items.

I'm not sure who DU is hiring these days to run stuff but their website is a nightmare and trying to get membership issues straightened out is like talking to a foreigner, wait the last time i tried that she was foreign.

I hear a lot of complaints and im really hoping to make a difference here. Thanks for the ideas, I met with our state chairman last night and talked things over so we'll see what comes out.

thanks
eddie
 
Ed. years ago a couple of us were involved in starting a chapter up near West Point, NY. We found the things that really drew interest were the "unique" kinds of things that weren't offered elsewhere. Teaming with some local conservation groups and some of the State guys, we auctioned off several packages that included a day of eagle watching with a professional birdwatcher and photographer and several events of that type. As I recall, even "personal tours" of local outdoor conservation sites and historical locales got us some pretty big payback -- we found that many local sportsman were involved in "outdoor" activities that, while not strictly duck-related, were cool enough to net us some real contributions, with little to no overhead. Just a thought, but there might be some non-standard things in your area that would pay off well -- check with wives/ladies and see what might be of interest -- after a number of standard dinners over the years, it is tough to get my wife to go, particularly when they are charging in the hundreds of dollars per couple. My two cents, Rufus
 
Question for the masses:

We recently had an idea to do a DU banquet with the them of "Made in the USA". Would you attend that event?
 
I supplied the FFL for the DU chapters out here years age. DU got the guns from the manufactures directly and sent them to the chapters. Now they have to buy, at a higher rate because DU doesn't want the hassle. Too much paper work. The junk they put out is terrible [taiwan ducks]. Prints are nice, but how many can you hang.
Worked with WF US and they buy locally and get products not in the catalogs. Also have local carvers donate carvings with a 60/40 split. Also have guides donate a shoot, fishing or shooting instructions. Even a hour flight over the area.
They also have a local merchant sponsor a print or other prize, you win on both sides.
 
Ed,
one thing to remember is to include the wives. If you are talking a trad. dinner have a table just for them.(Not DU China stuff) They have a budget and it is easier to get a few bucks for things they like, esp. if from local places the girls use(Hair, Nails, Dinner, Wine, ect.). Mary Garvey had a lot to do with that at the dinner in Joppa. A big hit.

I am trying to figure out how you manage Jim B's idea with the suggestion above, but that is why you are the soon to be chairman.

Good luck.
 
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