Sports Fundraising Ideas

Randy Poladian has some very good friends. This once-active baseball dad, who was paralyzed after a tumor was found on his spine, continues to be amazed at the outpouring of community support for he and his family.

A Texas Hold ‘Em Fundraising Tournament hosted by Wilson Creek Winery on Oct. 2 helped raise funds for the Poladians. Now, Temecula Youth Baseball and Pat and Oscar’s restaurant have generously offered to jump in with a fundraiser of their own. On Oct . 20, from 4 p.m. to closing time, Pat and Oscar’s restaurant on Rancho California Road in Temecula will donate 20 percent of  sales to the TYBB; the league will then forward it all to the Poladian fundraising effort.

“This is a great cause and we want to put our full weight behind it,” said Shawn Ferris, president of TYBB. “In the baseball community, this is what it’s all about–taking care of each other. It’s a good example for the kids.”

Ferris noted that funds raised will go toward retrofitting Poladian’s bathroom, modifying his late model handicap van and installing a special stair lift in his home so he can sleep with his family for the first time in years.

Renovations have already begun under the direction of friend Craig Johns, whose efforts to coordinate the fundraisers and remodel have met with an outpouring of community goodwill. Johns said that cash donations are still being accepted through Temecula’s U.S. Bank at 951-303-2010, as well as building materials and supplies for construction.

Ferris said you don’t have to belong to the baseball community to participate. He encourages anyone who’d like to come out and enjoy an evening of good food for a good cause to log onto www.tybb.org to download a flyer. Present the flyer at the Pat and Oscar’s cash register, and proceeds from your order will go to help this local family.

Kerri S. Mabee can be contacted at ksmabee.swrnn@gmail.com with comments or questions.

Read more: http://www.swrnn.com/southwest-riverside/2009-10-19/sports/sports-community-rallies-behind-temecula-family#ixzz0UWYBSAUN

NEW WINDSOR — Beautiful People, an Orange County chapter of Miracle League Baseball, will host a fundraiser featuring former Mets and Yankees pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 23 at Anthony’s Pier 9.

This is the first big fundraising event for Beautiful People, a nonprofit organization that provides modified sports programs for children with disabilities.

Gooden and Billy Staples, best-selling author and baseball historian, will also join the fun for an evening of dinner, music and silent and live auctions.

The Field of Miracles Fundraising Party will help fund a customized, rubberized, accessible ball field with dugouts, lighting, rest rooms, a concession stand and adjacent playground so that Beautiful People can have a home field park.

The current baseball program, in spring and fall, is for children ages 5-18 with physical and/or developmental challenges. They team up with nondisabled adult/peer “buddy” volunteers who assist as they hit, round bases and field the ball.

Long-term goals include expanding to other sports, such as soccer, football and field hockey.

The kids currently play every second Sunday at Craigville Park in Goshen.

Tickets to the party are $75 for adults, $25 for children age 11 and younger. Each ticket includes a Doc Gooden autograph. Bring your own ball or item to be signed or purchase one on-site. Doc Gooden professional photographs are also available. If you cannot attend the event, autographs can still be obtained by sending in $20.

The deadline for tickets is Thursday. For tickets by phone, call 986-5944. For other infor, call Joe Zaccaro at 496-8968 or visit www.beautiful-people.us.

Monday, August 17 | 10:40 p.m.

BY PAUL DANZER
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

The blunt truth: The all-stars from Evergreen Little League didn’t have enough pitching to compete with the best teams at the Little League Senior Baseball Western Regionals.

But it would be an ugly lie to say the team lacked pitchers.

For starters, you don’t win a state championship, as these 15- and 16-year-olds did, without a few guys who can toss a baseball pretty well.

But winning that state tournament, as it turned out, wasn’t the most daunting pitch job for this team. That came in the days following their triumph.

Over a four-day span, the fate of this club went from destined to stay home to Dodger Stadium.

Over a four-day span, Evergreen Little League went from pretty much broke to having enough money to fly 11 players and three coaches to Southern California for a week-long regional tournament.

That it happened is a tribute to the generosity of Clark County folks. Never mind that the team went 1-3 in playing four games in four days against champions from California and Canada.

When word got out that Evergreen Little League didn’t have funds to send its state championship Senior Baseball team to the regionals, it was fair to ask: How come? Other area leagues and teams had planned ahead and had the resources to complete their journey to regional tournaments without begging for help at the last minute.

But Evergreen Little League’s situation was different. Prior to this season, when the league moved to a new home at the Hockinson Community Park, much of its money went to make lease payments at Wineberg Park just to keep the league in business. This season, the league enjoyed its new home park. But there is no concession stand or clubhouse for the league there — the permitting process continues. The sale of snacks and soda is a main revenue source for many leagues, and Evergreen had none of that in 2009.

Sure, Evergreen had the usual in-season fundraising projects. But most of those wrapped up before the Senior Baseball season started. Its schedule runs later because many of its players are involved with high school ball through May.

In this difficult economy, raising funds is more challenging than in better times. Little League is a non-profit organization. Every Little League coach, umpire, board member is a volunteer. But it still needs money for equipment, uniforms, insurance. And, if its teams are successful, travel.

The Evergreen Senior Baseball all-star team — the best players from the league’s two regular-season teams in the 15-16 age group — spent more than a week at the state tournament in Bothell. Some of them camped. Others commuted. A few rented hotels and ate in restaurants.

And, according to the team’s manager, Greg Stegmaier, about half of the players were from families impacted by job layoffs.

Having invested so much time, money and emotion into the state tournament, the players and families were hurt to learn there were no funds to send them to the regionals.

They got the news six days before the team’s first scheduled game in Ontario, Calif. Knowing the odds were long, the players and some parents fanned out across the county and made their pitch for help. They also told their story to The Columbian and to area television stations.

A fairy tale ending might have seen the team wing its way to California and keep winning all the way to Bangor, Maine for the Senior League World Series. But playing four days in a row limited how much Stegmaier could use his best pitchers, and the manager said his team seemed both tired and timid at times during the regionals. So it ended.

Which hardly means it was a wasted trip. Their fundraising brought in more than the $15,700 needed to make the trip. The final tally isn’t in yet, according to Evergreen Little League president Kyle Smith, who said any money left over would go into a fund to support travel for teams in future tournaments.

Smith said the experience re-connected some former players and volunteers with Evergreen Little League. It also gave Smith a chance to make a pitch for Little League programs by explaining that Little League now accepts players who also play ball elsewhere, be it with their high school teams or independent clubs.

Those involved believe this team’s story will have a lasting impact.

“I don’t think they’ll realized what they accomplished until some time in the future,” Stegmaier, the manager, said.

He wasn’t talking only baseball. He also was reflecting on how everyone pitched in to make the regionals experience an unforgettable reality.

Paul Danzer covers Community Sports for The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4521 or by e-mail at paul.danzer@columbian.com.

Here is a sports fundraising tip that can help to  raise money throughout the season. Whether for baseball, cheerleading, or football your goal is to help  raise funds for uniforms, equipment, tournaments, travel expenses or whatever else your sports team needs.

Fundraise At Your Sports Games and Events
Have you ever thought about selling products in the stands during games, tournaments, and other events? The reason this works is because since there is high foot traffic at these events you have a great opportunity to get people to support the team. Another benefit is you can raise more in less time. A lot of groups use this strategy every year and change out the product each year to have a variety. Supporters look what is being sold at each game and event. For example: sell customized sport bracelets in your team colors at your games, tournaments and all season long.(http://www.fasttrackfundraising.com/silicone-awareness-bracelet-fundraiser.php) This sports fundraising idea shouldn’t be overlooked, as it could make or break your sports fundraising goal.

DETROIT — Curtis Granderson has given plenty of his time to charitable causes over his four years with the Tigers. His next fundraising effort will include a night out.

Detroit’s All-Star outfielder, who scored the winning run in last week’s All-Star Game, will become a wine taster for the evening, welcoming teammates Edwin Jackson and Ryan Perry for a Passport to the Wines of the World this Thursday at Big Rock Chophouse/The Reserve in Birmingham.

The event will feature over 300 wines from five continents, including local wines from the Detroit area and the state of Michigan, as well as a silent auction of sports memorabilia, wine and entertainment package. The evening includes a bachelor auction, where the highest bid will win an elegant dinner for two with Granderson, Jackson or Perry.

Noted young comic Jeff Dye, third-place finisher in last year’s edition of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, will perform a standup set and serve as the auctioneer. The Seattle native won the 10th annual Giggles Laff Off in his hometown last year and has performed in the Just for Laughs Festival the last two years, including this year in Chicago. His comedy is clean but has been described as charmingly twisted.

“I am really excited to have Jeff come out and perform at this event,” Granderson said last week. “I am positive that all in attendance will enjoy Jeff’s comedic style and he will add a great energy to the evening. Plus, he is a big baseball fan, albeit for the Mariners.”

The festivities begin with a VIP reception hosted by Granderson, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. A 7 p.m. champagne toast precedes the main event at 7:30 p.m. The bachelor auction will start at 8:45 p.m.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Grand Kids Foundation, which helps students and schools in Michigan’s inner cities by purchasing school supplies and books, establishing baseball programs, providing equipment and helping improve facilities.

Tickets for Passport to the Wines of the World run $85 for general admission and $135 for a VIP package, which includes admission to the VIP reception as well as special VIP wines and a souvenir wine glass. Members of the Detroit Wine Organization receive a $10 discount on both VIP and general admission tickets. Membership is free at detroitwine.org.

For more information or to purchase tickets, log onto curtisgranderson.com/passport.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Little League Fund Raiser – A sports-related fund raiser for Little League can be a lot of fun for the whole family. Baseball is all about love of the outdoors, so when you are tying to think of a fundraising idea use that to your advantage.

A Little League fund raiser that always works is an event that is scheduled around the time when participant’s families congregate. Picture day, championship game day, or even team tryouts is a great time to host your event.

Little League fund raising should center on the child, the team, and their families. What do kids like that could raise much needed funds for championship game travel, new uniforms or equipment, or general team expenses? Yes, food and games! 

Set up a hot dog stand, sell donated baked goods, drinks, and other food that would appeal to the crowd. Rent inflatables for your Little League fund raiser so that players and siblings can bounce, tumble, and roll in the fun. Most local party supply outlets rent this type of equipment. It will make a profit, but the point is to draw the crowd.

To further boost your Little League fund raising efforts, offer players and guests the chance to clock their throwing speed with a radar gun.

If you don’t have a batting cage available, set up a safe area with a backdrop with a strike zone on it and charge a dollar or two per 2 throws. Between all the players, neighborhood kids, siblings, and parents, you’ll always have a line at this type of activity. 

Little League fund raising ideas are as endless as your imagination. Ask parents to host their own fun activity table. Face painting, hand-made items with the team colors, or even a raffle table work well. 

Keep it simple so that everyone has a good time while raising money for their favorite little star. The money you raise could help ease the financial burden when the team makes it to the playoffs!

Fun is what it’s all about when planning your Little League fund raiser.