Fundraising

We raise funds in several ways throughout the year. (Why? Read about it.) Here is what we’re doing right now:

Sponsorship Program

People like to help. Especially when they’re asked to help.

In August 2015, we introduced our Student Sponsorship campaign. This now-annual appeal kicks off our fundraising year. Students send letters to people and businesses, asking them to consider supporting Big Red. Funds raised through this appeal allow us to reduce other fundraising efforts—especially some of the volunteer-intensive efforts (yay!).

Families: Start thinking now about who you would like to send your appeals to this year. Don’t be afraid to extend your range: go beyond the grandparents and next-door neighbors! There’s a whole world out there of people who like to support music in the schools.

Send your appeal letter to the people and businesses in your life. Visit the Why… and how page for information about this important fundraiser.

What you need to do:

    1. Now: Choose 5 (or more) people or businesses in your life who you think will be open to sponsoring the BRMB.
    2. August 9: Students will come home from Mini Band Camp with blank address labels. (Can’t make it Mini Band Camp? Bring names and addresses to Band Camp on 8/13.)
    3. August 9 to August 12: Students will write names and address of potential donors on the blank address labels.
    4. August 13: Students bring the filled-in labels to Band Camp.
    5. August 13, at Band Camp: Students will complete the provided Sponsorship Request letters. (Coming soon: Click here to see a sample of the letter that will be sent to potential sponsors.)
    6. August 14: the BRBB will mail (via USPS) the completed Sponsorship Request letters.

Donations

Sometimes you just feel the need to make a donation. We’re here for you when that mood strikes!

    1. Make your check out (in any amount) to BRBB and write “Donation” in the memo line.
    2. Send the check to BRBB, PO Box 64310, Souderton, PA, 18964.
      —or—
      Put the check in an envelope marked “Donation” and turn it in to the Red Box.

Enclose a brief note to let us know if you would like a receipt and, if so, where it should be sent. If you are making the donation in support of a specific project, tell us.
Thank you!

Band on the Run 5k & Fun Run

In November 2017, we held our first 5k & Fun Run. It was a huge success and will return in 2018.

The Run begins and ends at Indian Valley Middle School. Band members perform along the route or run it themselves. Find out all about the event on the Band on the Run page. Show your interest and spread the word: visit and share(!) the Facebook event.

Wreath Sale

This sale is a Souderton tradition: each fall, the BRMB sells wreaths. The 2017 sale begins on Friday, October 6th, and ends of Friday, November 1st. The wreaths will be available in November. Dates, times, and locations are listed on the forms.

What: These are beautiful wreaths and friends and family and teachers will enjoy supporting you and the band this way. Only $20 for this magnificent wreath with berries, pinecones, and a big red bow.

Why: Both you and the band will get fundraising $$ for each wreath you sell. Student credit averages $5 per wreath.

How:
Friends and family orders are collected by you on the two-page Student Order Summary and Buyer List (due to the Red Box by the first Friday in November).
Teacher orders are done on the small forms and they go in the Red Box. Use the Faculty & Staff Order Form (be sure to write your name on the form to receive credit).

Where: Advertise on Social Media! This is the best way to get tons of sales.

What to say: Would you like to buy a fresh holiday wreath? We are selling them for the band! Only $20.
Follow up message: I will deliver to you right before or right after Thanksgiving.
For faculty and staff: You can pick it up in front of the school on Monday after Thanksgiving, 2:30-3:30 pm.

Remember, always close with: Thanks for your support.

**In 2016, the band sold 401 wreaths. How many will we sell in 2017? Answer: 606!!

Questions? Contact Pollie Rodrique at wreaths@soudertonbigred.org.

Mother’s Day Flower Sale

Forget the forecast: when it’s spring, we have flowers to sell!

Go to the Flower Sale page for forms, directions, and important dates for this year’s sale.

Students: You earn $5 in Student Credit for every plant you sell. (Why should you care about your Student Credit? Because you can use your student credit to pay for some of your band expenses… think about things like trips , white gloves, and tour shirts.

Questions? flowers@soudertonbigred.org
learn more about Student Credit

Harleysville Jaycees Country Days Fair: Parking

Every May, the BRBB and Big Red students help direct parking for the Jaycees’ annual fair in Harleysville. This is a big earner for us and a fun time for the participants, too. To sign up, visit the Volunteer page and follow the Fair Parking link to the SignUp.

Every First Monday: Dough Raising Days with Domino’s Pizza of Souderton

Domino’s of Souderton donates 20% of your “first Monday” purchases to the BRBB. Our Dough Raising Days began on Monday, February 2, 2015, and are continuing on every first Monday of the month. You can even double your dough 🙂.

Here’s how it works:

    1. Between 10:30am and midnight, place an order (for delivery or carryout) with Domino’s of Souderton.
      • Phone orders: call them at (215) 723-8380
      • Online orders: click here to order at order.dominos.com. Be sure to select Store #4428 in Souderton.
    2. Let Domino’s know that your order is for the Souderton Big Red Band Boosters.
      • Phone orders: Just tell them that your order is for the BRBB.
      • For online orders: Select your items, then click the Checkout button. On the confirmation page, enter our promotion code: BRBB. Important: Use all uppercase letters.

Don’t see the promotion code field? Click here for a picture of it.

Forgot to mention the BRBB when you placed your order? That’s okay. Just mention it at pickup or delivery.

Domino’s Pizza of Souderton has moved! They are now on East Broad, near the railroad tracks, across from the old train station:

111 East Broad St.
Souderton, PA 18964
(215) 723-8380

AmazonSmile

A portion of many of your Amazon purchases can be donated to the BRBB. Just visit the AmazonSmile website and designate the BRBB as your charitable organization. Once you have set this up, shop through AmazonSmile and Amazon does the rest. You can find all the details about how it works by visiting this page on the Amazon website.

To designate the BRBB as your AmazonSmile recipient:

    1. Use this link to go to smile.amazon.com.
    2. Log in to your Amazon account. This associates your Amazon account with the BRBB.

You can also do it this way:

    1. Go to http://smile.amazon.com.
    2. Log in to your Amazon account.
    3. Find us: Enter “Big Red Band Boosters Inc” in the “Charity Name or Location” search box, then select the result from Souderton, PA. (Yes, there are other Big Red Band Boosters in the US.)

Tell others: You can promote BRBB as an AmazonSmile recipient by circulating the “automatic association” link (http://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-2283608) via email, Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media you use to friends and family!

Earn even more: Purchase scrip and upload it your Amazon/AmazonSmile account.

Scrip: ShopWithScrip and ScripNow®

Use your regular, everyday shopping to raise $ for the BRBB and to help pay for your student’s marching band, drumline, or color guard expenses.

To see all participating retailers and the rebate amount that is offered by each retailer, visit ShopWithScrip.com. Local gift cards are available, too.

It’s easy to start—read How to use ShopWithScrip.com (PDF) for information on establishing your family account and setting up PrestoPay. Then complete and return the BRBB Program Agreement (PDF).

Questions? Contact Sam Esquirell.

Local Gift Cards

As of Fall 2015: Our “local” gift cards—Giant, Henning’s, and Landis—are now available exclusively through ShopWithScrip.com.

Here’s what you can buy:

  • Giant gift cards (5% rebate) are available at $25, $50, and $100. Search for Giant BRBB.
  • Henning’s gift cards (5% rebate) are available at $50. Search for Henning’s. (Yes, Henning’s now issues us standard plastic gift cards. No more paper certificates and big yellow Henning’s Dollars!)
  • Landis gift cards (5% rebate) are available at $25, $50, and $100. Search for Landis Supermarket.

Note: You need to be logged in to ShopWithScrip in order to see the local cards in search results.

Concert Sundaes: Scoop ice cream and raise $ in June

Each summer, the BRBB hosts one of the Concert Sundaes in the Park.

You can help by being a patron or by scooping ice cream. If you’d like to be a patron, send a message to 2vpres@soudertonbigred.org.

Our week is often the raindate Souderton Fireworks Night, so if Mother Nature drenches the week before, we will have a huge crowd. The BRBB benefits from concession sales of ice cream, hot dogs, pizza, drinks, and snacks. (There is a participation fee, though, and we will happily accept donations to cover the cost of that fee. Make checks out to “BRBB” and write “Concert Sundaes” in the memo line.)

We will need many hands at the Concessions Stand. Visit the Volunteer page for information.

Did you know that you can fund your student’s Scrip account, get a local business to donate to the BRBB, and avoid cooking all at the same time?

    1. If you don’t already have one: Set up a Scrip account! (Go to the Files page for instructions.)
    2. Buy Domino’s ScripNow or Scrip. (Remember, ScripNow is electronic and near-instant; Scrip—a plastic gift card—will take about a week to arrive.)
    3. Order from Domino’s on the first Monday of every month! (read this to get the code)

Domino’s of Souderton donates 20% of your purchase to the BRBB. ShopWithScrip gives a rebate of 8% for Domino’s scrip. Spend $25 on a Dough Raising purchase and this is what happens: $5 goes directly to the BRBB from Domino’s; the ShopWithScrip rebate is $2. Of that, 40¢ goes the BRBB and $1.60 ends up in your Scrip account.

Not impressed? Let’s do the math:
We have about 80 families, including staff. If just 10 families placed a $25 order every month, then we’d have …
$50 … from Domino’s to the BRBB
$4 … from ShopWithScrip to the BRBB
$1.60 … from ShopWithScrip to each family, for a total of $16

Over a calendar year, those teeny, tiny purchases would result in deposits of $648 for the BRBB and $192 for family Scrip accounts.

Philadelphia Soul Ticket Fundraiser

Spring 2017. The Big Red Marching Band performed at the May 20th Philadelphia Soul arena football game, held at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. Before the Soul walloped the Cleveland Gladiators, 64-46, the band had a 45-minute pre-game performance on the Main Concourse. During the game, the band performed stand tunes in both the 1st and the 3rd quarters.

Go to YouTube to see the official Jumbotron video feed of the stand tunes.

How did we earn money? By selling tickets. The band earned $7 for every non-student ticket sold.