Seven Effective Fundraising Tips For Your Group Or Cause

School has been in session for weeks now. Even if you don't have any children in school, you have seen the various fundraisers. Candy bars, doughnuts, etc. Many are competing for prizes and vacations in school.  Unfortunately, these fundraisers don't always pay huge dividends in adult arenas. At some point, adults have to understand that selling candy isn't going to send your child to New York or Washington, DC. 

Being experienced in fundraisers as treasurer of many organizations, here are some more effective ways to raise the green.

1. Working pro and college sporting events

These events take more legwork, but offer more of a payday. Contact your local pro and college teams near you, they are often helpful and could use the help. 

2. Theme parks

Carowinds and other parks such as Six Flags and Busch Gardens offers similar deals. You could work in the park for a day and receive a free ticket and money towards your organization. 

3. Dinners/fish frys

Having these events all day long in a remote indoor location can be profitable. Promote effectively in the weeks leading up to the event and the public will come. You can't wait to the last minute and you must be efficient.  Have side sales, such as desserts and consignments.  I've seen the local high school bands and fire departments do this and they always make money. 

4. Small formal party/dance

People get to dress up, dance, and have fun, and you can make money from admission, food, beverages, and photos.

5. Pageants

I saw this idea in the 90s and thought it was brilliant.  Getting advertisers and sponsors is key here. Participants can be those who are actually using the money, and it can be child friendly. Even the men get involved in either all male or woman less pageants.

6. Small carnival/festival

These are a staple in the South, big and small. You could do a Fall Festival, Christmas, or even Spring. Have games, food, and prizes. Again lots of legwork but greater profits. 

7. Race (bike, road race, derby).

People will definitely come out to see and participate in these.  Now setting courses, getting sponsors, and even contacting organizations such as Strictly Running can be a challenge. However, it can be well worth the effort.  I've seen it firsthand.

Other methods: gift baskets/bags for holidays, birthdays,  and yard sales.
Basically, to execute any successful fundraiser that doesn't involve just direct sales, you need a good crew, organization of your monies spent and made (assets and liabilities in accounting terms) and the willingness to work. So think outside of the box and start raising some real cash for your cause.  The money that jingles is nice, but we all love more of the kind that folds. 

A League Of Their Own: The Growing Number Of Ladies Playing Fantasy Football

The NFL is in full swing, as is fantasy football. Approximately 33 million people play the fantasy game since it became popular with the Internet nearly two decades ago.

And it's no longer a man's game.

Over 6 million women play as well. Some of these women have even started their own leagues, just for females. One such is based primarily in Charlotte, NC. It's called Vick In A Box, named after Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.

These are 10 very serious ladies. They know the sport and are very competitive. Andrea Harper started the league in 2011 as she had prior experience and wanted to play in an all-women's league. She thought it would be a great opportunity for them to learn more about the game through fun and friendly competition.   Of the 10 ladies in Vick In A Box, 8 live in Charlotte, one lives in Asheville, NC, and the other in Mumbai, India.

As is the case in many fantasy leagues, the Charlotte players hang out sometimes, and love to talk smack. They all have T-Shirts with their league name and a logo they collectively designed.  They have been seen tailgating at Carolina Panthers home games wearing their league shirts.

Tonja Turner and Chinette Stevenson have won the past two championships. However, Carolyn Benton has her sights set on the gold this year.

Carolyn, like most of the other ladies, is very competitive and began playing when Andrea started the league. She has a bronze trophy for 3rd place, but wants to be the next champion. 

She has had fun and learned very much about the sport of football.  Carolyn already knew the basics going in. Thanks to fantasy, she knows more about team defense, why certain teams run certain plays based on field position, can analyze weekly matchups well, and knows that many players and teams play better at home.

The sport and game have grown from women just drooling over the players or getting beers and wings for their boyfriends and husbands. Many women of different backgrounds and walks of life are playing and are doing well, even in leagues with male counterparts. 

It also seems the ladies of Vick In A Box are following the precedent Holly Robinson Peete set years ago when she became an avid fan because her husband, Rodney, was an NFL quarterback.  She showed women how to enjoy and understand the sport. Now women of many leagues such as Vick In A Box are showing other ladies that they also can be competitive and have fun like the guys.

Fantasy football will continue to grow and so will the number of all-female leagues. Expect to see more women curious about the buzz and want to compete also. It could get interesting in social, professional and even romantic circles. Nevertheless, it's always good natured competition. 

The 90s: What I Like About This Decade

This is one of my more fun posts. I'm taking time to honor a decade that always gives me fond memories: the 1990s.  This is when I was in my teen years and early 20s and became a legal adult.

I'm going to talk about cultural, historical, and personal things that affected me in the 90s.

Sports:

This is when I got into sports heavily, mainly football, basketball and baseball. It was a good decade for the teams I rooted for. My Atlanta Braves won the 1995 World Series, the UNC Tarheels won the national championship in 1993 with help from Chris Webber's historic timeout, and the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre won the Super Bowl in 1997.

The NBA was extremely exciting as the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan dominated the decade. I'm a New York Knicks fans, and we were a very physical team back then, making it to three NBA Finals. No one was better probably ever than those Bulls of the 90s, especially the 1995-1996 team.

I also played high school football during this time. They were some of the best moments I've had and taught me a lot.

Music:

I was just getting into hip hop, and loved alternative and R&B. The radio was worth listening to then.  I would tape songs off of the radio, and even record entire CDs onto cassette.  Man the cassettes I had! I was just getting into CDs. I loved my dual cassette, CD player stereo. It lasted me the final half of the decade. The artists and groups that defined the decade for me includes Hootie and the Blowfish, Third Eye Blind, Live, 2Pac, Biggie, TLC, WU Tang Clan, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Boyz II Men and Jodeci. The music then was so soothing and real. No autotune and everyone was talented. 

Entertainment and technology:

Many people didn't have cell phones and the Internet was in its infant stages as well.  You actually had to use pay phones and read real newspapers in the 90s. Kids played more outside and didn't hang around on the laptop or phone. We did play video games though.  I loved my Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and N64. Zelda, Techmo Super Bowl, and Street Fighter 2 were some of the popular games to play. On TV, the only reality show was The Real World. I loved watching In Living Color, Martin, Boy Meets World, The Wonder Years, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The Simpsons were still popular also.  And two of my favorite movies, Friday and Forrest Gump, were released in the 90s. I still have both on VHS.

History:

It was quite a groundbreaking decade for the media also. The news wasn't as watered down and political. Bill Clinton was President, and the economy was booming. He was caught cheating on his wife with a White House intern, and people still loved him. Of course you had the infamous OJ trial. People watched the trial and verdict nonstop.  Most my age remember where they were when the OJ verdict was read, or the tragic events at Columbine High took place. Racial relations, gangs and rioting skyrocketed also following the Rodney King beating. Anita Hill helped changed sexual harassment in the workplace. Things were so affordable back then. You could rent a video, get a pizza, and still have gas money all for $20.

My personal achievements

The 90s is where I came out of my shell and became a man. I graduated high school and experienced the real world.  I was on my own for the first time and enjoyed the freedom. I was developing more self confidence and swagger. I realized there was a bigger world outside my small town and I wanted to see it. Most of my family was still alive and I got to enjoy time with them. I hadn't yet experienced a lot of deaths so I was still in a state of innocence. I also started writing poetry and eventually did poetry slams. I felt more educated and cultured. 

I love the 1990s and I often relive many moments from those years. We all have special times in our lives and mine was this span of 10 years.

Rodney and Keia: An eight year journey of love

The institution or idea of marriage is not taken seriously anymore. The divorce rate is climbing daily, weddings are highlighted more than the marital union, and over 50 percent of black women never get married in their lifetime.

Now enter young black couple and soon to be newlyweds Rodney Davidson and Keia Dawkins. They have a wonderful and long love story worthy of talking about.

Rodney and Keia first were acquainted in 2005. Keia was working at Winn Dixie and Rodney happened to stop by her register one day. She initiated things, asking if he had a girlfriend and wanted his phone number.  Rodney played hard to get and a little cool at first, but they ended up exchanging numbers. Three months later, they were a steady couple.  Rodney started bringing Keia around his friends and family. This is always a sign that you're serious about someone, especially since they were only 18 at the time.

Four years later, in 2009, Rodney realized that Keia was the one for him and he eventually wanted to marry her. According to him, when you get that feeling, you simply know without a doubt. 

Their engagement was also nice as well. In October 2011, Rodney was at work on Keia's birthday. She was with friends and family celebrating at Broncos Mexican Restaurant.  Little did she know, Rodney had a special suprise for her: a proposal. He came by the restaurant on his break and popped the question. She of course said yes, and now it was time to plan their wedding and life together.

Rodney said one of the biggest challenges during the engagement was getting his credit score high enough so he could get a house for him and his new bride to be. He and Keia have always been hard workers, both often working two jobs to get what they need and want. They recently closed on their house, and their wedding is right around the corner.

Eight years is as long as many marriages last. These two have stuck it out through the temptations and tough times. Their love and trust prevailed throughout the years. Rodney advises anyone wanting to make a relationship last a long time to put God first, trust Him, and trust your significant other with all your heart.  There shouldn't be any doubts or secrets. It's common but golden advice that many people do not follow.

Now Rodney and Keia are nearly ready to simply enjoy being husband and wife, and live each following step as they have during the course of the relationship.

True, long lasting love is still possible, as proven by this story. It takes love, trust,and hard work.   You must be equally yoked, and be patient in the good and bad times.

I'm confident that when Rodney and Keia become one, their marriage will have a long shelf life. They are not taking this lightly and want to continue to love each other.  Life can be simpler when we're willing to listen to our instincts, follow our hearts and be trusting.  It's risky but can be very rewarding. 

Brunch: More prevelant and tasty

Breakfast is seemingly not only the most important meal of the day, it is often the most delicious and versatile. Therefore, many like to eat it at all hours of the day, not just morning. This thinking helped spawned brunch and fuel the popularity of brunch buffets.

Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch, usually eaten around mid-day. It dates back to the mid 1800s in Europe. It took a few decades to pick up in the States. However, by the 1980s, brunch had become a worldwide delicacy.  Many restaurants such as Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, Waffle House, IHOP and Dennys boomed in popularity as a result.

Present day, you have more and more weekend brunch buffets opening up.  These are mostly in larger cities such as Charlotte, Atlanta, Chicago and New York. However, people in high numbers frequent them. It's also usually a diverse crowd. Once upon a time, it was mostly upper class and women having brunch. Now it's not common to see a working class, blue collar man enjoying brunch.

Personally, I think it's an awesome thing. Although after 1pm, it's technically lunch, the concept is still awesome and delicious.  There have been many successful combinations in food history. Peanut butter and jelly. Ham and cheese. Heck many items with peanut butter or cheese. But combining breakfast and lunch is sensible and genius.

So don't get defensive or even clown anyone for having brunch.  If you're having a ham omelette at 11:30am, technically that's brunch.

Let's just stop with the labels and debates and enjoy delicious meals. It is still a meal, regardless of the time

Self-Love: How Important Is It?

The summer is almost over and we're getting into what many consider "boo season". The leaves start falling, the weather is cooler, and people are suddenly seeking companionship.

Now before any of you single folks jump into a relationship or even a fling or date, ask yourself this simple question: Do I love myself? If the answer is no, you need to find out why not, and work on loving yourself first.

I see all these articles, blogs and posts about love and relationships. Nicholas Sparks and Eric Jerome Dickey both make lots of money writing about romance. However, few, if any, touches on self-love.

Many wonder why that good looking gentleman or that gorgeous lady is over 30 and single. Sometimes they are simply working on themselves so they can be ready to love another soul. This can take time and patience.

So what are some ways that one can love and appreciate themselves? Here are a few.

1. Find out what you enjoy best and do it at least once/week. Go hiking. Take a road trip. Have a day where you either read your favorite book or watch your favorite show.

2. Surround yourself with people in your close circle who love and appreciate you for you. They will give you clarity and help you to see the beauty inside and outside.

3. Take yourself out on the town. Yeah you read that correctly. Go on a movie, a dinner date, to a game, or have a Netflix/Redbox night. Appreciate yourself so that others can appreciate you.

4. Smile often and keep laughter in your body. It is the best medicine. It has been said if you're not laughing, you're not living.

5. Step outside of the box and try something new. This can help test your trust, mostly of yourself. If you take a chance with you, you can work towards taking a chance with others.

Self-love is paramount to a successful romantic relationship. You can give more to your significant other when you feel the love inside. Often we all must start from scratch and do baby steps. Let loving yourself be a part of this.

So if you see someone you're interested, don't necessarily ignore them. Simply exchange information, and give them the proper time when you're ready and open for love.

Seven Dynamic Summer Movies of 2013

The 2013 summer movie season of 2013 is ending and a fine one it has been. Most every week there were movies, heralded and non heralded, that were noteworthy of seeing. Here are seven such movies that I enjoyed,plus some more that I would enjoy seeing at some point.

1. The Butler

Lee Daniels, director of 2009's "Precious" put together a masterpiece that is sure to guarantee Oscars. Forrest Whittaker portrayed the story of a black butler who served in the White House through seven presidencies. This is a must see for all ages, races and classes.

2. Man Of Steel

This is perhaps the best Superman movie since the Christopher Reeves series of the 70s and 80s. It has definitely set up a good series of future movies under a new and exciting storyline.

3. Fast Six

Just when you think you've had enough of the high speed chases, kills and cops, this movie keeps you wanting more, and adds more clarity to the entire series. Vin Diesel, The Rock,Paul Walker and the rest make an awesome action movie team.

4. Ironman 3

This movie kicked off the summer season and in fine fashion. It wrapped up the trilogy nicely, and we saw Tony Starks in a more humble and vulnerable state. Marvel simply knows how to crank out quality comic book movies

5. Hangover III

This movie didn't receive a lot of respect due to the success of Fast Six and the lackluster nature of Hangover II. Nevertheless, it was awesome. Many of the elements that made the first Hangover a classic were reprised, and again the Wolfpack provided the nonstop entertainment.

6. Grown Ups 2

Adam Sandler has found a powerful movie series and a comedic team, and he's staying with them. I went into this film with low expectations, but was very impressed. It was better than the first, and kept things fresh, minus Sandler's regular cast member, Rob Schneider. Will he return for Grown Ups 3?

7. The Internship

Another comedy that received low ratings but had big laughs. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn returned to the big screen as two middle aged men around a bunch of college co-eds. The antics were original, hilarious and fresh.

Other movies I want to see:  World War Z (although I'm not big on zombie or doomsday flicks), Fruitvale Station, and The Wolverine