for lions clubs
Fundraising Tips & Ideas for Lions Clubs
There are many ways to fundraise for Easter Seals and make a difference in the lives of people with diverse abilities, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. Below are ideas and fundraising strategies to help you get started and engage your community.
Paper Shredding
Bottle Drive
Christmas Tree Recycling
Virtual Wine Survivor
Virtual Quiz
Garage Sale
Contact Us
Easter Seals is here to help you!
Do you have a question? Need help with your event details? Looking for a logo or photo? Contact your Easter Seals representative, Shannon, at sbernays@eastersealsbcy.ca, or call 1-250-370-0518 or toll free at 1-888-868-2822, for anything you need.
Paper Shredding
How it Works:
Shredding is a great way to free storage space in your home or office by getting rid of paper you no longer need. And it’s a safe way to dispose of documents and ensure they don’t get into the wrong hands. It can also be put on safely during the pandemic, as donors can stay in their cars.
Main Message:
Come shred your paper and make a donation to help send children with disabilities to Easter Seals summer camp.
How to Do It:
Pre-planning
- Pick a location that allows ample space for the shredding truck, cars to line up and exit, boxes to be emptied, and an area to flatten them.
- Have a plan to remove the flattened boxes at the end of the event.
- Hire a mobile shredding company that will pierce, tear and pulverize the paper, and will allow people to view their documents being shredded.
- Allow for four hours for the event, and let the public know the event will end early if the truck fills up.
- Promote your event with posters around town, on community event listings, on social media and through your local community media.
Lions Club Members
- It is recommended that each site have approximately 4-6 people there at all times. Once volunteers are scheduled and confirmed, it is recommended to phone all of your volunteers 2 days prior to the event to remind them of when and where they are needed.
How it Generates Funds:
- It’s always a good idea to have a minimum donation amount, and it’s recommended that you go no lower than $10 per banker box of paper. This will allow for fixed costs (ie. payment for truck) and capacity issues (375 to 400 boxes per truck).
- Be prepared for people that may arrive with several boxes and offer a smaller donation than $10/box.
- Example: if you collect 350 boxes for $10 each, you would generate $3,500. Then deduct your expenses (ie. payment for truck) from that amount.
Bottle Drive
How it Works:
A bottle drive requires your club to collect refundable items, sort them into specific categories and sizes, and count them into bags in preparation for dropping off at a recycling location.
Main Message:
Donate your cans and bottles to help send children with disabilities to Easter Seals summer camp.
How to Do It:
Pre-planning
- Pick a date and time for your bottle drive. Saturdays are a popular day to collect bottles.
- Pick a location that allows ample space for sorting the bottles.
- Secure a bottle return company that has the best return price and who will work with you to plan your drive.
- Some companies will drop off all the supplies that you will need for your event and will do a free pickup if you guarantee a certain dollar value of returns. If they don’t give supplies, confirm their requirements in regards to bags, numbers, etc.
- You may also want to add a pickup service in addition to your drop off location.
- Promote your event with posters around town, with a door-to-door flyer, in community event listings, on social media and through your local community media.
Lions Club Members
- It is recommended that each site have approximately 4-6 people there at all times.
- Once volunteers are scheduled and confirmed, it is recommended to phone all of your volunteers 2 days prior to the event to remind them of when and where they are needed.
- If you are doing pickups then you will need to organize drivers with trucks for this.
Event Day
- Set up the site for preparation for customers in the morning.
- Items that you might need on site are: supplies from the bottle return company, bags, wipes, hand sanitizer, etc.
- Schedule the end of day pick up through the bottle return company.
How it Generates Funds:
For a half days work, the average bottle drive raises $1000 to $1500.
Christmas Tree Recycling
How it Works:
It’s a great way to end the holiday season of giving by offering a place for people to chip their live Christmas trees by donation.
Main Message:
For a donation to Easter Seals, we’ll dispose of your Christmas tree in an environmentally-friendly manner.
How to Do It:
Pre-planning
- Pick a date(s). From experience, we found that the first weekend after New Year’s Day works the best.
- Pick a location with ample space to collect the trees, has space for the chipper truck, and a small area for volunteers and equipment.
- Secure a tree chipping company to run your event. Some companies will sponsor a charity event and donate their services. If you are unable to get their services free of charge then you will have to weigh out the cost of their services versus revenue.
- Promote your event with posters around town, on community event listings, on social media and through your local community media.
Lions Club Members
- It is recommended that each site have approximately 4-6 people there at all times. Once volunteers are scheduled and confirmed, it is recommended to phone all of your volunteers 2 days prior to the event to remind them of when and where they are needed.
Event Day
- Items you may need on event day are: 1 table/chairs, fire extinguisher, donation bin, plastic envelopes for money, garbage bags, scissors/utility knife (to cut items off trees), pylons (to mark area off for trees), broom (to keep area clean of pine needles)
- Be available to assist the customer getting the tree off their car and to the chipping area, and collect their donations.
- Clean up at the end of the day.
How it Generates Funds:
It’s always a good idea to have a minimum donation amount, and it’s recommended that you go no lower than $10 per tree.
Virtual Wine Survivor
How it Works:
Wine Survivor is a pool where participants make a donation, virtually providing a bottle of wine, and have a chance to win all the bottles of wine if they make it to the end. Once registration is completed, daily draws will begin where someone (or more than one person) is “voted off the island”.
Main Message:
Join in the fun and stock up your wine rack – all to help send children with disabilities to Easter Seals summer camp.
How to Do It:
Pre-planning
- First determine the donation amount. It is suggested to go with: Registration is $40 per person to cover your participation fee of $20.00 and the cost of a bottle of wine that you will purchase on behalf of the participant (worth at least 20).
- Then determine the dates of the fundraiser. You will need a Registration Phase and an Elimination Phase.
- For example: Register January 1-31. Elimination happens February 1-7, with daily draws being held.
- Determine how you will virtually collect the donations (e-transfer or create your own donation page at www.fundraiseforeastersealsbcy.ca)
- Promote your event with posters around town, on community event listings, on social media and through your local community media.
- Send out emails to your friends and family, and also pick up the phone and calling everyone you know!
Lions Club Members
- It is recommended that each site have approximately 4-6 people there at all times. Once volunteers are scheduled and confirmed, it is recommended to phone all of your volunteers 2 days prior to the event to remind them of when and where they are needed.
Event Day(s)
- When all the participants have donated their wine and paid the minimum amount to play, it’s time to begin!
- Put down all the names of the participants on separate pieces of paper and place them into a bowl. Each day draw a name (or more than one name depending on how many people are playing) and that individual is eliminated.
- Continue drawing names from the bowl each day until there is only one name left. That participant is the Sole Survivor and the winner of Virtual Wine Survivor.
How it Generates Funds:
- If you have a minimum donation of $20 per play, with 20 participants you would raise $400 and with 60 participants you would raise $1200.
Virtual Quiz
How it Works:
It’s a virtual quiz using Facebook Live Video that draws your community together!
Main Message:
Join in the fun and show everyone how smart you are! All to help send children with disabilities to Easter Seals summer camp.
How to Do It:
Pre-planning
- Choose your date and time for the quiz.
- Create a Facebook event, including a short description. Share the event on your Facebook page and other local community Facebook groups.
- Encourage people to challenge their friends, neighbours, family, etc.
- Facebook will remind anyone who clicked “going” or “interested” in the event, when the date of the quiz arrives.
- Promote your event with posters around town, on community event listings, on other social media (twitter, Instagram) and through your local community media.
- Send out emails to your friends and family, and also pick up the phone and calling everyone you know!
- The creation of the questions for the quiz can become a club activity.
- Practice using Facebook Video Live stream before you go live.
Lions Club Members
- It is recommended that each site have approximately 4-6 people there at all times. Once volunteers are scheduled and confirmed, it is recommended to phone all of your volunteers 2 days prior to the event to remind them of when and where they are needed.
Event Day(s)
- Use Facebook Live Video to broadcast the quiz at the appointed time. To use Facebook Live Video, you will need a strong internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone. A laptop is best.
- At the beginning of the quiz, give a brief spiel about who you – the Lions – are and what you do, and you can mention you are always looking for members. Then mention that you are raising funds for Easter Seals and why you feel we are an important charity to help.
- During the quiz, you can also take requests from participants for “shout-outs” – people who want to say hello to friends and family. This gives the quiz a community feels and helps fill the gaps between rounds.
How it Generates Funds:
- If you have a minimum donation of $20 per play, with 20 participants you would raise $400 and with 60 participants you would raise $1200.
Garage Sale
How it Works:
Garage sales are a great way to get rid of old items and raise money.
Main Message:
Support Easter Seals when you donate garage sale items.
Garage Sale to support sending children with disabilities to summer camp!
How to Do It:
Pre-planning
- Pick a date(s). Saturdays are the most popular date to hold a garage sale, but you can extend it into Sunday if you have time, items and volunteers.
- Pick a location with ample space and plan for rain cover just in case.
- Grab boxes and go through your attic, basement, garage and closets, don’t underestimate the value of what you find.
- Start to price everything, prices should be clearly and visibly marked for each item. You also want to price everything to sell, don’t underprice, but lower prices encourage shoppers to buy more.
- Promote your event with posters around town, on community event listings, on social media and through your local community media.
Lions Club Members
- It is recommended that each site have approximately 4-6 people there at all times. Once volunteers are scheduled and confirmed, it is recommended to phone all of your volunteers 2 days prior to the event to remind them of when and where they are needed.
Event Day
- Set up the site for preparation for customers in the morning. Some items that you might need on site are: tables, chairs for volunteers, cash boxes with cash to make change and bags and boxes for customers to take home their purchases.
- Set up your area like a store, presentation helps to sell.
- You can add to your Garage Sale by upselling with a snack table, drinks or a bake sale.
- Plan ahead on how you will get rid of unsold items at the end. You can plan for a pick up or drop off.
How it Generates Funds:
If you put some thought and good planning into your garage sale, you can net around $1000.
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