Fundraising for a growing family - Pt. 1

Alabama native, Bonnie Silvey, wants to adopt a baby boy or girl and Popcorn Palace is helping her raise the money needed to make her family's dream a reality.

For more than a year, Bonnie and her husband, Kevin, had been looking for just the right adoption agency. After $30,000 of failed fertility treatments, they were leaving nothing to chance and wanted to be certain that the agency they went with would be a perfect match.

As the parents of an eight-year old girl (from Kevin's earlier marriage) working with an international agency was out of the question. In addition to the nearly $20,000 in fees, they would be required to travel out of the country for weeks at a time, something that they couldn't do. Thankfully they found Open Door, an American adoption agency that was a little more affordable and a lot more flexible.

They officially started the process in September and, because of the financial demands that adoption puts on families, decided to look for ways to raise some money for their cause. It wasn't long before an internet search brought her to Popcorn Palace and even though she's only been fundraising with it for a month, she's already had great success. "I started selling it at a local bank and the response has been amazing!" Bonnie told us.

While the whole family is very hopeful and positive, "our daughter can't wait for a baby brother or sister," they are realistic about the time involved. "We are not in a huge rush and are willing to be patient," said Bonnie in regards to both raising the money and getting their new family member.

Popcorn Palace will follow the journey of the family as they get closer and closer to their new baby.

For more information about Popcorn Palace's fundraising program, email us at fundraising@popcornpalace.com or call at 800-873-2686

Comrades in Sweat

The San Pro Baker to Vegas relay team consists of many volunteers and runners who participate in the Challenge Cup Relay/Baker to Vegas Relay which is largest law enforcement event of its kind. The 120-mile running relay from Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada is endured annually by law enforcement officers around the world.

The original ideals of the race continue: teamwork, camaraderie, physical fitness and competition. In the beginning, 19 teams competed, mostly LAPD and LASD stations. Over the last 25 years, this cherished event has grown to include 277 teams from agencies all over the world. Nearly 100 thousand officers/runners have competed in this event since its inception. Categories have grown to include Probation Officers, District Attorneys, US Attorneys and full time civilian police personnel.

It takes a huge commitment from the runners and support personnel to even get the team to the race. All members of the team use their own time to attend the race. This means that if your regular days off don’t fall on the days of the race, you have to use vacation to attend.

“Officers maintain a physical fitness program to help them better perform their duties in providing community safety, reduce crime, and assist victims through offender accountability and rehabilitation. ” says Linda Yoakum-Latimer, “All fundraising profits goes toward the race expenses, entry fees, vehicles, gas and administrative cost. There are no monetary profits… just the ability to say WE DID IT.”

To view event pictures, visit http://sdprob.shutterfly.com.

October's "Pictures are Worth a Thou$and Dollars" Winner: Fairmont Music

Stacey Barta was hired in 2006 to develop a competitive music program for Fairmont Preparatory Academy. During her tenure, she started a concert band, concert choir, show choir, pep band, musical theater and a faculty dance team.

Despite being only 6 years old, the program has competed and earned many personal awards-1st place trophies, national rankings of gold and silver, and many other top honors. The program is extremely diverse with students from the United States, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, and China. Invitations have taken the team to places such as San Francisco, New York, Hawaii and now London.

The organization is working aggressively towards the goal of raising $180,000 this year so they can perform at the London Festival of Music in April 2012. This is an inaugural event and they are hoping to upgrade their status from "National Champions" to "International Champions."

“Our biggest challenge every year is money. We do not receive financial support from our school beyond classroom necessities, so it is up to the students to raise money for their uniforms and competition costs which costs from $1,500 to $3,000 each year depending on where we are going for competition,” says Stacey.

“We raise a large portion of our funds from aggressive fundraising throughout the year. With so many challenges on an annual basis such as lack of instrumentation, lack of funding, and being a small program, I teach my students the most important thing of all for success – No Excuses!”

To see more videos and photos, visit Fairmont Music's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/FPA-Music/81361155942 or their website at www.fairmontschools.com.

Holiday Bowl Cheer!

For over 15 years, Dream Dancers Studio has been offering dance classes from tap to tumbling. Their goal is to help build confidence, skill and an appreciation for the art of dance. The dancer's hard work paid off as the competitive dance team was invited to perform in the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL.

The dance team was very excited about the opportunity as this was a big deal to a small group of kids from Montana and they were the first team from the state to perform in a bowl game! Naturally the team was very proud to represent their state.

Fundraising coordinator Heidi Lamoreaux said, “We were looking for any fundraiser to do to help us achieve our goal. Your product looked amazing so we thought we would give it a try. We all made great money doing your fundraiser and will do it again because after people tried your product they told us to come back and they would buy more!!”

Heidi’s team has been invited back to do another bowl game and will be flying to San Diego, CA on December 25^th for the Holiday Bowl!

“We have done your fundraiser again already. It has really helped us reach our goal. We will do it again in the future to raise money for our dance competitions since so many people we delivered to loved your product. THANK YOU!!”

For more information about Dream Dancers Studio, visit http://www.dreamdancersmt.webs.com/

Fundraising 101: Choosing the Right Fundraising Program

Once you’ve made the decision to start a fundraiser, there are many questions to consider, but the most important is which program is best for your organization. It’s the first decision that needs to be made as many details depend upon the program that you select. There are three main types of fundraisers to choose from, including: pledges and donations, product fundraisers and event fundraisers.

With pledges and donations, you will ask potential donors for support through monetary or product contributions. In order to gain the support of donors, your organization could contact businesses, ask for help from friends and family members, or go door-to-door.

A product fundraiser is when you sell products that you purchase from a reputable supplier. There are many great fundraising companies that will provide you with information about their products and fundraising program if you contact them. Keep in mind that product fundraisers have different sales approaches, such as direct sales, order programs and online programs. A good idea is to determine which program and sales method would be most profitable for your participants.

Finally, an event fundraiser is an opportunity for the members of your organization to collectively offer a product, service or occasion where profits are raised at that very moment. Event fundraisers can include: bake sales, car washes, walk-a-thons, dances and so much more.

While considering the many fundraising programs that are available, assess how many participants you have and which programs they would be willing to try. Also, judge whether or not your group wishes to conduct a one day event or are committed to a program that will run for a week or more. And of course, consider which program will help you earn the profits your organization is looking to raise.



Hurdling to Success

Disillusioned by many years of bad fundraising experiences, Matt Weldon was tired of watching his athletes put time and effort into fundraising programs where they reaped very few of the profits and benefits.

As the head boys track coach of Elmwood Park High School, Matt was looking for a new way to earn money for his athletes, but he was cautious and more than a little skeptical. His luck changed when the mother of one of his athletes, who worked for Popcorn Palace at the time, suggested the popcorn fundraiser.

Deciding to give it a try, Matt now has a much different opinion of fundraising programs. Between the money his organization has raised and the customer service that they have received, Matt now calls his fundraising experience “triumphant”. After 4 years with Popcorn Palace Matt says:

“We use Popcorn Palace because of the return that the selling brings in. Not only do we earn a fair share of the profits, but the quality of the product literally sells itself. I often get asked before the season starts if we are doing popcorn again because people can’t wait to order it”.

Though the athlete who recommended popcorn fundraising has long since graduated, Matt and his organization continue to work with Popcorn Palace and plan to do so in the future.

Radio Popcorn!

Popcorn Palace team member, Fran Cockrell, recently made two stops to promote our gourmet popcorn on the radio. 

On Heartbeat Radio For Women, Fran explained the different kinds of popcorn and when asked about the origin of the Popcorn Palace concept, said, "We know that popcorn is an excellent, wholesome treat that we wanted to make better and kick it up a notch!" 

Fran also explains the Popcorn Palace fundraising program "We're helping organizations around the nation raise funds for their trips or computers or what ever it is. We do fundraisers for all sorts of organizations."

Popcorn Palace Interview by Popcorn Palace

On the Joan Hamburg Show, Fran explains that, "We're able to satisfy so many different people's snack needs and have expanded our flavor line to 33 flavors." Fran also notes that Cheddar Cheese continues to be the consumer favorite.

When asked about the production facility in Illinoise, Fran tells Joan how Popcorn Palace hand-makes each order as it comes in, eliminating the need for the standard storage facilities and conveyer belts you would expect to see in a snack production plant.

JoanHamburg Audio by Popcorn Palace

Fundraising 101: Finding the Right Company

Coordinating a fundraising is a very generous commitment that demands time and energy. To get the most out of the experience and to maximize your success, choose a company that best matches your organization’s needs and goals.

There are many wonderful fundraising programs available to organizations, and the key is determining what type of product your group wishes to sell and how you will approach selling those products. You might want to begin by taking inventory so you can determine your group’s objectives and how much money you would like to raise. The number of participants in your organization and the number of helpers may influence the type of fundraiser you wish to pursue. Also important is whether your group has the funds to use a program that requires money up front or would rather pursue a program with no up-front costs.

A great place to start your research is the internet, which is an easy way to search for fundraising ideas and programs. When you find some that interest you and seem to be good matches for your group, you can contact the companies directly for more information regarding their specific programs. Many companies will even send samples or information kits that you can present to other member’s of your group.

Here are some questions to consider while you are researching fundraising programs and contacting companies:

1. What is the profit margin?
2. Is this program a direct sales, order form or online sales opportunity?
3. Are there ordering minimums?
4. Are there any up-front costs?
5. Does the company provide incentive programs?
6. Will the company charge for order forms or samples?
7. Are there any discounts based upon group or order size?
8. Does the product require refrigeration?
9. How does the product ship and are there shipping costs?
10. How is the company’s customer service? Did you have a good experience with the initial conversation?
11. Does the fundraising company provide attractive and useful marketing materials?
12. Does this product appeal to a specific type of customer or is there a broad range of possible clients?

Once you have collected information about possible fundraising options, consider your experience with the companies you contacted. This initial contact could be a clue as to what working with this company will be like later on. In the end, select the program that best suits your organization and its goals, which will make for a profitable and enjoyable experience.

Running circles around Cancer

"You can raise some really good money without trying to sell yourself and the product." 

For the last six years, Janet Robin has been raising money for the American Cancer society. "Ever since I lost both my parents to cancer, I have been raising money to put an end to this deadly disease."


She's seen great success with Popcorn Palace fundraisers, "It is my best and easiest fundraiser, " she says. "The popcorn is out of this world and the people cannot wait until my next order goes out."

She had looked at a variety of fundraising options but knew that she'd found the answer when she came across our website. "A lot of people where I work are always selling candy bars and I wanted something different." And differentiating herself paid of, "You can raise some really good money without trying to sell yourself and the product," says Robin. "The flyers were very appetizing and people just came over to my desk to order."


Raising funds to beat cancer is a family affair as Robin's mother-in-law and sister-in-law also use Popcorn Palace to raise money for the American Cancer Society.


Click here to learn more about the American Cancer Society

Individual effort

"Without the help of my favorite fundraising program, I don't think I will be successful."

Pratin Kraisornkovit of Monrovia, CA is, by his own admission, "not part of a school, club, sport team, church, booster club, 4-H club, PTA or PTO." But even so, Pratin is a dedicated fundraiser.

Pratin approached Popcorn Palace about our fundraising program in September of 2010 after 25 of the schools, churches and charities he'd donated to wrote letters, asking for additional help. "My goal is to raise money for these organizations around Christmas 2010," wrote Pratin. "Without the help of my favorite fundraising program, I don't think I will be successful."


Well, Christmas has come and gone and we are pleased to report that with our popcorn and Pratin's dedication, 17 organizations received checks for Christmas, including: Boy's Town, AARP, Smile Train, The American Cancer Society, Muscular Dystrophy Association and more.


This just goes to show that you don't have to be part of a big organization to make a difference. Thank you Pratin for your hard work!

Fundraising With Popcorn to Fight Cancer

"Once you have tasted the popcorn, you want more. I will definitely do more fundraising with Popcorn Palace."

Lorraine Robin uses Popcorn Palace's fundraising program to raise money for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life in Smithfield (Rhode Island). She says, "Your popcorn is delivered fresh, no kernels and so many choices." Her first fundraiser was so successful that she decided to sell popcorn again, "My first customers liked it so much that on my second fundraiser, in addition to my new customers, most of them bought it again." And it's not just her customers who love Popcorn Palace's gourmet popcorn, Lorraine has become quite the fan herself. "Once you have tasted the popcorn, you want more," she says.

With Lorraine's help, the first-ever Smithfield Relay for Life was able to surpass their goal and raise $41,000! According to the American Cancer Society's website, 

"The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease."

Popcorn Palace would like to thank Lorraine Robin for choosing Popcorn Palace to help in fighting cancer. 

Click here to learn about how you can support the Smithfield Rockn' Robins or how you can get involved yourself.

Riverside Apostolic UPCI: Fundraising all the way to Greece

"It's easy to sell Popcorn Palace Popcorn because it tastes very good, the profit we make is awesome and people find it worth the investment."

As the Secretary and Treasurer at At Riverside Apostolic UPCI, April Peckham knew just where to turn when she needed to raise funds to send Jacinda, a young parishioner, on a mission trip to Greece to minister to the Gypsies. "Popcorn Palace was instrumental in helping us raise funds for that life-changing trip." They've used Popcorn Palace to raise funds for Youth Camp/Convention scholarships, which April says, "impacts their lives in a positive way." 

Although they've only been fundraising with Popcorn Palace for a year, April is sure that they'll be back. "We've tried bake sales and brat fries in the past but made little profit," she says. "When I looked into Popcorn Palace I was excited because we keep the 50 percent profit right away, there's no expense to put into it before we see results, and you guys make it easy to raise funds!"


And it's not just the ease of selling the popcorn, which April says is "delicious," that makes Popcorn Palace their top choice. "Your online system is convenient so I could place my order any time I had a moment to do so," she says.

Riverside Apostolic UPCI strives to "minister to as many needs possible," and as you can see by the photos, their work certainly seems to be reaching those in need.  

FUNdraising IN THE SUN

As the 2011 kicks off, we are pleased to announce the launch of our 2011 Spring/Summer fundraising catalog.

 

Featuring 12 decadent flavor options, each is available in three different sizes. For a flavor sample, the Snack Bag, with 4 cups of popcorn, is the best way to go. If you’re looking for a more substantial snack, try the Classic Jar, which contains 8 cups of popcorn. And for the popcorn fanatics or those feeding a large group, our 1 gallon Value Bags, which hold 16 cups of popcorn, are the perfect choice!

Our Spring/Summer Order Forms also offer 3 different gourmet gifts! First is the 6-Flavor Gift Sampler, which features six of our most popular flavors in a convenient carrying box. There are also 2 sampler tins, the Popcorn Palace Gift Tin and the Smiley Gift tin, both of which contain 12 flavors in 20 single serving bags. 

“Popcorn Palace" has done a great job in providing quality product that meets satisfaction.” - Fabi Rodriguez 

Email us at fundraising@popcornpalace.com or to call us at 800-873-2686 for your fundraising form.

Popcorn Palace + Aberdeen YMCA Childcare Center = $uce$$!

"We love fundraisers l like [Popcorn Palace]. Everyone loves popcorn!” 

Amy Severson, the preschool teacher for the YMCA Childcare Center in Aberdeen, SD, for the past 19 years, doesn’t quite remember how she became in charge of the fundraising program, but has been doing it for the many years.

The center takes care of infants from six weeks up to six-year-old children, and another building houses a program for school-aged children. In the past, they hadn’t had very many parents participate in their fundraisers and so, Severson was looking for a change. 

“My children went to stay with their aunt and came home and told me about some chocolate-drizzled popcorn they had and loved,” she says. “I Googled “popcorn fundraising” and that’s how I found Popcorn Palace.”  

Severson says that the product sells itself: “With this past popcorn fundraiser, we heard a story about someone’s grandparents grumbling about the price of the popcorn, but after they received it they were begging us to tell them how they could get some more! We love fundraisers l like that. Everyone loves popcorn!” They do, indeed! 

Check out the Aberdeen YMCA on Facebook here and Popcorn Palace here.

If you have a cause that you need to raise funds for (or you just love the taste of gourmet popcorn) visit Popcorn Palace today!

The Mighty Tiger Band Booster Association

“We are proud, hardworking, and a close knit family of believers in music and how it helps us improve our lives and the lives of others in our community.”

This inspirational story was brought to you in part by Ethel Burns, a loving grandmother.

Mrs. Burns agreed to become a member of her grandson’s band parent organization and within a year became, and still is the financial secretary. “I am not the fundraiser coordinator, nor have I ever been,” she explains. “However, I fill in whenever and wherever I'm needed. I love the students and I love it when I see them grow and blossom into beautiful members of society.”

She continues, “The band director, Richard Beckford, is awesome. He takes kids that are literally about to be kicked out of school and society and turns them around. He takes kids who do not fit into the ‘norm’ because of some physical handicap or some label that the medical world has placed on them and within one school term they are playing music and marching with other kids in the band.”




“It would take hours for me to tell you how great our high school band is. Our kids are graduating with 4.0 and 3.0s and these are students that others said ‘would not make it.’ We are an inner-city school with no funds and limited instruments,” Mrs. Burns explains. “However, we are proud, hardworking, and a close knit family of believers in music and how it helps us improve our lives and the lives of others in our community.”

In order to raise the needed funds for these students, the booster association has turned to Popcorn Palace. Mrs. Burns says, “God has blessed us tremendously through fundraisers and contributions! Popcorn Palace is the greatest. The product is so good that people say it is 'addictive.' We have so many repeat customers. Whenever I call in to place an order or to ask a question, whoever answers the telephone is so polite and courteous.” 

When school opened for the 2010-2011 year, Popcorn Palace was their first major fundraiser. The booster association offered incentives with the goal of each of their more than 200 students getting $200 or more worth of orders.  

Where does the money go? Mrs. Burns proudly reports, “This year we won Superior in every area of our state competitions. We have been invited to represent the State of Florida in a band competition to be held in Washington, DC in October at the White House Ellipse." 



“Thank you for giving us the opportunity to have this open fundraising activity,” she states. “We love you and we appreciate you, POPCORN PALACE, the greatest!”

Check out the Mighty Tigers on Facebook here and Popcorn Palace here.

If you have a cause that you need to raise funds for (or you just love the taste of gourmet popcorn) visit Popcorn Palace today!

Tis the season for seasoned popcorn

As the holiday season quickly approaches, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new 2010 holiday fundraising catalog.

This year's catalog contains all of your favorites plus two exciting new flavors, Sea Salt and Spicy Cheese. Other additions are two brand-new tin designs, the  PP Gift Tin and the decorative Holiday Gift Tin.

Email us at fundraising@popcornpalace.com or to call us at 800-873-2686

Fundraising for Futbol!

“Popcorn Palace" has done a great job in providing quality product that meets satisfaction.”

For close to two years, Fabi Rodriguez has worked hard as the fundraising coordinator for the North San Diego Futbol Club (NSDFC) Stallions, a soccer club in Vista, CA. The players, aged between 11 and 19, sell Popcorn Palace gourmet popcorn to raise funds for their registration fees, tournament fees, uniform and more.

The team has had great success with both under-11 and under-15 the boys teams winning berths in the finals of the Hotspurs Labor Day Soccer Tournament, one of the largest labor day soccer tournaments in the country.


Hotspurs Labor Day 2009 from Ted Bendrick - TVX Video.com on Vimeo.

According to Rodriguez, “Popcorn Palace" has done a great job in providing quality product that meets satisfaction.”

The fundraiser has proven very popular in the past and the Stallions plan to keep selling it to raise funds for their soccer stars, “Popcorn Palace offers a great profit percentage for our players at NSDFC and we all love popcorn, which makes it easy to sell.” says Rodriguez.

Check out the Stallions on Facebook here and Popcorn Palace here.

If you have a cause that you need to raise funds for (or you just love the taste of gourmet popcorn) visit Popcorn Palace today!

Elmwood Park DECA Chapter: Popcorn-fueled competitors!

"Because of his success selling popcorn in the spring, the track coach at our school suggested that my National Honor Society sell it in the fall.” 

Karen Bear, a vocational education teacher at Elmwood Park High School in Elmwood Park, IL, has served for more than five years as the fundraising coordinator for her school’s National Honor Society. She uses Popcorn Palace for the NHS fall fundraiser, which is the only fundraiser they hold all year, and it typically lasts 3-4 weeks.

“Because of his success selling popcorn in the spring, the track coach at our school suggested that my National Honor Society sell it in the fall,” Bear explains. “We raise enough money to pay for our banquet and our teacher appreciation activities.”

Bear said that she also added her DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) chapter to the fundraiser as we need a large sum of money each year for competitions. "We have State Competition every year and for the last 6 years, we have earned the right to go to International Competition.” 

“The popcorn fundraiser is one of our best options,” she continues. “The best incentive is that I put the profits directly into student accounts for them to use to offset their own competition costs. We have spread the word about Popcorn 

Palace to other chapters in the Chicago area.”

For more info about Elmwood Park High School and its organizations, visit www.epcusd401.org/ephs.

A Dancer's World: Fundraising that sparkles!

“A Dancer's World has been in business for 17 years and the popcorn fundraiser is by far the best fundraiser we have ever had!”

Tessa, who has been the fundraiser coordinator for Dancer’s World for more than five years, said that their Popcorn Palace fundraiser was their most successful one ever. The fundraiser, which ran for 2-3 weeks, helps parents pay for their children ‘s dance classes.

Said Tessa, “A Dancer's World has been in business for 17 years and the popcorn fundraiser is by far the best fundraiser we have ever had!”

If you have a cause that you need to raise funds for (or you just love the taste of gourmet popcorn) visit Popcorn Palace today!

Take me out to the ball game!

On July 18, Miyuki Kamiya, Fran Cockrell, Patty Stange from Popcorn Palace headed out to Alexian Field in Schaumburg, Illinois for a Family Day baseball game with the Schaumburg Fliers.

During the team's Family Day games, Kids are able to run the bases after the game and the meet their favorite Flyers players for autographs. Popcorn Palace set up a table in the concourse to promote fundraising and share our delicious popcorn with the fans. 

If you weren't able to make it out last month, we will be there again on August 27 for fireworks night!

 

Join the Flyers on Facebook here and Popcorn Palace here.