Category Archives: Fundraising Strategies

Lynn Clark “Keeps It Going” with Community Connections

When we launched the Keep It! Campaign, one of the core ideas was that our success or failure would be directly related to how well we were able to harness the “Power of Ten”. The key to this strategy was the idea of multiplication. Raising funds is certainly critical, but it’s even more important to “Keep It Going!” by connecting others to the cause. As we have moved forward, a number of key individuals have helped us to unlock the “Power of Ten”. Their stories are as diverse as they are inspiring. Each has connected a wide range of people to the project, raised significant funds to support the cause, and brought their own personal talents and interests to the project. Through a feature entitled “Keep It! Going”, we salute these champions by sharing their stories and recognizing their contribution with a simple keychain created by the children of Ivory Park.

Lynn Clark cares about communities. Whether it’s her hometown neighbors, a South African township in need, or PASC students and peers, she believes in nurturing relationships. It is this desire to build strong connections that has made Clark one of the Keep It! Campaign’s most loyal advocates.

Clark is the student council adviser and a health and physical education teacher at Norwin High School (North Huntingdon, PA). She values the lessons modeled through the PASC and encourages her students to practice these ideals. Through student council initiatives, Norwin’s student leaders are learning decision-making skills that allow them to be proactive in meeting needs in their own community and beyond. “Our group is very active in PASC state conferences and summer programs,” says Clark. “I send my students to these workshops to learn about leadership. We value our relationship with the PASC and believe it is important to support their initiatives as well as what is happening in our own neighborhood.”

It was through a former student’s experience at a 2009 PASC summer workshop that Clark first learned about the Campaign for Ivory Park. She recalls Forrest Mance’s excitement when he first shared the Keep It! story with his peers, and she enthusiastically backed his efforts to gain the council’s support for the campaign. As a result, students raised more than $700 through a dodgeball tournament held on behalf of Keep It! “Forrest is an awesome leader who took the initiative to organize, plan, and collect the funds,” notes Clark. And while Mance got the ball rolling in support of the campaign, it has been Clark’s job to help maintain the momentum through the years.

“I try to influence the students when I can,” says Clark. “I want them to know that it is important to support our own community but that, even if it’s not in our neck of the woods, we can make a difference. It’s important to be supportive of those who need our help whenever and wherever we can.” This philosophy was put into play in the spring of 2011, when the Norwin student council hosted another dodgeball tournament. Clark notes that the students were excited about the opportunity to provide additional support for Keep It! when an unforeseen and violent act of nature changed their plans. “Our community was hit by a destructive tornado in the spring,” explains Clark. “Some areas were devastated.” In this case, Clark and her students knew that they needed to provide support to neighbors who were dealing with the crisis, so tournament proceeds were donated to local relief efforts.

Still, Clark notes that Ivory Park is always in the hearts and minds of her students. “The kids have seen pictures of the difference they are making in South Africa,” she says. “They want to be a part of it. They want to know about the progress being made. It has become personal for them.” Because of this, Clark and her students donated their remaining funds for the 2010-2011 school year to Keep It! In addition, students have donated concession stand proceeds from a November 2011 power puff game and are planning a February 2012 Keep It! dodgeball tournament.

“One of our long term goals is to expand the scope of Keep It! beyond Ivory park as we continue to accomplish our goals in South Africa,” explains Keep It! founder Bob Tryanski. “Norwin’s experience is the perfect illustration of how the idea of ‘Act Locally, Reach Globally’ can impact communities at home as well as abroad. When student leaders and their advisers are proactive rather than reactive, they are ready to respond to a crisis as soon as the need arises. They become decision makers and change agents, not just fund raisers. This doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by design. It’s sustainable, scalable, and replicable. Those are the hallmarks of social entrepreneurship.”

Through community connections and her efforts to provide sustainability for the Keep It! Campaign, Clark is teaching her students about the importance of reaching out to those in their own community and abroad. In October of 2010, her outstanding efforts were acknowledged when she was named a PASC adviser of the year. The Keep It! Campaign is proud to honor Lynn Clark, a campaign champion who “Keeps It Going” through sustained support and community connections.

Storyteller Andy Offutt Irwin Keeps It! Going with Talent and Joy

Andy Offutt Irwin is joyful. As a storyteller, humorist, singer, songwriter, and musician, Irwin’s goal is to entertain and educate his audience. But the foundation of his vocation – the spark that ignites each performance – is the sharing of joy. And when he is on stage, Irwin finds that his joy is contagious. The pleasure he takes in bringing happiness to others has made Irwin a perfect partner for the Keep It! Campaign.

In February of 2011, Irwin attended a presentation at Emory University’s Oxford College in Oxford, GA by Keep It! founder and fellow storyteller, Bob Tryanski. Irwin was intrigued by the concept of social entrepreneurship. In addition, Irwin was captivated by the happiness he saw on the faces of Keep It! supporters as they worked to make a difference – and on the faces of Ivory Park residents whose lives were being transformed. “One of the things I love about Keep It! is the joyful countenance surrounding it,” Irwin says. “You can see it on the Web site, through the presentations, and in the volunteers working with the program. It is a spirited and fun way of giving back.” 

Irwin is a long-time supporter of literacy development and was especially interested in helping to fund the new library in Ivory Park. As a way of contributing to the Campaign’s drive to stock the library shelves with 6,000 new books, Irwin will be donating proceeds from downloaded copies of a cut from his newly released CD, Risk Assessment. The selection was recorded at the 2010 National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, TN and features Irwin along with storytellers Bil Lepp and Kevin Kling. Irwin explains that the cut is not a selection that storytelling aficionados have come to expect. Instead, it showcases the three humorists as they attempt a comedic improv performance. While Irwin notes that storytelling remains his area of expertise, he wanted to include the improv cut because it makes him laugh. “We are not doing what we do best. Yet, we are diving in. Taking the leap. Throwing ourselves into the fray,” he says. And as with all Keep It! supporters, Irwin’s efforts are filled with joy – a joy that he is now sharing with the people of Ivory Park.  

“Andy’s contribution to our project is like everything he does as an artist- it’s elegantly clever,” Tryanski says. “It’s the perfect illustration of how the simple principle of multiplication can have a significant, sustainable, scalable impact. Every time someone downloads the CD or the mp3 recording of the final track, it will help to put more books on the library’s shelves. Now that’s a great story!” 

Irwin’s generosity is an ideal example of the Keep It! Campaign’s challenge to reach globally by acting locally.  His ingenuity and willingness to share his talent coupled with the support of his fans will have a lasting impact on thousands of kids in Ivory Park. The Keep It! Campaign is also grateful to Bil Lepp and Kevin Kling for their enthusiastic support of Irwin’s idea. We can’t think of a better reason to add Risk Assessment to your CD collection!

To learn more about Andy Offutt Irwin – award-winning storyteller, humorist, musician, and educator – visit www.andyirwin.com.

To download Risk Assessment, Irwin’s most recent album featuring cut #7 to  benefit Keep It!: The Campaign for Ivory  Park, visit www.andyirwin.com or www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AndyOffuttIrwin.

Riverstone Montessori Academy: Student Leadership in Action

A fundamental goal of the Keep It! Campaign has been to build a national network of student leaders with the skills and the desire to create sustainable solutions in their own communities and beyond.  At Riverstone Montessori Academy in Marietta, GA, the Keep It! initiative combined with Montessori ideals provided a perfect opportunity for students to practice social entrepreneurship.

Lead Middle School Teacher Sofia Tobon explains that, along with academics, Riverstone’s developmentally based curriculum encourages social and emotional growth.  “Children need opportunities to meaningfully interact and connect with people around the globe. These activities nurture their spirit of compassion and help them to understand that they have the ability to positively impact the lives of others,” says Tobon. “After watching the Ivory Park video presented by Bob Tryanski, the students realized that things they take for granted are not possibilities for the children in Ivory Park.”

For eighth grader Maggie Cummings, the story of Ivory Park motivated her to take action by initiating a carnival fundraiser completely organized by students. Assisted by student co-planners Connor Nickerson and Dallas Brady, Cummings and her team ran a successful project from start to finish. “Maggie is a natural leader,” notes Tobon. “She is extremely organized and detail oriented, and she loves to take on managerial roles. If she takes on a project, she will see it through to the end with no detail spared. It was impressive to see people calling to speak to her directly instead of asking for the teachers.”

In spite of uncooperative weather, the carnival was a big success and raised more than $700 for Ivory Park. Cummings is pleased with the results and hopes that the carnival can be used as a replicable fundraising strategy next year. ”After seeing the presentation on Ivory Park, I was inspired by the stories that were told and our ability to help children in South Africa,” says Cummings. “Since I like to do fundraising, this seemed like the perfect cause. I’ve been thinking about doing a carnival fundraiser and the Campaign for Ivory Park was the perfect fit. I’m pleased with the results and it would be great if Riverstone could expand on it next year.”

Tobon believes that meaningful activities such as the fundraiser for Ivory Park benefit her students academically, professionally and socially. “Academically, students learn factual information about different cultures and international issues that are impacting our planet. Professionally, they learn and practice research, organization, presentation, planning, and management skills. And socially and emotionally, they benefit from working together to help others who are not as fortunate. Knowing that their efforts, even at this age, can help someone like them on the other side of the world have a better life has a profound effect upon them as they continue to grow and find their place in society.”

The Keep It! Campaign salutes the students and staff at Riverstone Montessori Academy for their contribution to Ivory Park and for their efforts to build a community of social entrepreneurs.

Introducing "Keep It! Going"

When we launched the Keep It! Campaign, one of the core ideas was that our success or failure would be directly related to how well we were able to harness the “Power of Ten”.

The key to this strategy was the idea of multiplication. Raising funds is certainly critical, but it’s even more important to “Keep It Going!” by connecting others to the cause. As we have moved forward, a number of key individuals have helped us to unlock the “Power of Ten”. Their stories are as diverse as they are inspiring. Each has connected a wide range of people to the project, raised significant funds to support the cause, and brought their own personal talents and interests to the project. Through a new feature entitled “Keep It! Going”, we will salute these champions by sharing their stories and recognizing their contribution with a simple keychain created by the children of Ivory Park.

Todd Slobodnyak and the Zombies of Westminster “Keep It Going!”

At Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, Humans are fighting for survival, and this time, the opponent is more threatening than a mid-term chemistry exam. Zombies are on the loose, and their main objective is to tag as many Humans as possible. With socks and Nerf guns as their only instruments of defense, Humans are losing ground. Fortunately for them, there are no real losers on this battlefield. Instead, the efforts of Humans and Zombies alike have resulted in a victory for the Keep It! Campaign.

College student Todd Slobodnyak is the organizer for the Westminster version of Humans vs. Zombies (HvZ), a trendy game of moderated tag that is spreading through campuses across the nation. Slobodnyak explains that the popularity of HvZ has made it a perfect way to raise funds and awareness for the Keep It! Campaign. He describes the fundraiser as a week-long, campus-wide game of tag. Last fall, Slobodynak and the HvZ crew raised $350 for the cause. He plans to hold the event once a semester and hopes to earn at least $700 in donations during the upcoming spring competition.

Students at Westminster College team up for Ivory Park in a spirited game of Humans vs. Zombies.

Slobodnyak first learned about Keep It! through his work with the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils and PASC alum and Keep It! founder Bob Tryanski. “When I was in high school, I was a PASC delegate for three years. Now as an alum, I try my best to help out by giving back,” he says. “Bob Tryanski has been a good friend and a role model. When I heard about the Keep It! Campaign, I wanted to get involved. It’s a great program with a great purpose.”

In addition to his support of the campaign, Slobodnyak has found other ways to stay connected to his leadership roots. He is a valuable staff member at the PASC Advanced Gold summer workshops and has agreed to serve as a mentor to a PASC Regional Representative throughout the 2011 Keep It! Dodgeball Tournament contest.

“Todd’s commitment to the Keep It! Campaign is the perfect example of how you can harness the Power of Ten,” says Campaign founder, Bob Tryanski. “It goes way beyond merely making a difference. Todd has harnessed his connections with PASC alums, PASC workshop delegates and staff, and brought them together with his swim team, student organizations, and other friends at Westminster. Those connections have broadened our network of support for Ivory Park and helped us to discover this great project model – the HvZ tournament as a way to ‘Keep It Going’ on college campuses.”

When he is not herding Zombies or working with the PASC, Slobodnyak is an avid swimmer and busy college student. He is currently pursuing a degree in marine biology with a minor in secondary education and is considering a career in aquatic ecology. Whether he is serving as a mentor to student leaders or organizing a fundraiser in support of a community, Slobodnyak is always looking for ways to give back. Wherever his future path might lead, it is certain that it will be shaped by his altruistic nature and a winning desire to serve. The Keep It! Campaign is proud to honor Todd Slobodnyak, a campaign champion who “Keeps It Going!”

For tips on organizing a Humans vs. Zombies fundraiser to benefit the Keep It! Campaign, contact Todd Slobodnyak at slobodtd@westminster.edu.

PASC Introduces a Dodgeball Tournament Contest to Support the Keep It! Campaign

In January, we invited PASC members to celebrate the progress made in Ivory Park, South Africa through their support of the “Keep It!” Campaign. Since the project’s inception 18-months ago, an expanding network of social entrepreneurs has allowed us to make significant advances toward our goal. A library has been built, books are on the shelves, and we are funding the salaries of several fulltime teachers. We have raised half of our fundraising goal. As we look forward to continued progress in 2011, we would like to introduce an exciting year-long initiative inspired by several of our PASC member schools and organized by our regional representatives.

This year, PASC and “Keep It!” are sponsoring a statewide contest to challenge member schools to act locally and reach globally. With this contest, schools are invited to host dodgeball tournaments in support of the Keep It! Campaign. The tournament is based on a scalable, replicable project model first used by students at North Allegheny. With the assistance of NA students and staff, PASC and Keep It! supporters have developed a how-to manual that documents the secrets to planning a successful dodgeball tournament. This manual is now available to all PASC member schools.

In addition to presenting students with valuable lessons in leadership, the goal of the dodgeball project is to fund our continuing efforts in Ivory Park AND to support community needs in your own hometown. This concept is being modeled by one of our partner schools. At Oak Park Elementary, students have created a sunshine fund. Monies raised throughout the year are shared by the Oak Park and the Ivory Park communities. Support of the sunshine fund allows students and staff to care for their own neighbors while building connections with people thousands of miles away.

It is hoped that through Keep It! Dodgeball Tournaments, schools can provide support to their own communities and to Ivory Park. The details for the dodgeball tournament contest are as follows:

• Our goal is to recruit sixty schools to sponsor Keep It! Dodgeball Tournaments before October 15, 2011.

• Between January 15th and March 15th PASC will promote the tournament idea and recruit schools to register online at www.keepitcampaign.com/dodgeball.

Continue reading

Your Dollars Are Making a Difference

In Ivory Park, small donations can make a world of difference. Here’s how your dollars are transforming the community:

■$10 buys a book for the library.
■$10 covers the cost of a hot meal a day for three children at the day care center for an entire month
■$10 covers the cost of a hot meal for a senior citizen at the soup kitchen twice a week for a full month.
■$10 a month covers a teacher’s salary for an entire month over the course of a year.
■$25 a month pays the salaries of five cooks for an entire month over the course of a year.
■$50 a month pays the salary of a librarian for one month over the course of a year.
■$100 covers propane, transportation, and other costs at the Suppa du Mamma Soup Kitchen.
■$375 per month provides a daily, balanced meal to 120 of the children at Sedimosang Center.

■$500 provides 60 seniors with two meals a week for an entire month at the Suppa du Mamma Kitchen.
■$750 covers the cost for a local librarian to receive a week of professional development training.
■$875 pays for a computer database system to catalog the library collection and manage the library.
■$1,500 pays the salary of a teacher/tutor for an entire year.
■$6,000 builds a complete, state-of-the-art kitchen that feeds 120 preschool children every day, 60 senior citizens twice a week and another 160 school-age children every day after school.

To join our efforts by donating to the project, follow the attached link. Together, we are building a community of hope.

http://www.bobtryanski.com/keepitcampaign/ivorypark/donate.html

PASC Progress Report

Thanks to PASC, “Keep It!” Reaches New Heights and Expands Its Challenge to “ACT LOCALLY, REACH GLOBALLY!”

While there is still much work to do, the efforts of our PASC partners and additional supporters are making a difference each and every day for the residents of Ivory Park. Read about the changes that have already taken place.

When the “Keep It!” Campaign was launched in September of 2009, our goal was to motivate young people to develop their capacity as social entrepreneurs. For the campaign’s inaugural project, young entrepreneurs were challenged to act locally and reach globally by helping to build a community of hope in Ivory Park, South Africa. Thanks to the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils, hope is alive and well in Ivory Park.

Backed by critical support from our member schools, “Keep It!” is drawing an ever increasing number of dedicated volunteers. Their efforts are resulting in steady progress toward the development of strong student leaders and the completion of project goals.


The dream is to build a community of hope in Ivory park. Helping us is a national network of social entrepreneurs led by the PASC.

To date, we have raised a little more than $20,000. These funds have allowed PASC to make a positive impact in Ivory Park, where U.S. dollars go a long way. A library has been built and the first round of books is already on the shelves. We have been able to fund the salaries of three full-time teachers for an entire calendar year. A fourth teacher’s salary has been covered by regular monthly contributions from a small group of PASC alums who have embraced the “Power of Ten” concept by contributing ten dollars a month.

In addition, construction of the community center kitchen has been completed. Much of the funding is in place, and our partners at First Presbyterian Church in Greeneville, TN, have pledged enough funds to cover the remaining kitchen costs.

Funds have also been directed to support feeding programs for the daycare center, soup kitchen, and an after-school program for teen orphans who, because of the AIDS crisis, are parenting their younger siblings. The program allows the teens to continue their education while their siblings are cared for at the daycare center. It also provides a hot meal, a tutor, and a place to study after school. Altogether, these programs now feed 150 preschool children, 60 senior citizens, and 75 teens. Continue reading

The First Presbyterian Church in Greeneville, TN: The Power of Ten in Action

The congregation at the First Presbyterian Church in Greeneville, TN, has a history of reaching out to others in need. Through mission works large and small, church members are committed to caring for people in their own community and beyond. Recently, the congregation embraced the Keep It! Campaign and the people of Ivory Park by agreeing to provide financial support for Ivory Park initiatives. Church member Ann VanBuskirk explains that the congregation is dedicated to raising enough funds to complete the Suppa du Mamma Soup Kitchen. The new central kitchen located in the Ivory Park community center will provide hot meals for senior citizens and children.

First Pres Youth Photo

A variety of groups throughout the church have joined the fundraising campaign. The women’s group hosted a benefit breakfast, the senior high youth group organized and performed at a church-based dinner theater, and in November, the congregation participated in an International Bazaar. VanBuskirk notes that the bazaar has become an annual tradition that provides shoppers with access to unique gifts and accessories while providing support to artisans from Palestine, Nicaragua, and other parts of the world. This year, the church sold $400 worth of Awava merchandise resulting in $200 in fair trade wages for the Awava artisans in Uganda and $200 for Ivory Park.

Bob Tryanski, founder of the Keep It! Campaign, explains that the new kitchen will consolidate existing efforts to provide nutritious meals to those most in need.  Previously, the soup kitchen operated separately from a feeding program in the Sedimosang Day Care Center and an after school meal program for teenage orphans.  Now, one central kitchen will serve all of these programs.  As a result, meal programs will become less costly and more time efficient. In addition, it will create sustainable jobs for the cooks.

Tryanski also points out the significant impact that has been created by building a network through the Power of Ten. “When you realize the effects this project can have, it’s difficult not to get involved,” says Tryanski. “Thanks to the efforts of great volunteers like our friends at the First Presbyterian Church, the new kitchen will feed 150 preschool children every day, 60 senior citizens several times a week and another 160 school-age children each day after school. In terms of dollars, $10 will feed three kids for a month, and $100 will pay the salary of two of the cooks for a month.” 

 To date, supporters at First Presbyterian have contributed over $2000 and are more than one third of the way toward reaching their goal.

Oak Park Elementary School: “Bridging the Parks”

Seasonal fundraisers provide consistent support and teach students about local and global citizenship.

At Oak Park Elementary School in Lansdale, PA, students and staff are discovering creative ways to care for their own community while building connections with people thousands of miles away. Brett Baker, 6th grade teacher, explains that Oak Park students and staff have always been responsive to meeting the needs of others. “Our school family is community minded,” he says. “Whether the needs are in our own backyard or far away, we rally around the cause.” He notes that Oak Park families have supported local food banks, adopted a school ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, and provided resources for residents of Haiti.

“Bridging the Parks” represents the school’s latest effort to act locally and reach globally by building a bridge between Oak Park Elementary and Ivory Park, South Africa. In October, Bob Tryanski – founder of the Keep It! Campaign – traveled to Oak Park and acquainted students with the challenges facing Ivory Park residents. He explained that donations from Oak Park will help to support the feeding program at the Sedimosang Day Care Center and will also provide books for the new library. A $200 check presented by students at the orientation assembly will pay for meals for 20 Ivory Park children for an entire month. 

Baker explains that throughout the school year, students and staff will be participating in the “Bridging the Parks” campaign through a variety of simple, fun, and profitable initiatives. As the campaign catalysts, sixth graders will be driving the fund raisers and learning important service lessons in the process. The monies raised will be shared by the Oak Park and Ivory Park communities throughout the coming year.  

October: “You are Gourd-geous Fundraiser to Squash Out Poverty”

In this fundraiser geared toward the autumn season, Baker mobilized his sixth graders to take orders for colorful gourds. For $1, students could order a gourd and request that it be delivered to a fellow student or staff member along with a note reminding the recipient that he or she is “gourd-geous”. In this three day sale, dedicated students sold more than 500 gourds.

November: “Friendship Grams”

This fundraiser allows students to celebrate Thanksgiving by showing thanks for special friends and staff members. For just 25 cents, students can purchase a friendship gram – a small note of gratitude adorned with a piece of candy.

December: “Spirit of Giving”

In an important life lesson about generosity, the Oak Park staff will embrace the spirit of the season by asking for donations in lieu of more traditional holiday gifts from their students. The gifts received will be used to support children in the local community and in Ivory Park.

February: “You Rock”

Students and staff will be able to purchase a polished pet rock in a box – a keepsake designed to let that special Valentine know that he or she is not taken for “granite”.

Through creative, seasonal fundraisers, Oak Park Elementary School is providing consistent opportunities for students to affirm friendships and to become good citizens in their own community and across the globe, in Ivory Park.  

Keep It! and Awava Team Up to Build Communities of Hope

 

Keep It! is proud to announce its partnership with Awava, a women’s artisan group from Uganda that shares the Keep It! Campaign’s commitment to social entrepreneurship and empowerment. By providing access to resources and opportunities, Keep It! and Awava are giving people in Uganda and Ivory Park, South Africa the power to invest in their own lives and communities.

Awava is the Luganda word meaning source or origin.

Awava relies on the concept of free trade to empower women in Uganda to sell their wares at a fair price in the Western market. A fair price provides these women with access to the resources they need to create beautiful works of art – handmade aprons, accessories, jewelry, and purses that reflect the skill and artistry of each unique craftswoman. 

When an Awava product is purchased, the wholesale cost supports Awava and empowers the product’s creator to learn life skills, build a career, and provide familial assistance. And now, through the Keep It! Campaign’s partnership with Awava, the retail profit from these purchases will be used to support sustainable strategies that make life better for the people of Ivory Park.  

How can you help?

The holiday shopping season is right around the corner. Avoid the hustle and bustle by shopping Awava online. Creative, quality products benefitting the Keep It! Campaign for Ivory Park are available now through the following link: Keep It! at eBay Giving Works  

African Amata Apron (brown fruit) by AwavaAfrican Handmade Yimba Necklace (turquoise) by Awava African Owino Tote by AWAVA (big orange flower)

little means a lot.

Hand-crafted Awava gifts are affordable, but even one purchase can result in big changes for someone in Ivory Park. The proceeds from a $20 apron can feed a child for an entire month. Accept the Keep It! Campaign’s challenge to act locally and reach globally.  Your gift for a special someone at home will have a positive impact on someone a world away.   

Click here to learn more about what your Awava purchase can do.
http://www.bobtryanski.com/pdf/Awavapurchases.pdf