Contestant Guidebook
bgcwpa.org/kissapig
How the Kiss a Pig Contest Works
After a tremendous amount of success last year, we as an organization have decided to have a little bit of fun with a purpose in our fundraising efforts again this year! We are asking several great leaders in the community to fundraise on the behalf of the local communities, and to compete against each other as a Kiss A Pig Candidate. Candidates will do this by communicating with their contacts, holding contests, involving their employees, friends, neighbors, vendors and others, sponsoring events, and using their enthusiasm and creativity. Donors will be lead to the candidates website where they can fill their “piggy bank” and donate! The Candidate who raises the most money will be crowned the King or Queen and the top three will Kiss A Pig during the annual Great Futures Gala on March 23rd on the Gateway Clipper. (The top candidates will not be announced before the Great Futures Gala!) The competition will officially kick off on Jan. 15 and last until just before the event on March 23rd. However, candidates can begin their fund raising activities sooner if they wish.
Why a pig?
Although sometimes pigs get a bad reputation, they really are very interesting animals deserving of our respect! They are not only extraordinarily intelligent, curious and insightful but they are peaceful, social and rarely show aggression. Winston Churchill famously said that “Dogs look up to man. Cats look down to man. Pigs look us straight in the eye and see an equal.” The pig is the last of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. The pig is seen to represent, fortune, honesty, happiness and virility. Think back to when you were a kid, one of the most fun representations of a pig was our piggy banks! We stuffed it full of coins and bills and excitedly opened it up to buy something we have been saving for. That little porcelain pig represents the future for many kids in many homes. The kids we serve are truly deserving of a GREAT FUTURE and we are determined at all costs to give them one, even if it means asking our most honored friends in the community to kiss a pig at a fun fundraiser on their behalf!
Meet Nola the Mini Pig!
Hi! I'm Nola and I'm a Miniature Juliana Pig. I was born in Florida three years ago and was adopted by my wonderful family and live right here in their home as their pet in Pittsburgh. (I have the best life). My hobbies include playing with my toys, eating, sleeping, cuddling and going for walks! I'm pretty much full-grown and weigh about 45 lbs.
I am so glad that you have been selected as one of
the candidates and that you are willing to help the kids of the Club. What you are doing is really special and will truly help hundreds, if not thousands of kids in the local community have the best chance to have their own GREAT Future. Although my mom and dad don’t approve of me dating just yet, they are willing to let me kiss a special person (or three) for a great cause. I am glad to have the opportunity to do my part! Please feel free to learn more about me on Facebook (Nola the Mini Pig)! I can’t wait to meet you!
Working with the branch Clubs
Each candidate will be linked with either a Club branch or the Central branch. You will have a unique opportunity to raise money for an individual site and the staff, board and local community will have the opportunity also campaign on your behalf to fill your “Piggy Bank”. All money raised by you will stay in that specific local community. Use this to your advantage in every way, as the Club is a staple in each community. It is a real asset and there are so many people who are positively affected by what we have the opportunity to do for that community. Please be sure you are in touch with the local site Director you are assigned to, and if you have a preference upon signing up, please let us know and we can let you know if that Club is available!
Working with other candidates
We encourage candidates to work together, even consider a challenge with another competitor. Remember that although you want to win, the overall goal is to raise as much as possible for the organization, to raise awareness for who we are and what we do and for the Boys & Girls Clubs to ultimately serve more kids more often and lead every young person who enters our doors to a Great Future.
Want to promote your campaign?
We will be more than happy to get your events or information about your campaign on social media, our website and out to the public through our various channels. If you have these needs, please contact us for more information or with your events!
Materials
Each candidate will receive Kiss a Pig business cards and , pledge sheets, and envelopes for donations. While it is encouraged to have people make online donations on your behalf through Crowdrise.com, you may also collect donations and mail them in as well. (Please put your name in the memo line so they are counted towards your campaign). Additional materials are available upon request.
Setting up your campaign online
Here are some quick next steps to get yourfundraising page live... (and if you need help just ask!)
1. Go here:bgcwpa.org.kap
2. Click “Fundraise for this Campaign”
3. Login or sign up for CrowdRise (If you’ve used CrowdRise before login using your existing username and password, if you’ve never used CrowdRise before Sign Up - it’ll take about two seconds)
In seconds, you'll be part of our team and haveyour own personal fundraising page. You can then edit your page and send it toeveryone you know so that you can start raising money. See below for a sample email you can change any way youwant andsend along to everyone you know.
If you have any questions or need any help withyour fundraiser, please Email Us or email CrowdRise ().We'll all be ready to help.
Sample Email to friends!
{NAME},
I just signed up for the Kiss a Pig and Help Our Kids Fundraiser benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania. It's going to be so amazing.
I'm reaching out to everyone I know to help meraise{YOUR FUNDRAISING GOAL}for this cause. If you want to getinvolved follow the steps below to create a fundraiser and help out!
(insert the steps that are above so they can set up their own or just give them your link – bgcwpa.org/kap
Communication:
Feel free to contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania’s office at 412-782-5710 to find out where you stand with your contest totals or check your Crowdrise site. We will only provide you with information about your own campaign totals. We will not provide information regarding other candidates’ campaigns totals.
You will receive e-mail messages and telephone calls from the Kiss A Pig committee, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania’s staff on occasion throughout the contest.
We ask that you please e-mail the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania’s staff if you are holding any events for your fundraiser and attach allow us to approve any outgoing flyers or communication prior to them going to press. We will be glad to communicate your events to the entire Kiss A Pig group and friends of the Club if you would like us to do so!
The Roles of the Candidates and the Campaign Mangers
The Candidate:
The Candidates recruited to participate in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania’s Kiss A Pig contest are local business and community leaders and friends of the Club. All of our candidates understand the importance of positive influences on our children and are willing to offer their support to help kids. The candidate is a person willing to donate his or her time and effort for our organization. The candidate should have a good sense of humor – if they are lucky they will be kissing the pig!
Candidates may select a Campaign Manager or Managers. This is usually a business associate, friend, or family member – and together devise a campaign strategy.
The Candidate will use his or her name and personality to solicit funds for his or her campaign and The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania. Again remember that the overall goal is to raise as much money as you can for the organization.
The Campaign Manager/s:
The Campaign Manager is selected by his or her Candidate and is usually a business associate, friend, or family member of the candidate.
The Campaign Manager can be the primary contact person with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania if you would like.
The Campaign Manager role will be to work with his/her candidate to devise an exciting campaign strategy. The Manager is a very important part of the event, creating ideas to make the experience fun and enjoyable.
Each campaign is unique and should not be limited by what is listed below. These are only suggestions!
Tips for a successful campaign:
Ø Develop a strategy - what is your goal, who will you target?
Ø Get the support of the top management within a company or business.
Ø Create incentives for employees, friends, and business associates.
Ø Make giving convenient for people to support your campaign. Share our website links for easy giving - www.bgcwpa.org/kissapig.
Ø Have your Western Pennsylvania Clubs information handy- let people know what the Club does for the youth of greater Pittsburgh. Distribute BGCWPA information, your cards, and of course your pledge envelope.
Ø Make your campaign fun and get creative!
Ø Need some ideas? Contact us for some!
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania
Here is the long story to get you well acquainted with the Club and our mission…
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania is a non-profit organization that is part of a national network of Boys & Girls Clubs united in this mission: "To inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens of their community, America, and the world."
Our agency is governed by an active and engaged board of directors with a formal committee structure representing a cross section of community leaders.
For over 125 years, since 1888, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania has been a leader in youth development during out-of-school time.
Every year, we provide over 7,000 kids and young adults ages 5-18 with a safe and fun place, positive adult mentors, educational enhancement, guidance on healthy living and life-changing programs. We are set apart from many social service organizations because of our long-standing history of successful service to youth in the community. Staff and volunteers operate year-round programs in eight neighborhoods throughout Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. These neighborhoods are: Lawrenceville, Duquesne-West Mifflin, Carnegie, McKees Rocks, McKeesport, Millvale, Shadyside/East Liberty, and Wilkinsburg. From the organization's inception, the young people targeted by the Clubs are from disadvantaged circumstances; most facilities have been built in neighborhoods with the highest rate of poverty and juvenile crime.
Research indicates that what happens in our Clubs transforms lives – with 57% of Club alumni saying the Club saved their life!
Boys & Girls Clubs reach kids who need us most with outcome-driven programs designed to increase their performance in the areas of education, health, arts, career, sports, fitness and character development. Research also shows that when kids attend the Club more frequently, the impact grows, so Clubs create a fun and engaging environment that keeps kids coming back.
Our local Club in Western Pennsylvania is a unique organization that we are very proud of consisting of eight traditional Club facilities, a teen career readiness and entrepreneurship program,an indoor baseball complex and juvenile justice services. Our goal is to provide every child with the essential tools needed for a successful and bright future. As the needs of our children and their families continue to change, so do the dynamics of our programs and services. From the organization's inception, the young people targeted by the Clubs are from disadvantaged circumstances; most facilities have been built in neighborhoods with the highest rate of poverty and juvenile crime.
In the latest assessment (2014), The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania was rated #1 for our Average Daily Attendance and #1 for the number of members served in the State of Pennsylvania and in the top 5% Nation-wide out of over 4.000 Clubs.
In every community many young people are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets and an increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. For every hour a child spends in school, they spend two hours out of school. The way a child spends the hours after school and during the summer can significantly impact the path they take. During the school year, 15 million kids nationwide (1 out of 4) leave school with no place to go, putting them at risk of being unsupervised, unguided and unsafe during these critical afterschool hours. Young people need to know that someone cares about them. The Boys & Girls Clubs offer that and more. All Club programs encompass Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Youth Development Strategy. This strategy defines how our youth development professionals and volunteers interact with young people. All programs and activities are designed to maximize opportunities for young people to acquire four basic “senses” which help them build self-esteem and grow into responsible and caring citizens. These four “senses” are: