• Executive Directors Column
• Coordinator Expansion Underway
• Dear Booster
• Vendor of the Month - The Toro Company
• Seeking Nationwide Support
• Do-It Yourself Fundraiser
• Spotlight of the Month - Empties4Cash
• Fast Facts

Leaving Your Mark

Within the next 90 days a great number of booster club officers and volunteers will each experience the same event. Their clubs will hold elections and new replacements will be voted in to take over with the start of next school year.

If you are one of those who will be stepping down or whose child will no longer be involved in the extracurricular program, I would like to place 2 challenges before you. I would like to also ask that you complete each of these challenges prior to your clubs elections.

The first challenge: If you haven't already put together a binder that incorporates the contacts, tasks, do's and don'ts associated with your position now is the time to accomplish this task. In addition to stuffing into this binder the various information you have collected over the year, I want you to also make a special section that contains helpful tips, pointers and suggestions that you have learned over the term of your involvement. In the front of the book I also suggest you include a personal letter to the newly elected club representative. Keep the letter short, but also be sure to congratulate the person who will be taking on your position and probably the most important offer you can give within this letter is to provide a contact source so the person can reach you if they have any questions. Don't count yourself short - your knowledge and experience are invaluable to the newly elected representative. After the elections have been held find a time that you can personally visit with the newly appointed representative. This is the time you will want to hand over the binder as well as offering any guidance and support possible.

Challenge #2: I recognize that for many of you stepping down will be a tremendous relief because when you accepted the position you had no idea of the amount of work that would be involved. What I also recognize is that you have also become a very valuable asset and it is with this thought in mind that I would like to challenge you to consider the following.

What if you had stepped into the booster position and found an advisor who was personally available to assist you whenever you needed guidance, support or even a helping hand? Would you have found that your experience would have been more fulfilling and rewarding? I think we can all agree that that answer is yes. So my second challenge is to encourage you to become a local Area Coordinator and put your expertise (yes you now have an expertise that is valuable) to good work helping guide and support the booster club you will soon step aside from as well as others within your school and/or community. This opportunity can be very rewarding - both financially as well as emotionally. The first step to becoming an Area Coordinator is to visit Booster Central and enroll as an Advocate. There is absolutely no cost to enroll.

I wish each of you the best of success.
Happy Boostering!

Steve M. Beden
President

Enroll Your Club

Dear Booster........

The NABCA is now recruiting Area Coordinators nationwide.
- Unlimited opportunity
- No competition
- Part-time or Full-time
- Help make a difference in your community!

To find out more email us your contact information and one of our qualified staff members will personally contact you or click here to learn more: Coordinator Opportunity

Dear Booster,
I have been told by our school principal that our booster club needed to join NABCA if we want to continue. How do I join and what benefits does NABCA provide?
Jackie A.
Toledo, OH
Little Bengals Booster Club

Dear Jackie,
NABCA or the North American Booster Club Association is just that. The only dedicated booster club association in North America and as your principal wisely suggested, membership should be a part of every booster clubs practice. NABCA is not only the voice for helping booster clubs gain recognition, support and direction, NABCA also provides a wealth of support services and solutions in the areas of education, training, fundraising and support.

Membership is easy. Just visit NABCA’s website at www.boostercentral.org and click on the link “join”. You will be prompted to provide your booster clubs information and once you have completed the enrollment process you will receive access to the Booster Central.

Send us your Dear Booster.... article and we will select one each month to share with the readers of Booster Trends. To submit your email send to: dearbooster@boostercentral.org.

The Toro Company
The Toro Company starts each day with a commitment to help customers beautify and preserve the outdoor environment. We make landscapes green, healthy, and safe with superior, innovative, and environmentally sound products, services and systems.

Since 1914, we've built our reputation on superior customer care and constant innovation. Our precision equipment and irrigation systems provide an integrated approach to landscape management that no other competitor in the industry can provide. Our maintenance equipment product line includes mowers, aerators, sprayers, trimmers, blowers, compact utility loaders and vehicles. Water management tools include high technology irrigation systems with computerized controllers, valves, sprinklers, micro-drip irrigation systems, and precision turf management.

Toro's customers are a diverse group that includes golf course superintendents, groundskeepers, sports field managers, landscape contractors, fruit and vegetable growers, and homeowners.

Finally, Toro believes our leadership and success bring with it a responsibility to give back to the industry and the communities where we do business. A portion of every purchase is donated through The Toro Foundation and Toro's community relations programs.Toro Scholars Program awards scholarships to tomorrow's outdoor landscape industry leaders.

Toro is striving to provide you with the information you want, when you want it, and how you want it. That's why we supply information to you in so many different ways. Along with a complete selection of printed Service Manuals and Training Guides, we also provide information on CD-ROM, Video, and here on our Internet site.

Please visit us at www.toro.com for you sports fields turf needs.

NABCA Advocate - This is an ideal opportunity for anyone with contacts to local booster clubs, teams and businesses. The NABCA Advocate position does not require you to make any commitment other than your interest to periodically refer the NABCA to local booster clubs, teams and businesses. NABCA Advocates receive a commission or override for simply referring the association’s services to booster clubs, teams and businesses. This is an outstanding opportunity for any person who understands the role that extracurricular activities play in shaping our society. If you would like to register and become an NABCA Advocate, please email your contact information or visit BoosterWorld and register today.

Area Coordinators - The NABCA is now seeking individuals who would like to assist local clubs, teams and businesses. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone looking for an opportunity to work part-time, or looking to help make a difference in your community. Coordinators will receive high commissions for introducing the association’s services to businesses, schools and parent organizations. This is an outstanding opportunity for any person who understands the role that extracurricular activities play in shaping our society. If you would like to register and become an NABCA Advocate, please email your contact information or visit BoosterWorld and register today.

Club Coordinators - The NABCA is seeking individuals who are currently working with or involved with a booster club or extracurricular program. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone currently involved with a club, team or extracurricular program and who would like to turn the time you are spending into an opportunity to receive prizes, awards, recognition and compensation. Club Coordinators simply do what they are currently doing, nothing more. If you would like to register for the position of Club Coordinator, please email your name, club affiliation, city and state. Email us today at marketing@boostercentral.org

Don't be afraid to price items generously - people tend to try to bargain prices down. Hopefully, since they know the proceeds are going to charity, they will not try to bargain too much, but even inexpensive items will help profit your charity.

It is also a good idea to pre-print "thank you" receipts to give to customers after they make their purchase, thanking them for helping your cause and directing them to where they could find more information (web site, phone numbers, etc.).

You can also sell baked goods at your yard sale as another way to bring in money for your cause. Put a donation jar out for people who would like to help your cause but are not going to purchase anything. Make it a festive atmosphere with balloons and music (CDs or radio).

This is a win/win event - you get rid of your clutter and raise money for your favorite cause.

Empties4Cash

The Empties4Cash recycling and fundraising program was founded in 2002.
Since then it has grown quickly to establish its place in the relatively new industry of recycling ink cartridges. Over 20,000 organizations and individuals nationwide have joined to benefit from our program.
Empties4Cash provides a fresh alternative fundraiser that is easy, effortless, and environmentally beneficial. We have helped thousands of various groups and organizations raise funds and reduce waste at the same time. Over a million cartridges have been saved from overcrowded landfills to be recycled and remanufactured into a new compatible cartridge that costs significantly less than a newly manufactured brand-name cartridge. Our sister website www.inksmile.com offer these remanufactured cartridges at up to 80% savings. Empties4Cash members can also enjoy extra funds from InkSmile’s 5% Rebate on purchases.
With more people opting to recycle these used cartridges, we not only save the empty cartridges from becoming unnecessary waste, but also save the non-renewable resources that are being used to generate fresh new cartridges each year.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Empties4Cash.com
15042 Parkway Loop, Suite C
Tustin, CA 92780
Phone: 1-800-456-4320
Fax: (714) 259-8806