We’ve been super busy with a number of coming fundraising events and making the new bylaws. The softball game has been rescheduled for 8/12 & we plan to have a social outing on 8/24.
Details to follow at the next General Meeting, hope to see you there.
The group now known as Practical Action (formerly ITDG) has a Journal of Appropriate Technology online as well as hardcopy. It’s called Waterlines and the following is a link to an article in a free issue. Other articles deal with water contamination issues in Honduras. Helpful stuff I figure.
We had a pretty good turnout last Thursday, probably around 25-30 people, and many new people. The Indian food was good, especially the mozerella filled naan with chilli. I hope we can find ways to involve the new people. I already I have several new people interested in fundraising. We will now try to reschedule the softball game and look to our next event.
These are just some brain-storming ideas to get us started. Please let me know if you have any input or suggestions, or have had any past experience with a fundraiser that worked out well.Game night/Bingo night – Depending on the $ each person donates they get a certain amount of tokens/tickets/bingo cards to play with, and the prizes are donated items from companies. Similar games could include:
Casino night/Poker night – Depending on the $ each person donates they get a certain amount of chips to play with and then as people bet & win, they get tickets (like at Chuck E. Cheese) that they can turn in at a prize table to choose from donated items from companies
Notes: Depending on value of items, for game night/poker night, we could assign a ticket value to each item for people to trade in the tickets they've earned for various "prizes"
Could we have a cash bar? Permits, etc. required, just bottled beer and wine?
50 Mile Bike Ride/5K or 10K Run&Blade – We could set up a scheduled event (along Memorial Drive in Cambridge, any number of bike/running
trails in the suburbs) for people to sponsor EWB members to help finance our EWB project in "xx" location.
Meeting with some guest speakers that would be appropriate, who would donate their time or do it cheap, we charge
interested people $xx to come, we could make profit less location fee – could advertise it with other professional engineering societies in the area – maybe an entrepreneur night or several different engineering interests…?
Silent Auction/Raffle – Contact local companies to donate items & the money raised in the auction would go towards materials needed for our
project.
Note: If everything was worth $25 or so, raffle tickets could be $10 each
www.meistersoftware.com — Leading software to produce high quality raffle tickets
www.empties4cash.com – takes empty inkjet cartridges for cash
Notes: Sponsorship – any larger companies, or surrounding engineering companies. To get donations/sponsorships/item, write letters to company. Deliver them personally when possible & write thank-you's after the event or donation.
Car wash and detailing – like high-school cheerleaders & marching bands do to get funds, on a Saturday afternoon
SPONSORSHIP AND DONATION IDEAS
Locations for fundraising activities or maybe just to hand out info about joining EWB-Boston
Someone's church fellowship hall/Rotary Club/VFW/etc. Prudential/Faneuil Hall cart or table set-up College Fest at Hynes Convention Center
Someone's company parking lot Hotel conference room, restaurant banquet room, someone's company conference room Any other engineering societies' meetings, engineering school alumni meetings
Places to contact for item donations/sponsorships Typical auction items include event tickets, crafts, accessories, photographs, and memorabilia: Harpoon/Sam Adams Pizza places Dentists (teeth whitening) Hotels Gift/Candle shops Grocery stores (food baskets) Restaurants Toy stores Spas (day of pampering) Movie theaters
Candy shops Nail salons Video stores Hair dressers Caterers (food for work) Bookstores Home Depot Pet stores Florists Sports stores Tanning Bakeries Wal-Mart Target
JP Licks Dunkin Donuts Gym (week free membership) Garages (tune-ups) Loews Clothing stores Sports franchises (Sox, Pats) Six Flags Ski lodges (lift tickets, rentals)
Duck Tours Museums Harbor Cruise
For corporate sponsorship, contact your company.
We can also simply contact as many local large and small engineering/architecture/building supply companies as we can find. Do some research to see if larger companies set aside a certain amount in their budgets for philanthropic (?) donations. I do know that some restaurants do this.
As often as possible, personally go into stores/restaurants, etc. to hand-deliver the request letter and hopefully speak with a manager/accountant, etc. They may have questions about the project, and face-to-face will definitely boost the chances of getting donations or sponsorships. Make a point of writing a thank-you note to every company that provides us something. For something like a casino night, have a flyer/handout/program that lists our donors and thanks them.
We could have a cookware party. The way it works: example… If I was the host, a rep would come to myhome. She/he would have the products to demonstrate use and application. I would also invite people that I think would be interested in the product.Usually the guests purchase merchandise. There is a certain percentage that would go toward my purchase as a discount.
BUT, they also offer that same percentage to go toward a charity/nonprofit org.If the guests buy $1000 worth of product, EWB should receive $150 to 200…some are 15%, some are 20%
Or we could have a fancy gala to sell pricey tickets to.
Here’s a website of an online version of a book with the same name as above. It’s about decision making and inclusion and all that good stuff -> http://www.consensus.net/ocaccontents.html
Check it out if you have the time.
EWB Boston has received several requests from technology companies about testing their products in our project villages. These technologies range from new water filtration products to deployable communications hubs. Additionally there are many members of our group who are interested in technologies that relate to renewable energy, sanitation, filtration, etc. We also have a need as a chapter to look at appropriate technologies and systems (like microfinance) in the best interest of sustainability for our village. The EC is proposing a Systems & Technologies Committee to investigate these areas and serve as an advisor and resource to the rest of the chapter. Technology beta tests in our village could also help promote the company and our chapter as well as provide potential funding for our trips.
1. Investigate sustainable and appropriate technologies and systems that can be used in the developed or underdeveloped world. Example technologies would include those relating to renewable energy generation, filtration, sanitation, medical, agricultural, communications or construction. Example systems would include microfinane or distribution stratagies.
2. Partner with companies to develop their products and services in return for funding and publicity.
3. Serve as a technology and systems advisor to the EWB Chapter or other organizations as needed.
If you are intested in becoming a chair or otherwise joining such a committee please contact Purvi or myself. Thanks!
Given the rain last weekend we cancelled the June 10 softball game and postponed indefinitely because of Father's Day and July 4th coming weekends. We hope to revisit holding the game later in the summer. We will have a social event June 22 at Diva Lounge. The fundraising committee is also planning to soon release our solicitation package for distribution.
Well, the 2nd reschedule of our softball game has been confirmed for June 10. The early forecast is for more rain this Saturday. Many people are going to need to cancel their original attendance as well as some of the organizers I was relying on. I am carrying my umbrella with me for the next 5 days so as to ward off the rain. Will we ever do an outdoor event again that relies on good weather? I hope not.
At yesterday's meeting I said that I'd would like to present a model for meeting facilitation to the group, one that hopefully makes meetings more productive as well as more inclusive and see if there were interest in trying it out.
Here are some guidelines in regards to pre-meeting agenda formation and tips to watch for during the meeting:
http://aia.mahost.org/dec_meeting.html
This link has more of the internals of the meeting, including a structure and defined roles for participants. Facilitator, Timekeeper, Notetaker, Peacekeeper, Advocate are a few of the roles, of course the tasks could be broken down or consolidated as the situation requires.
http://www.consensus.net/ocac5.html
But if you get some time to look at these websites, please let me know what you think, especially your thoughts on trying this out at the next meeting.
Here is a snippet from the D-Acres Farm list that I’m on:
June 4 Open House. 2pm.
If you’ve been thinking about visiting D Acres, the Open House is a great opportunity to tour the farm and gardens. During the week, staff and learners are busy working around the farm. On weekends, we are likewise occupied with workshops and other projects. You can help us keep organized and productive by planning to visit for an Open House (first Sunday of each month at 2pm) rather than stopping by unexpected. Thanks!
June 10 Earthen Building – Plastering*. 1-4pm $28
At D Acres, we love working with the earth. This includes building with earthen materials – sand, clay and straw – to make a sturdy building material called cob, or adobe. All earthen buildings need an exterior layer – a thin coat of plaster that takes the beating of our harsh New England weather. Just like painted houses need a fresh coat every few years, earthen structures must be replastered from time to time to keep the insides dry and protected.
On June 10th, we will get our hands in the mud replastering our cob oven. Learners will participate in the mixing, applying and brandishing processes involved in earthen plastering.
Interested in learning more about earthen building? This Fall, D Acres will be offering Earthen Building workshops on September 2 and September 30 and another Earthen Plastering workshop on October 14. Workshop handouts from previous years are available on the Articles & Useful Links page of our website.
The website is http://www.dacres.org/
So what do people think about going to the Farm-in Dorcester, NH-as a group and taking part in the earthen building next Saturday?
We could also do an overnight thing on the farm if people are up for it. So let me know. I can organize it if there’s interest.
Overnight Visits
Staying the night is recommended for those who are seriously considering working or volunteering at D Acres of New Hampshire. It will help to familiarize you with the surroundings and facilities. You are welcome to enjoy dinner with us as well, which would give further opportunity to meet other staff members. Accommodations range from treehouses or tent platforms, to beds or futons inside the main facility, and depend on availability. Most visitors bring a sleeping bag, but we do provide clean sheets and a pillow. Parking is available on the premises.
Engineers Without Borders - Boston 