School Fundraisers
Due to budgetary shortfalls, most educational institutions, all the way from elementary schools to universities, frequently find themselves in need of additional funds to optimize their plans for the current school year. Mariachi for Gringos can provide virtually any institute of learning with a tool to raise those funds while providing the purchaser with a quality item that can be reused repeatedly after the initial purchase while providing continuing
satisfaction to that user. Let's examine a couple of recent case histories to clarify the procedure.
Tiffany Elementary School in Eastlake, CA needed to raise funds for a library expansion: new and more books were needed, as well as the bookshelves to house and catalogue those books. Charlie Padilla, the Principal, and Linda Harding, the Librarian, devised a program whereby Mariachi for Gringos would be sold by all members of the student body as a holiday gift item for all family members, as well as friends of the student book sellers, themselves. The profit generated from the sale of each book was equal to the cost of the book to the Tiffany Library Account, a higher yield than was possible from any other traditional source of fundraising (such as candy and magazine subscriptions). In addition, there was virtually no sales resistance to Mariachi for Gringos as the fundraising mechanism since a) everybody knows how to sing and b) virtually everybody knows someone who plays an instrument or likes to sing. The facts that the book fit conveniently into Christmas stockings (as well as being a true 'pocket' book) and could be easily mailed to distant relatives in an inexpensive 6" x 9" envelope were also stressed during the sales presentation. The library realized its fundraising goal and everybody had fun while doing it. The final night of the event was capped by a Book Signing where the author was present to meet the students and their family members; at that festive event, the proper methods to utilize the book's many features were demonstrated.
The 'hand out' sent home was continuously reinforced by the individual classroom teachers. In addition, the same information was available on the Burton C. Tiffany website page under the heading 'Library Fundraiser' (see www.cvesd.org/tiffany). This data was strategically positioned just under a reproduction of the striking front cover of the book.
All in all, it was a win-win situation for the Library, the school, and those who purchased Mariachi for Gringos.
A different approach to general fundraising (with an emphasis on the procurement of new books for a school) was taken by Valle Lindo School. While using a 'Book Fair' from a major national distributor of children's books as the focal point, their P.T.A's President, Laura Chacon, in conjunction with the school's Principal, Helena Sabala, decided to specifically emphasize Mariachi for Gringos. Once again, a 'hand-out' was utilized, stressing the 'Book Fair' AND the fact that the author of Mariachi for Gringos would be on-site to sign books on selected 'Book Fair' dates. When the week-long 'Book Fair' was over, the school P.T.A. reproduced the data sheet sent home with the students on the school's website and gave new dates (extending out for another month) for the author to be on campus to sign books, which generated significant additional income for the school...and specifically, additional funds to buy new books for the school library.
To find out how Mariachi for Gringos can help your school realize its fund raising goals, go to either the Contact Us or Schedule a Book Signing rollovers and we'll be glad to help with all the specifics.
