WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA Wreath Sponsorship Program And Fund Raising Program

WREATH SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM In 2007 Wreaths Across AmericaTM expanded its program to enable cemeteries all over the Country to place wreaths on individual graves to emulate the Arlington Wreath Program. In 2011, they placed over 325,000 wreaths on graves in all 50 states and beyond. They are seeking groups who would like to help them remember and honor veterans laid to rest all over the country by raising funds to sponsor wreaths. They will return $5 of every $15 wreath sponsorship we raise to support our organization and its ongoing work. Wreaths may also be sponsored on line by individuals for placement at participating locations.

HOW TO BECOME A FUND RAISING GROUP

1.Select a cemetery you will raise funds for. A list of participating locations, along with ID code, can be found on their web site. 2.You must register with WAA office, AND complete a Group Fundraising Agreement Form before you begin fundraising. 3.You will be assigned a group ID number and a cemetery ID number. It is important to include this information on all donations remitted to WAA. 4.You will need a Group Leader. The group leader is the main point of contact for WAA. 5.Read the WAA Reference Guide to get ideas on how to raise funds. 6.Wreaths Across AmericaTM wreath sponsorships are $15 per wreath.

7.Funds are collected by each participating group. $5 of each $15 will be returned to the registered fundraising group. 8.If you are not interested in having the $5 per wreath returned to your group, you can choose their 3 for 2 option. For every two $15 sponsorships, three wreaths will be sent to the participating location of your choice. No funds are returned to your fundraising group. 9.Sponsored wreaths will be shipped to a participating cemetery designated by your fundraising organization. 10.Wreaths Across AmericaTM cannot honor grave specific requests. Some location leaders do make special arrangements if contacted in advance by fund raising groups. 11.Fund raising may be done all year. 12.They encourage all fundraising groups to attend the Ceremonies at your cemetery.

FUNDRAISING FAQ’S When should I send in my sponsorship money? Sponsorship money should be sent in at least every two weeks throughout the year. It is important that you begin your fundraising early in the year. Some of the groups start their fundraising right on the heels of the ceremony and they do a really good job throughout the months of December and January gathering those funds while it is still fresh in everyone’s minds When will my group get our fundraising portion back? Wreaths Across AmericaTM tries to process all funds within a 2 week period. In order to do this and stay current, you need to send your funds weekly. This makes it easier for WAA to regularly process funds through their office.

FUNDRAISING FAQ’S When is the cutoff date for turning in sponsorships? The cutoff date is the Monday following Thanksgiving each year. If your group has special circumstances WAA asks that you communicate regularly with their office. If you are sending your money in every two weeks it will make it easier to keep track of your funds. Where can I get a sponsorship form? Once you become a fundraising group, you will receive a “Welcome” generally within 48 hours. This will contain all the sponsorship forms needed as well as a tally sheet. All forms are also provided on the WAA website for your convenience.

WAA Fundraising Ideas Here are some great fundraising ideas that some of their groups have used in recent seasons. Most of the fundraising work is about sharing what a profound experience it is for volunteers to be involved. Every wreath counts – WAA has had a number of groups find great success with setting up a sponsorship table at local Wal-Mart, Kroger’s, or other high traffic stores. Local festivals and events also provide an opportunity to inform the public about WAA’s mission, and share wreath sponsorship information. WAA has acknowledgement cards and an attractive display available for this purpose.

WAA Fundraising Ideas Every dollar counts – not everyone will be in a position to do a full wreath sponsorship. But you can use a donation bucket or even a combat boot to collect dollars and change as people come and go in high traffic areas. Every penny counts – WAA has had several classrooms that conducted penny drives to place wreaths for veterans in their own community. One classroom in Ohio raised funds for over 300 wreaths alone. The more people who are involved – even in the smallest ways-- helps achieve the WAA mission.

*These are only suggestions to help with reaching your fundraising goals. Schedule a Meeting with your group/club/organization to explain the program and set a goal for the group and individuals. For example: Instruct each of your members to make list of family & friends for single (1 wreath) and family sponsorships (4 wreaths). Research a list of local businesses (banks, stores, contractors, restaurants, funeral homes, insurance and real estate agencies, etc).

Divide up the list and assign group members several businesses each. List larger businesses and major corporations for 25+ wreath sponsorships. Identify select members and group leadership to approach the top prospects. Set a start date and schedule a progress meeting to check in with everyone. Giving a group deadline for completion also creates a sense of urgency and action.

How to fill out the Wreath Tally Sheet

Example of a Dialogue How to ask a potential customer: Would you like to honor a fallen soldier? Potential customer replies the following: Yes or how can I do that? Your answer: You can do this by purchasing a wreath for $ 15 or you can make a small donation. The wreaths will be delivered to the Fort Logan National Cemetery and on December 15th there will be a wreath laying ceremony to honor our fallen soldiers. We are trying to get a wreath for every fallen soldier as they deserve this honor. We take cash and checks. Check are made payable to Wreaths Across America. If you would like to pay by credit card (hand them a flyer with the information on it) and go to the website and make sure they enter the two codes that are underlined so that the wreaths will be delivered to the right place. Potential customer replies the following: No/Yes (at end of conversation/sale) Your answer: Thank you and have a nice day sir/ma’am.

Sample of Wreath Across America Brochure

WREATH SPONSORSHIP FORM