Gabriel Group Fundraising Blog

Do You Say "Thanks" Enough?

I wrote this blog post last Thanksgiving, but feel that it is still very applicable:

I just love Thanksgiving! For starters, I love it because of all the home-cooked food – my family and I have been orchestrating the exact details of our Thanksgiving feast for the last month. The anticipation built up as we divvyed up who would make the steaming roast turkey, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, moist stuffing with creamy homemade gravy, scrumptious pecan, pumpkin and apple pies!

I also love it that on Thanksgiving you slow down enough that you can actually fall asleep on the couch after stuffing yourself silly. In our fast-paced, uber-connected world, it is so wonderful (and necessary) to unplug and enjoy real face-to-face conversations.

And of course, I also love it because Thanksgiving is when you gather with family and friends and give “thanks” for all their love and support. Think of those people in your life that make you feel warm and fuzzy with their love, and make sure you hug them and tell them “thanks!”

Now you can take all these things I “love” about Thanksgiving and translate them into your planned giving efforts too…

• Food is an international bonding mechanism!! Consider dropping in with a box of fresh donuts or cookies to a few of your donors. Or maybe host an estate planning seminar for a group of your prospects with coffee and continental breakfast included. 
• Face-to-face communication is still the most effective way to fundraise. Sure, you need to do all the other broad-based mailings, emails, social media, research etc., but talking directly to your donors is your most important activity!
• Say “Thanks!” frequently and often. Your donors will never be offended by a card or call or token of your thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving and “thank you” for reading our blog!

 

Author: Renee Durnin, CFRE

The Cardinals Win, SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center Wins and Most Importantly the Kids at SSM Cardinal Glennon Win!

Back in mid-August when SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center decided to automate their popular “Cards for Kids” holiday fundraising program, using Gabriel Group’s G3 platform, no one could have guessed what a fortuitous decision it was.  The goal at that time was two-fold:

1. Enable the card purchasers to personalize their cards with variable messages, signatures and logos
2. Free up Foundation staff from having to manually imprint, wrap and mail the cards…saving money and time

This looked like a win-win situation for everyone involved. Although unbeknownst to any of us at that time, the St. Louis Cardinals were going to come from 10 ½ games out to clench a wildcard spot in the National League playoffs. Fast forward to Game Four of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. It was at this game that the now famous Rally Squirrel made his inaugural appearance, rallying fans, tormenting the Phillies’ pitcher and helping lead the hometown team to a win over the Phillies in five games. 

Success like that cannot be caged.  The next few weeks saw a whirlwind of baseball activity for the Rally Squirrel, as he was adopted as the unofficial mascot of the Cardinals during the quest for 11 in ‘11. As the games of the 2011 World Series came to a magnificent close Friday night, crowning the St. Louis Cardinals World Champions once again, the Rally Squirrel—his work finished with the team—slipped quietly out of the Busch Stadium.  He put on his philanthropic hat and headed over to SSM Cardinal Glennon where he now resides as the official mascot, which brings us back to our original story.

By noon on Saturday, he had his own Rally Squirrel holiday card—celebrating the World Series and benefiting the brave children at SSM Cardinal Glennon, children who know first hand what it means “to never give up!” The decision last August to automate the “Cards for Kids” program through Gabriel Group’s G3 platform, made it possible for Rally (we’re on a first name basis) to instantly switch gears from baseball to kids in need and add his card to SSM Glennon’s “Cards for Kids” website to help raise money for the children of SSM Cardinal Glennon Medical Center.

Join the Rally Squirrel in celebrating the World Series Champion Cardinals by ordering  your customized Rally Squirrel Card (or chose from several other cards designed by children), and support the terrific kids of SSM Cardinal Glennon.  All proceeds from “Cards for Kids” go to benefit the children at SSM Cardinal Glennon Medical Center. Click here or go to: www.glennon.org and order your cards today!

 

Author: Elsie Listrom, CFRE