Tourney setup advice

[HTHM]

I am looking at setting up a fundraising fishing tournament for a group home that my wife is the executive director of. The whole thing needs to be started from scratch, and will be targeted at a specific population. That means it will not be open to the general public.

The place I am thinking about is Valen's Conservation area due to the following reasons:

1 It has handicapped fishing facilities so the residents can participate

2 There are lots of family activities, as the target population tends to have large families

3 It is centrally located to Brantford Cambridge area where most of the target population lives.

Given these limiting criteria what do you suggest I do to attract sponsors?

Does anyone know of another suitable venue keeping in mind the above criteria that I could approach?

Do I need any permits, etc to do this?

The planned date is July 11

I anticipate a turnout of 25 - 40 participants at the most.

Any advice is welcome.

[justin elia]

Hi HTHM,

 

I run the Credit River Steelhead Tournament in the Spring, and here is what I do:

 

Create a letter outinglining your proposed tournament. In your letter include who you are, why you are doing this and the your anticipated outcome of the tournament. Send it out to local tackle shops, fishing distributors, and manufacturers. Don't forget about local organizations and companies as well. Follow it up with a call and I'm sure you will find some people to donate. Just think about who would be willing to help and ask. The worst they could say is no.

 

I would start as soon as possible if you are planning on a July start date as these people usually need lead time to get stuff organized and sent off to you. I usually start in October and gather up around $3000-$5000 worth of money and product.

[uglyfish]

exactly what justin said... start planning now, earlier the better. any ideas u have just write down. then iron out details. then write out a letter. who you are, what the event is, who is involved, what the cause is and what you are trying to accomplish. then go to businesses and speak with the manager and explain it all to him and give him a letter. you will be surprised how many places are willing to make donations to help out with a cause. good luck and all the best with it!

[jediangler]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but Valens already has a tourney on that date. The John Burns Memorial tourney is held every year on the second Saturday in July, one week after fishing on the conservation area lake opens. This one has been going on for years and attracts a couple hundred fisherpeople.

 

See here for details.

 

http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/parks/visit/valens.asp

[Big Cliff]

Talk to any media outlets in the target area that would focuse on the group of people that you want to attract.

 

Get them to help you with some publicity; an article or two. Take that article (or 2) and visit any of the people that advertise in that publication and soliticite them for a donation and offer to have them mentioned in the follow up article "We wish to thank our sponcers for making this event such a wonderful success,

 

That will give you an in with sponcers that already target the group you are approching, promote the sponcers products to the group they are after and give the compeditors prizes that they should be able to use.

 

You might want to check with Valens, I know they have a "gate fee", you might be able to get them to wave the fee for a "charatable event", wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Blake]

Check out BinBrook Conservation area. It should have the requirements you need and great staff to help and they are very experienced doing events of this nature.

[HTHM]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but Valens already has a tourney on that date. The John Burns Memorial tourney is held every year on the second Saturday in July, one week after fishing on the conservation area lake opens. This one has been going on for years and attracts a couple hundred fisherpeople.

 

See here for details.

 

http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/parks/visit/valens.asp

Thanks for that info! I guess I will have to find another venue.....As Blake was saying Binbrook may be a good alternate, but a bit far to go for the pig roast afterward. It is in Copetown area.