Jeeps for Joy Memorial Toy Drive!

The following is information for this years event. Many of you already know what this event is all about, so a lot of this is for those who are not familiar.

Below this general information is more information on forming a committee for this years event.

GENERAL INFO:
Who: Jeeps for Joy Memorial Toy Drive

What: This is our annual toy drive, in it's 5th year! The toy drive is in memory of Matthew Allen, Bob Allen's (hurrcane) son, and Keith McDaniel, who was a friend of Rob & Steve Smith. Matt and Keith were both avid Jeepers before this club was around. Both passed away at a young age from cancer. Both received care at AI duPont Hospital for Childrens, one of two beneficiaries of our event.

The children there are often very sick, and their families are dealing with enough issues handling their care. To help relieve some of the burden, our donations, along with donations from several sources, are used to brighten the Holidays for these kids.

The second beneficiary is Childrens Choice, a foster care agency. Many children are placed through the agency very close to the Holidays, not allowing their foster parents time to plan gift buying for them. Our donations go to the parents to help make the Holidays happier for these children.

In the past, along with collecting donations on the event day, we work with Jeep dealers throughout the state and in PA & MD to collect donations. We also invite the public to donate to us in person on the day of. Getting the word out about this event is crucial, everyone's help is needed. Each Jeeper (member or not) who drives a Jeep in the caravan, and donates, will receive 1 free shirt. Shirts and sweatshirts are also for sale at the event. Sponsorship money goes towards paying for the advertising and shirts. Last year, we collected almost 1300 donations that were divided up between the two beneficiaries.

Several of us have been available for drop offs on the night before, Friday, for people to drop off donations. That has not yielded a huge amount, but it's tradition! It's up to the committee if we will continue to do the Friday night drop off.

On Saturday, we start at 8am setting up the canopy, and we're in the lot until roughly 2 or 2:30 taking donations from people. Jeeps will continue to come to the event until we leave around 2:30 to caravan all of the donations directly to the hospital to drop off. You are highly encouraged to get your family, friends and co-workers to come donate at our event. They do not need to be Jeep owners to donate. But they must own a Jeep if they want to participate in the caravan.

After donating at the hospital, everyone is encouraged to go back to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner, if they are not going to BMJA's Holiday Party. I think people will be more willing to do this now that it IS a Ruby Tuesday, as the previous restaurant was not a favorite of many I've been told. Please consider doing this to finish off the day with friends, and to show our thanks to Ruby Tuesday for allowing us to use their restrooms during the day (trust me, they come in handy!)

Where: Parking lot in Pike Creek Shopping Center, on Limestone Road (Rt. 7) across from Goldey Beacom college. We are outside between Ruby Tuesday's and the bank. We set up a canopy with tables inside to sign in, receive your shirt, buy other shirts if you'd like. WE usually have heaters as well if it gets too cold.

When: Friday, December 9th from 5pm to 9pm (if we elect to do that this year)
and Saturday, December 10th from 8am to roughly 4pm (not including dinner)

Why: because it feels good!

__________________________________________________________
Toy Run Committee

I need to get this done before or at the October Meeting. What we need, for those of you not involved before, are contacts from the club to work with all of the Jeep dealers in DE, and the closer ones in PA, MD, or NJ.

Our members who volunteer for the committe are assigned one dealership each (or more if they want) and serve as the club contact for that location. They gift wrap a box, and take it to the dealer a few weeks before the event to collect donations. Then the contact picks up the box from the dealer on the Friday night before, and brings the donations to the event on Saturday.

It's not a lot of work:
[list]1st visit: approach the manager about being a drop-off location and/or sponsor
2nd visit: bringing the gift-wrapped box and fliers to their location
3rd visit: checking in 2 weeks before to see if the box needs any attention, or the location needs more fliers.
4th visit: pick up box on Friday, bring it to the event on Saturday.[/list:u]
In addition, we need people to contact their places of business to see if they are interested in sponsoring the event, especially if you work at Walmart , you know who you are! Or maybe Quadratec? (Q'tec guys: I have Craig's name to call him about this soon)

Sponsorship in the past has been $100, but not tax-deductible. This year, we will be in the determination process for tax-exempt status, but it will be retroactive to the date of incorporation, which was in August. So donations this year from sponsors will be $250 minimum tax-deductible donation, and that will get the dealership/ business a listing and link on our site (or a separate toy run site if it's running), and their name on the back of the event shirt. We are hoping to have fewer overall sponsors that are random businesses, but still being able to afford more advertising. The shirt cost alone is close to $1000 for this event.

Here is a list of the participating Jeep dealerships in the past:
[list]Wilmington-Brandywine Chrysler Jeep- Paul McCullough (wanderlust)

Wilmington-Star Jeep- Andrew Lesser (BlueJ)

Newark-Newark Chrysler Jeep- Steve Dey (deadfeat)

New Castle-Gambacorta Chrysler Jeep- Josh Marcus (joo)

Dover-Hertrich Nissan Jeep- Jen Coleman (jc1121)

Milford-IG Burton Chrysler Jeep- Fred Soler (PHBSOLER)

Seaford-IG Burton of Seaford- Fred Soler (PHBSOLER)

Elkton, MD-Advantage Chrysler Jeep

Oxford, PA-Country Chrysler Jeep- Brian Little (BDLSTOY)

Kennett Square, PA-D’Ambrosio’s Chrysler Jeep- Brian Little (BDLSTOY)[/list:u]

IF you know you can handle what is asked, and will definitely be attending the event, and would like to be the contact for any Jeep dealership listed above, please either post here, or send me a PM. I will sign you up on this list as that contact for that location.

We will also try to have a very brief meeting, either before or after the October meeting to get organized. Also, there will be a separate forum created that only committee members will have access to so you can check in when things are done.

Please consider helping out with this very worthwhile event. I will appreciate any and all help I can get this year.

Any further questions, concerns, thoughts, suggestions, etc, please PM me with them.

Thanks everyone!
Paul (thinking about Happier Holidays already! )

Thanks guys, I've updated the list. Brian, I listed you as both Oxford and Kennett, and if someone wants to take one off your hands I'll change it again.

Quote from "joo"

If no one wants it, I'll take Gambacorda. You guys just gotta clue me in with whta I gotta do, and I'll do it well!

Ok Josh, I'll list you for Gambacorta. Also, you'll eventually get all the paperwork you need from me. A timetable of what needs to be done, and when. Fliers to hand out or hang up (with permission), and introductory letters and receipts for possible sponsors. We're still a few weeks away from getting it all under way, so don't get all out of sorts yet. Once you see the whole package, you'll see how easy it really is.

If everyone signing up can meet before or after the October meeting, it would be really helpful. Well, IF I can get all the paperwork together by then.

Quote from "deadfeat"

I'll take Newark again.

Thanks Steve, you're in.

Quote

Also, we will continue the Friday night tradition.

I knew you wouldn't let me down!!

Jen & Fred, you've been added, thanks a lot!

Just 2 locations left, although one is Elkton, and I remember Nikki saying last year that the dealer location there didn't do so well, and they weren't as nice as they could be. So if that location doesn't happen, no biggie.

If anyone knows of any other Jeep dealerships that I do not have on the list, AND you're interested in being the contact for that location, please let me know.

Paul

Quote from "deadfeat"

I think that the dealer participation is an issue. Most really don't get into it. I've been thinking about how to increase participation.

-Set up a better display around the toy box. Perhaps lights and some decorations. with DEJA buisness cards and Toy run invitiations for the taking. -we gift wrap the boxes and there's a flier affixed to the front. The dealership has fliers to hand out as well. I don't think lights are practical though. Maybe we can suggest they collect donations in a Jeep on the showroom floor.

-Seed the boxes with a few toys to get the ball rolling. This could be done by having DEJA members stop by and drop off toys later. -good idea, we can do that.

- Invite dealers to participate more in the Toy run. If they are involved, it will be a greater motivation. Perhaps a VIP tent with food for the dealers. -I'd like a VIP tent with food for us! but our budget is still VERY small for this event, I don't know if we can swing that this year. Plus, it's taking up more space in the lot, and I don't want to push it and lose that location.

- Let them set up a Jeep or two as a sales oppertunity.-I will suggest this to Gene at BCP, since they are closest and see what he thinks of it.

- Ask them for suggestions on how we might work better this year. -might be best to do with each dealership, as different things may or may not be allowed, or they may only be willing to do some things.

- Offer free club memberships as prizes at each dealership. One chance for each toy donated. -there's something to this, but I don't know what yet. we'd need some sort of entry form, which isn't a problem, but there would need to be a way to insure that only people that donated got a form to fill out. We can't ask the dealerships to be responsible for this though. Maybe list on the flier that they can enter to win a free year membership in the Jeep club at the event, and we can handle the drawing there.
Steve

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way to be thinking about it Steve!