Halfway to the Finish – The Toughest Part to Come!
You know how you feel when you finally get to OO while skiing the Birkie? It’s a bit of a relief knowing you are almost halfway to the finish. Then you hit that long stretch to Gravel Pit and think, “I may be half done, but there’s still a long way to go and this last half will be the hardest!”
That’s exactly where we are at with the first-ever ABSF Capital Fundraising Campaign. This is the campaign that will secure the start and finish areas of the American Birkebeiner forever. Phase 1 goal is $650,000 by gun time at the 2015 Birkie, just 4 weeks away (can you believe it?!) – And we’ve just passed the half-way point. That means we need to raise about$300,000 to hit our goal – BIG challenge! Can you help us out?
Click HERE for a fun article of exactly what a successful campaign means to YOU – THE SKIER!
So how are we going to make our goal? Here’s the plan:
1. If ALL 10,500 skiers registered for a Birkie 2015 race each donate just $35 NOW – Presto! We will be DONE with Phase 1 – just like that. If you can, please consider contributing MORE than $35; anything above our goal will roll into Phase 2.
2. Save the Date! Attend our final PHASE 1 Fundraiser on Thursday, February 19 from 5-8pm! You’ve all heard of the fun events we’ve been holding around the region – now get ready for our Push to the FINISH event on Thursday of Birkie week! We are excited to invite Birkie skiers and enthusiasts from all across the USA and the World to come enjoy stories about the early days, learn about our plans for the future, enjoy great food and beverages from The Steakhouse, and have fun with Birkie friends new and old. Our fundraising goal for this event will be to hit our goal of $650,000 and hopefully go over the top! Registration for this event will open soon – watch for a special Birkie Alert email within the next week. This event will be open to the first 300 who register, so act quickly as it will close out fast.
3. Visit Honoring the Legacy – Ensuring the Future at the Birkie Expo on Thursday & Friday! Can’t make it to the event on Thursday evening? We will have a team of staff, Board and volunteers at the Expo to fill you in on our plans, accept your donations, and maybe give away a few really cool prizes. Make sure to stop by and introduce yourself!
4. State, Federal, and Corporate Grants. We are working on several of each, however know that we will not find out if the grants are awarded to us until sometime in late spring, early summer. Construction on the new start area needs to begin early this spring in order to be complete by Birkie 2017 – we’d feel a whole lot more comfortable knowing we have the funds in the bank before we commit to this work.
We MUST be successful with our fundraising – Our future literally depends on it! Thank you very much to those who have already donated. Keep up the momentum by encouraging at least 2 new people to contribute additionally.
Here are ways you can contribute:
- Donate online by clicking the red “Donate Now” button above or visit the Honoring the Legacy – Ensuring the Future home page at www.birkie.com/future
- Donate over the phone by calling the office at 715-634-5025
- Donate by Mail – print form by clicking here Charitable Contribution Form or just mail your check to ABSF – PO Box 911 – Hayward, WI 54843
- Donate stock by calling Amy at the Birkie Office 715-634-5025 or emailing amy.rowley@birkie.com
- Commit to a monthly or annual pledge by calling Amy at the Birkie Office or emailing amy.rowley@birkie.com
- Join us in Hayward on Thursday, February 21st for our final “Sprint to the Finish” fundraiser
- Bring the Birkie to your community – help us coordinate a fundraising event in YOUR town
- The ABSF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Work with a qualified tax consultant and financial planner to maximize your contribution!
We appreciate anything you can do to help us reach the finish line and that $650,000 prize!
Posted January 20, 2015 at 12:55 pm
