How do I organize a pet show to benefit the local animal shelter?

Question

Our town tried to organize a pet show with only ribbons as prizes and no publicity or sponsors. It was a flop. I would like to help next year and do a better job. It needs sponsors and prizes and advertising. Help?

Answer 1

For years I volunteered for a charity that held a silent auction followed by dinner, then a live auction.  

This is a great cause!  The first thing I suggest you look into is http://www.jooners.com/   - a free web app that is great for coordinating all kinds of things.  They even have an event category.  

Here, the animal shelter is a pet project of the city.  I'm not sure if you are in a familiar situation.  I would find the person in charge of coordinating events for the city (here it would be the community relations board) and ask if they could provide any assistance.  I would go with some suggestions in my pocket, but wouldn't bring them up until I got their input.  Sometimes when you make specific requests, you may get them answered and no more.  If you leave it open ended, you will be surprised just how many ideas they will come up with that you had not thought of.  Then contact them later with your pocket requests if you want.  Also think of arenas, civic centers, and other locations in your area where events are often held.  The Parks & Rec Department?  Get in touch with the Coordinators there and ask the same open ended question.

Does the shelter have contacts with Rescues?  See if you can contact them and ask for their suggestions.

Contact the community relations officers at the largest employers in your area and large chain stores.  They are use to requests from charities and usually have specific procedures in place to make offers or to determine if your cause is eligible for assistance.  Ask to speak directly to the manager.  

Contact other volunteers of the animal shelter and ask if they know any companies that would be willing to contribute in any way.  Make sure that when you get other people involved that you know who they are going to ask before they ask.  Otherwise, you will have duplicate people going to the same sources.

Contact local restaurants.  Contact local printers - they may agree to donating or low cost printing of fliers, banners, or the like.

Contact the local newspapers - they often have someone who will work with service organizations on PR possibilities for free or almost free.

That is all I can think of off of the top of my head.  I think if you contact these people you will be truly surprised at just how many prize donations and how much PR assistance you will receive.  And if you end up with too many prizes or prizes that do not make sense for use to participants, have door prizes and use that as PR to increase spectator attendance.  

Oh, and if you want to have a step in for the following year, recruit volunteers to hand write thank you cards to everyone who gave assistance.  

I hope this helps.

- Laurel Plum

http://laurelplumonline.com

Answer 2

i would go talk with local vet clinics around your area--they would probably put up signs and let people know about your show!