Fund Raisers, Ltd.

Minnesota Twins to Honor Manager

2012-01-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Twins recently announced plans to retire former manager Tom Kelly's no. 10 uniform Sept. 8th at Target Field.

According to The Associated Press, Kelly was in charge for both of the team's World Series titles, in 1987 and 1991. He is the team's all-time leader in manager wins, with 1,140 over 15-plus seasons. He currently serves as a special assistant to general manager Terry Ryan.

If anyone knows how to show their appreciation for those who’ve had an impact on the franchise’s success, it’s the Minnesota Twins. The team celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2010 with a Tradition Wall outside the stadium. The names of fans and players are etched in glass to forever be a part of Twins history.

As the summer descends on the final month of the regular season, fans will celebrate a legend, honoring Kelly's number and commitment to the Twins.

NHL All-Star Game

2012-01-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Ready for some indoor winter excitement, eh? The Ottawa Senators will host the sold-out 2012 NHL All-Star game Sunday, January 29th. Check your local listing for times to cheer on your favorite players as Team Chara and Team Alfredsson go head-to-head in the annual mid-season event.

Among the list of top contenders are Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price and rookie defenseman Raphael Diaz. The pair bring with them endless fan support in Quebec, Canada, displayed generously on the grounds of Centennial Plaza at Bell Centre. Over a century old, the plaza celebrates the loyalty of Canadiens fans as well as four of the greatest players in the home team’s history. Engraved names and sentiments show passion for the game and those who play it, warming the team on any ice rink.

Whether you root for the Canadiens or anyone else, show your love for your team and get in the game! It’ll be one you won’t want to miss!

Movin’ West and Movin’ Up!

2012-01-26T16:49:00.003-07:00

Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is traveling to Indianapolis after accepting the role as the Colts’ new head coach. With an impressive resume, the first-time lead dog brings twenty-eight years of assistant coaching experience with him, ten in the National Football League, including the previous four with the Ravens.

ESPN.com reported that under Pagano, Baltimore allowed the third-fewest points and yards in the league in 2011. Safety Ed Reed, linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs and nose tackle Haloti Ngata also made the Pro Bowl under Pagano.

While Pagano has many successful years under his belt, he’s still got a lot to prove as a head coach. Not to worry however, Colts fans are thrilled to welcome the 51-year-old as he makes his debut. And in case there is any doubt, there to welcome his entrance, engraved just under his feet, will be bricks of loyalty and sentiment from fans with never-ending faith in their team at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Detroit Tigers Lookin' Good for 2012

2012-01-25T16:04:00.002-07:00

Detroit Tigers fans are excited to welcome slugger Prince Fielder. Previously with the Milwaukee Brewers, Fielder has averaged 40 homers and 113 RBIs over the past five years. He's also been among the most durable players in the majors, appearing in at least 157 games in each of the last six seasons, according to ESPN.com. With plans to pair his power-hitting abilities with that of Miguel Cabrera in the Tigers’ strategy line up, the Motor City team is hopeful for a dominating upcoming season.

"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" by Phil Collins was in the music industry's Top 10 most popular songs in 1984 when the Tigers took home their last World Series Championship. It seems they took it to heart.

Looking promising in many previous seasons, the final rounds of the play-offs have fallen just out of reach for the Detroit team. The Tigers' last appearance in the WS was in 2006 against the St. Louis Cardinals, winning only 1 of 5 games.

There’s always next year though! Through the best of times and the worst of times in franchise history, Detroit fans have been loyal. Engraved in brick framing Comerica Stadium, is ever-lasting support from those who fill the stands on a nightly basis and those who watch religiously from a television set, too far from a ticketed entrance.

Preparing the Purple Pinstripes

2012-01-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

After the Broncos’ heart-breaking fumble at a triumphant season-end, Denver fans look forward to a promising stretch on a different field. Colorado Rockies execs continue to spend the winter months bulking up the line-up at Coors Field, acquiring Boston Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro to play second base, Cincinnati Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez and Minnesota Twins right-fielder Michael Cuddyer.

As preparations for the summer months evolve, Rockies fans lie in wait for early April when

America

’s pastime comes to life. No matter the weather or change in the family however, passion for the home team surrounds Coors Field all year long with names and sentiments engraved in bricks framing the stadium.

Super Bowl XLVI

2012-01-23T17:32:00.001-07:00

Things are heating up as the New York Giants prepare to go head-to-head with the New England Patriots for a second Super Bowl match-up Sunday, February 5^th. The teams will faceoff in neutral territory at Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the Indianapolis Colts.

An added intensity is in the air this year as fans remember the Giants’ late-game win in Super Bowl XLII that ended the Pats' drive at a perfect season. The pressure for victory is on.

Passion will be an understatement for the fans of these eastern teams. Jerseys, signs and roars of enthusiasm will flood the stadium for one of the most exciting sporting events of the year. What also won’t go unnoticed for those attending the game is the permanent dedication shown by fans of the Indianapolis home team. Surrounding the stadium, fans have engraved their loyalty with names and messages forever to be a part of the Colts legacy. Being a fan is something we take to heart.

A November to Remember

2012-01-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

The St. Louis Cardinalstook a hard swing at their chance at the play-offs and slid in safely, narrowlymissing the final out. As the National League Wild Card holder, they struggledto contend in each level of the final rounds. Finally, after seven nail-bitinggames of the World Series, they walked away with a well-earned championship.

President Barak Obama honored them by calling them the "greatestcomeback team in the history of baseball," according to the AssociatedPress.

Obama is not the only one to show his support, as hundredsof fans have engraved their loyalty on the red brick surrounding Busch Stadium.For over 100 years, the eleven-time World Series champs continue to win thelove of fans across America.

New York Mets 50th Anniversary

2012-01-19T14:55:00.001-07:00

Fifty never looked so good! Showoff your team pride with an engraved brick to be installed in Citi Field’s Fanwalk and be a part of Mets history. New York’s beloved National League team is proud torecognize their fans. Get one for yourself, a loved one and more! Each brickpurchase includes a complimentary replica to display at home or at the office. Don’tdelay! All orders before February 1^st will be installed and ready forthe 2012 season. So, get on out there and hit a homerun for team spirit!

IMS Commemorative Brick Program

2010-12-21T17:30:00.009-07:00

The unmistakable connection between bricks and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway began over 100 years ago when the racing surface was paved with more than 3 million bricks.

For the first time in history we're offering you the opportunity to add a personalized brick to the Brickyard®. With four locations to choose from, everyone can commemorate that special moment from their visit to IMS. Place your brick at Gate 1 where you've always entered the hallowed grounds on race morning. Or at Gate 9 to remember that memorable weekend with friends and family in the camping lot. Or place them in the historic landmarks of the Hall of Fame Museum TM or Pagoda Plaza. Purchase a paver for yourself, friend, or loved one. You can pay tribute to your favorite driver, memory, or personal history with the Brickyard®. Each brick will include an official Certificate of Acknowledgement bearing your inscription. These Certificates will be individually numbered and a brick locator map will be provided to help you find your brick after installation.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to be a part of Brickyard® history!

Holiday Gift Idea - Personalized Bricks!

2010-11-04T11:31:00.008-06:00

On my holiday shopping list, I always have one person that I don't know what to get them. Do you have someone like that on your list? Why not honor him or her with a personalized brick? Is baseball the love of their life? Purchase a personalized brick to be installed at Braves Turner Field or Royals Kauffman Stadium. Did he or she attend the University of Wyoming, University of South Florida, Bowling Green State University or University of Missouri-St. Louis? Give them the gift of a lifetime, securing them in history at his or her alma mater. Or are they the die hard NASCAR® fan in your life? Make him or her feel like the race leader by purchasing them a commemorative brick at the NASCAR® Hall of Fame. Don't know what to write on such a monumental gift? Purchase a gift certificate and let the surprised recipient choose their own inscription. Don't see your favorite team in this list? Call 1(800)288-6447 to see if your team has a personalized brick program.

Purchase by 11/15/2010 to guarantee replicas ship in time for Christmas delivery.

Pepsi Center Deadline Fast Approaching!

2010-10-05T17:37:00.006-06:00

The last day to purchase a Pepsi Center Plaza of Fame Brick or a Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Denver Metropolitan Brick is Monday, October 11th. To place an order please visit www.brickorder.com/pepsicenter, www.saveaboobie.com or call 1(877)737-2279.

Denver Race for the Cure®

2010-10-05T16:50:00.018-06:00

The Denver Race for the Cure® had over 50,000 participants! The community of Denver is amazing and we wanted to say thank you! On Sunday, October 3rd, we were fortunate to set up a "Bricks for Boobies" booth at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®. This gave us the opportunity to meet and listen to so many survivors, their friends and family members. Hearing their stories of trials and triumphs was inspirational. Breast cancer has touched almost every family. Through this event, meeting all of the wonderful participants filled us with pride, gave us hope and provided us with some new heroes.

We would also like to congratulate the four winners of the 8"x8" Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Denver Metropolitan Logo Bricks: Jennifer Potter, Ann Wolta, Kristie Bradford and Allison Marfil. Special thanks to the Denver Susan G. Komen group and Pepsi Center who hosted the event.

For more information on the Race for the Cure® Bricks please visit www.brickorder.com/pepsicenter, http://www.saveaboobie.com/ or call 1(877)737-2279. For more information on breast cancer or the Susan G. Komen Foundation, please visit http://www.komendenver.org/.

UMSL Tritons

2010-08-10T08:59:00.007-06:00

The University of Missouri-St. Louis has launched the Mark Twain Legacy Plaza to assist with the revitalization of the Mark Twain Building. The entrance will be developed as a courtyard where personalized bricks will line the walkway where thousands of people pass through each year. Cement your legacy by purchasing a 4x8 engraved paver, an 8x8 engraved paver, an 8x8 engraved logo paver or a 12x12 engraved granite paver. To order, please click here or call 1-877-NO1-UMSL today!

BGSU Giving Away Travel Package To Michigan Game

2010-08-05T08:49:00.004-06:00

Dating back to June 18th, the first 100 engraved brick orders placed for the Stroh Center Brick Campaign are being entered into a drawing to win a travel package for two, September 24-25 when the team travels to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan at the Big House. The package includes roundtrip travel on team buses, hotel accomodations, inclusion in a team meal and two tickets to the game.

Bricks are almost sold out for this special offer. Order yours today online or call 1-877-AY-ZIGGY!

University of South Florida Bulls

2010-08-03T07:41:00.003-06:00

The USF Athletics District Tile & Brick Program kicked off Monday. You may purchase a personalized engraved brick at the Morsani Football Practice Facility, the Pam & Les Muma Basketball Center & the new USF Soccer Stadium. Also available for purchase are engraved granite tiles at the USF Baseball Stadium and USF Softball Stadium. To make your purchase please visit www.brickorder.com/usf or call 1-888-USF-1412 to be recognized at all the new facilities.

Pepsi Center Race for the Cure® Brick Program

2010-07-29T17:27:00.009-06:00

Race for the Cure® kicks off its brick program at Pepsi Center, home of the Avalanche, Nuggets and Mammoth Tusks. Local racers, cancer survivors and their families have the opportunity to commemorate their fight against breast cancer in this unique personalized brick program. Outfitted with pink ribbons, these personalized bricks are a special reminder for those who have fought, currently fight or will fight breast cancer. For information on the Race for the Cure® Bricks please visit www.brickorder.com/pepsicenter.
For more information on breast cancer or the Susan G. Komen Foundation, please visit http://www.komendenver.org/.

Strasburg Shines In Debut

2010-06-09T08:55:00.004-06:00

Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 batters in his first game Tuesday night. He allowed two earned runs, four hits and didn't walk a single batter as he won his major league debut. He faced the Pittsburgh Pirates, who did an engraved brick program with us at PNC Park.

Angels Reclaim Lead In AL West

2010-06-08T08:15:00.006-06:00

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reclaimed first place in the AL West Monday night with a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics. The Angels have now won six straight games. Did you know the Angels are still offering engraved bricks, located at the entry diamond of Angels Stadium? Optional replica bricks are also available for purchase so orders yours today!

Celtics Tie Series With Lakers, 1-1

2010-06-07T08:23:00.005-06:00

Ray Allen set an NBA Finals record with eight 3-pointers as the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night at Staples Center 103-94 to even the series at one game apiece. The next 3 games will be played in Boston, starting Tuesday night. Laker fans, don't forget to purchase an engraved paver to be installed in Star Plaza.

Call Costs Tigers Pitcher Perfect Game

2010-06-03T08:23:00.003-06:00

Two MLB teams who have done an engraved brick program with us, the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, were involved in a game last night that will be talked about for the rest of the season and beyond. Armando Galarraga was one out away from pitching the 21st perfect game in Major League history and the third this season. Jason Donald of the Cleveland Indians hit a ground ball to Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera which threw over to first base where Galarraga was covering the bag. The ball beat Donald to the bag but the umpire called him safe. It's unfortunate that with the technology we have available today, a close call like that can't be overturned with instant replay. This morning we should be talking about history and the gem Galarraga threw. Instead we are talking about a bad call by a respected umpire on a close play.

Cowboys Stadium Tennis Slam

2010-06-02T08:32:00.005-06:00

The Dallas Cowboys new stadium, Cowboys Stadium, will host the inagural Cowboys Stadium Tennis Slam on July 10. This exhibition will feature a match between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova followed by a match between Andy Roddick and John Isner. The Dallas Cowboys are still offering personalized brick pavers to be installed at the new facility. Order yours today!

Atlanta Braves Winning Streak

2010-06-01T08:24:00.006-06:00

The Atlanta Braves won their sixth straight game on Monday by beating the Phillies at Turner Field. The win moves them into sole possession of first place. Have you purchased your engraved brick at Turner Field? The Atlanta Braves Foundation Legacy Brick Paver Program is now in it's 5th Phase. There is still time to order your personalized engraved brick to have it installed before the end of the 2010 season.

New York Mets - Citi Field Tour

2010-05-27T15:19:00.004-06:00

The New York Mets are inviting their fans to take a tour of Citi Field. Share your experience with other fans by purchasing a personalized paver to be installed just outside the new ballpark. Included with your paver purchase is a complimentary replica brick to proudly display in your home or office.

Father's Day Gift Idea - Personalized Bricks

2010-05-13T17:11:00.009-06:00

Do you have a rock solid dad? Why not honor him at his favorite baseball, football or college stadium with a personalized brick? Make a lasting tribute to your first Father/Son, Father/Daughter game at Citi Field or the Super Bowl you attended together, cheering for the Dallas Cowboys. Did your dad attend University of Wyoming or BGSU? Give him the gift of a lifetime, securing him in history at his alma mater. Or does your dad lead laps ahead of the rest? Make him feel like he’s in the winner’s circle by purchasing him a commemorative brick at the NASCAR® Hall of Fame. Father’s Day is fast approaching! Order by May 17, 2010 for guaranteed Father’s Day delivery.

Wyoming Athletics Legacy Wall Campaign

2010-04-09T13:10:00.004-06:00

Is your son or daughter graduating this spring from the University of Wyoming? Have a star athlete that participated in Wyoming Athletics? Commemorate those achievements with a University of Wyoming Legacy Wall personalized paver that will be installed in the Legacy Wall at War Memorial Stadium! Also, you can purchase a paver to share your memories with other UW Alumni! Replicas are a great way to display your dedication to the Pokes at home or in the office.

NASCAR® Hall of Fame

2010-04-09T11:06:00.002-06:00

The long wait for the NASCAR® Hall of Fame to become a reality is now over! The installation of the bricks has begun and will be completed by the Grand Opening on May 11, 2010. NASCAR® Hall of Fame Commemorative Brick Program is still offering personalized bricks for purchase, so you still have time to be a part of NASCAR® history! Visit the NASCAR® Hall of Fame website for more information regarding the Grand Opening and purchasing your personalized brick.

Minnesota Twins Tradition Wall

2010-04-08T11:58:00.006-06:00

The Minnesota Twins Tradition Wall is now up at Target Field and it is gorgeous! Although everything is sold out if you have an inscription on the Twins Tradition Wall the Commemorative Glass Replicas are still available.

If you are interested in being contacted when/if the Twins decide to reopen sales for an additional wall, please call 877-894-6925 or respond to this message.

Opening Day for the Twins is April 12, 2010, against the Boston Red Sox.

Visit Target Plaza to view your inscription emblazoned on one of the 8 glass panels that commemorate the Heart, Memories, Dreams, Family, History, Tradition, Passion and Excellence of the Minnesota Twins. Along with these 8 panels, the names of the Twins players who have played since the inaugural season of 1961 will be inscribed on the pennants.

To view a video of the production of the Glass Panels, click here. The video was created by C.J. of the Star Tribune.

Pepsi Center - Plaza of Fame

2010-04-08T11:50:00.002-06:00

With the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche making the playoffs in their respective sports, you now have a chance to be a part of Pepsi Center forever, by purchasing a personalized brick to share your memories with other fans and your family members.

Visit the Pepsi Center website for more information. Bricks purchased will be placed in the Plaza of Fame located outside the Grand Atrium entrance.

St. Louis Cardinals Musial Plaza

2010-04-08T10:54:00.003-06:00

Don’t miss out on being a part of the Stan Musial Plaza, all the bricks have been sold out except the 4”x18” Granite Paver. Be a permanent fixture at Busch Stadium in one of the most premier locations available. Purchase a paver to commemorate your memories of the 2006 World Series Champions, the times you spent with your family at the stadium on a Sunday afternoon, or the time you saw Stan Musial hit one of his 3,630 hits of his career.

Visit the St. Louis Cardinals website for more information, don’t wait any longer, or you may miss out!

New York Mets - Citi Field: Fanwalk Amazin' Moments

2010-04-08T10:08:00.007-06:00

Did you see David Wright hit an Opening Day homerun at Citi Field on April 6, 2010? His homerun lifted the New York Mets to a 7-1 victory over the Florida Marlins. Have other memories of the Mets that you never want to forget? Visit the New York Mets website and purchase a personalized paver that will be at Citi Field forever!

The Mets are now into Phase II of Citi Field: Fanwalk Amazin' Moments, don’t miss out on this Amazin’ opportunity to become a part of Citi Field!

Atlanta Braves Paver Program

2010-04-08T09:40:00.005-06:00

Were you there for Jason Heyward’s first homerun in his first major league at bat on Opening Day at Turner Field? Want to commemorate that memory forever? Purchase a personalized paver with your inscription to remember the night!

Atlanta Braves Paver Program is now in Phase 5, if you would like to become a permanent part of Turner Field visit the Atlanta Braves website for more information.

Re: Your stories and our Brick Fundraising

2010-02-12T11:10:00.006-07:00

Back in November our very own Ms. Jasah Cripe asked the world for their touching stories about any of our Brick Fundraisers, and I wanted to feature our first from one Linda Curry:

This is truly a great idea for that special person who has everything or needs nothing. My Grandmother, Amy Lehan, celebrated her 103RD birthday this past December and we were stumped as to what to get her. She has been a Mets fan since day one and continues to listen to the games. She was thrilled when she received her "Birthday Brick" from her grandchildren. Although her sight is mostly gone she was able to feel the inscription and is honored to immortalized in stone at Citifield. Thank you to all the staff and Fund Raisers and especially to Diane for all your help.

Linda has provided a picture of Grandmother Lehan with her handsome replica, a facsimile of the Engraved Brick to be installed at the New York Met's Citifield Fanwalk's new Amazin' Moments sections.

We at Fund Raisers, Ltd. wish Amy and her Grandkids the very best. And Kudos to Dianne and all the people behind the scenes and Amy's Grandkids for giving Amy a happy birthday.

Have a story to tell?? We would love to hear from you!

2009-11-24T08:08:00.010-07:00

Here at Fund Raisers, Ltd., we hear stories from our customers all the time as to why they are purchasing a personalized engraved brick. They tell us how much the brick means to them and/or who they are purchasing it for. If you would like to share your story, we would love to read it!

Bricks, Past and Present.

2009-11-06T10:27:00.001-07:00

At Fund Raisers, Ltd., our chief guarantee for the quality of our bricks for your brick paver fundraiser is that we guarantee the legibility of our inscriptions for the life of the brick. The first question we hear from a large majority of clients in response to this guarantee is "Well, what is the life of a brick?"

We asked the same question of our brick providers, and they referred us to the many brick structures all over the modern world that have been in place since the 1800s. I thought the nineteenth century is great and all, but why not go back a little further?

St. Mary's Church in Lübeck, Germany was constructed between 1250 and 1350. It is Germany's third largest church and remains the tallest building of old Lübeck. It was constructed from many baked red bricks, a common building material in 13th century Northern Europe.

In the ancient world, and the world's oldest standing brick structure, the The ceremonial enclosure of Khasekhemwy in Hierakonpolis, Egypt was built sometime around 2686 B.C. and stood 29.5 feet tall with walls 16.4 feet thick. Almost 5000 years after it's construction it remains standing.

Monticello itself, Thomas Jefferson's palatial estate began construction in 1769 of bricks produced on the grounds of the property. It appears on the back of the nickel.

These marvelous structures are a testament to the tenacious nature of our most common earthenware building material. Today's bricks are more sophisticated than the sun-baked bricks of Khasekhemwy's time and while your experience may differ, you can rest assured of the longevity of your brick paver fundraiser.

The Fans' Wall of Fame

2009-08-25T17:24:00.080-06:00

In the brick fundraising business, we find that the word "fame" is often attached to our clients' fundraising programs. NASCAR has the Hall of Fame®, in which they will be installing our commemorative bricks prior to the spring of 2010. Within Heritage Park at Progressive Field, the Cleveland Indians have used our engraved brick pavers to enhance the Indians' Hall of Fame. Both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Indianapolis Colts have had great responses to their Walk of Fame engraved brick program sales. And the Pepsi Center (home to the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche, the Colorado Mammoth, etc.) is about to begin a brick fundraiser for their Plaza of Fame at the Grand Atrium.

At Fund Raisers Ltd., we have a place in the Customer Service Center that we have labeled the Fans' Wall of Fame. It is a wall, upon which we maintain copies of letters, emails and photos that have been sent to us by customers who were so happy with our products and service that they took the time and made the effort to communicate with us and say "Thanks!" I would like to share three of these stories with you.

Mildred Titus has been a Minnesota Twins fan for a very, very long time. She is ninety-six years old! When she learned of the Tradition Wall that the Twins will be unveiling next year, she told her daughter-in-law, Margi, that she did not believe herself to be "worthy" of having her name etched onto the huge glass walls, among the names of such great players. Nevertheless, Margi ordered an inscription for her mother-in-law. It says: "In Honor of Mildred Elaine Titus." Margi also chose to purchase the optional glass replica, so that Mildred could have that at home. When we learned of the special circumstances of this order, we produced the glass replica as fast as we could, and were able to send it to her earlier than the scheduled delivery date. Once Mildred received it, she wanted to have a photo taken, to show her great joy at getting the replica. But we did have to wait a little while to get the picture. She insisted upon getting her hair permed before having her photograph taken!

Jaime Florencia was only twenty-three when he died in 2007, from complications due to Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. In his short life, however, this young Texan made it clear to everyone that he was an absolute and total Dallas Cowboys fan. His brick was ordered as a memorial paver by his mother, Rosa. The inscription says:

IN LOVING MEMORY

JAIME ROLANDO

FLORENCIA, JR.

A #1 FAN ALWAYS

Jaime was one of those great fans who supported his team, win or lose, and he wanted everyone to know it. His wheelchair had to have Cowboys colors (of course!) and when his van needed repainting, he insisted that they use the colors that would show his Cowboys pride. He even had a Dallas Cowboys jersey for the family dog!

It seemed only fitting to the family, therefore, that something that spoke of the Cowboys should accompany Jaime to his gravesite. His tombstone color is Cowboys gray, and the background of it has the Cowboys star and a halo etched upon it. Since his burial, his dad, sisters and some close friends have all had that star-and-halo image tattooed upon them, in loving memory of Jaime. When Rosa sent this terrific picture of her with Jaime at one of the last Cowboys games that Jaime was able to attend, she told us that her tattoo is in her heart, and that it helps her to envision her own precious Cowboys fan, watching the games from heaven through the opened roof.

Corinne Buffmire and her boyfriend had both been avid fans of the Chicago Cubs for more than ten years when he decided to propose to her. He chose to do the proposing at Wrigley Field, the home of the Cubs. He had planned to do it on the actual corner of Clark and Addison (the world-famous entrance to the ballpark), but became so nervous that he dropped to one knee and proposed to Corinne between ticket windows 22 and 23. As a surprise wedding gift, she ordered a memorial paver, to commemorate their engagement. It says:

ENGAGED 12.12.08

JUSTIN & CORINNE

GO CUBS GO!

Corinne sent this photo to us, which beautifully captures their happy moment at Wrigley Field.

With such great fans, you can see why we have our own Fans' Wall of Fame in the Customer Service Center at Fund Raisers, Ltd. Happiness can be contagious, and we are honored to have the opportunity to share in such deeply personal and special moments in the lives of our customers.

Becky

Installation for Memorial Brick Fundraising Projects

2009-08-21T12:40:00.012-06:00

Memorial brick fundraising projects are great, because they add the aesthetic appeal and durability of clay pavers while raising money for your cause.

Before potential memorial brick fundraising clients sign-on to do an engraved brick program, they often have a bunch of questions to ask regarding installation and installation costs.

We are not a brick paver installation company, but we have spent more than 20 years working with brick installation projects. Through the years, we have learned about some great resources. I thought it would be nice to share some of these resources at this time.

One of the best sites for brick pavers information is The Brick Industry. This website has a great deal of information about the advantages of using brick pavers as well as how to properly install them.

This link provides some resources that show the value of brick pavers. (The flash version of building with genuine clay pavers is good.)

The technical notes portion of their website has a lot of valuable information pertaining to installing brick pavers. The specific guidelines for installing paving systems using clay pavers, Technical Note 14 , and for installing paving systems using a clay pavers sand-setting bed, Technical Note 14A, are both very useful.

Pricing for installation can vary greatly from state to state, but this is a good reference point: Paver Search.

When you do the math and consider what it costs to install a 4x8 memorial brick verses the funds you raise with each paver, you can see the value. Remember that 1 sqft of pavers consists of approximately 4.5 4x8 pavers.

I hope that this information has proven useful.

Bill

Hospital Fundraising Ideas - Engraved brick pavers or tiles

2009-08-19T15:15:00.012-06:00

Fund Raisers, Ltd. has been in business since 1987 and has seen an incredible amount of successful fundraisers. When we analyze the successes of our clients and break down the numbers into categories (Schools, Churches, Memorials, Parks, Playgrounds, Libraries, Zoos, Hospitals, Downtown Revitalization, etc.), I am always amazed at the results.

Though the programs vary within each category, one of the categories that is always towards the top of the list is Hospital Engraved Brick Fundraisers. When we first got into this business, we never could have guessed that hospitals and medical care facilities would make up such a large percentage of our clients. In hindsite, I that guess it does make sense because of the emotional connection that people have with these institutions.

Two of the greatest moments in my life were the births of my children. When I think back to those two experiences, I feel connected to both of the hospitals. As a child growing up in New York, I can vividly remember how excited I would get every time that I passed the hospital in which I was born. I would proudly exclaim, "That's the hospital where I was born." That connection will always be there.

Additionally, medical care facilities, and the great people who work there, have a daily impact on the lives of many people in many other ways.

Recently, I was going through the pictures of some of our successful commemorative brick fundraisers and saw this picture of St. Luke's Hospital. It reminded me of a local newspaper article that I had read. I searched the web to see if it was still posted. Surprisingly, the article is still posted for all to see!

St. Luke's Commemorative Brick Fundraiser - Bricks Tie Hospital to Patients

To me, it captures the essence of doing an engraved brick fundraising project for a hospital or medical facility.

Funny that I just finished the Finance 101 group and am immediately able to present such a perfect example of the free marketing / advertising that I was talking about.

Life is good,

Bill

Personalized Bricks - Finance 101, Part 6 - Each Phase of Your Engraved Brick Fundraisers Adds Revenue

2009-08-15T16:49:00.021-06:00

A beautiful thing about memorial brick fundraisers is that they never have to end.

We have many clients who continue to install their memorial bricks every year, in order to accommodate new donors.

Many hospitals and medical clinics that have memorial brick (engraved brick) fundraising programs leave signs next to their installations, with instructions as to how potential donors can sign up. Every day, hospitals and medical clinics affect the lives of many people through their good deeds. This means that every day, there is another opportunity to connect potential donors to that group's engraved brick fundraiser. Once donors sign up for a brick, they are given the date of the next brick installation.

This is also true when it comes to doing school engraved brick fundraising programs. Every year, a new group of students enters a school. These institutions leave a lasting mark on those who attend. Many of our schools do an install for their engraved bricks once a year, for all their new donations.

Financially, the biggest opportunity for your brick fundraising program is your first install. Many of our most successful memorial brick fundraising clients have made their installation a community event, with full press coverage. This local publicity inevitably proves to be valuable in helping to immediately kick off sales for their next phase.

To get more information about brick fundraising and marketing for all phases, just see our company website. Specifically, I think that the information from the fundraising ideas and frequently asked questions areas are helpful.

I have also written about marketing opportunities for your memorial brick fundraisers in past blogs.

Here are some of the links:

http://fundraisersltd.blogspot.com/2009/07/finance-101-part-3-no-money-down.html

http://fundraisersltd.blogspot.com/2009/07/getting-you-brick-fundraising-program.html

Bill

Personalized Bricks - Finance 101 Part 5, Marketing for a Successful Engraved Brick Fundraiser

2009-08-05T13:38:00.018-06:00

The proper marketing of your engraved brick fundraising project has probably the greatest impact on your finances. As I mentioned in earlier posts, personalized brick fundraising programs generate very good returns (margin) on individual brick sales. Every additional brick sold means that your organization has raised more money. Marketing is the key to making all of this happen.

Part of the marketing process for all brick fundraising programs is setting the optimun selling price for your brick. When it comes to generating the maximum revenue, setting the right price is important. This is trickier than it may seem on the surface.

An example might go like this:

Price Point---- Quantity Sold---- Profit Per Unit---- Total Profit
--$50--------------- 1500-------------- $30--------------- $45,000
--$75--------------- 1000-------------- $55--------------- $55,000
-$100--------------- 500--------------- $80--------------- $40,000

When it comes to pricing, you typically get higher demand (unit sales) at lower price points. In this example, setting the price at $100 would have generated less total revenue than would a $75 price, because of the higher demand. But notice that this did not hold true for the even-lower price of $50. This is because, in this case, the increase in demand (unit sales) did not offset the lower profit-per-unit difference. In this example, the $75 price would maximize profit.

Now this is just one example and each individual project must be evaluated based upon the organization, potential donors and the demographics of your area.

Other topics that fall under the category of marketing, that can also have an impact on the finances of your personalized brick fundraiser, have been discussed in other sections of this blog. I am going to post links to useful information in our website and blog.

Fund Raisers, Ltd. website marketing - Click here

Marketing Your Brick Donor Fundraiser - Click here

Other marketing ideas - Click here

"Mine" Favorite Personalized Brick

2009-07-29T17:01:00.009-06:00

I am taking a break from posting about engraved brick fundraising finances to talk about sometime a little bit lighter - something fun - namely, my favorite engraved brick.

I had the privilege of going to Citi Field during the construction, to oversee the installation of their engraved bricks. Being that I grew up on Long Island and used to go to the old Shea Stadium, this trip was especially fun. I got an early look at what I think is one of the best ballparks around: Citi Field.

During this time, I also got to know the installed bricks. While going through each of the sections and reading the touching memorials to fire fighters who gave their lives during 9-11, the tributes to fathers who gave the gift of baseball to their sons, and many others, I found this brick. I thought that it was awesome, and in its own way expressed the connection that donors have with the organizations that do engraved brick fundraisers. This fan will always own a part of the NY Mets and their history.

I still smile when I see it, but then I am an odd sort.

Bill

What Can We Do for You?

2009-07-28T09:40:00.022-06:00

In any brick fundraising program, successful contact with the individual customers is absolutely vital. At Fund Raisers, Ltd., that is one of our specialties! The Customer Service Center has daily contact with the people who order the personalized bricks. It is always our goal to be able to assist each customer to the best of our abilities. Here are three examples of ways that we have been able to offer customized help:

Once the personalized bricks are installed, we are informed of the location of each brick. Then locator maps are generated, which are immediately mailed directly to each customer by the staff in the Customer Service Center. There have been occasions when a locator map mailing for a single campaign has been more than 6,000 locator maps at one time! Then, the real fun begins. Customers go to the stadium (or ball park or whatever) and if they have trouble finding their bricks (or have forgotten to bring the locator map with them), well... they call us, of course! Because of this, over and over again we get to hear the customers' expressions of happiness when they finally find their very own personalized bricks. We get great joy out of that, ourselves.

We are fortunate to have access to a few Spanish-speaking people in our Customer Service Center. This has come in handy quite a few times. I particularly remember our needing assistance with Spanish-speaking callers when we were taking personalized brick orders for the San Antonio River Foundation paver project. Also, the Customer Service Center got permission from the Foundation for our callers to be able to use special Spanish-language punctuation on their personalized bricks, so that they would be as happy as possible with how their names looked on their bricks (such as Fernández or Muñoz).

Another way that we have met the needs of a particular brick fundraising program has been for the Customer Service Center personnel to adjust the office hours, at the client's request, in order to receive calls during special times. We have worked late nights to be here to take personalized brick orders during evening ballgames and we have also staffed the phones during weekend NASCAR races and ballgames.

So, as you can see, we are here to help; whenever it is needed, and in as many ways as we can envision. These are but a few examples as to why it is worthwhile to utilize the Fulfillment Package aspect of the fundraising services that are offered by Fund Raisers, Ltd. Next time, I would like to tell you a few of the really special experiences that we have had with individual customers.

Personalized Bricks - Finance 101, Part 4: Replica bricks add value

2009-07-23T16:43:00.011-06:00

Replica bricks offer great rewards for your donors. People who donate to causes, generally feel pretty connected or otherwise believe in the cause. They feel good about donating money through the purchase of their personalized paver. By giving the donor an opportunity to purchase a replica of their engraved brick, you offer them an opportunity to continually remind themselves of their good deed. More importantly to your fundraiser, it gives everyone else who sees the replica an opportunity to learn about your engraved brick fundraising project.

A “replica” is a duplicate of the installed personalized engraved brick that is shipped directly to the purchaser for home or office display. Replicas are a significant marketing tool that increase your overall sales as well as offer another source of revenue. Received within weeks after ordering, replica personalized bricks create immediate satisfaction for your donors. This is important because typical brick fundraising campaigns go for a long time (6 months to a year) before installation. Happy donors will tell more people about your campaign.

Because of the shipping and handling costs, adding felt feet/brass plaque and certificate, replicas often cost a little more than the cost of the installed personalized bricks. Replicas are also typically sold at a discount to the initial brick cost. In a typical case, if a 4x8 brick is sold for $75 a replica might go for $50. Because of the increased cost and the decrease revenue you will make less profit on replicas than you do on the initial engraved brick. Do not be discouraged however, because all of this represents added profit. Your donor who otherwise would have only purchased a $75 brick, now buys $125 in engraved bricks and your overall profit will increase from approximately $30-$55 to $40-$65 per brick sold. You also gain the marketing value which is huge.

The power of replicas often reminds me of an old shampoo commercial. The commercial goes that a woman was so happy with the shampoo that she told two friends. The two friends were so happy they told two friends, and so on and so on and so on.... Pretty soon everyone knows about the wonders of this shampoo. With successful replica sales, soon everyone knows about your engraved brick fundraiser.

Enjoy,

Bill

Personalized Bricks - Finance 101, Part 3: No Money Down

2009-07-21T16:01:00.023-06:00

Having been a part of the budget process for my entire professional life, this next aspect of personalized brick fundraising programs makes everyone involved happy. These programs do not require anyone to set aside part of the budget, since they require no money down. You begin collecting donations long before the first personalized paver is installed.

It is pretty neat to think that you can get your engraved brick fundraiser kicked off almost immediately. I broke down an easy step-by-step method in one of my earlier posts, "Getting your brick fundraising program kicked off".

By trading services (providing a logo-engraved paver to your brochure company in return for 1,000 brochures, etc.) with marketing companies, you can really get things done without ever coming out of pocket.

Some of our most successful campaigns are truly innovative when it comes to trading services.

We had a downtown revitalization fundraising project give the mayor a free brick. When they broke ground for the installation, they invited the mayor to be the first one to lay his brick in the ground, as the cornerstone to the entire project. The mayor was honored and the event made the front page of the local paper. Positive press such as that continues to make their engraved brick fundraiser a success.

A college with which we have an engraved brick fundraising program gave away a granite piece to a very well renowned alumna. Do you recognize her?

Our First Lady was so impressed that she accepted the gift in person. What great way to receive positive press for your personalized brick fundraising program.

One of our major sports clients commissioned a free brick to be created, in recognition of the achievement of a very extraordinary individual. Wow; the smile says it all. What a win/win situation.Again, whether yours is a large brick fundraising program or a small one, you should always look for opportunities to make someone feel good while promoting your worthy cause.

Brick fundraising programs can be great fun. Especially if you surround your fundraising effort with innovative people.

Bill

Personalized Bricks - Finance 101, Part 2

2009-07-17T13:03:00.010-06:00

OK. The last time I was talking about finances and brick fundraising programs, I talked endlessly about quality. To me this is the single most important thing. If your engraved bricks last forever, so does your opportunity to raise money for your cause. We have many programs that have been active for more than 10 years. People continue to buy bricks year after year and donate their money to your worthy cause.

The next thing I want to talk about is tiered pricing. This simply means that you want to have product offerings at different price points. This allows capable donors the ability to donate more money to your fundraiser. Here is a typical tiered pricing structure: offer a 4x8 paver at an opening price point, $50-$75, an 8x8 for $125-$175 and a logo (your organization's logo) paver for $150-$200.

Without tiered pricing, a donor family would only have one choice, buy a 4x8 paver. With tiered pricing the family might upgrade to an 8x8 in order to fit all their names on the brick. Instead of making $30-$55 profit (after brick cost and installation) for your fundraising cause, you make $85-$135. If you only offered a 4x8 paver, you would lose the opportunity to make and extra $55-$80 from this one customer.

Successful fundraising programs also offer customers the opportunity to put their custom logo on a brick. Often you can require donations of $300 or more for these custom logo engraved bricks. Businesses find this very appealing as having their logo/brand associated with your cause gets them positive publicity. These custom logos can be the next tiered price point.

As an organizer of an engraved brick fundraiser, you will need to determine how many different price points you want to offer based on the types of donors you envision. We offer many custom engraved granite pieces that can be used to recognize even higher donation price points.

All this finance stuff is a bit much to swallow all at once. So again I will leave this subject unfinished. I look forward writing more about the incredible financial numbers behind brick fundraising programs.

Subjects that will follow:

Brick fundraising programs require little to no money down - no budgeting required.
Engraved brick replicas can offer a big boost to your revenue/profit.
Marketing your program right leads to increased revenue opportunities.
Plan early for 2nd and 3rd phases to your engraved brick fundraising campaign.

Bill

Is Paul McCartney Our #1 Fan?

2009-07-16T13:48:00.002-06:00

Have you heard? Sir Paul McCartney is coming to a Fund Raisers, Ltd. brick fundraising location near you! Well, sort of. In his limited set of upcoming U.S. concert tours, Sir Paul McCartney has chosen to perform at two locations where we have conducted successful brick fundraiser programs. Because of this, in our office, we refer to it as the "Paul McCartney Fund Raisers, Ltd. tour."

We know that this is coincidence, but we are choosing to personalize it. After all, personalized bricks is what we sell and personalized service is what we provide!

This week, to represent (well, at least in our imagination) our MLB brick fundraising programs, he will be the first concert act to perform at the New York Mets Citi Field, where more than 18,000 of our personalized bricks have already been installed in the Mets Citi Field Fanwalk. Next month, not to leave out the NFL brick fundraising programs, he will be representing us (again, in our imagination) by performing at Cowboys Stadium, the almost-done new home for the Dallas Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys' Legacy Walk brick fundraising program is still being conducted, but most of the personalized bricks that have been sold have already been installed. So pretty much all of the fans who ordered personalized bricks will have the opportunity to see them on concert day at both locations.

There was a rumor that Sir Paul was going to perform at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Great, we thought. Although we did not conduct a brick fundraising program for the Dodgers, we did a different sort of commemorative fundraising program: For the benefit of the Dodgers Dream Foundation, we created the Community Wall of Fame, which displays lots of personalized Rawlings baseballs (and a few personalized platinum bats) in a large, glass display on the Club level at the stadium. So that would have counted as part of the P.McC. Fund Raisers, Ltd. tour. Unfortunately, the rumor has been officially denied. Sir Paul will not be going to Dodger Stadium. But it has been said that he may still add to his tour.

Might we suggest the Staples Center, perhaps? We did a great tile fundraising program at that Los Angeles location. Even Jack Nicholson has a personalized tile there! And if the concert wants to go a different state, how about Comerica Park in Detroit, MI (home of the Tigers), Coors Field in Denver, CO (home of the Rockies), Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO (home of the Cardinals) or Cellular Field in Chicago IL (home of the White Sox)? We've got lots of suggestions for you, Sir Paul, if you're listening...

Perhaps you want your own personalized brick. Well, if you add couple more of our brick fundraising locations to your tour, I'm sure that, in your words: "We Can Work It Out."

But I call dibs on presenting Sir Paul's personalized brick myself.

Becky

Personalized Bricks - Finance 101, Part 1

2009-07-15T14:36:00.003-06:00

Understanding the finances a little bit helps a bunch when doing an engraved brick fundraising program.

The first thing I like to talk about is the cost of quality. Through our years of experience, Fund Raisers, Ltd has learned that quality sells. When donors see quality engraved bricks, they envision their name and inscription and are motivated to buy. Every day I walk my production facility and see some of the engraved bricks and how sharp they are and I get excited. They aren't even my bricks. It is something to see your name/inscription literally etched in stone.

The difference between doing a brick campaign with a vendor with the highest quality and someone with lesser quality can easily impact the overall sales our your brick program by 10-20%. The excitement and vision are lost. This is especially true when/if you decide to a second or third phase to your program or if just keep your campaign open indefinitely.

I give this as an example. I went back to my 15th college reunion a couple of years ago. I remembered that my school offered a brick program with a "local" brick engraver 5 years back. When I went back to look at the engraved bricks they were awful. My fellow classmates who bought bricks could not read their inscriptions. People were upset. If the bricks had looked good I guarantee the school could have sold more to the 500 or so people who came back for my reunion and probably could continue to sell bricks to additional classes as they come back for their reunions.

If you are running an engraved brick fundraiser for a high school or college, it is important to note that these reunions are great marketing opportunities for your program. If the bricks look bad you lose all this potential revenue.

OK. I ramble but let's look further into this lost revenue.

Brick fundraising projects generally are extremely high margin. All this means is that you will make a whole bunch of profit on every brick sold. For the standard donation for a 4x8 brick organizations typically make $50 to $75 per brick after installation. By losing just 10% of your potential sales due to quality you might sell 900 bricks as opposed to 1000. These 100 bricks represent $5000 in lost profit which works out to be about $5.00 a brick sold.

It kills me to see a program go with poor quality bricks because often the difference between going with a professional company with a proven track record verses their poor quality selection is pennies on the dollar. As the old English adage goes..."Penny-wise, Pound-foolish"

There will be more to cover on this subject, but surely there is only so much that anyone (including myself) can take in one day. I look forward to helping anyone who reads this clearly understand the powerful financials associated with doing a brick fundraiser. Once you understand the numbers, you'll get as excited as I am about engraved bricks. Exciting stuff.

Bill

A Really Cool Display!

2009-07-13T18:39:00.000-06:00

A couple of years ago, the San Diego Padres created a “Tribute to Tony Gwynn” for their outstanding MLB Hall of Famer. Included is a ten-foot bronze statue of Gwynn, surrounded by personalized bricks produced by Fund Raisers, Ltd.

The display is really beautiful! But it isn’t easy to get a picture in your mind of what a brick installation looks like. I found a really great website that shows the final product in a very clever way.

A man named Bill Salisbury has the website 360View.com. In it, he has full-screen panoramic pictures of places of interest in the area of San Diego, California. He created a picture of the Tribute to Tony Gwynn, including the personalized bricks. To reach it, visit http://www.360cities.net/image/petco-park-tony-gwynn-statue-in-san-diego-usa.

It’s a really fun site. You can scroll around the statue; all the way around. You can see the buildings that surround PETCO Park. You can see exactly how the Tribute area is situated, in relation to the ball field itself. And you can scroll up and look at the statue and the beautiful San Diego sky. It’s a lot of fun to play with!

But the real point is that this site enables the viewer to clearly see the final installation of a successful brick fundraiser program. (But if you do go to the site, be sure to right click and check out the Little Planet View!)

Becky

Marketing your donor recognition program

2009-07-13T13:46:00.004-06:00

Fund Raisers, Ltd. can help you market your engraved brick fundraiser. We have been in the business since 1987 and have many examples from successful campaigns. We will provide you with our “How To” manual once you begin working with us to setup your fundrasier. This comprehensive tool will guide you through the steps towards reaching and exceeding your engraved brick fundraising goals.

Here are a few highlights:

Successful marketing begins with a story

Develop a story that connects with your core group of donors
Tie brick fundraisers to specific events (centennials, milestones), improvements (new sports field, new shrine, memorial, renovation), or beautification projects (downtown revitalization, business district, parks)
Create a name and slogan for your campaign

Choose and publish a fundraising goal

Volunteers do best when striving for a goal
Donors understand what their contribution is going towards

Solicit help/donations from local resources

Media (newspaper ads, radio ads, radio shows, billboards)
Print shops (print and design fliers)
Installers
Others businesses (giveaway gifts for contests)

Market your engraved brick fundraiser using sample bricks

Donors like to see, touch and feel the product. Having the finest quality engraved bricks is very important here.
Sell donor replicas for display in home or office
§ People will share their passion with others
§ Donor’s replica markets your program; leads to more brick paver sales
§ Replicas raise additional revenue for your cause

Set tiered pricing (Offering more than one brick size for engraving to maximize revenue)

Capable donors will give more
Allows more lines for text
Great for families and businesses

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Marketing should be creative and fun. Finding the right volunteer for this position. Brick fundraising programs tend to sell themselves, but when the right marketing is added to the recipe, these programs can be explosive.

Live the dream,

Bill

Why I Bought My First Brick

2009-07-10T19:06:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, ordering a memorial brick can fill a very significant void. When my mother died, several years ago, we honored her wish that her body be donated to a local medical university. Eventually, her remains were cremated and the ashes scattered at sea. So there was no place of burial, and I began to realize that I longed to have a place that I could associate with her; somewhere that I could see her name.

Thus, I happily ordered a personalized paver when the local Kiwanis Club started a brick fundraising program. They were selling personalized bricks to help the city fund the rebuilding of the downtown bandstand, where free concerts were to be given. Consequently, I was able to allow the name of my mother (who dearly loved music) to be permanently associated, thanks to the city's brick fundraising program, with the rebuilt bandstand that brings more music to my city. And I certainly was not the only one with the memorial brick idea. Once the bricks were installed, I saw that more than half of the bricks expressed memorial statements of loved ones! Of course I don't know the stories behind the other memorial bricks, but I figure that many of them are as important to the other people as mine is to me.

Becky

Memorial bricks and leaving a legacy

2009-07-10T14:00:00.001-06:00

I love our business. When looking at some of the engraved bricks you can find some real touching statements. I have had the honor of going to many installations for our clients. Donors write some pretty touching things.

I went to Citi Field for the NY Mets installation. While I was there I took some photos of memorial bricks that warmed my cold heart (some of the photos were taken just after a snow storm). When a son purchases a brick to express his love and appreciation for his father and what taking him to the game meant to him, it makes me feel good about what I am doing.

Some questions about engraved brick fundraising

2009-07-09T14:36:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to post some of the Frequently asked questions we get reference engraved brick fundraising projects.

Why do a brick fundraising program?

Brick fundraising programs are a win-win proposition for any organization or community project:
1. Personalized pavers make an indelible connection between the customer and the fundraising organization.
2. Engraved brick pavers and/or tiles add aesthetic appeal to the area chosen.
3. Engraved bricks have a proven track record of raising substantial revenue for many great causes.

Additionally, our engraved brick replica program serves to deepen the connection between your supporters and your organization while raising additional revenue. Replicas are produced and shipped directly to the donor long before your installation. They are an effective marketing tool when displayed in homes and offices.

Why choose Fund Raisers, Ltd.?

Through more than 20 years, Fund Raisers, Ltd. has earned a reputation in the industry for providing the highest quality personalized pavers and engraved bricks. Our engraved bricks and proprietary filler are guaranteed to last. Our products have a proven track record in some of the highest traffic areas in the sports world (Staples Center, PNC Park, Citi Field, Dallas Stadium) and well as in your local area. Click the link to see our work in your local area.
Be careful when choosing a company. These projects last forever and the quality of the bricks is what helps sell your project and future projects. Trying to save a dollar in cost/quality can lead to thousands of dollars in lost sales.

Addtionally Fund Raiser, Ltd. provides world-class service for your engraved brick paver fundraiser. We offer a turn-key solution and can walk your organization through the entire process. We draw upon our experience to provide you with the best overall solution. We know what works.

How does engraved brick fundraising work?

Our step-by-step fundraising method for engraved bricks has been refined through thousands of personalized brick and tile projects.

WE KNOW WHAT WORKS!

You decide how much or how little you want to do yourself. Fund Raisers, Ltd. can provide you an unrivaled program that includes:

A "How To" manual with step-by-step instructions, including samples of successful brochures, order forms, certificates of recognition and news releases to help market your fundraiser.
Computer software that guides you from the preliminary stages of your campaign through certificates of recognition, gift certificates and installation.
Handling and processing all brick or tile orders
A toll-free "Answer Hot line" to help with every phase of your campaign.
A full call center with complete order fulfillment services.

If you want to see some more questions, just go to our website.

Thanks,

Bill

Veterians' Memorial Fundraising

2009-07-07T14:39:00.009-06:00

I thought since we recently celebrated our nations birthday that it might be nice to share some photos of some our successful memorial engraved brick fundraising campaigns.

When looking at running a successful brick fundraiser, often an anniversary/birthday is a great marketing tool. Celebrating a centennial or 75 years or 50 years often creates the event that ties to the donors of your engraved brick fundraiser. I remember back to 1976 (OK I am dating myself) and all the events and extra reasons for celebrating our nations bi-centennial.

Brick fundraising campaigns are fun and truly connect your donors to your organization. Have fun and spend some time developing a theme/event that really resonates with your core donors. The connection is indelible and years down the road your donors will continue to visit their engraved brick.

It is fun to see all the projects running through this company. I was just looking today at some orders being processed and saw this picture done by Jasmine. This particular campaign sold Child Art as part of their brick fundraising program.

Please feel free to contact myself, Becky or Jasah if you have any questions about brick fundraising projects and how they work. We have a tremendous amount of experience when it comes to fundraising ideas, innovative marketing, choosing a brick type to install and engrave, maximizing engraved brick fundraising revenue and overall management of brick fundraising projects.

Bill

Getting your brick fundraising program kicked off right

2009-07-01T18:15:00.003-06:00

10 Steps To A Successful Brick Fundraising Campaign

1. Recruit Volunteers for your fundraiser.

a. The more the merrier
b. Set up committees to divide up work
c. Look for the right skill sets or connections

2. Choose a location/area for brick fundraiser.

3. Set a fundraising goal for your brick program.

4. Create a slogan and order brick buttons or pins printed with the slogan.

Some Slogan Examples:

a. Adopt A Brick
b. Become A Part Of History…
c. Become A Legend
d. A New Beginning
e. Who Says You Can’t Live Forever
f. Take Your Place In History
g. Buy A Brick, Build A City
h. Pave A Path Through The Past
i. Brick By Brick, We _________
j. Make A Lasting Impression

5. Solicit free advertising and marketing for you brick fundraiser.

a. Ask local paper to do an article on your cause
b. Exchange an installed logo brick for newspaper or radio advertising
c. Exchange an installed logo brick for making an exciting brochure.

6. Get Brochures and order forms printed and ready for mailing before your brick fundraising campaign begins.

7. Create an avenue of immediate sales and set a sales goal for the first month:

Suggestions:

a. Create a special area for the installation of the first 100 engraved bricks sold.
b. Offer the first 100 purchasers a special logo or mark on their bricks.
c. Get a business donate a gift that can be raffled off to the first 100 donors purchasing their engraved brick.

8. Open Visa or Mastercard account to allow people to call in engraved brick orders. Set up a web form attached to your website which explains your brick fundraising campaign and allows people to order online. We can help you get this done.

9. Do a direct mailing campaign to the mid-high income neighborhoods, businesses, ect.

10. Once you have enough bricks sold, place your order and have the bricks delivered. Invite the Mayor or other dignitaries to take photos with the delivery and or installation of the bricks. Donating a personalized brick to the mayor or dignitaries early in the campaign increases their interest in attending. Photos and newspaper articles about your campaign will be great marketing. Make sure they know that bricks are still for sale. These boost sales for the next phase of your program.

Contact Lists - Is There Any Reason to Use Them?

2009-07-01T10:40:00.001-06:00

Several calls have come into the Customer Service Center recently, for brick fundraiser programs whose sales have ended. Each time, the customer service representative has offered to place the caller's name on the contact list for that campaign. People often ask if there is any reason to bother to put one's name on the contact list. The answer is: Yes!!! In particular, for two reasons. First, because the very size of the contact list can inspire the organization to decide to open a new phase of their brick fundraiser program. I have seen this happen! Second, because the people on the contact list will always be the first ones notified if a campaign reopens. This becomes especially significant if the new phase of sales is only for a small number of engraved bricks. Again, I have seen it happen that response by customers who were on a contact list has nearly completely sold out a limited campaign of engraved bricks before it went on sale to the general public. So use the contact list; it's there for you!

Becky

Dallas Cowboys Second Phase Underway

2009-06-30T10:32:00.000-06:00

As we look forward to another great Cowboys season at the New Dallas Cowboys Stadium, I wanted to inform everyone that the Dallas Cowboys have started a second phase of their successful Legacy Walk Paver Program. In the first install the Cowboys sold an astounding 16,200 plus pavers.

If interested in purchasing a paver to commemorate the times spent with family, friends and the Cowboys please call 1.888.632.6789 and our Customer Service Representatives will be more than happy to assist you.

Ms. Jasah C.

Some Creative Engraved Brick Fundraising Ideas

2009-06-29T14:46:00.004-06:00

I have attached a photo of a Hospital's engraved brick fundraising project. They had a concrete sidewalk around a center island planter at the hospital entrance. Rather than selecting a brick product where they would have to tear up the sidewalk in order to install, they went with one of our personally engraved tile products.

It is hard to see in this first picture (the tiles look like brick) so here is another. Look at the curb and you will see that these are merely tiles place directly on the concrete.

Often customers can not find an ideal location for their engraved brick fundraising project or have concerns about tearing up existing concrete. By doing an engraved floor tile program you get the aesthetic look with less effort. If you look all the way over to the right of the program you can see that there is still more concrete to place personally engraved tiles on.

As this hospital changes the lives of people, people see that they have an active fundraising campaign and they sign up. It is amazing how much better the engraved tiles look as compared to the concrete. If I could come up with enough donors I would do my whole driveway this way. I could generate a whole lot of revenue for my kids college fund:).

Colts Walk of Fame Brick Sales Coming to an End

2009-06-26T16:16:00.001-06:00

Hi, everyone.

This is my first entry in the blog. I want to make sure that everyone is aware that the sales for commemorative bricks for the Indianapolis Colts Walk of Fame brick program will end at the end of the day next Monday, June 29th. This very successful brick fundraising program has lasted more than two years. After next Monday, if you call to order a paver, one of our Customer Service agents will place your name on a contact list, but there is no guarantee that the Colts will have further sales.

Becky

Engraved brick fundraising using child art

2009-06-26T14:37:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone. Just wanted to talk about child art for a little bit. This is a great, personal way to do a brick fundraising program. It is truly sweet to see what the kids do with an 8x8 area. This product does extremely well for raising money for playgrounds, schools, parks, zoos and hospitals.

Child Art brick fundraising projects truly connect your donors to your organization/project.

Child Art also provides an opportunity to do a brick fundraising project with tiered pricing. In order to maximize your organizations profits during a brick fundraising campaign it is best to use multiple donation levels. This enables donors who are capable to give more. Click here to see our website information on tiered pricing. Having standard 4x8 bircks offered at an openning pricepoint, followed by a texted only 8x8 bricks at a higher pricepoint, and at the premium level have an 8x8 Company Logo or Child Art brick. For fundraising campaigns where higher levels of donations are possible we have all sorts of neat granite products that can be engraved.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to doing fundraising projects using bricks or tiles. Child art tiles go great on the walls of schools or hospitals. They brighten up everyone's day.

Bill

One of our Veterans' Memorial Projects

2009-06-25T11:22:00.004-06:00

Glad to see that we already have some comments. I asked Joy if she would share a picture of her father and his engraved brick with us. Joy gave her father a great gift that he will always remember and his brick will be part of the Veterans' Memorial in Boise forever. This is him in front of his brick.

Being a veteran myself, I happen to love our veteran's memorial fundraising projects. Recognizing the men and women who have served our country is always special. The parks and memorials are great reminders.

Bill

Welcome!!!

2009-06-12T01:27:00.002-06:00

All,

Our company is starting Blog. We love what we do and want to share it to the world. We have seen some great Blog sites on some of the individual projects we have done and decided it was time for use to give Blogging a try. Our goal is to share tips and ideas about engraved brick fundraising. We would love to get feedback from our customers and others who have run successful brick fundraising projects.
We will have three people post to our blog periodically.
Myself: Bill, General Manager of Fund Raisers, Ltd.
Becky: Customer Service Center/Quality Control Manager
Jasah: Campaign/Project Information Specialist
We will try and label our post well so that you can find information that you might be looking for quickly. We hope to get the photos and stories around your brick fundraising projects.
Thank you,
We are doing a blog. This is great.