To ensure the affordability of our swim program, we have offset the registration fees by implementing a Revenue Shortfall Deposit (RSD). The amount of the RSD is dependent upon the number of children you have enrolled in the club. You will be given opportunities to participate in various club fundraising initiatives throughout the entire year. The money you raise for the club through the fundraising programs will be directly credited against your RSD, allowing you reduce or eliminate the necessity of cashing the deposit. (For more details on this program and how it works please click here).
To check on your fundraising contributions and goals, sign on to the Splash website. If you do not remember your login username or password simply e-mail the webmaster (James) at admin@vancouvervikings.com.
Some of the fundraisers that are planned for this year are as follows:
- Vikings Meet:
 Every year, the Vikings puts on a swim meet and invites clubs from our own region as well as surrounding regions to participate. This year our meet will be held at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre on July 23rd-24th. With over 700 swimmers and their families expected to attend over the two days we have an excellent opportunity to raise significant amount of money for the club through meet entries, program sales and concession sale.
There are also opportunities for you to earn credits towards your fundraising targets by:
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Advertisements - Placing or selling an ad in the Vikings swim meet program. 100% Fundraising credit.
Rate Card for the Meet Program can be downloaded here.
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Product Donations – Solicit or donate items for our Silent auction tables. Earn a fundraising credit equal to 100% of money collected from the winning bid.
- Vikings Meet Silent Auction:
The annual Vikings Swim meet is almost upon us. With the Vikings meet comes one of our traditional fund raising events, the Silent Auction. The silent auction whereby Vikings families, sponsors and friends of the Vikings donate items to be auctioned off to those attending the meet, has been very successful in the past. This is prime opportunity for Vikings families to meet their fund raising targets as 100% of the auction price (assuming the item sells) applies to your fund raising goal!
In the past we have had some great items at auction including gift certificates and vouchers for restaurants, spas, massages, iTunes, auto detailing, gift baskets of all varieties (please – no perishable items as they may have to sit in the sun all day), iPods, game consoles, trading cards, tools, small appliances, and many more items. The guidelines for what can be donated for the auction are simple.
- New items only please. While garage sales and bazaars can be fun and profitable, that is not what the silent auction is about. Clothing and toys in particular must be new, unworn and in unopened, original packaging.
- Items must be small enough to be transported and displayed at the Vikings meet (although we like to think big and will make an exception for real estate, automobiles and yachts).
- Items must be of some intrinsic value. While we know that your collection of unique soda straws and bottle caps is dear to your heart, but if it is really difficult to put a value or price on, it is not likely to attract bids at auction.
- Think big. If you own or operate a business you probably have suppliers and customers or clients who are more than willing to donate goods or services for auction. A "thank you" or "donated by" or business card can be attached to items so that the sponsors and friends of the Vikings are credited for their generosity and support to the club. For big ticket items we will shamelessly promote the sponsor over the PA system at intervals throughout the meet.
How it works
A new auction is run each of day of the swim meet – that means that we need enough donated items for both days. Each item for auction is displayed for viewing and has an attached bid sheet. Those wishing to bid on items simply write in an offer that is higher than the previous bid before the auctions close each day. Some items have a minimum bid and will not be sold for less than this amount. The last (highest) offer on the sheet when the bid closes wins the item. When an item sells at auction, its sales price is credited to the fund raising account of the person who donated it. If you put a reserve bid on an item that doesn't sell you are responsible to pick it up at the end of the bidding day. We will not be responsible for it.
Bid sheets can be downloaded here. If you are donating items for the silent auction, please fill in the Item Description, Donated By, and opening or minimum bid (if applicable) and include the bid sheet with all donated items.
But wait, there's more
All Vikings families are required to pitch in, volunteer and help put on the Vikings meet. Are you not looking forward to making a 6 year old cry as a stroke and turn judge? Maybe the thought of marshalling 6 foot tall teen agers makes you nervous? Perhaps your hand eye coordination is too poor for timing? Not to worry, the silent auction presents another opportunity to meet your volunteer hours. There are roles for volunteers to oversee the auction each day (and prevent "shrinkage"), roles for volunteers to assemble, wrap and/or display gift baskets and to setup the auction displays and tabulate the bids/winners each day. Oh – and did I mention that the silent auction ends well before the last of the relays each day. So don’t wait – get involved now before the only volunteer job left is packing up the trailer at 7:00 PM.
For more information on the silent auction or to volunteer, contact Don White at whitedo@shaw.ca
- Gift Certificate Sales:
  The club has made arrangements, with some of Vancouver's finest retailers and restaurants, to offer the sale of their Gift Cards on a commission basis. Please visit our marketplace page for a list of gift cards available and their applicable commission rates.
 Tip! You may sell these gift cards to neighbours, friends and co-workers at a discount of up to 1/2 the commission rate. If you choose to offer the discount you will receive a fundraising credit that is equal to the net money earned by the club. i.e White Spot Gift Certificates offer a 15% commission, if you sell a $100 card to a co-worker for $95 you will earn a $10 credit towards your target. Everyone wins!
- Corporate Sponsorships
In exchange for financial, product, or service donations the Vancouver Vikings will offer companies valuable marketing exposure to our membership and competing clubs members through our website, e-newsletters, swim meet programs and logo branding on clothing and or meet banners. You will receive a fundraising credit of 75% of the value of any financial donation that you solicit from companies. Product and or service donations will earn you 100% of any money collected when the item is sold.
For complete details of the Corporate Sponsorship program please click here.
- Swim-a-thon
We will be holding a swim-a-thon on May 16th, offering you the opportunity to solicit support from friends and family. 100% of the pledges collected will be credited against your fundraising target. More details on this event will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.
The Swim-a-thon pledge form can be downloaded here.
HELP! GET INVOLVED! WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
We need a number of families to assist with the above-mentioned fundraising activities. Time spent working on these will count towards the volunteer commitment to the club.
If you have any questions or have any other ideas regarding fundraising for the club, please feel free to contact Marc Gilberg or Katherine Andersen , Fundraising Coordinators at fundraiser@vancouvervikings.com.
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