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Post by sid on May 5, 2008 13:54:40 GMT -5
VU72,
It's not about "getting" something from them in terms of "stuff." I'd like to be more informed about things than what I read here or in the newspaper. Maybe they could tell us some of the things that they do to support the other programs. (As you suggested.)
I still give my share of money, but I'd like to see where that money is going. I'd like to be told thank you on occasion. It may seem like a minor and selfish thing, but I worked hard for that money and I'd like to know what it's going toward. I'd be much more inclined to give more money if I felt like I was in the proverbial "loop." I don't need calls from the coach, and chalk talks, etc ... that's not what I'm talking about. Just keep us informed of what's going on.
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Post by lexilulu2 on May 5, 2008 17:13:14 GMT -5
Because the Crusader Club is a joke. I quit three years ago when the only thing I got for my money was the ability to buy basketball tickets in the chairbacks. Seems to me that this is a pretty big contridiction in terms sid. The idea for the Crusader Club is to GIVE, not to GET. The club supports all athletic teams although you can name any specific one to support if you would prefer. Does this mean you no longer donate to athletics? And does it follow that the only thing Valpo is getting from you is a filled seat in the bleachers? Bottom line , I think Crusader Club could raise a lot more money , if they would change & do a few new things. They need to open up the channel of communication , get people involved , excited about all our teams , Have a big golf tourney in the Fall , another in Spring , ETC.....have some cookouts before the games , How about a fall , winter & spring luncheon where the head coaches of in-season teams get up & tell about the teams ,etc. I could go on & on ,but I doubt any of the ideas will result in any changes.
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Post by vu72 on May 5, 2008 20:19:27 GMT -5
I know the director of the Crusader Club is a regular visitor and some time poster here. I'm sure your comments won't fall on deaf ears. All are very constructive and I'm sure appreciated.
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Post by valpospartan on May 5, 2008 20:33:44 GMT -5
Seems to me that this is a pretty big contridiction in terms sid. The idea for the Crusader Club is to GIVE, not to GET. The club supports all athletic teams although you can name any specific one to support if you would prefer. Does this mean you no longer donate to athletics? And does it follow that the only thing Valpo is getting from you is a filled seat in the bleachers? Bottom line , I think Crusader Club could raise a lot more money , if they would change & do a few new things. They need to open up the channel of communication , get people involved , excited about all our teams , Have a big golf tourney in the Fall , another in Spring , ETC.....have some cookouts before the games , How about a fall , winter & spring luncheon where the head coaches of in-season teams get up & tell about the teams ,etc. I could go on & on ,but I doubt any of the ideas will result in any changes. When the Crusader Club room started, Coach Drew addressed the members before every game. I miss that! We also had a TV so that we could view other games that may have been on. I miss that, too.
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Post by crusaderclub on May 6, 2008 12:38:47 GMT -5
Hello Valpo Fans, My friend VU72 has informed you well; I do read this forum quite often, and have been reading this thread with interest. I've put together some information that should answer some questions, may create more topics for discussion, and hopefully create some ways to enhance the Valpo Athletic experience for everyone. I do like to hear feedback and new ideas and would encourage each and every one of you to contact me at any time with your thoughts. Where the Crusader Club gift goes: If the gift is designated to a sport, it is used by the Head Coach of that sport at his/her discretion. If the gift designated to Crusader Club unrestricted fund, the donations are used at the discretion of the Athletic Director to fund the needs of various teams throughout the year. The receipt letter the donor receives from the University and the thank you letter the donor receives from Crusader Club notes which fund the donation goes to. How/when do we ask for memberships/contributions? Historically, Crusader Club sends out the first membership drive mailing of the fiscal year every July/August, and that will again be the case this year. It will be mailed to all current Crusader Club members; anyone who has been a member in the past; all former student-athletes. If someone has given a gift to any of the Athletic Annual Funds (for instance Track & Field, Volleyball, or Men’s or Women’s Basketball) they are considered a Crusader Club member. Over the past few years we have also sent the mailing to selected groups of Valpo alumni, looking for interest and support: one year we sent to graduates from 1969—1981, last year we sent to graduates from 1990—2000. Both of these dips into the alumni pool had limited success in generating new Crusader Club members. Our second membership drive mailing last year went out at the end of October: mailed to those people who had given to Crusader Club in the past, but not yet during the current fiscal year (July through June). Our third mailing of the year is sent out in January, typically to all those who have given to Crusader Club in the past, but not yet in the current fiscal year, and all former student-athletes. Each mailing is followed up by a week or two of phone calling to those who received the mailing, made possible by the student phone center within the University’s Annual Giving Program. If you or someone you know is in one of these groups and did not receive something in the mail, or a contact by phone, we probably don’t have your correct information in our system. You can always email me with the updated information. In addition, we also prepare gift forms for each head coach with their sport designated---coaches use these to send to supporters. Also, every year I work with various coaches when they request, to plan and implement a fund-raising appeal for their team. Most recently we completed a successful drive for Football, and one for Men’s Soccer is currently in the works. Because the University does fundraising throughout the year for many annual funds such as Valpofund, College of Business, College of Engineering, Brauer Museum----Crusader Club does not have carte blanche to mail to all alumni or donors every year, or at any time throughout the year. For our mailings, we have to coordinate with fund drives that happen for many other aspects of the University. Channel of communication: Currently we send out newsletters twice a year, letters from the Athletic Director 2-3 times a year, postcards three times a year, all designed to keep our supporters and former student-athletes informed about current teams and programs, and about former student-athletes. We try to include information that you probably wouldn’t find on the Athletic website. If there is an event that we think our membership would like to know about, I’ll send out an email to those people whose email we have in our database: for instance, if you live within 100 miles of Valparaiso and we have your current email, you should have received an email from me the first part of April that informed you about the post-season banquets for Men’s and Women’s Basketball. We’re always looking for ways to connect better with our members by email. Many of the teams currently have electronic connections with their fans----I encourage you to contact head coaches by email if you are interested. For instance, Mike Avery in Men’s Soccer sends out quite informative emails on a regular basis, and this season Softball has put together and sends out an awesome regular e-newsletter. Check with each team about what they offer---you may be surprised the inside information to keep you in the loop is already readily available. Events I like the suggestion about doing lunches in the fall, winter and spring with the coaches from those seasons’ sports. Of course, it will depend on the availability of the coaches during that time period with their practice/recruiting/traveling schedule. It is an idea to look into. Golf tournaments are used throughout the country to raise money for organizations. Valpo Athletics has organized and been the beneficiary of the Valpo/Frankenmuth Weekend for the past 10 years: the event in Frankenmuth, Michigan will be the 11th year for this fundraising event. Last year we had the biggest crowd and largest net revenue. The key to a successful golf outing is having committee members that are committed to recruiting foursomes and obtaining silent auction items. In Frankenmuth we are lucky to have an alum and former student-athlete John Shelton who helps immensely with recruiting and the silent auction. Although we held two golf outings here in Valpo, there was not much money raised. If anyone in the Valpo area would be interested in helping with a committee to set up a golf outing in Valpo, let me know! And Crusader Joe, if you can put together a committee to do an outing in Florida in January, I’ll buy my ticket today! Affiliate Clubs The Valpo Alumni Association has Valpo Clubs throughout the country, and Crusader Club/Athletics tries to have staff people in attendance at many of their events, particularly if it is an event with one of our teams. (The Valpo Clubs also have events in conjunction with music concerts, major league baseball, back-to-school kick-offs, etc.) I’m intrigued about the idea of Crusader Club affiliates throughout the country: what do you think their function would be? How would they relate/interact with the existing Valpo Clubs? TV in Hilltop Gym: I think it was taken out due to an logistics issue with cable service. Homer talking to fans before game: It may occur from time to time (never say never) but I believe Homer chooses to use that time to prep the team and plan for the game. Enough of my thoughts----what are your thoughts? How can we make this better for Valpo Athletics? Thanks……….Jackie Gray, Crusader Club jackie.gray@valpo.edu
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Post by lexilulu2 on May 6, 2008 18:13:37 GMT -5
crusaderclub , thankyou for the info. The luncheons should not be a problem if you set up in advance & let the coaches have input on the dates. Be sure to get info out to locals , alums , etc far enough in advance , get announcement in newspapers. Coaches should like doing it , good chance to let the fans know about their programs. On the golf tourney , I would suggest getting 2-3 of the off season coaches to set up ,you can cover cost with green fee per foresome & make money with contests on holes ,raffle of prizes[ get them donated , plus some team stuff]. If run at the right time & planned/promoted , you should be able to get 2 4-somes per hole. On the donations to Crusader Club , does the money go to the teams to use as they see fit or do they get it in lieu of budget ? A big question , I guess would be is Crusaders Club run totally by Valpo or are decisions , etc made by officers of the Crusaders Club or maybe they don't have a president , Vp , etc. Just a few ideas & questions that might lead to others. At many university the Boosters clubs are very visable at all events , I understand that is not the case at Valpo?
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Post by crusaderjoe on May 7, 2008 16:30:03 GMT -5
Well, since I raised this topic I will respond with my thoughts. These affiliate Crusader Clubs could be viewed as regional chapters of the parent Crusader Club, with identical missions as its parent. The regional chapters could consist of Valpo fans or alums who belong to the parent Crusader Club (or those who may be interested in at least donating towards athletics) and who live close to or in a specific geographical area. The purpose of the regional chapter would be to help capture and coordinate interest in Valpo athletics within that general geographical area. These chapters could also have their own board of directors or planning committees if need be and could help organize local events such as viewing parties (NCAA tournament) golf outings, fan bus trips to games, or other events to raise money for the parent Crusader Club. Donations to the regional club could go towards a general regional chapter fund, and then that chapter could literally cut a check and donate those monies to the parent Crusader Club as it deemed fit--however the parent and the affiliate wanted to do it within the restraints of IRS code 501c3 (I would assume).
I think these regional affiliates could help member alums or Valpo fans who donate to the parent Club feel like they would be getting more out of their donation. There would be the ability to have more interaction with other alums or fans, the ability to build and strengthen relationships on a more personal and local level, and the ability for the Crusader Club as a whole to have the chance to receive monies via events year round, since some regional chapters could be organized all over the country in temperate areas.
Personally, I would want to see these regional chapters as Crusader Club chapters only, with the intermixing of or with any regional Valpo clubs who may also be in existence on an "per event, as needed" basis. The goal would not be to complete with one another; rather, separation would provide members of the regional chapter the ability to donate or raise monies for that specific athletic mission only as the parent.
Just my .02.
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Post by ml on May 13, 2008 10:28:35 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay in responding to this thread. First a couple of quick answers to questions raised at the very beginning of the thread. We are currently working with the University IT staff to have a webcam placed at Brown Field so that anyone with an interest can monitor the progress of the project. The project is being done by McShane Construction. Jeff Raday, a Valpo alumni, is one of the principals at McShane and has worked very hard to assure that the facility will be first rate when finished. The field is scheduled to be completed by August 1 so it is ready for the start of Football practice. The new scorebaord will go up in eearly August. The field is going in first for three reasons. The first is for logistical reasons. As was mentioned earlier since the field sits in the middle of the track, construction wise it is easier to build it first and then put the track around it. That way heavy equipment does not need to be driving over the new track. The second reason is because all of the significant gifts that have been received over the past year have been designated specifically for the field. Third, it will allow us to expand our intramural program. Once the lights are installed many of the outdoor intramural activities, like flag football and soccer will move to the evening where there will be more available hours. There is an ongoing effort to fund raise the remaining money so that the track can be constructed as soon as possible. We need to raise approximately $1.8 million to move ahead with the track. As far as the Crusader Club its primary purpose is to raise money for the overall benefit of the Athletics program. All of the teams share in the funds that are raised. Some of the money is used to support the existing operating budgets and some is used to enhance the operating budgets. All of the money raised goes back to teams. Jackie Gray has already done a good job of outlining the communications that are going out to everyone interested in Athletics. If for some reason you are not on our mailing list to receive the newsletters, postcards, and letters from my office I would encourage you to contact Jackie. We do evaluate what we are doing each year and it is likely the communications will change as we go along. There is a wonderful golf outing in Frankenmuth every July that raises money for Athletics. It is a great family weekend and I would encourage everyone who can to join us. The tournament is a great success because of the volunteers who put it together. Everywhere I have been the successful golf tournaments have been planned and managed by local volunteers. We would be happy to talk with any group that wants to put on an event. Every year at the Homecoming football game the Crusader Club has a tent and tailgating before the game. I hope that this will continue to grow and we will see more members in attendance. We will be looking at some new events for the future. If you have any suggestions for your area we would appreciate hearing them. We really looking for the best ways to stay connected with all of you.
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Post by okinawatyphoon on May 14, 2008 16:08:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the great post, ml. I can't wait to see the new field in August.
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