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Limited time remains to participate in the national Virtual Book Drive
Nationally, Mortar Board hopes to raise $30,000 to give children across the country access to books. A donation of just $2 can help to provide a child from a low-income family with their very first brand-new book. Detailed information can be found in the Virtual Book Drive packet. How your chapter can participate
Top donor chapters are eligible for monthly and overall prizes The chapters with the highest amount of donations in the given month will receive a $100 Borders gift card for a qualified recipient group chosen by the chapter. Overall, the top three chapters, plus five “honorable mention” chapters, will receive bonus Marketplace credits for their recipient group at the end of the drive. Click here to see the current amount of donations. Selecting a recipient group Your chapter can provide all of the funds it raises to one or more recipient groups of your chapter's choice. This recipient group may be a local community organization, a national service group or an international program (as long as the program has a U.S. address). First Book works with a wide variety of programs serving children from low-income families. These programs include, but are not limited to after-school programs, Head Start, tutoring and mentorship programs, community centers, and housing and shelter programs. The programs should serve at least 50 percent children from low-income families. There are numerous qualified organizations across the country that would be incredibly thankful for chapter donations. If you know of a program in your area, you can help that program to register as a First Book recipient group. First Book can recommend recipient groups for your chapter. For suggestions, please contact Nicole Thompson at nthompson@firstbook.org. However, if your chapter is having difficulty selecting an organization to receive the donation, Doctors for Orphans is a qualified international program that you can help. The organization creates native-language libraries at orphanages serving children in extreme poverty across the world. You can help by donating a portion or all of your chapter's funds to Doctors for Orphans (Recipient Group Number 0150040000016774) so they can purchase Spanish-language books from the First Book Marketplace for orphanages in Latin America. Ways to donate
Service: one of Mortar Board's three key ideals Mortar Board is committed to the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service. Each chapter finds a different way to incorporate these ideals into their annual projects. Selected Mortar Board members are not only honored for their commitment to service in the past, but are charged with actively participating in service throughout their senior year. Service on a tight budget
BIG campus projects Chapters choosing to host large events require a strong support system and significant dedication, which may require an event chairperson or planning committee. To get maximum support, funding and awareness, a chapter may consider pairing with other campus organizations. This can exponentially increase your resources. Beyond the university level, working with a local or national organization such as First Book, Better World Books, Habitat for Humanity, Doctors for Orphans, the United Way or the Red Cross can further increase the event's impact. Good examples of some bigger projects chapters hold are Longwood University’s Oktoberfest, Purdue University’s Premier Volleyball Tournament, and The Ohio State University’s World’s Largest Pillow Fight. Find strength in numbers (with your Mortar Board section) "Reading is Leading" national project Get dozens of "Reading is Leading" project ideas here
Fundraising is an important part of any organization’s functionality - and Mortar Board is no exception. Here are some tips to planning and executing your fundraising efforts this year. Create a fundraising plan Strategize Gather ideas Consider grants and partnerships Motivate your team Chapter spotlight: Cornell College
For the Torch chapter’s significant improvements in overall operations throughout the 2008-2009 academic year, the group was honored with the Most Improved Chapter award at the 2009 Mortar Board National Conference. This esteemed award is presented to chapters that achieve success during the year while re-establishing and re-invigorating programming and membership, all of which Cornell College accomplished outstandingly. The chapter improved internal communications between members with efficient meetings, clear tasks and participation awards which included incentive “points” members could use toward Mortar Board medallions to wear at graduation. Members helped to increase visibility on campus by holding numerous campus events and fundraisers, all while wearing Mortar Board T-shirts. The chapter also reached out to other campus organizations, utilized campus calendars, attended student activity fairs and advertised the membership application process, which not only helped with recruitment but also helped to make Mortar Board a more well-known name around the Mt. Vernon, Iowa community. Finally, the chapter executed immense fundraising efforts for the Cedar Rapids Public Library. Throughout the 2008-2009 academic year, the chapter held eight different fundraisers (including collecting donations at football games, selling T-shirts, trick-or treating for books, delivering food to dorm rooms, gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble and more) to contribute a total of $2,700 to help repair flood damage incurred at the nearby Cedar Rapids Public Library. Your chapter can be in the spotlight too! Nominate your group by sending your chapter name, university, e-mail address and what makes your chapter unique to enews@mortarboard.org. |
Deadlines & Reminders Check your files and with the National Office to see that all reports from last year have been submitted to reports@mortarboard.org! October 15 November 16
December 15
January 31
March 15
May 15
Icebreaker of the month Two Truths and a Lie Give each member of the group some time to write down two things about themselves that are true and one thing that is not. Ask a member to share their three "facts," allowing the rest of the group has to determine which “fact” is actually a lie. The member will reveal the truth, then state their name, major, minor, any Mortar Board office they hold. The next member will follow the same sequence. Tip: Large groups may choose to ask 5 volunteers to share their facts so this icebreaker activity does not take too long. Allow all members, even those not volunteering, to introduce themselves. Recruitment tip of the month Recruitment is a year-round process. Start now by sending members to speak at the meetings of other student organizations and groups to tell them about Mortar Board. Be sure to mention the requirements for membership and when and how applications will be made available.
Connect with
INK: Important monthly news for chapter officers and advisors The Mortar Board INK, distributed September through May from enews@mortarboard.org, serves as a resource for officers and advisors of Mortar Board. This important newsletter includes:
Officers and advisors reported in the Officer Address Information Form receive this newsletter. Please forward this to others who you believe would benefit or ask them to subscribe. |
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