What is more fun than a good old fashion pub crawl? A good old fashion pub crawl that raises money for charity by fundraising with donations online! One such event in New Jersey will make a stop at a venue well known for raising money for various charities. If you think fundraising is a chore, check out how much fun they are having in Red Bank.
Red Bank Bar Bounce
To meet funding goals, hard working nonprofits, utterly reliant on donations, must be diligent, professional and sincere. There are lighthearted ways of fundraising, however.
In Red Bank New Jersey, home of actor and director Kevin Smith, there is a charity fundraising even that is less like a "chore" and more like a fun night out on the town. Known as the ‘Red Bank Bar Bounce’, the fundraiser takes the form of a traditional pub crawl with stops at popular area waterholes. For the uninitiated, a pub crawl is “the act of one or more people drinking in multiple pubs or bars in a single night, normally walking or busing to each one between drinking.”
The 'Red Bank Bar Bounce' may a causal event, the cause it is raising money for is very serious.
Some residents of New Jersey are still suffering from the impact of Hurricane Sandy and are desperately in need of help. In response to that need, the River Center is organizing the 'Red Bank Bar Bounce' and will contribute the money to relief efforts currently in place. Wil Fulton spoke to the event organizer:
The bars are laid out in the itinerary based on location, creating a clear path that will lead patrons conveniently around Red Bank, according to James Scavone, RiverCenter director of operations. But the list is only a guideline, and participants should feel free to follow their own agendas or whims, he said.
Scavone also said that each participating bar will have its own unique drink specials for patrons, with some bars featuring food and giving away prizes throughout the day as well.
All registration proceeds from the crawl will be donated to Sea Bright Rising, Hope for Highlands, and RebuildRecover.
The response, as one would expect, has been exceptional. The pub crawl format of the event combined with the emotional nature of the relief effort has resulted in big R.S.V.P. numbers and big dollar amounts too. As of this writing, the event has already raised in excess of $4,700 from 187 participants. If you live in the area, you can R.S.V.P. for $25 per person before February 23rd.
Of course, such a rowdy event format is not appropriate for all nonprofit charities, but it is important for those tasked with fundraising to be aware of the creative solutions. Bake sales and ballroom dances will always be great, family friendly events, but the charitable pub crawl should be on the activities list as well.
One of the stops on the Red Bank Bar Bounce, the historic Dublin House, is already well known for hosting charity events.
In 2011 Dublin House was a stop on another charity pub crawl that was as successful as the 'Bar Bounce' is expected to be. The 2011 event benefited the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association (NJBCA) a nonprofit entity aided the visually impaired. As it first ever pub crawl, the NJBCA chose venues proven to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as having a reputation for fun and friendly atmosphere. From the NJBCA website:
Dozens of “crawlers with a cause” toured the historic Monmouth County town of Red Bank one week after St. Patrick’s Day at the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association’s first ever Pub Crawl. Each attendee generously donated $25 in support of the organization’s educational programs for the blind, in exchange for a fun-filled day of meeting new people and enjoying drink, appetizer, and transportation discounts in one of the area’s biggest hot spots. Hundreds of dollars were raised for the nonprofit organization, and many friends were made!
Dublin House is to be commended for being the perpetual "go-to" venue for charity events like the 'Red Bank Bar Bounce'. Such an altruistic spirit is yet another way venues can raise affinity with their patrons, a subject that has been extensively written about in the past.
Software to Accept Donations Online
Both charity pub crawls accept donations online as part of the reservation process. Yet missing from the process of both events is the means for people to give more than the minimum.
ThunderTix as a ticketing software for non-profits allows you to not only ask for and accept donations online, it has the tools to politely prompt for donations of any amount, above and beyond the minimum requirement. We take great pride in helping nonprofits achieve and exceed their goals, be it a lighthearted charitable pub crawl or a traditional fundraising event.