LOTHROP CHALLENGE
Lothrop Challenge is an annual RSA event within the month of February. The halls compete to raise the most money for a chosen charity. Who chooses the charity? The previous year's winner. The winner also gets to be recognized at a special reception, at which they hand over the check to a representative from the charity.
Last year's winner: Tower C
This year's charity: Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Lothrop Challenge Rules 2007
The revisions since last year have been bolded.
- Money may only be raised in the month of February. Midnight February 1, 2007 to 11:59 PM February 28, 2007.
- All money must be collected inside the respective building, within the security doors
- All other areas outside the security doors must be approved by the Executive Board (you CAN collect money in other areas, just get the approval)
- No event can violate university rules or rules of residence halls.
- Soliciting businesses is now permitted, but you must tell the E-Board who you are approaching BEFORE you ask. (This is so that no business is approached multiple times.) You must submit one business at a time, and wait 24 hours between each submission.
- You may not solicit door to door within the residence halls.
- All money must be turned in at each Senate meeting during the competition. (Exceptions may be granted by the Executive Board).
- Example: if money is raised on Sunday of a week, the money should be turned in that Wednesday night.
- There will be a punishment each time a hall withholds fundraising money. Each meeting that passes will deduct 5% from their total collected (at the end of February).
- All fundraising must be approved by the RD of the respective building and Karin Asher before the event can take place. Karin will only accept e-mails from the designated chair of each hall. She must also receive the request at least 48 hours in advance of the event.
- To determine a winner, money collected will be divided by number of residents.
- Any money collected outside a building's security doors (or outside approved areas) or not following these rules must be submitted separately and will be added to the overall total. -This money will NOT count toward a building's total.
- No more than $1.00 in change may be submitted each week. Money must be submitted in bills.
- Buildings are now permitted to use the services of an existing fundraising organization.
- Examples: OCM products or Krispy Crème donuts
- Buildings may not create a separate bank account for Lothrop Challenge funds.
- Any food items sold must be in its original package.
- Examples: Pizza cannot be sold by the slice, no baked goods, so selling plates and giving away food that is not in its original package
- No donated foods services may be used by RSA
- No more than $25 of RSA funds may be used to assist the challenge
- Example: If Tower D decides to sell pizza late at night, they may spend up to $25 dollars of RSA money to purchase pizzas assuming that this is the first use of RSA funds. Any money spent over this must be repaid to the RSA building fund.
Be creative and have fun! We want to create an enjoyable environment that focuses both on the great cause and having a great time supporting it! Here are some ideas for fundraising:
- Flag football!! - building A challenges building B to a flag football game. The cost is $3 to play. In order to follow the rules, both buildings should collect the $3 player fee within their security doors. The game, however, may take place at an outside location. If building A decides to sell refreshments at this location, the money must be submitted separately and will NOT count toward the building's total (but will still be helping a great charity!).
- Penny Wars
- Valentine's Day - themed events or sales (you can use this holiday to your advantage!!)
- Chocoholic Challenge: Give up chocolate for a set period of time (a month) and get friends and colleagues to sponsor you for every day you go without.
- Video game tournament
- Craft night
- Mini Dance marathon (A mini-thon). This can involve more than one building, as long as rules for money collection are followed.
- Karaoke night
- Limbo contest
- Inter/intra-building Olympics (O-fry eating competition? Stair-running contest? Push-up championship?)
- Jeopardy-style trivia contest
- Tug-of-war
TIPS TO WIN:
- Start planning now.
- Residents will be much more willing to participate in a well-planned and creative event than to mindlessly hand over money.
- Play on the competitive nature of the college student!
- Advertise events as much as humanly possible.
- Post results of each event/fundraising efforts in a visible and high traffic area, so everyone knows what you (RSA) are doing.
- Set a goal and make it known.
- Stay positive and remember why we are working so hard - to support a wonderful charity.
GOAL: Last year our campus-wide goal was $1.25 per resident. We didn't quite reach that, but I think we need to beat it this year...