September 25, 2017

Add November 4 (10:00 – 2:00 pm) at the Willmar Community Center to Your Calendar!

Wow! What a season. The Willmar Area Chapter of Let’s Go Fishing just wrapped up a record breaking season on the waters of Green Lake. Throughout the season our ridership registrations were up a whopping 102% over last year. We saw our group registrations soar from 35 last year to 73 this season, a 108% increase. It all started in May when we committed to taking 545 3rd and 4th graders from Atwater, New London-Spicer, Prinsburg and Willmar on fishing trips. With trips scheduled up until the end of September this year it will be our longest season ever on the water.

Since the founding of LGF in Willmar in 2002, our chapter has reached out and touched the lives of county residents and beyond over 21,000 times. Currently our primary outreach is to:

• Elementary school children.
• Youth from at-risk situations.
• Seniors from various living environments.
• Military veterans and their families, including disabled vets and surviving family of deceased veterans.
• The disabled from various walks of life.

Needless to say, this great increase in participation is very gratifying, but at the same time has put a great stress on our financial resources. To help alleviate this financial strain the chapter is holding its first Cake Auction (perhaps the first such event in the Willmar area). This fundraising event is patterned after the highly successful fundraising event of Young Life in Owatonna, MN, where the annual event has occurred for over 30 years.

Overview: This first time ever fund raising event is to benefit the ministry and mission of Let’s Go Fishing – Willmar Area Chapter. Since 2002, the Willmar chapter of LGF has initiated over 21,000 on the water fishing and boating experiences for area residents – elementary school children, youth, seniors, the disabled and military veterans – many even from outside the county or from other states. This past season (2017) was a record year for the chapter with over 2,000 people participating and a record number (73) groups registered.

Details: This event will be widely promoted throughout the county and beyond via social media, broadcast media, event calendars, etc. Both live and silent auctions will occur on site, with the live auction broadcast on radio and online. Each auction cake will be a “work of art” to entice the bidder and may include a “special offer” to enhance the bidding.

Why Businesses and Organizations Should Participate: This is an excellent opportunity to promote your business, organization, church, etc. and show your support of LGF at very little expense for you. Your cost comes down to cake ingredients or the cost of someone making the cake for you. Be creative and promote your business, organization, favorite sport or activity, etc. and enhance your cake with other items that coincide with your cake theme. If you need ideas, call the LGF office (320-409-1132).

How You Can Participate:

1. Provide an “Auction Cake” and “Special”. Bake or have someone bake a special (unique or fancy) cake. This could be a “theme” cake promoting your business, organization or LGF. Add an enticing “special” with it to enhance the bidding price (optional).
2. Provide a “Sale Cake or Baked Good”. This could be a nice cake or other baked goods (pie, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, etc.) for outright sale. We suggest atypical bake sale items. For example: Fancy holiday cupcakes, jumbo holiday cookies, jumbo muffins, etc. Keep in mind, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be coming up and people will be looking for something special to put in the freezer for their family gatherings.
3. Provide a “Silent Auction Basket”. Baskets can be used to promote your business, be centered around sporting events; entertainment packages; getaway packages; Twin City attractions; Branson or other fun packages; holiday or vacation packages; Chicago or Vegas getaways; Mom or Dad packages; family packages; seasonal getaways, etc.
4. Provide a “Specialty Item for Live Auction”. This item could be included with an auction cake or be a stand-alone for a live auction. Items should be valued at $100 or more and could include such items as electronics, electric tools, major sporting events, theatrical shows, cabin stays, BBQ grills, sporting equipment, etc.
5. Bid on Cakes. Get great exposure for your business, organization, church, et al by bidding on cakes throughout the day or encourage your employees or members to pool funds to buy a cake and hold a drawing for the specialty item.
6. Be a Premier Sponsor. Receive signage at the site of the auction, be mentioned on the live broadcast and be featured in a large ad in the West Central Tribune acknowledging Premier Sponsors, Auction Cake Bakers, Sale Cake Bakers, Silent Auction Baskest and Specialty Item providers. Levels: Sunfish, $250; Walleye, $500; Muskie, $750. Contact LGF at 320-409-1132 for more details.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION & SUPPORT.