Help a Rookie Team Go to Nationals!!!

[GGCO]

I'm from team 3357 a rookie team from Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year has been phenomenal. We are registered to go to Nationals, and are in the process of securing funds to finance this trip.

We started our team in early December, and despite a late start, having to change build spaces a week into the build season, and a general lack of experience, we build a highly competitive robot within the six week season.

Our team has won the Rookie All-Star award once at Traverse City and again at the Michigan State Championship as well as the Rookie Inspiration Award at the West Michigan District Event.

But we've also performed very well on the field. We were in 7th place at TC, ended up WINNING the West Michigan District Event, and are in 20th place overall in the state of Michigan.

Our performance on the field, and our recognition from the FIRST community has allowed us to qualify for Nationals. We need to raise $10,000 total to cover this trip, and are halfway there.

If you would like to make a donation to our team, you can do so through our website. All donations are 2010 tax deductible, and no amount is too small. We greatly appreciate your support! Thank you!

[Zach O]

Congratulations on your successful year! I'm glad to hear that as a rookie team you have the chance to compete at Nationals!

Just to make sure, have you tried contacting your sponsors? I don't know which sponsors you have, but even if you ask them all for a small donation, it would help to offset the costs. Have you talked to your school or community about donating money towards you going?

And things to look into if your planning on going now: Do you have a place to stay reserved yet? I know almost everyplace near the event site is completely booked up. Do you know how your getting around? Marta passes to get from place to place are a good option that many teams take. Look to save money also in food. See if instead of budgetting for people to go out for lunches, see if parents would be able to do some sort of lunch meat donations that would keep in a cooler that you could bring down for sandwiches, or something along those lines.

Just some things to think about if you haven't already.

[AnibaS]

Congratulations on such amazing successes!

You don't have much time left, but I would suggest taking a look at http://www.donorschoose.org. It has helped us a lot, and might come in handy!

[kgzak]

Last year we went to nationals and were in close to the same position you were. We needed to get money. We went to Peter Wege and the Wege Foundation to get money. He was very helpful. Since you are in Grand Rapids, just like us, that may be an option.

[Wayne TenBrink]

You have a ride.

[Emily3204]

I would recommend appealing to your parents association/alumnae. Also, you can go to small businesses and ask them to pledge $25 or more, and then you can iron on their logo to your team shirt. Good luck!

[Jason Law]

How many people are on your team? Are you in need of transportation as well to get down there or is that already done?

[GGCO]

We are already in the process of contacting our school district, and we will be sharing the bus ride down with 1918 - something that the entire team is looking forward to. We are also spending the rest of the week going to businesses and knocking on doors asking for donations.

Big thanks to everyone who has donated, and we look forward to competing in Atlanta!

[yarden.saa]

my team needed to 2000$ per student and 35000$ per all team.
every team member paid 850$ and the else is by donation.
I think your team members should pay on the trip to the championship.

[ICntIHaveRbtics]

Have students write up letters about the success of the team and how the team has helped them grow as a person. Explain how much of an honor it is to attend the Championship, and ask for a donation at the end of the letter. Include a team photo & a return envelope. Put them in mailboxes of the neighborhoods that the students live in. Going door to door puts people on the spot, but allowing people to write checks and donate when they have the resources to might work out a little better. Just stress that you need it ASAP.

Also send out information packets to businesses around you and include any clippings from newspapers [preferrably of your team, but can just be about FIRST in general] - even to businesses you may have already hit up and been declined or haven't heard from before -- businesses may be willing to help a team that has now proven that they are definitely on the right track. 1058 got a handful of new sponsors after winning the Granite State Regional.

[Alex Cormier]

What's Nationals?