Daytona Donations

[ArpeggioAngel]

How big are the boxes? we have a party store here that had lost of pirate themed favors the last time I was in.

Hmmm...they aren't that big...
HERE is a link to them on Oriental Trading company website.

 

[El Jefe]

Hey folks...

I was out in the shop finishing some things and thought I'd take a few quick picks of the woodworking items I'm donating in Daytona. Sorry about the lousy pics but I working fast and there is poor lighting in the shop...well good lighting for woodworking just bad for photos. Okay, so one set of pics was taken with a little more time and light equalization...can you tell?

We have:

Clipboard made of--from the middle out--hackberry, padauk, sink cypress, black cherry, eastern red cedar and walnut.

Cutting board: Walnut and Cherry (walnut is the dark wood)

Keepsake box: Cherry and Walnut (Cherry is the red one )

 

[kathylove]

Super donation from Tom Crutchfield!

I just received an answer from my inquiry to Tom.. He emailed:

Kathy, I'm giving you for the auction a male 60%-70% white Pied Ball Python I just hatched...thanks.

That should be a real hit!!

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

I just received an answer from my inquiry to Tom.. He emailed:

Kathy, I'm giving you for the auction a male 60%-70% white Pied Ball Python I just hatched...thanks.

That should be a real hit!!

Sounds good Kathy! We will definately put that one out on the USARK table - I imagine it will garner a lot of attention!

The one thing that worries me about some of the donations though is that individuals seem to think we are doing an auction - not a raffle. I have had a couple people asking that afterwards I let them know how much their donation "sold" for....
We need to be really clear that these are for a raffle - not an auction.

 

[El Jefe]

I just received an answer from my inquiry to Tom.. He emailed:

Kathy, I'm giving you for the auction a male 60%-70% white Pied Ball Python I just hatched...thanks.

That should be a real hit!!

I just found a spot for some of my tickets..... :dancer:

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

You guys should see the size of the male adult okeetee sent to us by Tom Corley! This guy is huge! And gorgeous!

 

[kathylove]

Yes, the auction thing is frustrating. I specifically said "raffle" several times to everyone I discussed it with. I even asked them to be sure they marked it for our raffle so it doesn't go to the auction, if they drop anything off directly with US ARK. But people keep forgetting. And seeing ads and info on a bunch of sites about the big US ARK auction only adds to the confusion. Not sure what we can do, other than reminding everyone again.

BTW, did you decide if the table sign that Butch designed is ok, and did you get somebody with a color printer to print a few copies for you? We don't have much time to do that, if not done already.

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Yes, the auction thing is frustrating. I specifically said "raffle" several times to everyone I discussed it with. I even asked them to be sure they marked it for our raffle so it doesn't go to the auction, if they drop anything off directly with US ARK. But people keep forgetting. And seeing ads and info on a bunch of sites about the big US ARK auction only adds to the confusion. Not sure what we can do, other than reminding everyone again.

BTW, did you decide if the table sign that Butch designed is ok, and did you get somebody with a color printer to print a few copies for you? We don't have much time to do that, if not done already.

I pm'ed with him over the weekend about all of it. I think he was going to mail stuff to me yesterday or today. I will try to follow up with him again today. If need be, I think I have someone in Daytona that can print for us. He is supposed to be helping me create the Mice Direct gift certificate as well since my hard drive with photoshop decided to crap out on me this weekend...

I would also let Tom know if possible to drop of that BP with you directly instead of at the USARK table as I just have a bad feeling that it would end up with their auction instead of our raffle....

 

[kathylove]

Yes, we should try to get it from Tom on Fri. Even though I asked him to mark it for us, he is going to be really busy getting his own table ready. And there are ZILLIONS of people to talk to at these expos when you have been in this field for as long as Tom has been! So it can be difficult to concentrate on details that are important to us.

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Yes, we should try to get it from Tom on Fri. Even though I asked him to mark it for us, he is going to be really busy getting his own table ready. And there are ZILLIONS of people to talk to at these expos when you have been in this field for as long as Tom has been! So it can be difficult to concentrate on details that are important to us.

I won't be there until at least 4pm on Friday and what little time I have will be helping Carol finish setting up our table. If you have time - I know it is a lot to ask - but do you think you could try to swing by his table for us?

 

[kathylove]

I definitely plan to try! I expect / hope to garner a few other donations on Fri, too. Either I will pick them up when walking around, or people may drop them off to me. Maize is going to help me set up. So maybe I will be able to get her to run whatever I have down to the US ARK table on Sat first thing - unless I am able to give them to you or Robbie on Fri night (will only work if you have a vendor badge - no animals can come in with you unless you have one).

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

I definitely plan to try! I expect / hope to garner a few other donations on Fri, too. Either I will pick them up when walking around, or people may drop them off to me. Maize is going to help me set up. So maybe I will be able to get her to run whatever I have down to the US ARK table on Sat first thing - unless I am able to give them to you or Robbie on Fri night (will only work if you have a vendor badge - no animals can come in with you unless you have one).

Both Robbie and I will have vendor badges. I would prefer to get them Friday night at the hotel so I can write up raffle cards for everything and figure out how much we are putting on the USARK table and how much to just leave at the hotel.

Honestly - as much as I love having tons of donations - I just bought another 12 buckets and if we get many more we are not going to have enough. We are already over 40. This includes pairing some items together. And it doesn't include some stuff I still have to pick up at the show as well from people like Walter and Rob and Terri.

 

[Memphios]

Katie, I'll pitch in for a set of buckets. Just let me know.

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Katie, I'll pitch in for a set of buckets. Just let me know.

I just don't know how many more we might need - that is the hard part. I picked up some cheap solid color "sandwich" containers at Big Lots over the weekend since we didn't have enough time to order more from OTC. I like them to be solid color so people don't know how many tickets are already entered. And I am picky about how big/small they should be too....

 

[Memphios]

I just don't know how many more we might need - that is the hard part. I picked up some cheap solid color "sandwich" containers at Big Lots over the weekend since we didn't have enough time to order more from OTC. I like them to be solid color so people don't know how many tickets are already entered. And I am picky about how big/small they should be too....

Im going to the Dollar Tree today. Ill look around for something.

 

[kathylove]

Let's hold back just a few $$ from the proceeds to buy a few new boxes for next year? Or use the donation from Memphios for boxes for next year? "Be prepared", lol!

I guess I still didn't say what I was donating. I am leaning towards a couple of Bill's posters, maybe signed by him? I wonder if we would sell more tickets if the posters were on the table in front of people (we would have to pick them out) or if it was for a certificate for a couple of posters of their choice (not as much to look at when buying tickets)? Or maybe we can pick them out so they will be on the table, but have a note that they can each be exchanged for a different poster, if desired?

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

Let's hold back just a few $$ from the proceeds to buy a few new boxes for next year? Or use the donation from Memphios for boxes for next year? "Be prepared", lol!

I guess I still didn't say what I was donating. I am leaning towards a couple of Bill's posters, maybe signed by him? I wonder if we would sell more tickets if the posters were on the table in front of people (we would have to pick them out) or if it was for a certificate for a couple of posters of their choice (not as much to look at when buying tickets)? Or maybe we can pick them out so they will be on the table, but have a note that they can each be exchanged for a different poster, if desired?

The boxes aren't that expensive - like $10 for a dozen I believe. Carol ordered an extra dozen for us this year - so that gave me 36. I thought with the NRBE auction being for USARK that we wouldn't need more than that. We can definately get some more next year and have as many as we need.

As for you donation - whatever you would like to do will work just fine!

 

[El Jefe]

I also have a bunch of no holes solid black 16 oz deli containers....always thought they would be cool display for snakes....only problem is the tops are clear.....if this is not a problem then I can bring a stack of them. :shrugs:

 

[ArpeggioAngel]

That would be great Jeff if we had some dark colored lids. But then - of course - we have to put holes in the top too for people to drop in their tickets.
Worst case scenario I can run back up to Big Lots and get some more of the sandwich containers. Don't worry about it.

 

[Memphios]

Nothin' at the Dollar Tree. But wow, I can get a lot of little tubs for so cheap. <3 it.