Paying for Marching Band
You can pay 100% of your marching fees and expenses by participating in a variety of fundraising activities for students and parents. There are several ongoing fundraising opportunities described below. Other opportunities are published in the monthly Band Notes newsletter. Suggestions are always welcome for any new and exciting fundraising activities for the Marching Cardinals. Feel free to contact the Booster Officers with your ideas or bring them to the monthly Booster Meeting.
Be sure to review the Fundraising Examples to see how participating in these events can help you pay for marching band without ever having to write a check!!
Uniform Night
Uniform Nights are held four times each year from May through September. U-Nights are key fundraising events that account for nearly half of our operating expenses. On Uniform Nights, teams of students and parents canvas assigned neighborhoods in Coon Rapids in full dress uniform, soliciting donations. Neighborhood assignments are carefully coordinated to ensure that no household is solicited more than once each year.
Because Uniform Nights are critical to the continuation of the marching band program, participation is strongly suggested for all band members and parents. Parents are recommended to participate in at least two Uniform Nights; students are recommended to participate in all four nights. The funds raised during the Uniform Nights are distributed to the individual band accounts of participating students in the form of "shares" for each Uniform Night attended by them and their parents. If there is enough interest and enough unsolicited neighborhoods, there may be additional Uniform Nights scheduled.
Dates for Uniform Night are published in the monthly Band Notes newsletter and on the Marching Cardinals website at www.marchingcardinals.org.
AHEF Certificates
One of the easiest ways to put funds into a student's individual band account is to participate in the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation (AHEF) VIP CashValue CARD program.
Here's How to REGISTER and USE YOUR New AHEF VIP CashValue CARD
Each time you use the card, you will be raising money for AHEF and for a cause of your choice and accruing a cash reward for you to spend at any participating business.
You don't need to register your card on-line to use it; it's ready to go and begin accumulating cash for you and for AHEF. However, there are three good reasons to register your card online: 1) to choose your own favorite cause to support with 50% of the non-profit earnings; 2) to ensure you get your cash value back if you happen to lose your card; and 3) to see constantly growing list of participating businesses.
- Get an AHEF CashValue Card from AHEF or your local Anoka-Hennepin School
- Go to www.vipinternational.com/ahef.
- Click on Register Now
- Click on Enroll your card
- Enter your card number, a username and password of your choice, and your information.
- Select a non-profit cause to support from the list under "Change your Nonprofit Cause" (50% goes to your cause/50% to AHEF for grants for things tax dollars do not do)
Certificates are available at the:
Anoka-Hennepin Educational Service Center
11299 Hanson Boulevard in Coon Rapids
between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Call or e-mail us at:
Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation; 763-506-1107; e-mail Barb.Winfield@anoka.k12.mn.us
OR
VIP International; 612-605-4467
Local personal checks are cheerfully accepted. You can also mail your certificate requests. Just include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your order form and your certificates will be mailed to you in just a few days.
