Quick Reminder

Hey Bowling Friends!

Just taking a second for a reminder that all Registrations are DUE TOMORROW: January 31st!  This includes the $15/bowler fee.  Most of you have gotten this stuff into me already (thank you!!), but if you haven’t…no worries, there is still time!  Coordinators and TC’s can register teams either from this website or by filling out the form in your packets.  Also, as I posted on Friday, we now have an online payment option for you guys.

http://jabowlingclassicregistrationfee-autohome.eventbrite.com/

We’re 3 weeks away and I can’t wait to see ya’ll!

JA Bowling Classic keeps moving forward!

Alright guys, we’ve listened to your needs and found that online registration fee payment options would make your life so much easier.  So, VOILA…thanks to the ingenuity of our Marketing Director, Jennifer Hatchett we can now offer that to you.  We have created an EventBrite website where you can pay your registration fees. You can pay individually, for a whole team or even company!

Unfortunately, this is not a catch all website where you can pay for your team(s) & register them at once.  I still need you to register your team as you normally would (via form or online).   But, it does address the need to pay with a credit card at your leisure.  There is a $1.82 service fee added to each registration.  It is 100% up to you how you choose to pay.

http://jabowlingclassicregistrationfee.eventbrite.com/

I hope you all find this helpful!  Happy Friday!

Bowling Brainstorms!

Hey Friends!  I’m happy to report we had a great Team Captain Luncheon today at Jim ‘N Nick’s!  Not only was the food awesome, but so was the company!  While there was a very small turn out, I think we had great discussion and idea swapping!  It seems the Team Captains enjoyed being able to brainstorm together about ways to boost their overall fundraising goals.  2 companies swapped best practices and ideas for group fundraisers and strategies for motivating individual fundraisers as well!  A few of the ideas were:

1. request donated items from businesses around town and then raffle them off (ipad, ipods, GPS, tickets to events, etc)
2. host a departmental or company bake sale…even better a VALENTINES DAY BAKE SALE!  Employees can buy something yummy for their hunny and it all goes to a great cause!
3. Jeans for JA!  Talk to your coordinator and HR department about setting up a Jeans Day!  It’s easy and allows other members of the company to contribute and support JA without participating.

I hope these inspire you to organized a goal busting idea too!  Remember, if you haven’t already, I need all Team Captains planning to attend next week’s luncheon to RSVP by Friday!

Thanks and happy FUNdraising!

Happy New Year!

Hey JA bowlers!  I hope you all have had a lovely holiday season and got to spend time with good friends and family.  Well, it’s 2012 and time to get in gear!  We have so many events and important dates coming up!  Only 54 days until the fundraising deadline.  So, what needs to happen to get on track?

1. Coordinators: now is time for heavy recruiting of Team Captains!  We have 2 TC luncheons coming up very soon and spaces must be reserved in advance!

• Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - Homewood JNN 12-1pm
• Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - Homewood JNN 12-1pm (filling up very quickly)

2. Team Captains: make sure you are scheduled to attend one of the above luncheons.  You will be fed a delicious meal compliments of our title sponsor, Jim ‘N Nick’s; and you will learn the basic ABC’s of being a Team Captain.  There will also be plently of time to share best practice tips and help you and your fellow captains create good fundraising strategies for the 2012 Winter Bowling Classic!  Also, team registration forms are extremely important.  Please make sure you get this turned in to me as soon as you have recruited your bowlers!  Bowling times are on a first come first serve basis and fill up fast.  Registrations can be faxed to 205.290.9332, emailed to elasseter@jaogb.org, or filled out online by clicking the ‘registration’ tab at the top of the blog.

• Registration Deadline:  Tuesday, January 31, 2012

3. Bowlers: let the fundraising begin!  It’s a new year and time to reach new goals & impact students in your local community by fulfilling your commitment to the Bowling Classic.  This fundraiser raises approximately 1/3 of our annual operating budget and helps us reach more than 30,000 students in the Birmingham area.  So, here are some helpful hints to get you started…

• Online fundraising is by far the easiest way to hit your goal!  It takes 3 simple steps to create your page and link it with your team.  Follow the link to get started   http://www.firstgiving.com/jabirmingham/2012-jim-n-nicks-junior-achievement-winter-bowling
• copy and paste your personal fundraising page link into emails, on facebook status updates, twitter & blogs.  Let your friends and family know that you’re participating in the Bowling Classic and it’s so easy to support you!

ready.set.go.

JA student inspires fundraisers

Well, I promised to upload this video to the blog; but unfortunately it’s too big.  Here is the link where you can watch it via Facebook…I assure you it is worth it!  A little background…

 Kiera Hood is a senior at Fairfield High School.  Her teacher, Ms. Harris is one of our most treasured JA teachers and a big supporter of what we do!  You’ll notice, Kiera gives a special thanks to Ms. Harris as well as her Volunteer, Mrs. Sandi Gornati.  Sandi Gornati is the President of SGI Delivery Solutions.  Four years ago, Sandi was convinced by a verypersuasive staff member to volunteer in the classroom for JA.  Sandi was paired with Mrs. Harris and they have been together as volunteer & teacher ever since.  If Kiera Hood is any indication of the type of students they impact and polished young professionals they create, I’d say they are quite a team!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=2870438962030&set=vb.29819427349&type=2&theater

Let the games begin….!

Bowling Classic Chairman, Harry Dinken of Altec Industries

The 2012 Jim ‘N Nick’s Junior Achievement Winter Bowling Classic has officaially kicked-off and we’re moving with great momentum!  We had a fantastic luncheon on December 2nd.  The luncheon was graciously hosted by Samford University; big thanks to our Samford board member Dr. Howard Finch!  We loved using the Pete Hanna Center for this event.

The luncheon began with a motivating talk from our Bowling Classic Chairman, Mr. Harry Dinken of Altec Industries.  Harry did a great job sharing his thoughts on JA & energizing coordinators to do their best for our 25th Anniversary year!

Pam Smiley, Motion Industries Coordinator, introducing me to her new co-coordinator.

The boys from O'Neal Steel discussing their 2012 fundraising strategies!

Kendra Venable (Cobbs, Allen & Hall) & Ricky Parker (AT&T) sharing a laugh at the luncheon

We had a great turn out of coordinators that have been supporting JA for years & a handful of newbies eager to rally the troops & represent their organizations. 

I gave coordinators a quick run-down of the task ahead of them!

A motivating opening speaker, a delicious lunch, laughs & and quick ‘how to’ talk…what else could you ask for?  Well, how about a fantastically, inspiring message from one of our very own JA students.  Ms. Kiera Hood, a senior at Fairfield Highschool, joined us for Kick-Off to share her Junior Achievement experience.  She discussed the highlights she leared from JA curriculum, how it will impact her future decision making and why the coordinators should continue to do their very best to make a difference for students just like her.   Stay tuned for my next post, I’m going to upload the video of Kiera speaking to share with this lovely bowling community!

Ms. Darrington, Mrs. Hood, Kiera Hood, and Mrs. Harris

Mark your calenders!

Hey JA Bowlers! 

 It’s not even Halloween yet, but I’ve got Winter Bowling on my brain!  Mark your calenders for Friday, December 2nd, 2011!  That’s the day we will kick-off the Winter Bowling Classic and continue our 25th Anniversary Celebration! 

More BIG NEWS:  this year we have a venue change!  Winter Bowling Kick-Off will be at Samford University in the Pete Hanna Center, Hospitality Room.  We are so excited to have Samford host our event and want to give a special thanks to one of our new board members, Dr. Howard Finch Dean of Samford’s Brock School of Business, for making this happen and supporting JA!

The Bowling Committee met last week and boy did they work up some big ideas!  Lot’s of fun new rallies and events in store for this year.  Stay tuned for details and new ways to get your business involved!

-Emilie,  Bowling Queen

JA Bowling…a Summer Sensation!

Wow! My first Jim ‘N Nick’s Junior Achievement Bowling Classic has come and gone…and I am THRILLED to say it was not only a huge fundraising success, but also a great time had by all! This year we celebrated our silver bowling anniversary with an 80’s theme! The Bowling Classic began in 1986 and 25 years later is still growing strong! A fun little piece of trivia for you guys …Do you know how much the Bowling Classic raised for Junior Achievement program during its first year? ………$36,518!! These days Southern Company, alone, brings in more than that!

Emilie, Mr. Ed 'been bowlin' since the begining' Neismith & Toya

This year we had a lofty goal of $180,000 and we are close! We are ahead of where we were last year with money still coming in! This accomplishment is driven by a wonderful group of individuals that I have had the opportunity to get to know over the past few months. Next to the JA staff, it is the ever generous Bowling Committee and the hardworking Company Coordinators that make this event a summer sensation! Also, our fantastic new Bowling Chairman, Mr. Harry Dinken from Altec Industries, deserves some notoriety for his leadership over the summer.

….bowling committe volunteers!

Fran, T, Harry, Emilie & Rachelle

I’ve had so much fun participating in the festivities over the summer. The JA bowlers are such a dedicated (and fun) group of people! One of my favorite group fundraisers from the summer was the Maynard, Cooper & Gale dunking booth organized by Sonya Goode, coordinator extraordinaire J Some how she convinced top executives from MC&G to be ‘dunked.’ The dunking took place during their company softball game…it was a blast!

We were fortunate enough to have a fantastic student speaker to keep us motivated over the summer; Hueytown High School student, Stephen Hall joined me on most of my bowling outings and shared his JA experiences with everyone. I truly believe he had twice the impact I did when it came to motivating the troops!

Walter presents the 'Top Company Award' to Kevin & LaKeshia!

Sidney presents 'Highest Company Growth' to Jesse Bandy

Another pleasant surprise came from City of Birmingham under the coordination of Jesse Bandy. Last year, City of Birmingham came on board a little late in the summer.

They did well raising around $4,000. This year, Jesse made it clear that he wanted to get an early start in recruiting his Team Captains. He came up with a number of strategies to increase motivation (and competition! J) This year, City of Birmingham wrapped up with nearly $12,000 earning them the Highest Company Growth award at Recognition!

Recognition was yet another great experience…despite my lack of PowerPoint skills! J We had 2 great student speakers, Walter Zhang & Sidney Urquhart, both 5^th graders at Epic Elementary School. I’d like to give a BIG THANKS to their principal, Ms. Stokes for her efforts in making this happen! The most exciting moment of the whole event was the announcement of the Golden Flake SEC Champion ‘CHIP’ weekend winner….we could not have planned this moment better if we tried! Julie McLaughlin, Golden Flake, came up to announce that Chasity Streit from Sterne Agee & Leach would be the recipient of this AMAZING grand prize! I am not exaggerating when I tell you that Chasity jumped almost 6 feet up out of her chair!!! It was hilarious and inspiring to everyone there. She couldn’t wait to tell her husband (whose bday just happened to be that same day!) Stay tuned for a full report from Chasity on her experiences!!

Chasity - our 2011 Champion 'Chip' Winner!

Finally, thank you all for making my first fundraiser a fun, successful, and without a doubt memorable one! JA bowlers are an amazing group of individuals J

check out all the team photos on our facebook page!!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150350451392350.372761.29819427349&type=1

Summer Bowling Awards!

2011-12 Bowling Classic Chair:

                            Harry Dinken, Altec Industries

Top Fundraisers

Individual:

·         1^st Place – Bill Evans Southern Nuclear Operating Company

·         2^nd Place – John Brown Southern Company Generation

·         3^rd Place – Sonya Goode Maynard, Cooper & Gale

·         4^th Place – Chasity Streit Sterne, Agee & Leach

Team:

·         1^st Place – Bill Evans Southern Nuclear Operating Company

·         2^nd Place – John Brown  Southern Company Generation

·         3^rd Place – Bobby Hodgdon Southern Nuclear Operating Company

·         4^th Place – Fiona La Force Southern Company Generation

Company:

·         1^st Place – Southern Company Generation, LaKeshia Mickens & Kevin Gammill, Coordinators

·         2^nd Place – Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Lashawna Stoke, Coordinator

·         3^rd Place – Regions Morgan Keegan Trust, Kathy Leather & Cassie Thompson, Coordinators

·         4^th Place – Energen, Chris Wingard, Coordinator

Special Recognition…

Stan Roberson Memorial Award for Outstanding Coordinator: Dawn Zielinski, Publix Supermarkets

Highest Company Growth: City of Birmingham, Jesse Bandy, Coordinator

Golden Flake SEC Champion ‘Chip’ Weekend Winner: Chasity Streit, Sterne, Agee & Leach

Alabama Power - Kenya Richardson

Altec Industries - Amanda Sipper

American Cast Iron Pipe Company - Jeanie Lawley & Randolph Fowler

BancorpSouth - Dequendalin Briggs

Bayer Properties - Annie Damsky & Delena Young

Buffalo Soldiers - Lin Parhm

City of Birmingham - Jesse Bandy

Energen - Chris Wingard

Ernst & Young - Patrick McIntyre

First Commercial Bank - Kristie Wilson & Janet Griffen

Haskell, Slaughter, Young and Rediker - Maridi Huggins

Infinity Property & Casualty Corp. - Rachelle Talley

Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ - Jonathan Ross

KPMG LLP - William Crum

Lab First at Trinity - Corey Scott

Malcolm Pirnie - Dustin Harris

Maynard Cooper & Gale - Sonya Goode

NCP Solutions - Gloria Sharpe

Pearce, Bevill, Leesburg & Moore, P.C. - Sarah Propper

PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP - Celeste Rushton

Publix Supermarkets - Dawn Zielinski

Regions Morgan Keegan Trust - Kathy Leather & Cassie Thompson

Southern Company Generation - LaKeshia Mickens & Kevin Gammill

Southern Natural Gas - Mike Rockett

Southern Nuclear Operating Company - Lashawna Stokes 

State Farm Insurance Companies - Corey Oliver

Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. - Stephen Collier

Warren, Averett, Kimbrough & Marino, LLC - Jared Sharpe

Weekend 1 = SUCCESS!!

One down & one to go!  We had 3 bowling shifts this past weekend and everything went well.  All shifts ran smoothly thanks to our GREAT volunteers!  The bowlers seemed to be in good spirits too!  Lot’s of fun door prizes were given away, courtesy of our Title Sponsor, Jim ‘N  Nick’s including taco tickets, frisbees, BBQ tickets, tshirts and even pre-made mix for their signature, delicious cheese biscuits!

Saturday’s participating companies were: LabFirst at Trinity, Sterne Agee, Southern Nuclear, Bayer Properties, Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker, Altec, KPMB, Pearce Bevill, Southern Company, Alabama Power, Infinity, SONAT, Bancorp South, First Commercial, and City of Birmingham!  **so far City of Birmingham has been the only organization to meet their Company Challenge and get FREE PIZZA at the bowling alley!!

Sunday we had: Ernst & Young, Maynard Cooper and Gale, ACIPCO, State Farm, more Alabama Power, and the Buffalo Soldiers.

It was a fun filled weekend and we are looking forward to all 4 shifts we have on the 20th!  Remember…to celebrate our 25th Anniversary we are dressing up 80’s style!  Think crimped hair, flash dance style cut shirts, side ponytails, sweat bands, wrist bands, big hair, mullets, shoulderpads…..just to name a few

Happy FUNdraising!