Need Outreach Event Suggestions

[Kitch]

I love my agency - we are doing an "Employee Expo" this year where employees will have an opportunity to display their talents, hobbies, interests and/or volunteer activities to other employees. A friend of mine (who also works here) runs the Snowy Paws Husky Rescue. She and I were discussing how great it would be if we had a combined Rescue table at the fair.

 

It would have the potential to reach a couple of thousand people, many of which are dog friendly. Could be a chance to get more volunteers for NEBCR or at a minimum get the word out.

 

We aren't allowed to sell anything at the event, but we are allowed to give out brochures, cards, etc.

 

 

Anyway, I have gotten a flyer from NEBCR that I am going to use and I have come up with some extra info on my own, but I am still looking for suggestions - it is a great opportunity and we will have a large table for the two of us, so I want to take advantage of that space as best as possible.

 

I have some "Is a Border Collie the Right Dog for Me" handouts as well as some "Why Border Collies End Up In Rescue" flyers.

 

Any other ideas? I'm drawing a blank.

 

Oh yeah - I get to bring Dublin with me! We are bound to get a lot of traffic by our booth since there will be my gorgeous Dublin hamming it up as well as my friend's very dignified (HUGE) male husky watching everyone walk by...

[Dal & Mad's Mom]

People love free stuff what about raffling off a small basket for free or giving free pens, hard candy, free dog biscuits.

[Barb Scott]

How about a photo board with pictures of things you're involved in...agility, disc dogs, therapy dogs?

Barb S

[Kerrigan]

Hi Kerry ~

 

I do a BC breed education/BC club/BC rescue booth at the Scottish Games every year and have also done it for the big Pet Expo for several years. I made a binder with a section of all of our rescue's success stories on the adopted dogs. People seem to be more open to adopting a rescue dog when they see the success stories. A lot of folks tend to think that there must be something wrong with the dog if it is in rescue. Then I have a section with all the dogs currently available in our rescue. We also give out foster home applications and adoption applications if people are interested. If you ever get a chance to do a booth at a local Scottish Games, go for it. The people are wonderful and the LOVE their BC's, very generous with donations to our rescue. Probably one of my favorite events each year, plus they have sheep dog demos using both sheep and ducks. They also do a parade of all the clans and they include all the Scottish Animals on exhibit in the parade. They give the all the animals (sheep, cattle and horses included) a commemorative bandana with the Scottish Games logo on it each year to wear in the parade - different color each year. The dogs love this. I know you can't sell anything, but can you put out a jar or can for donations to the rescues?

[sea4th]

Kerry,

 

What I do with our border collie booth in addition to flyers etc., is I have a small TV with a VCR and I have working border collie tapes which I play---training tapes, tapes of trials, etc.

 

It shows the average person an aspect of border collies that they might have read or heard about, but never really get to see.

[Kerrigan]

Vicki ~

 

That is a really great idea.

[sea4th]

There are always people standing around our booth watching these tapes. Then you see them looking at the dogs I have with me in a whole new light. It's almost as though they've become more than just the average dog---but then we've known that all along, haven't we.

 

Sometimes---as in any time you deal with the public---we've been told that the sheep must be trained. Yeh---how they glean that from the tapes of the International, I'll never know, and this is why I have training tapes which show pups being started.

 

And you don't have to be talking as much.

[FishinBC]

Kerri,

 

Jeanne's idea of the success book is something we always found people love to look through at our rescue events. Vicki! I think we need to borrow your idea too, that sounds just great!

[Kitch]

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

I have been printing out a bunch of "success stories" and I am going to use them either in a binder or on poster board - haven't decided yet.

 

I like the idea of a TV/video set up - don't know if I will be ale to do that but I am going to try to figure something out...

 

 

I am going to get some posterboard this weekend for the dog hobbies/sports etc that BCs excel in - (which would be all of them right? )

 

I have a copy of the volunteer application and the adopter's application.

 

Things are looking good so far. Oh - and another person who works here is going to be doing an agility "table" she is actually brining in some equip and demonstrating it with her border collie - which just happens to have been adopted through NEBCR!

 

Feel free to post any other suggestions! Tara and I haven't gotten a bit of work done today - spent the whole day doing BC and Husky stuff, trying to get ready.