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How to Help
Why Do We Need You Today?
We would like to thank all the GREAT supporters
who have donated to our membership campaign this year. Your contributions
have had a major impact on all of our programs. Even though this year's campaign
has been very successful, we still need your help.
If you are one of those Blue Devils fans who has not made your membership gift
this year, please give some serious consideration to the value that this activity
has for you as a fan, and on the kids who perform for you.
Did you know that kids who participate have higher grades in school than kids
that don't. Those same kids have fewer problems with drugs and alcohol and go
on to college and successful careers. Alums who are now in their 40's can attest
to this fact with few exceptions. Participating in a drum corps or any other
performing art build character in kids and changes their lives in meaningful
ways.
Staging a high-quality performing arts program is not cheap. Funding a non-profit
youth organization and a world class drum and bugle corps is a very expensive
enterprise. The cost of energy, fuel, gas and electricity will have a major financial
impact on The Blue Devils especially this summer. Food and transportation costs
continue to spiral higher. As our expenses go up our main sources of revenue,
continue to struggle because of political and economic pressures.
More than ever we need your investment as a member. No contribution is too small.
Every contribution sends a signal to potential foundation and corporate donors
that people believe in what we do for youth – our community supports us.
If there is one group that should understand the impact The Blue Devils have
on our participants, it is our alumni. To date we have had a less than overwhelming
response by the alumni. Now is your chance to help another person have the same
experience that you benefited from.
You can give in many ways. You can join The Blue Devils at one of our many donor
levels. You can give by designating your gift to a certain area of interest,
or you can donate to an individual participant to help them share in the corps.
That was a great idea by the entire 1976 snare line for their support this year.
Thank you!!
Among the challenges that our organization faces is the perception that the revenue
stream for The Blue Devils is constant and abundant. The reality is quite the
opposite and the entire organization is reviewing program activities looking
for ways to conserve and cut expenses.
Why should you want to help us? If you are as passionate about Drum Corps, Winter
Guard, Twirling and the performing arts as we are, you will realize that planning
for the future is critical. With your help, we will preserve the unique opportunities
for young people provided by the pageantry arts.
We need you now! Invest in these kids today. If you have any questions, please
call Gail Schultz at 925.689.2918
x 3007. Play a part in The Blue Devils by sending your membership contribution
today. You
can donate online or just send us a check. We take credit cards too.
Join The Blue Devils
We are asking
you to become a member. A membership contribution helps us in two ways. First,
your membership gift funds operational expenses. Second, your membership makes
an important statement to corporations, foundations, and others who look for
a high level of community commitment before making their organizations own commitment.
Every member is important. Every gift is appreciated.
We would
like to thank you for your membership support by providing you with exclusive
benefits for members only . A $50 membership will entitle you to a 10% discount
on all of our merchandise including CDs and video tapes throughout the year.
Or join us at the Supporter or Benefactor
level and you will be invited to attend rehearsals of the A Corps as they
work on the field or theater show. You will also be invited to participate in
member events that involve our A Corps staff and that are designed for you to
interact with others who love this musical art form.
Thank you for your continued interest in The Blue Devils. Your personal involvement
is appreciated.
Give Stock: It’s a Winning Way to End the Year!
Throughout the year, many of you will be reviewing your tax liability situation
with your CPA or other advisors. Now is the time to plan a gift to help reduce
the taxes you may need to pay.
A gift to The Blue Devils of appreciated securities or mutual fund shares offers
dual benefits: you will be helping our non-profit organization and you will get
a tax deduction.
With any stock sale, you owe taxes on the capital gain, which are generally charged
at a rate of 20 percent. But when you donate publicly traded stocks held long-term
(owned for more than one year) to a qualified charitable organization, such as
ours, you avoid all capital gains taxes. Plus, you may take the full fair market
value of the stock gift as a charitable deduction on your income taxes. The maximum
deduction you may take within a given tax year is 30% of your adjusted gross
income. If you are unable to take the entire deduction in one year, you may carry
the excess deduction forward for five additional years.
If you would like to know more about making a gift of stock or mutual fund shares,
please call Gail Schultz, at 925
689-2918 x 3007. Your gift to The Blue Devils can be designated to help your
favorite Blue Devils Program.
Matching Gifts
Your employer may be able to help you give even more to The Blue Devils. Many
companies have a Matching Gift program where they will match your donation. Just
check with your Human Resources office and send us the paperwork. We will take
care of the processing and you can be proud of doing even more for the young
people performing for The Blue Devils.
For any questions, please call Gail
Schultz, at 925 689-2918 x 3007.
Endowment
For years, the Blue Devils organization has relied on few sources of revenue
to fund program expenses. Realizing that even a small shift in the local economy
and continued pressures on our fundraising activities could have devastating
effects, the Board of Directors has moved to secure a stable foundation for our
organization. In order to assure that there will be a future for The Blue Devils
programs, we have developed a goal to create an Endowment, a savings account
with a principal large enough to support our programs on the interest alone.
An endowment fund is a restricted fund that that is invested in stocks, bonds,
and other investment vehicles that provide income, dividends, and capital gains
from these investments. The Board of Trustees is able to utilize a conservative
percentage (5%) of the total return from the endowment's income annually as revenue.
For example, if your family provides a $50,000 endowment gift to the Blue Devils
that the Board would invest the $50,000 in a balanced portfolio of investment
that would never be spent. Only 5% (or $2500) of the annual total return would
be spent towards Blue Devils program support.
The original investment would stay in tact forever, and the investment would
grow to keep pace with inflation. Endowment gifts are a wonderful way to make
a gift that will literally last forever providing income to the Blue Devils in
perpetuity on your family's behalf.
If you would like to support The Blue Devils with an endowment gift, please call Gail
Schultz, at 925 689-2918 x 3007. Endowment gifts can be restricted for use
by a specific Blue Devil program.
Shop at Safeway, Eddie Bauer, Office Max, Whole Foods, and many other retailers and they will donate a percentage of your purchase to The Blue Devils. Get up to 10% for your group when you dine at over 10,000 participating restaurants and earn up to 8% when you stay at over 7,000 hotels and resorts nationwide. This is only a small example of the thousands of companies that honor eScrip and donate to your favorite charity.
Joining eScrip is easy and it’s FREE! All you have to do is go to www.escrip.com and follow the 4 easy steps to join. Don’t forget to enter the Blue Devils ID number in step #1. The ID number is 136588753. Then a percentage of your purchase will automatically go to The Blue Devils.
If you haven’t renewed your 2005-2006 membership you should do it now.
If you have any questions about the eScrip program please contact Gail Schultz at 925 689-2918 x3007 or email gschultz@bluedevils.org.
GO TO iGive.com and
designate The Blue Devils as the non-profit organization that you support. iGive.com has
a working relationship with numerous retailers, who sell books, office supplies,
toys, videos and compact discs. These retailers have agreed to donate from 2.5%
to 12.5% of the purchase price of goods to designated groups. The Blue Devils
have registered with iGive and
qualify to received the benefit of your shopping on-line. You need to indicate
that The Blue Devils are to receive the donation. iGive.com sends
regular reports and payments of donations directly to The Blue Devils. It would
be helpful to us if, during the start of this program, you would e-mail a note
reporting that you made a purchase from one of the iGive.com companies.
Your information would be helpful as we double check on the program. You will
also receive verification of your donation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I become a member of The Blue Devils Medallion Society?
A donation of $1,000.00 or more qualifies you as a member of the Medallion Society.
Contact Gail Schultz at 925 689-2918
ext. 3007 for further information.
I paid my child’s annual registration fee. Am I a Blue Devils member?
No. Even though your support is greatly appreciated, the fees you pay for your
child registration only pay a part of the costs of their program. The Blue Devils
members support the organization and these additional costs, so your children
have the opportunity to learn and perform. You have registered all of the children
in your family to perform in programs sponsored by The Blue Devils and to use
equipment owned by The Blue Devils by paying the registration fee.
What is The Blue Devils Pride Booster Club?
The Devils Pride Booster Club provides support to the "A" Corps and
serves as a point of contact for family, friends and fans of the "A" Corps.
What is "Friends of The Blue Devils"?
These are the Members who support the Blue Devils organization. When you donate
to The Blue Devils, your name is listed on The
Blue Devils web site and in our newsletters and programs as a "Friend of
The Blue Devils." You
can donate online or by contacting Gail
Schultz at 925 689-2918 ext. 3007
The Blue Devils have always been known as a wealthy organization. Why are
you asking people to make gifts at this point?
The Blue Devils have been fortunate to be able to pay for much of their operating
costs through income derived from a charity bingo operation. Parents and youth
have always been required to volunteer their time at the bingo hall to help support
the Blue Devils. In 2000, the voters in California approved Proposition 1A, which
expanded Indian gaming laws in California. Now, large casinos are being planned
in our immediate vicinity and we have already seen a significant reduction in
bingo revenue. People want to play for the larger winnings that are available
at casinos. The amount that charities can pay to winners is controlled by the
Attorney General.
With continued decline in bingo revenue, the Board of Trustees of the Blue Devils
has taken the point of view that we need to reduce our dependency on bingo within
the next three years. In addition, the Board does not want to continue to use
the valuable time of parents and participants in volunteering for a bingo operation
that is in conflict with the life style and character building goals of the Blue
Devils.
How do I know that my gift will benefit the kids? Can I restrict my gift
for a particular program?
You can support the Blue Devils by becoming a member at any level. These funds
go directly to pay for the costs of operating each program including teaching
staff, transportation costs, uniforms, instruments, and other equipment in addition
to facilities expense, management and development costs. If you prefer, you can
restrict your gift to be used by any specific Blue Devils program that you desire.
Your gift will still provide you with the same membership benefits that are provided
to other members.
What percentage of my gift goes to the Blue Devils programs and how much covers
overhead and fundraising costs?
75% of your gift goes directly to Blue Devils direct program costs. 15% covers
the cost of facilities, management and accounting, while 10% covers the cost
of operating the Blue Devils development program. These percentages are well
within the national guidelines established by the National Nonprofit Chamber
of Commerce and Guidestar. The Board of Trustees of the Blue Devils does everything
that it can to keep the overhead costs as low as possible. The Blue Devils financial
statements are available to anyone upon request.
What is The Blue Devils Parents Association (BDPA)?
This is the official name of the non-profit corporation 501(c)3 that collections
donations for the Blue Devils. The Blue Devils Parents Association (BDPA) was
founded in 1957 as a parent-based organization that provides general operating
support for all Blue Devils programs. The name has continued over the years as
our legal name, but the organization has grown to include our entire family of
supporters. As a public charity, The Blue Devils is supported by gifts and grants
from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Your gift ensures the continued
quality of our programs.
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