Game. Set. Give. - ThanksUSA

Bob Okun

ThanksUSA

CEO and Chairman

Game. Set. Give.

Dear Tennis Thanks the Troops Supporter,

On behalf of the USPTA and ThanksUSA, thank you for participating in the 2014 Tennis

Thanks the Troops fundraising campaign to be held Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26,

2014.

Tennis enthusiasts have made lasting commitments to charitable causes, so we are delighted that you have chosen to support Tennis Thanks the Troops. This campaign supports

scholarships for the children and spouses of our U.S. military.

Enclosed in this Tennis Thanks the Troops kit are promotional materials for you to display

and use in your promotions. The materials are:

• Tennis Thanks the Troops Promotional Poster

• Tennis Thanks the Troops Promotional Flyer

• Fund-Raising Donation Card

• Return Envelope for Fund-Raising Donation Card

• Host Facility Tips for Success

Tennis Thanks The Troops Success Stories

These materials can also be downloaded at www.ThanksUSA.org, where you will also find

other promotional materials to further enhance participation at your facility.

Millions of tennis players and tennis fans will be inspired to participate in Tennis Thanks

the Troops 2014. By joining them, you too will help ensure a bright future for the families of

our military men and women.

Thank you,

Lisa Raymond

Former #1 WTA

ThanksUSA Spokesperson

John Embree

USPTA

CEO

Game. Set. Give.

Tips for Success

Tennis Thanks the Troops, an initiative of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA)

and ThanksUSA, will take place over Memorial Day weekend, May 24 – 26, at tennis facilities across

the country. Tennis facilities and pros will request donations from members, guests and fans of the

game.

The funds raised will go to the ThanksUSA organization to provide need-based post-secondary

educational scholarships to children and spouses of military men and women serving our great

nation.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS

1. Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26, 2014

Tennis facilities and pros are asked to collect donations from members, guests and fans of the game.

2. Host facilities/professionals have the flexibility to maximize the success of

Tennis Thanks the Troops. Some ideas include:

• Post event details on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs or other social-media opportunities.

• Put a donation container along with a flier at the register.

• Tennis players, pros, members, guests and fans of the game can make contributions online at http://www.thanksusa.org/main/donate.html.

• Consider running the promotion for the entire month, in addition to hosting Tennis Thanks the

Troops over Memorial Day weekend

• Allow Veterans to play tennis for free and ask for donations.

• Have your men’s or women’s leagues run events.

• Coordinate a Tennis Thanks the Troops Tournament.

• Have prizes donated for a Silent Auction or Raffle.

• Give lessons/clinic and ask for donations.

• Donate $5 from every lesson (or more)

• Have your facility match donations generated from your tennis players.

• Seek a sponsor (a local business) to match all donations generated.

• Offer package deals including tennis balls and a lesson, and then direct a portion of the

package price for a donation.

• Offer incentives on merchandise purchases, i.e. instead of discounts for tennis players, direct

the savings on purchases for donations (for example: $5 donation for every shirt purchase)

• Use multiple locations to accept donations: tennis shop, grill room, courts, etc.

Game. Set. Give.

Tips for Success (cont’d)

TIPS ON PROMOTING YOUR PROGRAM

1. Inform Your Staff • Educate your staff on the event so they know how to respond to phone calls.

2. Use promotional materials • Hang the poster in the most visible locations.

• Post flier at registers and other locations.

• Make copies and pass along to community businesses to help promote your event.

3. Download additional materials at ThanksUSA.org • Print additional posters and fliers.

• Use the press-release template.

• Distribute the Tennis Thanks the Troops information to your staff so they are ready to inform

customers about the event.

4. Conduct local marketing/promotions • Use Social Media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and Blogs to promote your events.

• Send press release to your local media, including daily and weekly newspapers, radio

stations, television stations and local websites that promote community events.

• Media prefer communications sent via email. If you can’t email, then fax or mail.

• For daily newspapers and local TV affiliates, send communications out at least one week prior

to the start of the event. The more notice you can provide, the better.

• Promote Tennis Thanks the Troops via email to your database of customers, leagues,

associations, etc.

• Post the Tennis Thanks the Troops flier on your website.

• Promote in your events/calendar section in newsletters.

5. Community Marketing • Ask local American Legion or ROTC to help with promotion and/or involvement.

• Ask VFW color guard to participate the day of your event.

• VA Hospitals and local bases may wish to help with promotion and/or involvement.

• Recruit local businesses and Chamber of Commerce to help promote and participate.

POST Event Complete the donation card and write one check for the total amount raised. (Please do not send cash. Make check payable to ThanksUSA.) This card is included in your packet and accessible at

ThanksUSA.org. **Please complete this card with the charge volume from the event. You may also

submit donations online at ThanksUSA.org

Use the enclosed return envelope for the donation card and send to:

ThanksUSA

1390 Chain Bridge Rd. #260

McLean, VA 221

703-855-4108

Game. Set. Give.

Best Practices

The San Diego Tennis Association

San Diego, California

The group has presented two scholarships in their name to ThanksUSA

scholars. They did so by including a donation option in their annual

Tennis Fest event registrations and hosting a silent auction throughout

the day.

The Berkeley Hills Country Club

Duluth, Georgia The club fundraised by hosting themed Tennis Mixers. They also

included a silent auction in their mixers which helped boost their

fundraising efforts. This past year they were able to present their first

scholarship to a Georgia military spouse.

Maharaj Tennis

Fernanda Beach, Florida Maharaj Tennis partnered with Cliff Drysdale Tennis to host a Round

Robin event over Memorial Day Weekend. They asked the event

participants to each donate to the campaign.

Lake Wood Country Club

Rockville, Maryland USPTA Pro John Clary hosted a tournament and a tennis clinic with

proceeds raised from the event being donated to Tennis Thanks the

Troops.

Tennis Thanks the Troops Supporters

Nationwide Special thanks to all the other pros and clubs that donated a portion of

their lessons, held a clinic or put a donation jar out at their club. You

are the reason we can continue to thank our troops with the gift of

education.

For Questions regarding Tennis Thanks the Troops, please contact:

Mandy Johnson at [email protected] or 703.641.2407.

This participating tennis facility invites you to make a dona-tion to benefit the ThanksUSA Military Scholarship Program.

ThanksUSA provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships for the children and spouses of U.S. military personnel. Since 2006, over 3,000 scholarships have been awarded totaling nearly $10 million by ThanksUSA.

The USPTA proudly supports ThanksUSA and the Tennis Thanks The Troops campaign.

Serve for those who Serve

Join Tennis Thanks the Troops to give the gift of education to the families of our military.

www.ThanksUSA.org

T•H

•A •N •K

• S

U S A

TENNIS THANKS TROOPS

Event Details

Date:

Time:

This participating tennis facility invites you to make a donation to benefit the ThanksUSA Military Scholarship Program.

ThanksUSA provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships for the children and spouses of U.S. military personnel. Since 2006, over 3,000 scholarships have been awarded totaling nearly $10 million by ThanksUSA.

The USPTA proudly supports ThanksUSA and the Tennis Thanks The Troops campaign.

Serve for those who Serve

Join Tennis Thanks the Troops to give the gift of education to the families of our military.

www.ThanksUSA.org

T•H

•A •N •K

• S

U S A

TENNIS THANKS TROOPS

Event DetailsDate:

Time: