Figuring Out Fun Ways to Raise Money

It's possible to find fun ways to raise money regardless of the cause you're raising it for. All it takes is a little creativity and a group of enthusiastic people.

Have a Brainstorming Session

Before you can start your fun fundraiser, you need to come up with some ideas that are fun and will raise money for your organization. Set aside about 30 minutes with your group members and ask them to throw out any fundraising idea that comes to them. If you're having a hard time brainstorming, go back to fundamentals.

What's your groups' mission? Why do you need to raise money? Why should people care about your group? Let's say you're a basketball team that wants to raise money to go to a tournament out West. Why should people care about you? Well, because you're a hardworking team and you have a good chance at winning the tournament.

Now, the basketball is, how do you convey that message to other people? Well, you could set up a neighborhood three-on-three basketball tournament. Ask surrounding teams to play. Put a flier up in your basketball or at your local youth clubs. Present it as a challenge as in "who can beat this amazing team?" Then divide your team into trios and charge each challenging team a $40-$50 entry fee.

Ask local businesses to support the tournament by offering to donate prizes for first, second and third places. The most fun way to raise money is by getting other people involved in what you do. Brainstorming with everyone involved can help you develop an idea that represents you and your organization.

Get Active

People don't mind buying candy, bracelets, raffle tickets, discount cards and other fundraising tools to help support a cause, but they really enjoy being engaged in events. So, when you're thinking of fun ways to raise money, don't forget to involve the donors.

Walk-a-thons and bike-a-thons are a great way to get the entire neighborhood involved in your cause. Have each participant make a pledge for the number of miles he or she can walk or run. They can ask family members or friends to "sponsor" their run. For example, as a sponsor you might offer to pay the person $10 for every mile they complete. When the race is over, they collect their prize.

Volleyball tournaments are also really fun fundraisers. Ask some local celebrities to join and use their namesake to publicize the event. People love to compete against known figures in the community. For this event, you can charge the teams a fee as well as the audience. This fun way to raise money can draw a big crowd that will also buy souvenirs and food.

Visit http://www.redhotfundraising.com/ to find fun ways to raise money for your school or church fundraisers.

Allen Iverson Shoes - The Answer

Allen Iverson's signature shoe line is the second longest in the history of the basketball sneaker market. Still running strong after 12 years the unveil the next installment of the line to be worn by the Denver nuggest guard. Here is our first look at The Answer XII which will be lighter than the heavier set shoes Allen has been wearing the last few seasons.

It is hard to believe that Allen Iverson has been in the League since 1996. It seems like yesterday Iverson was playing in the Big East tournament against Ray Allen in Madison Square Garden. For 13 seasons we've watched Allen basketball the NBA up. Iverson has one, if not the most loyal fan bases a professional athlete can have. Even through the tough times A.I.'s fans ride out for him. The Answer's ride throughout his career as an NBA player has been a journey that not too many can say they have been on.

Reebok tried to emulate that with Iverson's latest signature shoe, the Answer 12. The back of the A12 has an excerpt from the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley (if you're in a black fraternity then you know this poem very well!). Invictus has been very instrumental in Iverson's life. The poem speaks on how one is the master of their fate and the captain of one's soul. Notice the three different color-ways. The first colorway, black-red-white, is inspired by the Philadelphia 76ers. The second colorway, baby-blue-white-yellow, is inspired by his days as a Denver Nugget. The third colorway is obviously the colors of his current team, the Detroit Pistons.

Andrea Mae is a blogger for latest basketball shoes for more information and articles on basketball shoes related, just visit Latest Basketball Shoes.

Hang Time - Is There Such a Thing?

Anyone that watches basketball has seen this (probably many times). Michael Jordan (or another favorite player) is running full speed down court, he jumps, soaring through the air for a tremendous slam dunk. And while he is doing it, the announcers are heaping praise on him for his "amazing hang time". The way they make it sound, he just stays up in the air while other players jump in their attempts to block the shot and fall back to earth as they watch him sail on.

Is this what really happens? If it basketball what secret ability do these players have that let them do this while others cannot? If this is not what really happens, why does it seem that some players can indeed stay in the air longer than other players can?

It all happens so quickly in reality. Are we really seeing what we think we are seeing? Since this act of running and basketball is a "physical" activity, we will take a look at the "physics" involved in jumping. Are there things a player can do to help him stay in the air longer?

The law's of physics have not been changed for basketball players. As a player is coming down the court and going up for a slam dunk, they apply a force (with the muscles of their legs, ankles, and feet) against the floor. The floor pushes back with an "equal force" that propels them into the air. But one thing that we do know for sure - "what goes up must come down" (physics again). The force that the player exerted is not enough to overcome gravity, so they are pulled back down.

Why, then, is it that we say some people can stay in the air longer? What, if anything, can you do to have a longer "hang time?" To find out the answers and get a more detailed explanation of what REALLY happens, please check out the post on our blog at http://verticaljump.einfohound.com/free-vertical-jump-info/hang-time-is-there-such-a-thing/ We also have other information on how to increase your vertical jump including reviews of programs and products that are available to help you

Tom Beagle is a writer for EInfohound. Check out the followup to this article at verticaljump.einfohound.com/free-vertical-jump-info/hang-time-is-there-such-a-thing/. You can get more information on increasing your vertical jump at verticaljump.einfohound.com