Fun Events for Your Campaign

When you think of fun events, think of them as the wrapping paper on a birthday present that keeps on giving.

• It makes you want to see what's inside
• It makes you feel happy
• It makes the present seem more special

But, if the package is empty, it is a pretty big disappointment. Think of the payroll deduction campaign as the present, and the fun events as the wrapping paper that involves your co-workers, makes it fun and ties it to the community effort.

• Stress Buster Days - Employees wear jeans to work. Employees pay to throw water balloons and whipped cream pies at the manager - can be scheduled around peak busy times at the office.
• Ice Cream Social - Management serves employees to thank them for a successful campaign and good participation.
• Hold a carnival or outdoor picnic complete with entertainment, agency booths, drawings, local celebrities, dunking booths, cakewalks and on-site radio remote.
• Hold a prize-filled rally and great food to pump up the spirits and get the campaign off to a great start.
• Dress Down Days - Employees pay $3.00 to dress down.
• Hold a drawing for one month for a premier parking space.
• Kiss the pig/cow/llama - If employees reach their goal, a manager or the CEO agrees to kiss a pig or cow, OR their choice of species.
• Obtain a life-size poster of a race car driver, athlete, celebrity and sell picture taking opportunities.
• Sell popcorn and drinks at company event or picnic with proceeds going to United Way.
• Lunch 'n Learn - Invite an agency speaker and provide lunch for a lunch-time workshop on a topic of interest.
• United Way Trivia Contest - Distribute e-mail, printed questions or put up "potty papers" in the restrooms about United Way and its programs every day for a week. Then ask trivia questions based on the information. Those completing all the questions are entered into a drawing (use information in the Campaign Kit and Community Resource Guide to help you write the questions).
• Hold an employees' children's poster contest. One company turned theirs into colorful calendars as thank you gifts.
• Host a putt-putt golf tourney. Decorate each hole to illustrate and highlight United Way programs.
• Set up United Way displays in your company lobby. You can even hold a competition between departments for the best display. Use different items to depict programs or services.
• Hold an Art Fair or Book Fair. A great way to raise money and provide a fun shopping experience for employees.
• White elephant or silent auction - employees bring in items they have made or donated. Live or silent auctions are held during break times, lunches or via your company's intranet.
• Guess the Baby Contest - photos of salespersons/employees as babies posted. Cost per vote adds fun and can also vote on cutest, etc.
• Management prepares breakfast/BBQ/home made ice cream/ a fun kickoff to announce business participation in United Way campaign.
• Agency Tours for employees are the best way to educate them about what United Way does.
• Dunking Booth - Charge $1 per ball to dunk an executive or manager.
• Play Catch & Release - Managers have to stay in fish tank until they raise ten or more dollars in donations.
• Sell chances for a donated prize/s- Barter goods with other companies doing campaigns.
• Theme Baskets - each department within your company sponsors a theme basket (golf, chocolate, day of pampering, etc.) by purchasing products to fill it up. The baskets are then auctioned off via live or silent auction.
• Chili Cook Offs are always popular - Have each department form a team and prepare their special "secret recipe" for chili. Use a Western or Mexican theme for decorations.
• Employees send candy-grams for 25 cents each.
• Host an International Lunch - Have employees bring ethnic dishes for potluck. Charge $1 or $2 a plate.
• Executive Car Wash - execs agree to wash cars for donations to United Way.
• Make a "Community Quilt" - Provide construction paper, markers, magazines, etc. Have employees make a collage related to United Way on your campaign theme. Tie all the squares together with yarn at a rally, and display proudly!
• You Make the Music - Hold a jingle-writing contest using this theme. The top five winning jingles can be sung to employees by the writers/composers during a company-wide United Way campaign meeting, or have your top company execs perform the jingles.
• Ugly Tie/Ugly Earring Contest - Male employees wear their ugliest ties, females their ugliest earrings. Solicit "votes" (donations) from employees. The person with the most votes at the end of the day wins a prize.
• Funniest Home/Office Videos-Encourage employees to bring their funniest videos from home, or create new ones at work! An entry fee can be charged, and be sure and offer a prize to the winner.
• Winning videos can be featured at your campaign victory party.
• Dress up Day - Employees pay to wear their finest eveningwear or tuxedo to work. Hold a fashion show and crown the winners.
• TP Contest-employee teams compete for the grand prize: the opportunity to toilet paper an executive's office.
• Day off with pay for everyone who gives 1% of their salary.
• Logo items received from manufacturers.
• Trade jobs for a day - if goal is reached.
• United Way parking space - raffle 12 times - one per month.
• The President/CEO donates his/her parking space.
• United Way items (mugs, pens, etc.).
• Tickets to sporting events or movies.
• A weekend for two at a local hotel or bed and breakfast.
• Gift certificates for a salon, dinner, recreation centers, massages, etc.
• Lunch with the boss.
• Flowers each month for a year.
• "Sleep in" passes.
• Airline tickets purchased with frequent flyer miles.
• Passes to leave work early.
• Trophy for department with highest percentage of participation.
• Extra half hour of lunch for 1 week.
• Use campaign themes to 'jazz' up your campaign!
• Have a day at the races. Employees can team up to have their race day with kid's pedal cars or trikes. Checkered flags and a mini race track create more fun.
• "Beach Bash" -Decorate cafeteria or break room with beach balls, etc. Serve hot dogs and fruit kabobs. Tell everyone to wear their favorite "Hawaiian shirt" and then vote on the best one. Award prizes for the best outfits.
• "Academy Awards Night" - Have employees dress as their favorite celebrity. Create video movie "skits" using your favorite movies with a United Way twist.
• "Have a Heart" - A paper heart is hung on the wall when an employee turns in a pledge card. During the campaign, pass out heart shaped balloons and candy hearts to employees
• "Help Make This a Dynamite Campaign"-Send invitations shaped like sticks of TNT to employees to attend the group meeting, and make sure your event is a "Blast!"