Free Beverages For Cito Event

[Snipe33]

Sorry this is last minute but I just found this out myself....

 

One of our CITO event organizers called up a local McDonalds restaurant because he heard that Mcdonalds helps support community service projects.

I guess the info was true because they're giving us free use of a cooler and orange drink concentrate for our event.

 

So if you need cold beverages for your volunteers try giving the local Mcdonalds a call!

[+trippy1976]

cool

[+Planet]

With all the McToys cachers have gotten by buying food, and mention of McToys geocaching does for MacDonald's they should throw in burgers and fries for us too!!

[+Geo Ho]

I'm not sure how to feel about that. I've tasted their "orange" drink. All I can say is that is orange.

 

But, it was generous of them.

 

Happy caching and stuff!

[Snipe33]

That orange liquid sugar should keep us all hyped up and picking up trash the entire day though

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Just in case though have a 5 Gallon Water jug.

I am gonna along with whatever frisbee's we can.

And a case of bottled water.

remember water....water did I mention water.

[+Jamie Z]

Here's a page from McDonald's website:

http://www.mcdonalds.com/usa/good/environment.html

 

In part, it says: "Owner/operators and regional company organizations support local clean-up days with free meals for volunteers and promotional incentives for participation."

 

I might try to line up some food and drink for our CITO event this year.

 

Jamie

[+In Search Of Faeries]

that's cool...I might talk to them too

[+Cool Librarian]

You might want to check out your local Starbucks or Dunkie as well. When I worked for a small non-profit, Starbucks supplied all of the coffee and cups for our volunteer traning sessions. I can't guarantee that they will agree, but it's worth a shot.

 

I find that the best way is to write up a formal request and take it into the business and ask to speak with the manager. Sometimes the manager can make an on the spot decision, other times they have to go to "corporate" for permission - this is why you want to go in with the letter already prepared. This approach is the way I would inquire of donations of any business. In the years that I worked for non-profits, I was never turned down for requests such as these. Being prepared and looking like you have a clue (and sometimes I didn't!) makes all the difference.

 

Oh, be sure to go to the business location that is in the actual town you are holding the clean-up in.

 

Good luck!

[+TeamK-9]

I used exactly the same approach as Cool Librarian several years ago when my dad and I shared the duties of treasurer for a local 5K.

 

Several local stores and restaurants donated fruit, drinks, and all kinds of random stuff.

 

I'd really look into this kind of stuff...

[+Pork King]

...I find that the best way is to write up a formal request and take it into the business and ask to speak with the manager...

Never have been much for formal request writin'. What should a formal request look like?

[+Jamie Z]

What should a formal request look like?

Here's the text from a letter I wrote (and will mail) to the McDonald's closest to our CITO event:

 

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

I am a student at the University of Memphis as well as a member of the Geocachers of West Tennessee organization. Geocaching is a fairly new outdoor activity, which combines the technology of the internet and the United States global positioning system (GPS) with the environment. Briefly, a geocacher hides a small container holding a logbook and small trinkets somewhere scenic or memorable and then publishes the GPS coordinates on the internet for other geocachers to seek. Right now, there are more than 150,000 geocaches worldwide, and more than 80 geocaches within ten miles of your restaurant. You can find more information about geocaching at: www.geocaching.com.

 

On Saturday, April 16, 2005, the Geocachers of West Tennessee will be participating in an international cleanup sponsored by geocaching.com known as Cache In, Trash Out, or CITO. Our group will be helping to pick up trash at the Peterson Lake Nature Center at W.C. Johnson Park located on Wolf Ridge Drive two miles north of your restaurant.

 

According to the McDonald’s corporate website, “Owner/operators and regional company organizations support local clean-up days with free meals for volunteers and promotional incentives for participation.” The Geocachers of West Tennessee would like to invite you to support our cleanup efforts by providing meals or drinks for the event.

 

Our group of roughly 25 to 30 kids and adults will be meeting at the park at 8:00am on Saturday, April 16, 2005. We would like to provide everyone with a light breakfast to begin our day of picking up litter.

 

Would you be willing to help us out? You can contact me on my mobile phone or through email.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

I didn't spend as much time on it as I might a resume or scholarship application, but I think it gets the point across, and it fits on one page.

 

Jamie

[+StarBrand]

Thanks JamieZ!!!

 

Great letter worked for our CITO event in Scottsbluff Nebraska. The local McD is supplying Orange Drink and regular Hamburgers for all involved.....Great idea and Thank You to our local McDonalds!!!

[+Jamie Z]

Dang.

 

I didn't hear a word from my local McDonalds. I guess they like you more.

 

Glad it worked out for you!

 

Jamie

[+Jamie Z]

Great letter worked for our CITO event in Scottsbluff Nebraska.

Do you mean to say that you used the text from my letter? Heh.. well at least I know now that it wasn't my words that didn't convince them.

 

Jamie

[+StarBrand]

Yes the general text of your letter worked out great here is a picture of my son:

 

 

They were quite nice about it!!!!

[+mtn-man]

If you can imagine this, our nearest McDonalds was probably almost an hour away from our GGA CITO.

 

We were a little... remote.

[+Bartster]

Great letter worked for our CITO event in Scottsbluff Nebraska.

Do you mean to say that you used the text from my letter? Heh.. well at least I know now that it wasn't my words that didn't convince them.

 

Jamie

Hey Jamie,

 

I heard it was the McD's in Collierville, TN that delivered the stuff to the event in Nebraska!

 

*in my best 'old deep south' voice*

 

. . . it appea-uhs, what we have hee-uh, is a fail-yuh to communicate!

 

[+MissJenn]

Sorry this is last minute but I just found this out myself....

It's not so last minute if I bump this thread now ...

[+Jamie Z]

Home Depot gave us a load of supplies for a local CITO. I'll upload a pic in a bit...

 

Jamie

[+Haffy]

Hey Jamie what kind of supplies were you talking about that the local Home Depot donated anyway. We have a good friend who is a District trainer for them and maybe we can get some stuff donated from him?

[+Jamie Z]

Oh crap, forgot the pics. Here:

 

Here's Hoot Owl with a cart of some of the stuff we got:

 

 

The rakes in this picture were given to us by Home Depot. They gave us four.

 

 

They also gave us leaf bags and contractor garbage bags, seen in this group pic from day 1.

 

 

We got paint supplies, including the coveralls Hoot Owl is wearing, the paint roller and extention, two gallons of paint, two trays, and three brushes.

 

 

One of their guys came over to help for a bit, even.

 

 

Here's the day 2 group pic. The Home Depot assistant store manager is second from the left. He came to see our work.

 

 

In addition, we got a lawn mower and weed trimmer which we ended up not using because one of the local cachers brought his own equipment.

 

Probably the biggest reason Home Depot gladly helped us out is because the cemetery which we cleaned up is on their property, although it's worth a shot for any project. Home Depot claims to be a positive community member. The biggest trouble I had was getting in touch with the right people. Had to make about four phone calls and a couple of visits before I got the right guy who could say yes.

 

Be prepared with what you need. Like... a list printed out.

 

Jamie

[+MissJenn]

Be prepared with what you need. Like... a list printed out.

Nice post, Jamie Z.

 

Here is one person's checklist.

[+halffast]

More great tip THANKS

[+BadAndy]

Apparently, the McDonalds policy only applies to corporate owned restaraunts. Our local franchise owned restaraunts will rent us a cooler filled with orange stuff for $8.00 a day and won't even discount the food...let alone donate it.

[+The Herd]

We had good luck last year getting free drinks from McDonalds and are going to go back and see if we can do it again. Bumping topic for others to copy and paste his letter!!!

[+Trucker Lee]

As well as the sugared drinks, if you have freezer space at home, fill to 3/4 full and freeze several gallon milk jugs. If needed for injuries, ice is handy to stop bleeding or swelling. If not needed, cold water when done.