Project Literacy Now: Funding a Non-Profit Community Book Festival Introduction “Without books the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are the engines of change, windows on the world, “Lighthouses erected in the sea of time.” They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind, Books are humanity in print.”Arthur Schopenhauer The love of reading is of the utmost importance to the development in children. Project literacy now and forever will be an annual book festival designed to raise funds for teaching rural and inner city youth how to read and also project literacy now is designed to bring awareness of the cause. Project Literacy now will be an international book festival located within a major city in the US. Because books do not buy themselves and convention centers don’t rent themselves Project Literacy now will have a series of fundraisers to raise capital expenses to begin the project and hire a core staff of people to aide in the carrying out of the details of this project.
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah “This is the right place” said Brigham Young in 1847 upon entering the Great Salt Lake Valley. Salt Lake City is now the home of world wide headquarters for the Church of Latter Day Saints. Salt Lake City was Chosen because it is known for its charitable giving. “Among the nation’s major metropolitan areas, residents of Salt Lake City are the most generousSalt Lake City-Ogden residents who itemized their federal tax deductions gave nearly 15 percent of their discretionary income to religious and nonprofit causes, according to the study being published Monday.” (Associated Press, 2003). It was also chosen because of its ample supply of hotels and other more luxurious accommodations. In addition to the luxuriousness of the city, there are also site seeing opportunities, skiing, lake tours, dinner cruises, city tours, and tours of the Mormon Temple Square which is astonishingly beautiful and rich in history.
Salt Lake City is also rich in cultural events. “Over twenty art galleries downtown alone, Salt Lake City also offers many historic sites and attractions and is a stop over for numerous Broadway shows not to mention ethnic festivals throughout the year. (Salt Lake Tourist and Visitor Center, 2005). The festival will have both an out door and an indoor venue. The outdoor venue will be held at Liberty Park.
The park is one hundred acres. (Go City Kid: The City Guide for Parents, 2005), and “Many of Salt Lake City’s popular festivals and events are hosted here.”(Go City Kid: A City Guide for Parents, 2005). The Indoor venue will be The Conference Center. The conference center which was built by the Mormon’s has 1.5 million square feet which includes a 21,000 seat auditorium.
This will house lectures from the various authors and house a different Shakespearean play each night of the festival. There are many other places in the building to house a variety of books. It also has a smaller auditorium which would be perfect for children’s theatre and story telling. Initial Fundraising The major fundraising event will be a series of Charity Golf Tournaments.
The tournaments will be held at West Ridge Golf Club located at 5055 South Westridge Blvd, West Valley City, UT 84118. There will be three tournaments each played the second Saturday of June July and August. Admission per individual person is five hundred dollars. The price per team (maximum four players) will be $1750.00. Each tournament will be limited to the first thirty teams who sign up.
Cost to the club will be forty-two dollars per entrant plus a six dollar tournament fee totaling forty-eight dollars per person. Food will be catered and a small amount of money will be spent for crystal trophies for the first three places. Each tournament will also have sponsors to help increase the total money for the charity. Sponsorships will have different levels. Each level will have different costs and benefits. The first level of sponsorship costs $1500.00 and includes a plaque and the sponsors add in the tournament program to show appreciation and gratitude.
The second level of sponsorship costs $2500.00 and includes a plaque, add in tournament program, free play and guaranteed spot in tournament. The third level of sponsorship costs $3500.00 and includes a plaque, adds in tournament program, free play and guaranteed spot in tournament, and lastly, honorary front row seats to every Shakespearean play performed during the book festival. Before the tournaments are started, there will be opportunities to buy raffle tickets. After the tournaments are over, the raffle ticket drawings will be held for the prize of a package of two seats to your choice of any Broadway play showing in Salt Lake City. Directly after each tournament an auction will be held.
Packages being auctioned off will include: Weekend golf getaway Set of golf clubs Mary Kay product packages (for those gentlemen who would like to thank their significant others for letting them play) Yearly green fee’s package Alternative Fundraising In addition to the golf tournaments, other alternatives for fundraising will be used. Bake sales would be the number two fundraising avenue. Also to be held in Liberty Park, many parishioners of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would be willing to make the baked goods for the bake sale in order to raise money for this extraordinary cause. All proceeds from the bake sale will go toward the book festival.
The second avenue of fundraising will be a bazaar or yard sales. Many of parishioners of the churches in the area have agreed to donate household items, clothing, and much more for the cause. Book Festival The format of the book festival is quite simple. As mentioned earlier, there will be two venues. The outside venue will take place at Liberty Park where stands will be set up with various books.
For example, one stand might include various children books, where another stand might house cook books and home improvement books. Children’s face painting stations will be set up throughout the park. For additional fun, there will be a sail boat race across the Liberty Lake each day of the festival. Various food vendors will be set up throughout the park as well to give those hungry shoppers a chance to eat. If, by chance, the outdoor venue is rained out; the indoor venue is large enough to cater to the needs of the book stands and face painting stations. The indoor venue will be located at the Conference Center of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Also mentioned previously, this venue houses a 21,000 seat auditorium and a smaller auditorium which will be the main area for the Shakespearian plays and the children plays and book readings. Each day of the festival, there will Shakespearian play held in the larger auditorium. Once a day, during each day of the festival, held in the smaller auditorium, will be children’s book reading. Also, held once a day, each day of the festival, various children’s plays will be held in the small auditorium. Conclusion In conclusion, the book festival is a very worthy cause.
It allows the community to see the importance of reading and literacy in children. With people willing to go the extra mile to make sure that children have the necessary skills to continue in their education and careers makes the point even stronger. The Mormon’s, which make up roughly 60% of the population of Salt Lake City, incorporate education and literacy in there daily teachings. “When we have knowledge and wisdom, we are better able to discern truth from error and make good choices. Education and literacy are also keys to encouraging personal growth, preparing for suitable employment, building strong families, serving in the Church, and making a meaningful contribution to the society in which we live.” (The Church or Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 2005) This quote says it all in reference to how important education and literacy is. Books are the way to a solid future for our children.
The golf tournament and other fundraisers allow good old fashioned fun for companies, family’s, etc. to enjoy while at the same time providing monies for the non profit charity book festival. Everyone loves baked goods especially homemade cakes, pies, brownies, and all manner of other goodies. In addition, not many can resist a good buy from a yard sale.
The book festival is a great way for the community to come together and unite in a very important decision to help our children. References Associated Press, (2003, April 28). Twin Cities are ranked third in charity giving. The Great North Alliance News, Retrieved August 14, 2005, from http://thegreatnorth.com/news/03/030428.asp Go City Kid: A City Guide for Parents (2005). Liberty Park. Retrieved August 14, 2005, from http://www.gocitykids.com/browse/attraction.jsp?id+29211 Go City Kid: The City Guide for Parents (2005).
Salt Lake City. Retrieved August 14, 2005, from http://www.gocitykids.com/browse/subcat.jsp?area=189&category=8 Powell, A. K. (2005).
About Salt Lake City. Retrieved August 19, 2005, from http://www.saltlakecityutah.org/aboutsaltlake.htm Salt Lake Tourist and Visitor Center (2005). An In-depth Guide to Salt Lake City. Retrieved August 14, 2005, from httP://www.slctravel.com The Church or Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (2005). Monthly Feature: Education and Literacy.
Retrieved August 27, 2005, from www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,6006-1-3079-1,00.html
