#FeverDreams 2015-16 - Making it even bigger

Hi.

You probably know about the amazing story of #FeverDreams this year. In case you don't have a read of this amazing thread - but to summarise we raised money (almost $4,000) and we use it to send a family - who are staying at Ronald McDonald House Wellington (And Auckland when the Nix play there) while their child undergoes cancer treatment - to each home Phoenix game. To make the match day experience truly memeorable we give them match ticket,s Yellow Fever scarves, a $50 food and beverage voucher and passes to the Phoenix Lounge. It's pretty cool.

Also, in case you didn't know I nominated Matt for Football Supporter of the Year at the FFDU awards (see here) and he's been selected as one of the three finalists in that category.

Matt (Yakcall) and I have discussed it and we plan to keep #FeverDreams going next season, and as we approach the start of next season we will probably set up a new #FeverDreams www.givealittle.co.nz appeal so people can contribute.

I'm excited about ALL of that.

But I want to make what we do even bigger, and even better.

So, in addition to the families from Ronald McDonald House, next season I want to help the Wellington City Mission. 

Their website has the following banner summarising what they do:

I reckon the Yellow Fever can help.

Here is a photo I saw this month which inspired me.

The caption said that this was "this week's" Celtic fans foodbank collection.

And I thought, why can't we do that too?

So, this is floating the idea...

...If there was 

• a designated drop of place, 
• published guidelines about what sorts of products were acceptable and no acceptable, and 
• an organised mechansim for receiving, sorting and delivering the collected donations to the Wellington City Mission,

who would be willing to bring a foodbank donation to the stadium on match days?

There's information at this page to give you and idea of the sorts of things that the Wellington City Mission want donations of (currently)

I don't understand why links to other threads don't work anymore... oh well. For the This Amazing thread link, go to Forums - Wellington Phoenix Discussion - Ronald McDonald House Ticketing Fundraiser

Awesome idea. I would take part, if it was run. Happy to make it a thing, to bring a few cans to each home game. Couldn't hurt publicity wise for the Nix either. 

Really like the way you are getting all this done

Great idea and love the thought of extending it somehow.  Just a couple of thoughts :

- a monetary donation is easier  and can be done over a longer period and needs less co ordination than a food bank collection

- relying on a 1 day type event with people needing to remember  to bring goods on that 1 day could be problematic

- a worthy cause but certainly a more difficult one than RMH which has more of a warm fuzzy appeal about it where donors can see the happy smiling faces.  
Not a reasons why not to do it just some thoughts on potential difficulties

I wasn't thinking in terms of over a season for the collection idea, I did think with Nix help advertising, it along with the fever, we could do a decent once off for a home game. They have one of there appeals in December so could maybe join that.

Not sure if that is what BWTCF had in mind or if he was thinking a season thing of both RMH and city mission.

Hotel bottles of shampoo and moisturiser would be ideal.

Good idea but im going to play devils advocate as i think this really needs to be thought through.

Fever Dreams is an easy connect for people as it only requires a click to donate the money and then its over.This looks like it is going to require a bit more involvement from a number of people and as we have seen that can be a hard ask for some.You could be asking people to commit to more than just supporting the Phoenix and as we are aware people have many other things on in their life .Would not like it to become a case of people having to choose which YF good deed they were going to put their money into as they dont have the cash to support both.

Would prefer it to maybe be just a one off collection of food and maybe a donation of cash at the end of season if support for Dreams has been successful.Would the Phoenix want to commit to another charity given they already do their own thing.

As i said good idea just think it really needs some thought before pushing ahead.

Its a great idea. The only thing I would do is check that the Phoenix are ok with it because as Ballane said, they do a lot of charity stuff already so make sure it fits in with their brand etc. I realise this is not a Phoenix thing but Yellow Fever is linked with the Phoenix in most peoples minds.

can we drop of a doz?

You will only need to collect it. If the collection was for, say, City Mission, they would organise to pick it all up from Westpac at half time or something. I'm sure they would do that and have volunteers available. The hardest part of these types of things is getting people to donate, I reckon the charities will fall over themselves if all they need to do is pick it up from one place.

Fixed

I would only feed a few families

Maybe we could do something in conjunction with one of the pubs who support the Fever. Use them as a drop off point perhaps?

Just a thought here but maybe we could run it for a season with people getting a card to stamp every time they donate an item with every 10th item of food  donated on home match days equalling a discount on drinkies etc at said establishment?

Think that's a great idea! might be simpler to give a discount per donation.

Boycie might well be convinced to give a dollar discount on a drink per donated can. He did mention at the start of the season (at the sing along session) that Lion likes to help out in this regard. Just need a couple of wheely bins to put the goods into.

Sure - some people might chance it with $0.73 baked beans, but seems like a dick move for 27 cent discount on beer!

Actually, I would just donate cause it's a good idea and not for the discounts. 

I like the idea of donating at the pub - would make it nice and easy.

I will have a chat to Boycie and see if we can have a collection point in the loading dock of the bencher or something. Great idea Coops.

you will find the City Mission would/will attend said game/s with vehicle/s  to load straight in. 

It is great idea and I believe Station NewWorld would get on board as well.

Money donations are already taken by CM but to turn that into food bank products need an army of volunteers. We all know from F/ Ball clubs they get over worked. 

8000 cans go a long way when it's food product not beer?

Edit: The symbolisim of the first post photo must happen at 1 game. Even just for the #Press 

Its refreshing to be able to have such a discussion on a football forum. There is often a lot of stupid on here, some of which I am responsible for, but its also nice to be able to offer a suggestion and have it received by others who are in a better position to be able to act upon it.

Nice one Brandon

Need something at the stadium so people like myself who travel and don't always get to the pub (as our driver likes to go to the game and go home) can contribute

That is what I was thinking too and while it can be a Yellow Fever organised thing, it would be good to get the public on board and show some of the good Yellow Fever does

I like this line of thought also.  They'd have to have a collection before the gates - can't see stadium security letting people in with loads of canned food.

Whilst I can see the logic of the BB/Pub collect, I agree with others in that it limits the potential "audience". 

We'd get more visibility, traction, and a better result by having a collection point (wheelies) outside the stadium. A little (donated) media/promos (and some Twitter/Bookface thrashing) in the lead up will raise awareness amongst the public and Nix fans beyond Aisle 22 and the BB.

Brandon, great idea and I'd be more than happy to help - hit me up if I can do so.

It doesn't have to be either/or re. the collection point(s).

We can do both... collection at the Backbencher AND at the stadium. Why would we have to choose?

I concur

The stadium collection should be a separate thing on a match that will encourage people to donate (ie Late November/Early December when Christmas fast approaching!) and will require the club and stadium being involved whereas the collection at a Fever watering hole can be in conjunction with a sponsor (brewery) and will be something small we can all do over the course of a season to help those less fortunate than us.