The proposal written below
contains the information about the Haunted House that will be put on to raise
money for the children's home. Please read this information and contact me if
you have any questions.
1. Cover Letter
a. Proposed Event -
The proposed event consists of an up-scale Haunted Attraction walk through
(Haunted House), which will be opened to the public. The event will be open
for three nights and will be accepting cash donations that will be given to the
charity in their entirety. What we are seeking from the sponsors are material,
cash, and discount donations.
b. Managing organization -
Dragon's Head Productions is an event producer who will design,
construct, and provide staffing for the Haunted Event. A simple proprietorship,
Dragon's Head Productions is owned and operated by Michael and Kathleen
Marcrum of Sonoma California. Kathleen has lived her whole life in Sonoma
Valley, and Michael has been a Sonoma resident since 1969. Michael has
worked for the locally based Price Pump Company for the last 28 years.
c. Benefactors -
The major benefactor of this charity event are the children of "The Valley of
the Moon Children's Home". All cash donations collected at the event will be
given directly to the Children's Home.
A secondary benefactor will be the children who attend this family style
event with their parents. They will be hosted to a haunted attraction
produced to provide a safe and fun Halloween for all attendees.
2. Executive Summary
a. Who, What, When, Why and How scenarios -
Dragon's Head Productions, their staff, and their friends will produce a
Haunted House called "The Dragon's Head Inn" for the weekend of
October 29th, 30th, and 31st. The Haunted Attraction will be comprised of a
graveyard set up, a haunted maze and a special Dragon's Den at the end where
treats will be handed out for all young attendees. Due to the nature of the
Charity involved, and the young attendees, there will be no gore or graphic
displays located anywhere at the event.
The event will be open to the public and cash donation will be accepted in
the name of "Valley of the Moon Children's Home". All profits will be
collected by a charity representative present at the event, or forwarded to
the charity if a representative can not be provided.
The Dragon's Head Inn will be built on the property located at 230
Perkins St., Sonoma, California. Dragon's Head Productions will handle all
staffing and services, except for the collection of donations, which will be
manned by the Valley of the Moon Children's Home volunteers.
The Dragon's Head staff will also take care of all permits, inspections,
security, and insurance. As well as promotions and advertising for the event.
b. Promotion overview -
This event will be promoted as a charity event and fund raiser for the
Valley of the Moon Children's Home. It will be promoted at several other
local events during the year and in the media during the month of October
through PSA announcements.
c. Sponsorship prices -
To accrue materials for the project Dragon's Head Productions will solicit
donations from individuals and businesses in the community. These donations
will be used for the production of the Haunted House, and will remain the
property of Dragon's Head Productions.
3. Fact Sheet
a. Name. Location, history -
Dragon's Head Productions has been producing The Dragon's Head Inn Haunted
House at their El Verano home for the past 8 years. In those 8 years the
Haunted House has grown from a one person act and a few props to a 15 person
cast and thousands of dollars worth of props and equipment. Over the years
the event has become a neighborhood favorite, which well supported by
families in the area.
b. Attendance -
The first years attendance was less than 100 children, however, this grew
quickly and in 1997 Dragon's Head entertained over 300 parents and kids.
Many of these visitors asked if they could donate money to the attraction.
After careful thought and an article about the Haunted House in the local
newspaper the Marcrum's' decided to accept donations for a local Charity.
In 1998 when the Valley of the Moon Children's Home consented to receiving
the donations, the attraction was attended by over 600 patrons and raised
$900 for the Charity.
c. Principles -
The major members of this group are the Marcrum's family and friends. This
core group will take care of all planning, construction, costuming, effects,
promotion, and any other areas that will effect the running of the event.
Michael and Kathleen Marcrum will keep in contact and work out all the details
with the local fire department for safety issues and the local police
department on security issues.
4. Target Audience
a. Demographic -
In a 10 mile radius around the proposed site of the event there are 7
grammar schools, 1 Middle School, and 1 High School. The closest major
Haunted House open during this time is in Rohnert Park, which is a 1/2 hour
drive from Sonoma. Several of the grammar schools hold school Halloween
parties on the weekend before Halloween and are only open for a few hours.
This is a wide open market for a Charity Haunted House that is kept at a
family entertainment level.
b. Psychographic -
Approximately 7 years ago the area did have a Haunted House that raised
money for a local charity. The haunt was well attended and raised and was
received by the local township. Up until a few years ago, the local schools
held small Halloween gatherings at the schools in the evening, which was also
well supported by area families. Now, however, there is very little in the
way of Halloween events in the area.
c. Geographic -
The proposed event will be in the center of downtown Sonoma. There is plenty
of on road parking and the site is very well lighted. It is near a major
shopping center and gets plenty of traffic during the daytime, making it
visible weeks before opening which will help with early word of mouth
advertising.
5. Proposed participation (opportunity)
a. Type and level of sponsorship -
There will be three levels of sponsorships. The first, cash sponsorship,
would be for businesses or individuals who would prefer cash donation to be
used towards the purchase of materials and supplies. The second sponsorship
level is donation of product, or services for those businesses that would
like to donate materials or services at no charge to the production of the
haunt. The third level is discount sponsorship for businesses that would
like to provide discounts on materials and products that can be used for the
event.
b. Type and scope of cooperative promotion -
In return for sponsorship of any type, either a business or individual, the
sponsor will receive a certificate of sponsorship, a tax form for a
deduction to a charity event, a listing of their name in all official
advertising, and a posting of their name at the event site. With the large
amount of advertising that is planned the sponsors name will be seen in many
different media's.
c. Event amenities offered -
On Friday the 29th of October there will be a premiere of The Dragon's Head
Inn that will be opened to sponsors and their families. This evening's gala
will also be open to the children from the Valley of the Moon Children's
Home so they may enjoy the Haunted House with some privacy.
6. Sponsorship Fee
a. Return on investment -
Sponsors of the event will have public relations visibility through the event
advertising in local newspapers, local radio, and the area TV channel.
Sponsor's names will be on all printed materials having to do with the
event and will be posted at the site for the guests to see. The Haunt WebSite
will also post all sponsors and their business information. They will also
have VIP treatment at the preview party on October 29th.
b. Decision deadline -
If a sponsor is interested in donating to the charity event we must have
their intention to do so in writing by Sept. 22, 1999. In that way we can
make sure to include their names on all publicity, be able to make a budget
knowing what funding we will have, and are able to use their donations as
best as possible.
7. Marketing Plan
a. Previous marketing strategies ( include results) -
Last year was a first year opening the haunt with the intention of making
money for a charity. Advertising was mainly done by hanging flyers up at
local schools, and by posting posters at many local businesses. We were
successful in getting news articles written about the event in the Sonoma
Index Tribune With just this minimal advertising the attraction had over
600 attendees at the event and raised $900.
b. Proposed media coverage -
We are planning on having ads and news articles in the local paper and two
country papers. We approaching two local radio stations, one a country
station and one a Disney station to carry ads and lastly the use of
Channel 50 in Santa Rosa. Flyers for the event will also be posted in local
stores and handed out at all local schools.
c. Proposed sales promotions -
To draw attention to the event, a large raffle/drawing is planned for the
first of October. All money raised at this drawing will go to the Valley of
the Moon Children's Home.
A small booth at the Sonoma Vintage Festival in September is also planned.
At the booth we will have children's games with prizes for the patrons that
play. Each patron will receive a flyer for the Haunted House as they leave.
The Vintage Festival is attended by hundreds of people from outside the local
area.
Volunteers from the group will go to the local schools passing out brochures
on Halloween Safety Awarness. This will bring flyers with Sponsors logos to all
the children in the area schools, plus give them important safety tips.
8. Participation procedure/deadline
a. Contact name/address -
The person with whom sponsors shall make contact is:
Kathy Marcrum
230 Perkins St.
Sonoma, Ca. 95476
707-996-4763
mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com
b. Decision date -
The deadline for the sponsorship signups is Sept. 22, 1999.
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