MTA committee boosting raffle
Sustaining the Montana Tavern Association's biggest fundraiser was the headline topic at a meeting of the organization's Public Relations Committee in the Jorgenson's Lounge in Helena March 2.
The giant cash raffle, known informally as the "No Dinner/Dinner Raffle," produces $50,000 in cash prizes from a maximum of 1,000 tickets sold at $100 each. In its fourth year, ticket sales have declined marginally every year, so the committee was seeking means to revitalize sales.
Chairman Bobby Lincoln had the 2010 tickets printed and ready to distribute along with several versions of promotional posters. MTA Executive Board members are expected to accept a batch of tickets and posters, then take them back to the local groups and coordinate a sales and distribution effort.
Lincoln told the committee, "We need more member participation. If each member bought or sold just one ticket, we would exceed last year's sales."
Mary Jane Heisler noted it always seems to be "just a few people in any organization – a core – that do the work. We have to find more help."
"I expect each local association to hustle in their own area, but we need a key person at the local level," Lincoln said.
MTA President Bruce Enott, who has personally led ticket sales with over 300 sold each year, said it is important, too, to have winners broadly spread across the state, especially more winners in rural areas, which requires more rural sales. "It takes dogged follow-up," he said. "I sell tickets to everyone I do business with – my car salesman, my stock broker ..."
The committee decided this year to create two winning chances to be entered for every $100 ticket sold. In addition, a $500 prize will be paid to the individual who sells the most tickets, and another $500 will be awarded to the person who sells the top $15,000 winning ticket.
The committee next decided to make no recommendation concerning a funding request from Grateful Nation, an organization raising money to pay for college educations for the children of military personal who are killed in action.
While acclaiming Grateful Nation's goals, the committee decided to simply pass the request to the Budget and Finance Committee since essentially the issue came down to affordability, given the current industry revenue squeeze.
It was noted MTA's support for the Montana Council on Problem Gambling's treatment programs and the 24-hour problem gambler help hotline must be the first priority when it comes to available funds, but Sandy Jones asked the committee to be open to a Grateful Nations request in future years.
Membership dues is the primary source of MTA funding so Lincoln urged the group to support membership recruitment efforts being undertaken by the MTA executive offices.
"We need a county-by-county effort," Lincoln said. "At the local level, we need to know who is a member and who is not. We need a face-to-face effort, we have to get our membership materials into a prospect's hands."
Cal McOmber said some local associations are also experiencing membership recruitment challenges, aside from state membership needs. "But designated driver programs that are made available exclusively to members can help with recruitment" by providing a very tangible membership benefit and incentive, he said.
Lincoln next addressed server training programs, and specifically the industry coalition-backed training campaign administered by The Montana Restaurant Association Education Foundation's Jeff Hainline.
A coalition to promote responsible server training, specifically using the nationally recognized ServSafe program, has been formed by The Montana Tavern Association, Gaming Industry Association of Montana, National Restaurant Association, Montana Restaurant Association, Montana Retail Association, Montana Convenience Store Association, Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association, Montana Food Distributors Association and Montana Innkeepers Association.
Lincoln said he has 38 employees and to train them all at $45 per training represents a significant business expenses, especially considering the high turnover rates among service industry workers.
McOmber said a Ravalli County DUI task force is conducting server training using the Montana Department of Revenue program called "RASS" which only costs $15 per employee trained. "If we're promoting an industry program, we need to get more bang for the buck."