Early in my term as President of EO San Antonio, Sponsorship Chair Chris Hotchkiss challenged the board to determine how EO could become more relevant in our community. The board agreed that EO was tremendously valuable to our personal and business lives, but the general public had no idea what EO was all about. So, we agreed to pursue Chris’s suggestion to use our skills as entrepreneurs to raise money for a local non-profit organization.
This decision started a chain of events that culminated in one of the biggest successes our chapter has experienced during my term as President.
Our first challenge was to find a non-profit agency that needed our assistance, but also had an effective organization that positively impacted the community. We created a sub-committee to vet several non-profits. The final recommendation was to support The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio by being the presenting sponsor of their annual Golden Gloves Tournament. This regional tournament featured some of the top amateur boxers in Texas, USA. Our initial goal was to raise a minimum of US$15,000, but we had an internal goal of US$30,000.
Our second step was to recruit an honorary chair for the event to help raise funds from outside the EO network. Through various EO connections, we found Roy Terracina, a successful local entrepreneur and former amateur boxing champion. We then met with each of our chapter’s Forums to explain the concept and ask for their help in supporting the event. We had several EO members donate services and goods. What’s more, all of the invitations, event materials and local TV coverage were branded with EO San Antonio as the presenting sponsor.
At the actual event, all EO San Antonio members and guests had access to a VIP tent with a full bar, dinner and music. Several ringside tables were also reserved for EO members. Our Learning Chair presented the trophies to the tournament champions. Following the event was an after-hours party at an exclusive club nearby.
In the end, EO San Antonio helped net over US$50,000 in cash and in-kind services for the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, far exceeding our initial goal. In addition to raising a lot of money for a deserving non-profit organization, the EO membership gave the event a 9.56 rating (out of 10). Also, we believe we’ve successfully raised the level of awareness about EO in our community. The ultimate sign of success is that many of our members have already asked if we’re going to do the same thing next year.