Would like some help

[sully828]

Hello,
I am a committee member for my College's Relay for life. Relay for life raises money to be donated to find a cure for cancer. College students walk around the campus for 24 hours starting at 6 pm. I am hoping that someone would be able to help me out. I am looking for some where I can either request donations for lighting and sound equipment or buy them for cheap. The reason we need sound and lighting is because we use music to enhance the walk and would like to line the track with speakers so that it is not to loud to disturb the residents who live near campus. Also we invite acts to perform and many of them do not have stage lighting. So I am hoping that this year I can get anything I can possible donate to go towards Relay for Life. So that the expenses are not that high and a lot of the proceeds go to where they should go. Which is to bring a cure to Cancer. any help with this effort would be greatly appreciated!

Sean
DeSales Univeristy

[Charc]

Originally Posted by sully828

Hello,
I am a committee member for my College's Relay for life. Relay for life raises money to be donated to find a cure for cancer. College students walk around the campus for 24 hours starting at 6 pm. I am hoping that someone would be able to help me out. I am looking for some where I can either request donations for lighting and sound equipment or buy them for cheap. The reason we need sound and lighting is because we use music to enhance the walk and would like to line the track with speakers so that it is not to loud to disturb the residents who live near campus. Also we invite acts to perform and many of them do not have stage lighting. So I am hoping that this year I can get anything I can possible donate to go towards Relay for Life. So that the expenses are not that high and a lot of the proceeds go to where they should go. Which is to bring a cure to Cancer. any help with this effort would be greatly appreciated!

Sean
DeSales Univeristy

You can contact a local rental house and see if they would be interested in donating some B-stock gear for the event. One of the things you'll have to note is who you have to setup gear. It's one thing for a company to loan out gear that wouldn't be making them money anyways, it's another thing when labour is involved.

Do you have people on campus that would know how, and be willing to setup the gear, and babysit it? Maybe your school's theater department has connections with a rental house, and that could help you get some gear. Perhaps one of your school's programs already has some of this type of gear in the first place.

[sully828]

I would be able to set-up and watch the equipment. I know how to do it because I am a tv/film major and i do lighting for shoots and also before going to college I worked with a guy who djayed in the philadelphia area but recently sold all his stuff. So i have the knowledge on how to set-up and operate the equipment

[icewolf08]

Why don't you talk to your school's theatre department? They might be able to loan you the gear. Or, if you are a TV/film major, your department must have gear that you could inquire about.

[sully828]

I already have and neither departments will allow it to be used. Last year I used the film depatment's and this year I am not allowed to.

[derekleffew]

Seeing as how DeSales University is in the Lehigh valley, PA, you might try Lehigh Lighting and Zeo Brothers Productions.

[lieperjp]

Originally Posted by sully828

Hello,
Also we invite acts to perform and many of them do not have stage lighting.

If some of them do, see if they will let you use their lighting for the full 24 hours. Unless you need a lot of lighting, or the bands come from hours away.

[sully828]

well the bands we have dont start until 3 hours into the event also they travel at the minimum of 2 hours to get here

[gafftaper]

Unfortunately the reality of the situation is that nearly every person who comes to your local sound/theater rental place has a story about why they have very little money. The vast majority of renters are schools, churches, non-profit arts organizations, and events like yourself. That means you are not going to get a discount just because you have a great cause... we ALL have great causes. I would try to talk one of them into becoming a partner sponsor in the event. Talk with the theater department to see if they have any friends at the local rental places that you can talk to. You need a connection. They get requests like yours all the time. If they said yes to every good cause they would never make any money.

Good luck! Typically your best bet is to just find another company to be your sponsor and use their money to rent the gear. Call places that sell products related to health and fitness to find a sponsor.

[ruinexplorer]

Check with your DJ friend. Many DJs are connected with others (who can cover for them when they are booked) in the area. A DJ could use free publicity, usually has the gear needed, and can provide music when the bands aren't playing. Definitely go for sponsorship from your local supermarkets or whomever and maybe they will (instead of paying into your charity) pay for all the gear. Get your local media to commit to coverage and that will help you get sponsors (in my experience). Heck, try to get your local TV or radio station to sponsor it, they get the advertising too!