February 11, 2016
I was listening to Brad Paisley’s Water earlier today and was reminded of my time as a water crew member. The Blue Ribbon Foundation has the privilege of delivering all of the water sold at the Iowa State Fair each year. Last year, the Foundation experienced its highest water sales the Fair had ever seen. I was fortunate, alongside a great water crew to deliver all of that water to vendors and our stands. Many of you have donated your time, and effort into the water program at the Foundation. I would personally like to thank all of you for your hard work and commitment to build a better future for not only the Foundation but the Fair as well.
We have had volunteers selling our water at stands for over 20 years, many of them volunteering every day of the Fair. We could not have such a successful program without the continued help and support of all the volunteers. We have been fortunate enough to build a long lasting partnership between the Foundation and Crystal Clear Water. Since 1995 we have been selling the iconic green bottles, which are arguably the most recognizable part of the Fair. We are always looking for volunteers for the water program and any of our other programs as well.
Please make sure to refer to our Spring Newsletter for more information about volunteer signup for the water program. If you have volunteered in the past, please keep an eye out in early June for an reminder email as well. You can find out more about the water program and all of our other volunteer opportunities with the Foundation on our
website. Thank you for reading, and let’s keep the countdown going, 181 days left! That is exactly 6 months from now, I know you can’t wait!
If you get a few minutes, look that song up and let it remind you of another great day at the Fair and not a cold February day.
- Marcus
Some of our wonderful Foundation Volunteers!
Crystal Clear Water's Donor Profile
February 5, 2016
In early July, we will be celebrating another great
Corndog Kickoff! That is the next big project I’ll be working on. I will be assisting in coordinating the silent auction packages and some of the live auction as well. We already have some great new packages for auction.
The Foundation has been given the opportunity to auction off a replica of Harry Truman’s poker table that has been in his Key West home since he left the White House. This beautiful table is hand made by Jim Gocke and will be one of our featured items at this year’s auction. We will be coming out with more information about it soon! If you want to find out more about Harry Truman or his “Little White House” in Key West please visit
here. To find out more about Jim and the replica, please visit
here to see another replica Jim made for the U.S.S. Iowa. This piece of history is truly something for the ages as it encapsulates what true craftsmanship is.
The Corndog Kickoff is our annual benefit auction held in early July. Along with the poker table, we have some great packages set up. This is a night not only to support the foundation but also to eat Fair food early! Some of the most well-known vendors will be catering the night. You can enjoy corndogs, pork chops, fairsquares and some of the new Fair food. I am most looking forward to working on the organization and
procurement of all of the silent auction packages. Please save the date for July 9th, 2016! You can find more information about the Corndog Kickoff.
Last but not least, I’m still working on promotion of the
Corndog Checkoff. Please remember to “checkoff” the Corndog Checkoff on your Iowa 1040 tax return form, and keep in mind the Iowa State Fair is only 187 days and 15 hours away!!!
-Marcus
This is the poker replica table in the "Little White House"
February 2, 2016
With the snow falling and cold temperatures, remind yourself that February is the month of love. Those warm fuzzies can come from boxes of chocolate, a significant other or maybe the Iowa State Fair. Who doesn’t love to day dream about warm August days when you’re bundled from head to toe? At my house, it’s clear to see that love is in the air with the “Save the Date” wedding announcements starting to cover my refrigerator.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation doesn’t send a “Save the Date” but our winter newsletter should be hitting your mailboxes soon. The newsletter includes an article written by Peter Cownie, the Foundation’s Executive Director, about the successful 2015 Iowa State Fair and future plans for 2016. There are some exciting upgrades that Fairgoers will hopefully be very fond of.
This quarter’s newsletter highlights two (of the many) giving programs - Fan Fair and the Corndog Checkoff. The Foundation shows some love to our supporters in the Champion’s Circle (donors that have given to Our Fair’s Future endowment fund). We include a cumulative list of donors that have supported the Blue Ribbon Foundation since 1993.
Peter says it best: “As donors and volunteers, your support is at the very heart of the Foundation’s success in providing tangible, visible and record results. Combined with outstanding leadership from our staff, we have created a nonprofit that is worthy of your continuing involvement and support. Thank you for your generosity.”
Last but not least, the newsletter includes an article on the Reichardt family for their donation to help preserve the Giant Slide. Can you relate to taking a deep breath and climbing the 105 steps to the top of the 50 foot tall structure on the Iowa State Fairgrounds? Maybe a trip down the Giant Slide is on your Fair to-do list.
This month the entire Blue Ribbon Foundation staff will stay busy. Just to name a few things…Legislative session is in full swing, sponsorship contracts are in the works, promotion of the Corndog Checkoff (remember you can support Fairgrounds' renovations on your taxes), planning for the Corndog Kickoff and much more.
Fairgoers’ passion for the Iowa State Fair is what makes me love my job at the Blue Ribbon Foundation. Keep it up!
January 28, 2016
Why is the Iowa State Fair called the greatest State Fair in the nation? It is because of people like you! Iowans just like you are the reason why all of us at the Foundation do what we do. BUT, you don’t have to just think about the Fair for 11 days in August (Aug. 11th-21st by the way), you can remember the great times and memories you have at the Fair even in the spring. As we start to think about filing our taxes by mid-April, please remember to “Check-Off” the Corndog Checkoff, to help preserve the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Over my last week, I have been busy putting the final touches on the Corndog Checkoff marketing campaign. The Foundation’s goal of this capital improvement campaign for 2016 is to increase awareness and outreach of the Corndog Checkoff. I am asking you, as an Iowa State Fairgoer to help us with this! Visit the checkoff
webpage to find our materials, more information about the projects that have benefited from the checkoff in past years, and some projects slated for completion prior to the 2016 Fair.
I would like to thank all of you readers for your continued support and appreciation for the Foundation and the Iowa State Fair. 195 days to go!! It can’t come fast enough!
-Marcus
Filling the Media Kits to be sent out to the state-wide Radio, T.V. stations and Newspaper outlets. Please keep an eye out for the Corndog Checkoff Ads!
January 21, 2016
Hello,
My name is Marcus Kirstein. I am a new intern for the Blue Ribbon Foundation for the 2016 year! I am a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, graduating in May 2016. My degree is in Leisure, Youth and Human Services with credentials in Nonprofit Management and in Tourism. I hope to one day become a grant maker or a program director at a foundation here in central Iowa. I am a past executive director of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance at UNI. That organization gave me the marketable skills that led to this internship and hopefully will lead into my career. I am originally from Ankeny, IA and my hobbies include cooking, amateur radio, and cheering on the Chicago Blackhawks.
I am the Sponsor Relations Intern for this next spring and summer. I am currently working on the media kit for the Corndog Checkoff. This and many more tasks will create experiences for me to better not only myself but better the Foundation as well. I have been working as a water crew member here at the Foundation for the last three Fairs. If any of you have seen the guys in blue polos driving the green gators around in past years, I used to be one! I had a great time working for the Foundation at the Fair and hopefully I will get to have the same experiences as an intern.
I hope to see all of the readers over the next eight months, either stop into the office and say hi, or hopefully around the Fairgrounds during the eleven best days of the year! One last thought, please remember, if you don’t already “checkoff” the Fairgrounds Renovation on your Iowa Tax Return 1040 form, show the Fair how much you appreciate the wonderful things it has to offer throughout the year by doing so! Find more information at
http://blueribbonfoundation.org/corndogcheckoff
Thank you so much for reading!
-Marcus
2015 Iowa State Fair Opening Day! Nothing Compares!!
The Water Boy "A Team"
January 20, 2016
There is no denying that I’ve got the winter blues. Being cooped up in the house after work and on the weekends is driving me crazy. As a new winter activity this week, I convinced my roommate to play the Blue Ribbon Foundation’s
“It’s a Fair Game”.
I’ve been advertising the game since I starting working for the Foundation but this was the first time I played it. Being completely honest, it was a lot of fun.
The Foundation created the game in 2009. This board game brings the Fair home as you relive the fun of trekking your way across the Fairgrounds. Using custom tokens, players participate in the Fair in one of twelve different professions. As they make their way around the Fairgrounds, a player can increase (or decrease) his or her worth by buying food or merchandise or by winning contests. The player with the highest value when they retire for the night in the campgrounds wins!
During the game my career started as a Concessionaire but quickly switched to Livestock Patrol. I won several Blue Ribbons for my food entries. I always landed on the “buy yummy Fair food” spaces. (Not a stretch from real life.) Some of my favorite spots along the board were:
• Step in cow pie, buy new shoes. Pay $40
• Win Bill Riley talent competition. Collect $500
• Missed the campgrounds shuttle. Lose Turn.
• Buy a brick. Pay $100.
• Hungry for a corndog. Pay $5
The board game is filled with everything you love about the Iowa State Fair. The Foundation currently has the game on sale in the
State Fair Store for $15.
The Iowa State Fair seems like a distant event in these cold weeks of winter, but it will be here before we know it. I won this week’s game but I’m sure my roommate will challenge me again soon. I encourage you to play the “It’s a Fair Game” and find the winner in your family.
January 11, 2016
After another great holiday spent with family and friends - the Blue Ribbon Foundation staff is back at work, and for me, it seems busier than ever.
Most of my friends assume that this is a slow time of year (there are still 212 days until the Iowa State Fair) but there are plenty of projects that need work all year round. Currently I am working on the winter newsletter, conducting intern interviews and starting to plan the 20th annual Corndog Kickoff. This month, I’ll organize volunteers to work our booth at the Iowa Beef Expo, continue promoting membership programs and update merchandise inventory.
I’m looking forward to 2016 and all that it will bring. Stay update-to-date with the Blue Ribbon Foundation by adding a few specific dates to your calendar.
February 15-18: Iowa Beef Expo, Volunteers will be selling Iowa State Fair merchandise. (If you would like to volunteer, send me an
email.)
March 31: Deadline for
Giving Program items to be placed by Fair 2016 (bricks, lamp posts, trees).
April 15: Date to have your taxes filed. The
Corndog Checkoff is an easy way to support the Foundation on your Iowa Tax Return.
June 30: Deadline for
Block by Block program (Donor Wall in Jacobson Exhibition Center).
May: Our intern will start recruiting summer
volunteers.
May 31: We are partnering with The Principal Charity Classic's "
Birdies for Charity" fundraiser.
August 11 - 21: Iowa State Fair - The
Fairgrounds 5K will be held during the Fair again this year.
Join our
email mailing list to get the inside scoop on Blue Ribbon Foundation events and activities delivered right to your inbox! We send out monthly emails to keep you updated on what's happening at the Foundation.
A few of my favorite pictures from 2015:
Fantastic summer interns:
2015 Corndog Kickoff Crowd:
2015 Fairgrounds 5K:
2015 Outhouse Races:
December 23, 2015
Happy Holidays!
With the holidays upon us we wish you a joyful season and a happy new year! Thank you for your continued support of the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.
- Peter, Robin, Gina and Drew
(A blurry but nice picture of the BRF Staff.)
December 8, 2015
Making a gift to the Blue Ribbon Foundation this holiday season can be a heartwarming experience that will set us up for success in the coming year. Plus, when you make your gifts by December 31, you will see a tax break for this year if you itemize deductions on your federal income tax return. That's not all—depending on the gift arrangements you choose, you can eliminate capital gains tax and reduce your income and future estate taxes.
Timing Is Everything
All gifts must be fully completed on or before December 31 to qualify for an income tax deduction this year.
- Cash contributions sent through the mail are usually deductible if they are mailed by midnight on December 31.
- Securities are generally deductible on the date they are transferred (if done electronically) to our books—not the date you ask your broker to make the transfer.
- Life insurance gifts are considered complete on the date you sign the paperwork transferring ownership to the Blue Ribbon Foundation, assuming you properly forward the form on to the insurance company.
- Real estate gifts, in most states, are considered complete on the date a properly executed deed is delivered to us.
We Can Help
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Our Giving Tree from the 2015 Corndog Kickoff.
Holiday decorations on the gate of our office.
December 2, 2015
This week was the International Association of Fairs and Exposition’s annual convention and trade show. The IAFE is an organization that promotes the development and improvement of agricultural fairs, shows, and expositions. The 1,100 members of the IAFE are from around the world and represent county, state and regional events.
The
convention and trade show, held in Las Vegas, is the largest event for fairs, shows and expos. Convention attendees network and learn from each other/professionals during the four days of workshops, seminars, and round table discussions. The trade show allows companies to showcase themselves for event booking, product, and service needs.
Several Iowa State Fair staff members and Blue Ribbon Foundation staff members, Peter and Robin attended the convention this week. There is no doubt the staff learned from other Fairs and Foundations from across the country. I’m excited to hear about the trip and what information we can use at our Foundation. Since the Blue Ribbon Foundation has been around since 1993, I'm sure Robin and Peter were able to share ideas with newly created Foundations.
The theme for this year’s convention was “Have all the fun you want! We’ll make more”. I think this theme is perfect for a Fair event! The Iowa State Fair is filled with excited things to see and do each year. There are the classic must see exhibits and foods you have to eat, but the Iowa State Fair also tries to create something new. Our staff attends conventions to brainstorm ideas for ways to continually improve our Fair and Foundation events throughout the year.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation holds our fundraising event, the
Corndog Kickoff every July. Fairgoers gear up for the Iowa State Fair by enjoying Fair food while bidding on auction packages. It’s my goal to keep the event successful and more entertaining each year. This winter we select the theme for next summer’s event. I’ve got two Corndog Kickoff’s under my belt – “Rock'n Round the Grounds” and “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. I’m determined that the 2016 event will be one for the books!
So stay tuned Fairgoers and Foundation supporters – the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation is working hard to make more fun for 2016!
2015 centerpieces for "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" theme:
2014 decorations for "Rock'n Round the Grounds" theme:
A shelf in my office closet with years of Corndog Kickoff plans/ideas:
