Need Funds? Buy Bricks!

Let's face it, everyone could use a little extra cash every now and then. And in today's economy it can be tough for non-profits, schools and other facilities to raise the funds they need to continue offering the products or services they provide. But, with just a simple phone call to Emerson Monument Co and a little sales effort, your organization can start a sustainable fundraiser that gives donors even more of a reason to pull out their check books.

Engraved brick fundraisers have been around for decades and have been used by both non-profit and for-profit organizations alike. The reason it works is because donors are recognized in a manner that is both fairly permanent and public. Because the public can see who donated, it is not uncommon for organizations to recognize various donor levels by including level icons on the pavers along with donor information.

While planning to do a brick fundraiser there are several questions important questions to ask and address.

Where will your bricks be placed?

• I have seen facilities incorporate bricks into sidewalks and walkways, place them around planters and garden areas and lay them into walls.
• Who will manage the brick campaign?
• The most successful campaigns are those that have a dedicated campaign manager who works closely with the donor and with Emerson Monument Company to ensure all provided information will fit on the brick and all engraved information is accurate. A great campaign manager will also keep track of where on the premises the brick is located so donors may find it with ease.
• When will the bricks be placed?
• From our experience we have found that it is typically less expensive to place several bricks at one time as opposed to placing one here and one there.
• If you envision your fundraising effort to last for several years, we recommend visiting with us about how to appropriately plan and how our on-site engraving services work.

Think your organization can't do bricks? Think again! We have done bricks for the following types of organizations:

• public schools
• private schools
• pre-schools and day cares
• athletic leagues
• civic memorials
• therapeutic treatment facilities
• arts centers
• gardens
• churches
• animal shelters
• non-profit foundations
• cities/downtowns
• amusement parks

If you would like to explore the possibility of an engraved brick or paver fundraising campaign for your organization, contact Emerson Monument Company and learn how your group can grow!

A Veterans Memorial

If there is a group of folks who deserve a memorial, it is the Veterans who have proudly (and bravely) served our country.

Memorial Day weekend of 2009, we erected a beautiful Veterans Memorial in Farmington, AR.  It was here that a small committee of folks belonging to the Farmington Veteran's Council, brought some ideas together to honor past, present and future Veterans of our United States Armed Forces.  When they came to us they had a general idea of the memorial design and looked to our expertise to help make it happen. 

We recommended a Georgia Gray granite for the memorial and further recommended using laser etched black granite tiles for the Great Seal and the seal of each branch of the military.  By laser etching each seal, we were able to obtain a level of detail that is crisp and accurate.  We then inlayed the black tiles into the gray granite.

Now, I will tell you, there is a fine art to inlaying any kind of tiles into granite.  Why?  Because the inlaying needs to be precise and accurate so that there are no holes or gaps between the base stone and the inlayed stone.  Tiny holes, cracks and gaps could potentially set the base stone up for future problems and are certainly something to avoid.  Here at Emerson Monument Co, our craftsmen are second to none and did an absolutely amazing job with this memorial.

"A tribute to all veterans, past, present and future."

Although some of the memorial was donated by local organizations, the group also needed to do some fundraising to make this memorial possible.  They achieved the necessary funds by selling engraved bricks that were inlayed into a concrete block wall.  Engraved bricks are a lot of fun and very popular because it gives each individual his or her own little tribute within the encompassing memorial.

One of the walls hosting engraved bricks.

I truly enjoyed attending the dedication and memorial service hosted when the memorial was erected.  There was a great turn out of Veterans and their families, as well as some members of other interested organizations.  Several Veterans spoke and told heroic stories which deeply touched my life forever; yes, I am grateful to have attended. 

Many of the Veterans who were at the dedication service.