Thank you to everyone who participated in the Playathon! To show our

appreciation, we have put together wonderful prize packages! (See below)

Playathon

• The Northeast Iowa School of Music is excited to present our sixth-annual Playathon on Saturday, November 12 from 10am to approximately 2pm at Kennedy Mall.

• A Playathon is a mass public recital. All NISOM students are expected to participate in this fundraiser. Prior to the event, students to collect sponsorships from friends and neighbors, just like a walk-a-thon. The goal is for each student to raise $100, but you don’t have to stop there. There are additional prizes for the top earners!

• The Northeast Iowa School of Music is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization that relies on fundraisers to keep our doors open. If we were to operate entirely out of lesson income, we would have to charge at least $300 per trimester. Since most students cannot afford to pay that, we automatically subsidize you $75 per trimester. That adds up to about $40,000 every year that we have to raise elsewhere.

• Our staff and board work hard to raise money through grants, private donations, and other fundraisers, but we need our students to help make up a little of the difference, too.

• This is going to be fun! And to thank you for helping us meet our goal, students will be working for fabulous prizes !!!  (see below)

Another Way to Participate
In addition to collecting sponsorship donations, students can also sell Younkers Community Day coupon booklets to count toward their Playathon goal. We realize not everyone is comfortable asking for donations; booklet sales give you another way to participate. (See below for more information.)

All private students are expected to participate in Playathon or choose an alternate fundraiser. Students in the group classes and credit lessons are also welcome to participate and earn prizes.

If you are unwilling or unable to do Playathon, speak with the office about fulfilling your fundraising through an alternate event, such Burger Night, Pizza Night, or Spring Community Day.

It's Simple!

• Pick your Playathon materials from your teacher, and cut apart your sheet of receipts included in the packet.
• Sign out coupon booklets from the office.
• Speak with friends, neighbors, relatives, etc. to collect sponsorships for performing in the recital.
• Practice! Be sure to have your teacher sign you up for a performance time, too.
• Turn in your money and sponsor sheet.
• Enjoy your prizes!

Prizes!  Everybody is a Winner!

Top Earners

Receive their choice of NISOM mini-flashlight, cup, or pencils, a $10 gift certificate to Mindframe Theater,  an assortment of 4 food or activity certificates (2 large and 2 small), AND their choice of a large prize.

Top Two Students also receive $50 Savings Bonds from US Bank!   

Top Prizes

4 water park passes to Grand Harbor

$50 Hy-Vee Gift Card

$25 Target Gift Card

$25 Walmart Gift Card

One Month of Fitness at Body & Soul

2 Tickets to the DSO’s February concert

2 Tickets to That Time of the Year at the Bell Tower Theater   

2 Tickets to The Nutcracker at the Grand Opera House

Everyone who reached their $100 goal (but was not a top earner)

Gets a NISOM mini-flashlight, cup, or pencils, a $10 Mindframe certificate, an assortment of 4 food or activity certificates (1 large and 3 small), AND a medium prize from: Betty Jane’s Candy, Burger King, Clarke University, Kennedy Mall, or River Lights 2nd Edition book store

$70-$99: NISOM mini-flashlight, cup, or pencils, and 3 food or activity certificates (1 large and 2 small)

$35-$69:  NISOM mini-flashlight cup, or pencils and 2 small food certificates

THANK YOU, PRIZE DONORS!!

Special thank you to our sponsors American Trust & Savings Bank and Phowler Boats

Performing at the Playathon

The best part about the Playathon is that we get to showcase our talent for the public, both shoppers and those who come to Kennedy Mall just for your recital. Talk to your teacher about what to prepare for the performance and to sign up for a time-slot.

Invite your family and friends to hear you perform. Be sure to invite anyone who sponsors you, but the recital is open to everyone. Please plan on arriving in plenty of time before your scheduled performance time to allow for parking, unpacking your instrument, etc. 

What if I can’t play in the recital?
If you are unable to play at the recital, you can still raise funds to earn prizes, or choose another fundraiser.

The Playathon recital is only for students who collect sponsorships (or sell booklets). Those who do not participate in the fundraising component will not perform in this recital. Visit our events page for the schedule of other recitals.

Turning in Donations/Paperwork

Once you have received some donations, you do not have to wait until November 12 to turn in the money. You can turn in your sponsor sheet and donations to the NISOM office when you come for your lesson each week. You can pick up a new sponsor sheet and another sheet of receipts if you need them.

All donations MUST be turned in by Playathon to be counted toward prizes. We will always take donations, but we need to have them no later than Novembr 12 to be counted as Playathon sponsorships. Remember to collect the donations at the time you solicit them.

Note: NISOM is grateful for donations of merchandise and in-kind services, but during the Playathon, only monetary donations or booklet sales will be counted toward students’ Playathon total for the purpose of prizes.

Tips for Speaking to Possible Donors

1. Carry a pen, sponsor sheet, some receipt forms, Younkers booklets, and your written Playathon materials for identification and reference. It sounds like a lot, but it all fits conveniently in a folder or your packet (hint, hint).

2. Introduce yourself, and tell them about your lessons at NISOM.

3. Tell the potential contributor that NISOM is a nonprofit organization, and that all donations are tax deductible. If they have any specific questions about NISOM’s financial information, have them call the NISOM office to speak to Executive Director Tracey Rush or Business Manager Cindy Kubesheski.

4. Invite the potential contributor to attend the Playathon on Nov. 12 at Kennedy Mall. If you know what time you will be performing, tell them that, too! Basically, you are selling tax-deductible tickets to a free concert. (Note: sponsorships are not per-minute of playing.)

5. Mention the possibility that their company or employer may have a “matching gift program” (if so, they should provide forms to the NSOM office along with their donation check).

6. Fill out the sponsor sheet: Ask contributors to print their name and information on the sponsor sheet (preferably in pen). These are for our records only; we will not contact them for other donations unless they want us to.

7. Collect the money when you solicit sponsorships (checks are much preferred over
cash), and offer a receipt. Those sponsoring multiple students in the same family can write one check.

8. Thank your contributors for their support, and again invite them to attend Playathon or any of our other events this year.

If people do not wish to sponsor you, thank them and invite them to attend the Playathon anyway.

Younkers Community Day Event

We are again coordinating Playathon with Younkers Community Day fundraiser. The recital will be held outside the Younkers Men’s Store (most likely), and in addition to collecting sponsorships, you can also sell Community Day coupon booklets. Community Day raises money for local non-profit organizations like NISOM.

Coupon booklets are $5 each (payable to NISOM) and include a $10 off coupon, plus other valuable coupons! Your sponsors spend $5, then save $10! NISOM keeps all the money from booklet sales and can qualify for additional funds. Customers help NISOM while saving money! These sales count toward your Playathon earnings the same as donations. Your goal is to collect $100 total. This can come from donations, booklet sales, or a combination of both.

• Booklets include one $10 off coupon, a multi-use 20% off savings pass, one 30% off early bird coupon, one 30% off online purchase coupon, eleven bonus buy coupons, and one web-only discount, a combined value of over $200. (Some restrictions apply.)

• Coupons are good on Community Days only. Your sponsors can use them when they come to watch you perform in the recital on Saturday, Nov. 12. Plus, this year Friday, Nov. 11 is also a Community Day!
• Those who are not available on Community Days can use them during the pre-sale beginning on November 6 (not valid on early bird or bonus buy coupons); items will be held at the register and rung up on November 11.

• Community Day coupons are good at any Bon-Ton store, including Boston Store, so friends and relatives from other cities can use them as well!

• Sponsors can buy more than one booklet to receive multiple $10 coupons. Coupons can not be combined for a single item but may be used to save on multiple items.

• Coupon booklets are NOT tax deductible because the value of the booklet is greater than the cost. These transactions are sales, not donations. Sponsors are welcome to combine booklet purchases with other donations. The receipt you give should only reflect the donation amount. For example, if a sponsor purchases one $5 booklet with a $20 donation (giving you $25 total), their receipt should be for $20. One check is fine, but be sure to indicate the portion for booklet sales.

You do not have any coupon booklets in your Playathon packet. These can be signed out from the office. You must return any unsold booklets by November 12. We have to account for all booklets to Younkers and return any unsold. It is your responsibility to turn in either the $5 in sales or return the booklet for all that you sign out.

Want to boost your booklet sales? You can sign up to sell booklets to shoppers in Younkers stores before the event. NISOM will be selling in store on Saturday, November 5, 10AM-12PM, or you can choose another day and time. Any sales you make will count toward your Playathon total! Check with the office for more information.

Good luck and thank you for your support of NISOM! 

Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.