Marketing/Education Committee Agenda
June 8, 2023, 1pm
Rutherfordton Town Hall
Attendees: Amanda Byers, Jenna Bailey, Doug Barrick, Maddie Summers, Clark Poole, Allegra Lucas
Old Business
Outreach
Hilltop Festival
Fiction to Fabulous only 2 people competed, but also only $100 so it’s a maybe
Call to Action
Chamber Display Window
ICC Science Fest yes will do again, good time to reach out to 6th grade
Heritage Day
Recycle Bot Challenge
Quality of the bots is better when the assignment is properly explained
Green Scholarship
As needed at local schools (This year impromptu TJ visit)
Outreach/Collaboration Project (Pawns in the Park) For this scope of project in the future we need more volunteers to keep costs down
We need more representatives from other areas in the county - and to identify where we need representation from
Possible Beautification projects - planting trees at schools and talk to students
Do We want to continue all the above? They are in the New Budget
Marketing
Facebook/Instagram numbers Both are making impacts
Rotating Signage
Where do we want them next (looking at County Wide Picture) Currently at Kiwanis Park, on Thunder Rd, Callahan Koon (is it the library?) Looking for future representatives to possibly take signage in their “area” for a period of time and then hand off to next representative.
How Do we Sell more of these?!
Would like to see them everywhere? Green Business Partners, Neighborhoods, Influential Individuals in the Community
Befesa Zinc Metal - only Green Business we have currently
Sell More of the Signs
Waiting on Non Profit Status. Maybe offer signs with a certain level of donation?? Jenna and Don meeting with community foundation to talk about relationship and then Jenna, Don, Amanda meeting with local CPA to see what’s all involved with non profit status
Need a Rocky (Even a litter bug would be nice in the future)
Billboard Campaign?? Catchy billboards (Jenna shares what she saw in Brevard)
Volunteer Fair - local nonprofits and organizations, it’s by the group Volunteer Rutherford - 29th of june for the planning?/class on volunteerism Amanda may possibly attend and report back
New Business/Goals
Reach Home School Groups
Reach County Wide (how do we reach more people with Litter Sweeps and Volunteers in general)
Sell more merchandise
Work on becoming Non-Profit for Fundraising purposes.
Need more revenue Budget is Tight. Brainstorm!!!
Reach out to McNair Foundation and make sure they know we count as service hours!
Steamline how to get service hours for highschoolers (auto internet link?)
Taylor’s hours as Roxi - in case it was someone else, what would that cost
Questions/Concerns
More Participation for Litter Sweeps
Convenience Center (are they giving erroneous information) (New member Stacy had a negative encounter and Amanda personally did too) Can we see a copy of the FAQs?
Tipping fee increased
Convenience Center needs to be ticketing for not tarping your load - Laurel Hill needs to be picked up again after JMU’s recent 25 bag pickup. It’s a county ordinance that if it’s above the bedline loads must be tarped.
WNC Bridge Foundation - grants for staffing hours
Rutherfordton did not get recycling grant - will try again next year
Do we need to do all Earth month activities in the same month?
Do we need to do the Trash Bowl at the beginning of the year? Football games are good, but it’s hard to get in touch with principals during busy early school year
CPA mentioned that it’s about $1,000 to apply for nonprofit status
Homeschool groups outreach
Reaching out to Neil at McNair to see if we’re on the list they hand to mentors (McNair is 100 service hours) - are they connected to the school counselors. TJCA, REaCH not a part of McNair
Contributions from sponsors?
ANY SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!!!
Next Steps:
Determine if paid pickup is part of budget
Amanda to reach out to Neil at McNair
Determine schedule of events for the year - do they need to be done at the same time as previous years?
Do we do checkers instead of chess if we redo Pawns in the Park?
Approach small businesses for Green Business - maybe send a link to recycling bins to purchase
Get more Green Businesses in general
Ask Community Foundation about tax deduction for Green Business
Adjourned 2:30pm