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Autumn Foliage

Do you need to RAISE MONEY FOR YOUR KIDS' TEAM or GROUP?

We would love to help you out!

Can your team or group be part of Tillyburg Leafrakers?

If your team or group is in the business of helping Tillsonburg kids grow, learn teamwork and develop skills that will help them succeed later in life

 

... then YES!

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Your team or group will need to have around
12-19 kids PLUS 12-19 adults (24 - 38 people in total) ...
AND be able to set aside two Saturday MORNINGS between 26th October
to 16th November. And the local businesses of Tillsonburg help out by throwing a party after every raking session!

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Being part of Tillyburg Leafrakers is great development for the kids where they see work alongside their friends and teammates, do great things in the community (a lot of people struggle to rake their leaves each year), and of course raise money!

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Teams and groups can expect to raise at least $ 2 500 to $ 3000 ... and HOPEFULLY MORE once our corporate donors and sponsors help out.

 

Keep reading to learn more and register interest.

SO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?

We try and do as much of the organizational and administration for you ... but there are still some things we need you to do to make this work.

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PHASE 1 - SPREADING THE WORD

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This is REALLY important and we need your help!

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We are growing each year, and we need more customers! So in the months leading up to the fall, please help us find people who need their leaves raked. There are plenty of options.

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Your group or team can print out flyers (at this link) that you can put in mailboxes that tell people how to reach out to book their leaves raking. You can also print out posters (at this link) with a QR code that takes people directly to the signup page on this website. Or you can email or share the signup page link directly (www.tillyburg-leaf-rakers.com/book-your-leaf-raking-today).

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Feel free to share on your social media pages as well!

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PHASE 2 - PREPARATION

 

We will try and confirm your raking dates as early as possible. But before then, please try and source the equipment you will need to make your leaf-raking experience as enjoyable as possible. 

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A more detailed list of suggested things to bring is outlined below ... but please try and find at least two (2) but ideally four (4) gas-powered leaf blowers. Battery powered leaf blowers are adorable ... but practically useless. You will also need at least two (2) trucks, each towing a trailer as well. If you can get more, great!

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There is always a cousin, uncle, aunt or grandparent who can help out by loaning equipment! So start reaching out!

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Everyone needs to bring a rake ... but you do NOT need to bring any yardwaste bags.

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PHASE 3 - RAKING

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This is what your day will look like.

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7:30 AM ... Meet at the Parking Lot near the Tillsonburg Outdoor Ice Pad

... and get your complimentary Tim Horton's hot chocolate! This is just off Sanders Street (this is the Google Maps Link). Once there, everyone will be briefed on what is happening. Each team or group will be divided into two 'squads,' with each getting a map showing where they need to rake, and yardwaste bags kindly donated by Tillsonburg's Canadian Tire. 

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8:00 am to 12:30 pm(ish) ... RAKING!

Each squad needs to follow its map, politely knock on the door of our customer, rake all the leaves and place them into yardwaste bags, and then leave a payment slip (that will be provided to each squad in the morning). The payment slip will include payment details like e-transfer, but some customers will prefer to pay with cash or cheque.

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You will then be responsible for transporting the yardwaste bags with your trucks and trailers to the Tillsonburg Transfer Station (50 Newell Rd, Tillsonburg).

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12:30 pm ... PARTY!

Once you are done (or have got as much as you can do in the time), meet all the other leaf raking teams for a party at a location to be advised. Last year there was free pizza and ice-cream! And this is where you return extra bags, payment slips and so on.

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PHASE 4 - BOOKKEEPING (... GET YOUR FUNDS)

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To get your share of the funds raised, you must either submit a receipt for something your team has already paid for (for reimbursement), or an invoice with payment instructions where Tillyburg Leafrakers can pay on your behalf.

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This could be for a hockey tournament, or a Girl Guides camp, or other similar expense. More details on what can be claimed under fundraising are listed below.

OUR TEAM OR GROUP IS READY!
NOW WHAT?

Press any of the two buttons below!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

QUESTION: What can my team or group use these funds for?

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NOT for anything you want.

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Tillyburg Leafrakers is a federally registered not-for-profit organization and has annual reporting requirements to the CRA. And (perhaps more importantly), our customers and commercial supporters are helping us out based on the premise they are helping your group or team for basic needs and not subsidizing extravagant 'end of year' parties. Some examples of 'acceptable' expenses are ...

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  • subsidizing hockey tournament fees

  • subsidizing group camps (like Girl Guides)

  • equipment for teams (like socks, water bottles)

  • equipment for Tillsonburg Minor Hockey Incorporated to use for charitable reasons (such as the 'Hockey for Everyone' program)

  • paying for additional ice time for teams that struggle to get enough practices

  • financial relief for families that struggle with registration fees and equipment costs

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If there is any doubt, please reach out to Tillyburg Leaf rakers.

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QUESTION: What do we need to bring to leaf raking?

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The equipment list (including suggested items) are listed below:

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  • Gas powered leaf blowers (2-4 per team or group)

  • Fuel for gas powered leaf blowers

  • Trucks (2-4 per team or group)

  • Trailers (2-4 per team or group)

  • Vehicles (to transport the rest of the team or group)

  • Rake ( per person)

  • Watter bottle (per person)

  • Snacks

  • Gloves

  • Cold weather gears (in layers, so kids can progressively take them off)

  • Jerseys or shirts representing the team or group

  • Spare tubes of ‘Harden Up ™’ should any child develop a quivering lip

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QUESTION: Is the money split up evenly between groups and teams ... OR is the money split up based on the number of bags each team or group rakes?

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Money is split up evenly between groups and teams.

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This might sound unfair ... especially if one group or team works really harder than another. But unfortunately it is not that simple. For example, it is much easier to rake 100 yardwaste bags at one house THAN 100 yardwaste bags across 10 houses (at around 10 bags per house). And if it has rained during the week, leaves will be heavier and harder to rake by the team or group raking on that weekend. And finally, we try and spread out raking over four days and allow ourselves some margin for the teams and groups raking last.

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QUESTION: What does a leaf raking map look like?

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Here is an example from 2023, with the circles representing the
number of bags of leaves we expect to rake at each house ...

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Example Map.png

QUESTION: Why do we use yardwaste bags ... wouldn't it be more efficient to rake leaves into a large pile and remove with a trailer?

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There are several reasons we use yardwaste bags. Firstly, it helps us quantify how much you owe us for our services. It is difficult to put an objective amount on a large pile of leaves and nothing more. Secondly, yardwaste bags are easy for our kids to use ... and we are all about involving the kids. They enjoy themselves immensely, but they also learn about the rewards of hard work.

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