PLATTSBURGH--The
Adirondacks one and only roller derby team, the Lumber Jill’s, all started in
the Spring of 2010. The team unified and was established as an all-female,
flat-track derby league. Over time, they have developed respect and a name for
themselves, due to their outstanding events that are based on the fun of the
game, while raising money for organizations.
Just
a year ago the flags were raised; allowing the team to be known as non-profit
(originally being a Limited Liability Company-- the members of the company
cannot be held personally liable for the company's debts or liabilities). Since
their existence back in 2010, they have been covering ground all over Clinton
County, trying to help the community in need. The team also prides itself in
supporting others while dedicating time to further their understanding of
roller derby and female athleticism.
Starting
a nonprofit organization can be an inspiring way to give back to your community
and help those in need. However, it is important to understand all of the steps
involved in this process before moving forward. Growing and sustaining a
nonprofit may take years of effort and a great deal of determination.
Difficulty is a given when establishing a non-profit organization. For the
Lumber Jill’s, waiting around for the official announcement of their new
obtained status was the biggest hardship.
Danielle
Baker, a former five-year Lumber Jill, says the process in becoming non-profit
was a “challenge”, but it was ultimately the right choice to make. For years,
the team put on events to raise money for causes, so it just seemed to make
sense. One constant struggle for the Lumber Jill’s is getting their name out
for all to know. “Advertisements and radio announcements/PSA’s are expensive,
so we find our best advertisement is through giving to the community”, says
Baker.
President
of the Lumber Jill’s, Maddie McGrath said, “We pretty much try and help people
who ask for it, when our schedule allows for it. If someone within the group
has an organization or event they want to work with, they voice it to the team,
some outside groups also ask for our help.”
According
to Grantspace.org, the first step in creating a non-profit organization is by
drafting your mission statement.
“Developing your mission statement is a critical because it communicates
your nonprofit's purpose, what groups it serves, and how it will serve them.
Every decision and action in your organization should support and further your
mission” (How Do I Start). Grantspace also guides you to the next step: “Write
a business plan. Just as with a
for-profit business, a business plan can help a nonprofit describe how it
intends to achieve its mission in more specific details. It also can be used to
outline a new project or venture” (How Do I Start).
Last
but not least, you must “Develop your board.
As your nonprofit's governing body, your board fulfills a variety of
roles and legal responsibilities. In order to carry out these duties
effectively, the board will change as your organization grows and matures.
While recruitment is an important step in this process, a systematic approach
to board development, including orientation, training, evaluation, and the
cultivation of prospective board members, is critical to ensuring its long-term
success” (How Do I Start).
“Our
organization has several committees that focus on different topics, one being
the donation committee. You don’t have to be a player on the team to be a part
of the committee. We’ll still consider you a Lumber Jill”, says Baker.
So far, these powerful woman have displayed
their support through many events, a few being: “The First Weekends in
Plattsburgh which is an event that
occurs the first Friday and following Saturday of select months. They bring
music, arts and entertainment to the downtown Streets of Plattsburgh. Another
event they attended was the annual SUNY Plattsburgh, “Take Back the Night”
event based on men and woman coming together to raise awareness about the
sexual assault issues people face today in April, 2015. In February 2015, they
also attended the BHSN children’s carnival, helping with selling popcorn and
beverages.
In
the year 2015, the Lumber Jill’s were looking to partner with the Heart
Association, Kent-Delord House Museum, Impeerium Peer Network, Reality Check of
Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties, as well as Imaginarium Children’s Museum,
and the Girl Scouts. These organizations are normally introduced to the
audience around the Lumber Jill’s half-time show, where then proceeds are
collected. For an event called, “That
70s”, the Lumber Jill’s invited the Autism Alliance of Northeastern New York to
perform at the half time show, while informing the audience about the
organization.
Another
Lumber Jill event, “Pint of Revenge”, allowed the Impeerium Peer Network of
Plattsburgh to benefit from the 50/50 raffle. The Impeerium Peer Network is a
local organization dedicated to, “assist[ing] Peers along their journey toward
recovery by helping them to command the power within themselves to succeed,”
and also is, “a peer-based program to provide mutual support for those who have
used mental health services or are currently using them.” The
The
Lumber Jill’s often focus on organizations that target the awareness of mental
health, since it’s an ongoing issue in the United States. The participation in helping other
organizations doesn’t stop there. A “Born in the USA” doubleheader match, the
featured non-profit is ROTA Studios and Gallery ROTA, received all proceeds of
the 50/50 raffle, held a spot in the show (to inform the public) and performed
during the half time show.
“Back
to School”, another event was covered to help the Bailey Avenue School
district. At the time of the event, the president of Plattsburgh Roller Derby,
Erin McGill also known as Teachy McKill, decided to give back to her own
school. Since McGill is a teacher at the school, you could see why she would
find Bailey Avenue to be a spot in her heart.
As
mentioned before, the Kent-Delord House Museum was a focus for the team, where
they raised money to help it. Member
boarder director of the Kent-Delord House Museum, Sharron Vell, stated that the
funding was in idea brought by Connie Manderville, a former Lumber Jill, and
former Kent-Delord House Museum employee. As you see, this is a trend for the
players of the Lumber Jill's-- Giving back to their own organizations is
important to them, as well as many others.
All
of these organizations have benefited from the proceeds raised by the Lumber
Jill's. Danielle Baker says that from there, the money is used by the
organizations in many ways—but at the end of the day, receiving a thank you
card and a smile is all they need to feel truly successful.
If
you’re looking to help the Lumber Jill's with proceeds focusing towards local
organizations, attend their next event, Saturday, October 17th. Location hasn’t
been announced.
Follow
the Lumber Jill's on Facebook to see when upcoming events are happening and
where they are located: https://www.facebook.com/LumberJills
Follow
the Lumber Jill's on Twitter to see when upcoming events are happening and
where they are located: https://twitter.com/thelumberjills
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