The purpose of BOO, INC. is to provide opportunities for members of the community to connect with local businesses through sponsored events, as well as to provide an innovative funding source for non-profits based in Bradford County, PA, though grants, fundraisers, and other means.
BOO, INC. was founded as a spin off of the Wysox Haunted House, which provided safe, family friendly Halloween fun while serving as a fundraiser for a local EMS agency for over twenty years until that ambulance station closed in 2019. In the last few years of operation, the haunted house developed into a large community event, providing a platform for other non-profits and small independent businesses to connect with the community. In addition, in 2016 it started a special event, Halloween for Hunger, which collected non-perishable food items, bar soap, and toilet paper for distribution to local food pantries. The addition of basket and 50/50 raffles afforded an additional opportunity to support other local non-profits in the community, and traditionally all of the proceeds from the raffles were distributed to a non-profit chosen by the haunted house committee each year.
Opportunity:
BOO, INC. has the opportunity to continue to promote the values of altruism, volunteerism, and community mindedness started by the Wysox Haunted House by continuing to host fundraising and community events. They will build on those relationships previously established as Wysox Haunted House, as well as develop new ones to support growth and new opportunities. Sponsorship of local events will provide the community with free and low cost events to participate in while raising funds to cover future operating costs , projected project expenses for BOO, INC. as well as financial support for other local non-profits in Bradford County.
Mission:
The mission of BOO, INC. is to promote community mindedness, altruism, and volunteerism through fundraising efforts, sponsorship of training and event planning and development.
Offical Launch:
BOO, INC. expects to be fully operational as its own registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit by the advent of the Halloween 2020 season.
Partnerships:
BOO, INC. volunteers have been working hard on maintaining the existing relationships already established with local businesses through the haunted house. In addition, they will work on developing new partnerships with local businesses (for profit and non-profit) to support growth and sustainability.
Benefits of partnership include, but are not limited to:
· Collaborative efforts and shared benefit from fundraisers
· Free and low cost advertising through joint marketing ventures (see marketing plan section)
· Support with volunteer recruitment and retention
· Sponsorship of training and professional development for non-profits that primarily utilize volunteers
· Other benefits as they develop
Organizational Leadership:
Board of Directors:
BOO, INC. will be governed and operated by a volunteer Board of Directors (BOD) that will oversee fiscal management and operations once non-profit status is obtained. Committee and Board positions will include: Chairman, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Executive Director, and three additional directors. In the event that the executive directorship becomes a paid position, the executive director will transition to an ex officio (non-voting) member of the board, and that position will be replaced with a regular board member.
Meetings:
The BOD will meet at least twice a year, more often as needed. At least one of the meetings will be a budget and re-organizational meeting to be held in November or December of each year.
Dues:
In lieu of dues, Board members are expected to be actively involved with planning and implementation of at least one community event per calendar year.
Market Analysis:
Based on 2019 statistics, the Wysox Haunted House served 1204 consumers, consisting of adults, adolescents and children from a wide variety of backgrounds. Attendance has increased from an average of 98 per night in 2016 to an average of 163 per night in 2019. Our market will consist of residents of Bradford County & surrounding areas, as well as both for profit and non-profit businesses that operate within Bradford County, PA. The inclusion of local crafts people and businesses is expected to draw in other members of the community interested in learning more about their products and services, in addition to those interested in attending the main events.
Target audience would include children and teenagers of all ages, as well as adults with a wide range of backgrounds and interests. Fundraisers and events are designed to engage a wide audience, with accommodations being made to encourage those with special needs to participate in sensory events.
Advertising Plan:
BOO, INC. will utilize a variety of advertising methods, including but not limited to:
· Newspaper ads, flyers, and other printed media
· Social Media, websites, email blasts, movie theater ads, and other online media
· Radio, TV and other live and recorded broadcasting
· Bill boards and other signage
· Membership in local Chambers of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, and similar organizations
· Other advertising mediums as they develop
Our goal is to have advertising expenses not exceed more than 10% of the previous year’s revenue for any given event, unless supplemented by additional funding sources such as grants and fundraisers.
Overview:
BOO, INC. is planning to continue to build on traditions established by the Wysox Haunted House, which provided safe, family friendly Halloween fun for over 20 years before it’s closure in 2019 after EMS Station 21 closed. With attendance numbering in the thousands, the haunted house provided an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to participate in Halloween festivities through a variety of activities interlinked with the haunted house. Some of those events included hosting special kid and sensory friendly haunted tours, providing a safe trick or treating event, kids crafts and a Fall festival event featuring local vendors and non-profits.
Although fundraising and other special events will continue to be held throughout the year, the main events will continue to be Halloween related, with plans to continue the haunted tours as well as adding additional fun activities as funds and volunteer availability allows.
Generally, our community impact and fundraising will fall into one of the following categories:
· Haunted Tours, hay rides, etc. with net proceeds to be divided between BOO, INC. for future project expenses and another local non-profit partner, with amounts and partnerships to possibly vary from year to year.
· Basket and 50/50 raffles, to benefit a local non-profit as chosen by the Committee/BOD each year.
· Free and low cost events designed to draw the community together while supporting volunteerism and community mindedness.
· Halloween for Hunger food drive, which benefits local food banks in the Towanda and surrounding areas.
· Other events as they develop.
We will use the resources available to us to ensure we provide a quality service that will benefit individual community members and local businesses alike by facilitating activities that will draw community members together and provide a funding resource for local non-profits.
