Musco Lighting - Pennant Program

Fund-raising that works year after year
Musco's Pennant Program™ helps small town
buy lights and pay league operating expenses

The program has helped the kids focus on what they do best – play ball – and not worry about participating in fund-raising activities.

When you find something that works, why not keep using it? That's how Little League volunteers in Hagerstown, Indiana feel about Musco's unique fund-raiser, Pennant Program™.

Designed to help leagues secure funds for lighted ballfields, the Pennant Program provides corporate advertising opportunities using pennants displayed on Musco's Light-Structure Systems™.

$9,000 raised in six weeks
Hagerstown Little League wanted to replace existing lights with a new Musco system. Volunteers raised $9,000 through the sale of 30 pennants in just six weeks – an impressive amount for a town of 1,800. When an additional donation came in from the local UAW retirees, League President Denny Burns approached the city council hoping for matching funds to complete the project.

“The amount of money already raised, combined with the facts I showed them about how much they'd save in annual energy costs by replacing the old lights with Musco's energy-efficient system, was all the information they needed to wholeheartedly approve the project and provide matching funds,” he said. Volunteers installed the new system which made the project even more cost effective.

Musco's Pennant Program™
offers advertising opportunities
using pennants displayed on
Musco's Light-Structure Systems™.

Program helps pay annual operating expenses
That all took place in 1994. Since then, league officials continue to use the Pennant Program each year to help pay for the league's annual operating budget. “It's an ongoing challenge in a community this size to keep people interested in fund-raising programs,” Burns commented.

“That's why we make the pennants affordable. After the initial lights were paid for, we now only charge $50 per pennant per year. This year I sent out 60 letters and started receiving checks within three days,” he added. A local print shop prints the advertising at a reasonable cost.

Revenue from the Pennant Program contributes approximately 12 percent to the league's annual operating budget. That income, plus a 50/50 raffle and concession stand revenue funds the entire program.

“Since the new lights were put up, our kids haven't had to participate in any fund-raisers,” Denny said. “It allows the kids more time to do what they do best – play ball.”

Burns added that the new lights helped them hold state championship finals in 1996 and 1998 bringing additional revenue and excitement to
the community.

The city's only other youth field also used the Pennant Program to buy lights in 1998. The program also helps pay a portion of their annual operating budget. •