Show Big Blue ' means big bucks for USU athletics The team concept ' of fundraising nets $155000 for Aggie sports in 1981 by Kent Somers Do you fed apprehensive when you hit people up for cash even for what you worthy tause? Are you easily discouraged when a person rejects your plea’ You can’t ever picture yourself as one of those impassioned alumni who would give their all for good oT USU? If your answer to those three questions is yes then you probably will never be an effective fund raiser at least not for the Big Blue Club ‘ Big Blue" raises funds through some rather unique methods to assist the athletic department at Utah State in meeting its budget each year Ihe club consists of about 1200 members who through the "team concept " raised according to Executive Secretary Ken Mitchell approximately 1 155000 in 1981 for USU’s athletic program This is more than double the $62000 raised think is a in 1977 "The idea of the team concept is to get 10 teams 0f 10 members" said Mit-che- ll "One man is the and he has 10 team members" Last year USU six teams of eight people but said Mitchell you Ion t need 10 people if the members you have are effective fund raisers Lath eam member contacts people he knows and asks them donate to the Big Blue owner lub 1 hey in turn contact know and a ifund-- i raising pyramid has been People they started When a person makes his ‘“nation he may specify whether he wants his to go to men’s or con-tnbuti- "“men's sports or into the feral fund But Mitchell jettunates the number of ple who specify where lr mon7 goes is less ° one percent Uh State got the idea method of from other which had used the em y f'ng rjer 7? W “ with access “Lew (now commissioner Was at “id “d Mitchelldoing that" "They used ssfully for several Another unique way (although tome might think it a bit morbid) the Big Blue Club raises money is through a life insurance program A yiember takes out a policy on his life and names Utah State athletics as the beneficiary "They pay their own premium" said Big Blue Club President Clyde Evans "but it does count as their Big Blue Club dues" Mitchell is quick to defend the program and rid one of the idea of a Big Blue member playing the grim reaper “You don’t want anybody kicking off but if they do you might as well benefit It’s not the kind of thing you look forward to but it’s a wise investment" The club also has a foundation grant program of those donations that are $10000 and above The club’s goal is to have $1 million in that account some day "We would like so achieve that real early" said Evans "but we don’t know when" Mitchell is a bit more optimistic "We would hope we could have that within a year and a half" They might be able to do this by expanding the dub outside the Cache Valley and the state of Utah The dub has already spread into the Southern California area where between 50 and 70 alumni are actively participating in Big Blue They furnish coaches with cars and sometimes lodging while on recruiting trips That according to Mitchell amounts to a big savings on the USU athletic budget "Pat McKenna’s (USU linebacker) father is a car dealer and he comes up with two to three can at a time for help" said Mitchell These boosten also " provide jobs for Aggie athletes So many in fact that "we had jobs left i over" said Mitchell The dub would also Cx to expand into Northern California soon if they get the type of person Evans caSa a "take type of guy” J |