Can your school top this?

The last week of school is almost always filled with activities like cleaning out lockers, returning textbooks, class parties and turning in your PE uniform. Some fun but not a whole lot gets done. Of course if something out of the ordinary happens it can be memorable as you will see from the video below. Luckily a teacher grabbed a video camera after she finished checking in all the PE uniforms these middle schoolers were returning. She definately captured an extraordinary moment.



Next year, keep an open mind, you never know what you might capture!

PE Uniform Fundraiser

We have made a big addition to our product mix with the addition of PE uniforms, just in time for the 2009-2010 school year.

In many schools PE uniforms are required for all grades, we have made them affordable. This presents a great opportunity to your school or parents group to use PE uniforms as a fundraiser. Tack a couple of dollars on your cost and you will have a new source of income to use in the PE department, for playground funds or for your parent group. What's better is that you will also be passing on real value to your parents, they will not be able to match these prices so they will appreciate the service. You can even incorporate PE uniforms into a school supply sale, making it easy for everyone. We offer knit shorts, mesh shorts, 7" length or 9" length, in almost any color. White shirts or colored shirts and a variety of art designs. We can also design something just for you. Remember art and shipping are free!



Check out our PE uniforms and check back to see new program additions as we complete this category in the next week. http://www.thespiritzone.com/peuniforms.html

Give us a call if you have more questions. 866-863-8705

Geneology and Family Reunions

Incorporating Genealogy into Family Reunions

Every family has a fascinating story…or several! Your reunion provides the perfect opportunity to explore your history and share it with the people who are most likely to be interested: the rest of your family tree! At your next family reunion, try the following fun and simple activities to incorporate genealogy and ancestry into your gathering.

Family Name Tags

Greeting guests at the door with name tags is a simple and effective way to bring the family tree to each person's mind as they arrive at the reunion. Use identifying markers on the name tags, such as different colors or symbols for each branch of the tree, so people can tell at a glance who is related to whom. If you are incorporating t shirts into your family reunion get together use a coordinating name tag color, so the Hathaway family is always red for example.

Family History Facts

Like the name tags, crosswords and other puzzles take a bit of preparation, but they pay off in the fun and educational facts the guests will learn about their family. Fill a crossword, word search, or other word puzzle with names and facts relevant to your family's history. Whenever possible, include the names of living relatives – people will get a kick out of seeing themselves in the puzzles. These games are also a great ice-breaker, since guests will need to pool their knowledge to solve the entire puzzle.

Enlist a Presenter

A family reunion is a great time to hold a brief presentation on your family's background. This can focus on one famous ancestor, or summarize the history of the entire family tree. Either way, it's a great opportunity for the family history buff to show off their knowledge and for others to learn new (or old) facts about their heritage. If possible, incorporate old photos, videos, and slide shows for added impact. Just remember to keep the presentation short, especially if there are a lot of children present.

Ask the Older Generation to Tell Stories

Of course, when it comes to family history, the elder members are sure to be full of true stories, straight from the source. You'd be surprised by how much Grandma can remember when you ask about her childhood experiences or the move overseas when she was five years old. Elderly relatives usually love the chance to be in the spotlight and regale their kids and grandkids with tales of what their family was like “way back when.”

Let us help you with your family reunion planning, visit http://www.thereunionzone.com/ for more ideas and a great source for family reunion t shirts and totes.

Tips For Planning A Successful Family Reunion

Family reunions can be a fun and satisfying way to reconnect with family members who live out of town or have a busy work schedule, or relatives that you just don't see often enough in the course of day-to-day life.

Because most families are spread out over different geographical areas and age groups, organizing a family reunion can often pose a logistical challenge. The success of any gathering lies in the planning and preparation, and this is doubly so when it comes to a family reunion. Use the following tried-and-true tips are to plan a successful family reunion:

Pick a Theme & Nail Down Details

The first thing you'll need to decide is what the theme and tone of the reunion will be. Do you want a casual affair with a picnic-style buffet, or a thoroughly organized event with a seating plan and planned activities from start to finish? The type of reunion sets the stage for all of the ensuing details.








Once you know what kind of reunion you're going to hold, you can explore locations that might be suitable and start to consider food, activities, and other details. Keep in mind that party halls and hotel meeting rooms typically book for events months in advance, so plan ahead.

When it comes to food, there are two main options: asking guests to bring a dish potluck-style, or having the meal catered. There are pros and cons to both, especially with larger extended families, but a nice solution is to combine the two by catering most of the food but inviting guests to contribute beloved dishes or desserts.

Double-Check The Guest List

It's a family reunion, and everyone is invited… right? Make sure to go over the guest list very carefully to avoid missing anyone. Most organizers could benefit from the assistance of an elderly relative who knows everyone, or the uncle who keeps a complete family tree as a hobby.




Send Invitations Well in Advance

Invitations to a family reunion should be sent at least a month and a half in advance, or even earlier if there are relatives who will have to make travel plans in order to attend.

Your invitations can set the tone for the reunion with a poem about the importance of family or a catchy party name. Make sure to mention the dress code—even if it's just "casual dress" or "picnic wear"—and let everyone know if they're expected to bring anything. Decide if you are going to offer t shirts for each branch of the family. Start working on a design based around your theme.



One option is to prepare a "save the date" note for anyone living at a considerable distance from the location of your reunion, and send that about to out-of-towners about a month before the official invitation. Use your theme in the Save the Date info.

Checkout http://www.thereunionzone.com/ for more design ideas and tips. We specialize in t shirts for reunions!

Edgy School Spirit Wear

Spirit sales a little down lately? Students tired of wearing the same old, same old . Navy shirts, gold imprint, red shirts, white imprint, white shirts, maroon imprint, etc. Well the answer may be to bring in some trendy styles that will rev up your program. Tie Dye is so yesterday but several schools have been going the camo route lately with great success. Have you seen camo at the mall, well, it can also be a part of your school spirit program.

The good news is that camo is available in lots of colors now. Of course there are always the woodland colors but there is also blue, green and pink. WOW! Even better they are all available in youth to AXXL sizes.

Let us help you come up with a snazzy logo, put it on some colorful camo and watch your sales soar!

Check out our camo at www.thespiritzone.com/camouflage-t-shirts.html

Swatch Watch

Turquoise is the bright color that is making a splash on runways and in retail this spring/summer. You may already have noticed that turquoise jewelry is making a comeback too! Considered a universally flattering color it may be the way you want to go to update your spirit wear, event shirts or team shirts. Turquoise makes a strong statement when worn as a major part of an ensemble but can also be used as an accent shade or accessory color. Worried that your logo will conflict with turquoise, then a tonal logo may be your answer. Update your schools look with a fashion color and logo!

Whether you are considering tie dye t shirts, plain t shirts, hats, tote bags or flannels add some turquoise to the mix.

Don't let the economy slow you down!

It's all over the news, doomsday, penny pinching, and a lot of news about the recession that has taken our jobs, our 401(k) cushions, our college funds, our Starbucks and, for some, our optimism. Even Oprah has featured the cheapest family in America. So whats a fundraising mom to do? Lock up the PTO cash box and take it out again next year? Nope, take a hint from the big boys. Tie your fundraiser into a cause. Did you notice some of the Superbowl ads from the game last night had a decidedly different spin to them. GE (smart grid technology) and Kellogg's (plant a seed, grow a field), Pedigree (“Crazy Pets” spot featuring rhinos and ostriches on the loose aims to promote the adoption of more traditional pets like shelties and setters) thought it was a good idea. So take their lead and run with it at your school. Tie a school fundraiser into a breast cancer awareness, heart health, or a green event and chances are you will be successful. It appears that consumers are still opening their pocketbooks for a cause.

Need some new ideas? We can help with those. E-mail me at sue@thespiritzone.com and I will share.

Get Cozy with a Memory!

Ban those unused school/team photos! Sounds a little harsh but I have found a much better medium to show your team appreciation, school spirit or team spirit, and believe it or not it is a blanket.



Technology is amazing! Basically what we do is take your favorite photo, team photo, class photo, etc., blow it up and print on a 40x30 or 50x60 fleece blanket. It is amazing. What better way to appreciate your memory than to get cuddly with it, at the very least drape it over a sofa, lay it at the end of a bed. What kid wouldn't want to go to sleep with a giant photo of himself.



The only trick to the whole process is to make sure you start with a high quality photo and after that it is all down hill. The sky is the limit. What better way to thank a coach, teacher, commemorate an event or celebrate a victory.

Over in the corner of our bedroom we have a big box of school/team photos collecting dust, guess I know what my next project is.

Check out the specifics and get started.

Sitting Pretty!

Friday nights in the fall, a time honored tradition of high school football. Well, we are in the thick of it now and most of us have attended a football game, or even soccer or lacrosse or volleyball, and sat in the bleachers. After a few games we have all wondered why couldn't they make these darn things more comfortable. Maybe it is just a sign of age, I don't remember thinking they were so uncomfortable when I was a student, but for all the spectators who have had the same thoughts, there is finally an answer for our sore rear ends, the Stadium Chair. Not only does this item make the bleachers comfy it is a great tool for fundraising.

We have experienced a surge of booster groups and teams buying personalized Stadium Chairs and selling them at events for a profit. Some colleges are even renting them for events, now that is a new idea. We literally have sold so many this fall that we don't have many left, they are flying out the door. The Stadium Chair is the rolls royce of portable bleacher seats, sturdy, comfy and can be personalized with your school or mascot or team name in school colors. You won't run into another group selling the same thing and your customers won't be able to find your fundraising product on the internet or at their local Walmart or sporting goods store.>

We customize the chairs for you and if you don't know what to print on them, that is okay, art is free! Let us help you design something. The Stadium Chair comes in most school colors, you can even mix and match the backs and chair bottoms, so if your team colors are red and black, you can have black chair seats and red backs.

Call 866-863-8705 or email us to find out more about our Stadium Chairs. We would be glad to share some fundraising success stories with you.

School Spirit as American as Apple Pie

When I think of fall I think about school starting, crisp fall days at football games and homecoming weekends among other things. Football games brings to mind those crazy kids painted orange or blue with wild spray painted hair, thundersticks clanking in my ear, megaphones filled with popcorn, parking lots full of cars with car flags and kids waving #1 foam fingers. Of course, this is my business so my visions might be a little baised, but you have to admit you expect to see these things at football games, soccer games or other school events. Kids and adults alike love to show their school spirit, it's as American as apple pie.

We make it easy to order all your school spirit items from one source, we can work with your art or have one of our great designers develop free art for you.

Our aim is to make it simple and hassle-free. Above are some ideas from one of our suppliers. Which reminds me, we only work with high quality suppliers who provide the best in spirit items on the quickest timetable.

Let us help you build some spirit now!