Bink-A-Thon How-To List to Have Your Own Event

HERE ARE SOME TIPS AND INFORMATION TO HAVE A SMOOTHLY RUNNING BAT. WE HAVE HAD THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE AT LEAST 40 PARTICIPANTS.

THESE ARE THE COMPLETE STEPS USED BY OUR CHAPTER.  YOU MAY NOT CARE ABOUT PUBLICITY, OR HAVING PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR CHAPTER SIGN UP, OR FOOD.  IF NOT, JUST SKIP THOSE ITEMS.

Best of luck!

Miriam Siegel, Vice President
FORMER Home Group BAT Chairperson

You can watch this video and/or go through the list below.

STEP 1 – LOCATION PLANNING 9-12 MONTHS OUT IF POSSIBLE:

1. Select a BAT committee to help you with this list – even two people will help a bunch.
2. Find a place to host your group – churches, libraries, community centers. Avoid any that require insurance riders. That can cost anywhere from $45 – $350 for a DAY! We cannot afford this. Sponsorship money is better spent on fabric and lunch.
3. Pick a date/time and secure a place to hold the BAT.(check to see if you can “set up” the night before). MrBallen Bink-A-Thon is October 25, 2025.
4. Create your flyer from our template to drop off at fabric, yarn, and sewing machine shops.
5. Gather your local news contacts: local television, newspaper, radio and email them the quick details: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and your contact information.

STEP 2 – 4 MONTHS OUT, IDEALLY

1. Find local crafting newsletters, the same shops may have email newsletters and you can ask them to include an announcement with a link to the sign  up form. They may even want to host or co-sponsor your event. For your volunteers, be sure to get their phone AND emails AND addresses to keep them in the loop for other events. We can create an email list for you.
2. Try to find someone/restaurant/company to sponsor food for the lunches, breakfast pastries, coffee, drinks, etc.  Many chapters do potlucks too.
3. Do you need banners, signs? Can you get students to help you with arrows and directional signs? Velcro is great for this to be able to move the arrows. Dollar store foam board is GREAT for this.
4. Who will you be giving the event blankets to? Contact those groups and ask them to send someone who can take the blankets that day and pose for photos.

STEP 4 – SPONSORSHIP

1. If you are sewing, you’ll need batting and backing.  Usually there are enough people willing to donate stash and scraps, but you need the big backs.
   • Contact local area hotels – nice ones – for sheets. They are always washed when they are donated and are VERY soft. Perfect for tie-dying too. Scouts love to do this!
   • Contact local area businesses to see if they’d be willing to send a team or sponsor the event by donating food or batting.
   • Ask volunteers for coupons – you can get batting at a discount through our partner, BattingSuperSale most of the time if you plan ahead.
     Our area coordinators can receive the charity discount by including ‘Binky Patrol’ in the comments with their order.
     When there is an additional discount for charity, they will refund the difference.
     When ordering on a Super Sale or Flash Sale, it is often at wholesale pricing so that no additional discount would be given.
     Shipping to the 48 contiguous states is included in all our pricing. The price you see is the price you pay!
   • FLEECE HELP: FROM FLEECE-FABRIC.COM
     Double Brushed Fleece in 22 yard bolts is $5.76/yard. Free Shipping with a 2 bolt minimum

     Double Brushed Fleece in 80 yard rolls is $5.27/yard, Free Shipping with a 3 roll minimum

     Anti-Pill Fleece in 68 yard rolls is $5.27/yard, Free Shipping with a 4 roll minimum

     These prices are available for Binky chapters using the code BINKY2025.

STEP 3 – ONE MONTH OUT

1. Make a diagram of your floor plan, taking into consideration the location of your electrical outlets and blowing fuses! This is you are planning on using sewing machines and ironing boards. Check with your host. They may have cords.
2. If you are having food, (lunch) make sure you have enough paper goods for all. Include an RSVP, so you will have an accurate headcount
3. DO YOU NEED SIGNAGE?  MAKE POSTERS OR HAVE A BANNER TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO YOUR EVENT.  THIS IS A GREAT TEEN PROJECT – CHEERLEADERS ARE WONDERS AT POSTERS.
4. You may have a lot of binkies that day.  Are there particular agencies, shelters, etc. that will be receiving them?  Perhaps you can arrange for a representative to arrive towards the end of your event to take the binkies.  This would be one less item to worry about during clean-up.
5. You can also make the no-sew fleece binkies – but you need to get your fleece ahead of time or ask your volunteers to bring it that day.  Great way to handle younger volunteers and less crafty folks. for instructions.
6. Confirm with sponsors and have your supplies ready, including fabric.

STEP 4 – DAY OF OR DAY BEFORE

1. PACKING: taps, kitchen string or cord for signs, clear trash bags, station signs – plain paper with Sharpies work fine. Nametags, cups, first aid kit, camera, music? Power strips, extension cords if you have machines coming.
2. We set up “stations” around the room, divided as follows.
   1. Strip cutters
   2. “top sewers” are also the finishers who sew the edges after the sandwiches are pinned.
   3. pinners/sandwich makers who match up the tops to the bottom and get batting in between. http://youtu.be/L9boeEsd2TE to see how it’s done.
   4. “edge sewers” – same as the top sewers.
   5. Ironers – we ask for 1 iron per 7 machines.  More for non-sewers to do and helps make smooth seams for the tops (optional).
   6. Baggers (great for kids! along with trash clean up, pins returned to pinners)
   7.  Fleece blanket stations if you have fleece at your event – SUPER EASY. You can do an entire event with these no-sew binkies, if you prefer, but they ALL need labels.
3. Send this out to your volunteers who have signed up or have it as they walk in and get name tags. (newcomers BAT doc)

STEP 5 – DAY OF YOUR BAT

1. If you are having food, (lunch) make sure you have enough paper goods for all. Include a RSVP, so you will have an accurate head count.
2. Offer coffee in the a.m., if convenient. (We supply bottled water for all)
3. Draft the “to do” list on the morning of the BAT and assign jobs to people:
   1. put up banners/signs
   2. set up sign-in area, pens, name tags,
   3. set out labels with needles and needle threaders, thread and instructions or a helper.
   4. tape small brown bags to each sewing spot(secure with masking tape) used for catching loose scraps/ thread
   5. arrange the “count and bag” area
   6. make sure pins, needles, misc. supplies are out
   7. Have tables for fleece cutting and pinners. The floor is tough for a lot of people. They’ll need options. Warn them they may want to bring a cushion or Girl Scout “Situpon” for the event. We’ve had some wear knee pads.

STEP 6 – AFTER YOUR BAT

1. Share the photos on social and tag any sponsors or receiving organizations. Give the count of how many went where.
2. Email a thank you note to all who attended.
3. Write up a debrief with your committee of what went right and what could be improved for next year.