wfn.org | web contest a success

[BethAH <BethAH@mbm.org>]

June 20, 2001
Beth Hawn
Mennonite Board of Missions
(219) 294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>
June 20, 2001

Service Adventure web contest a success

ELKHART, Ind. (MBM/CHM)  Members of the South Bend, Ind.,
Service Adventure unit will enjoy a meal and dessert at their
favorite restaurant, courtesy of the Service Adventure program,
as winners of a recent contest on the Service Adventure web
site.  The contest not only recognized program participants for
their contributions, but also brought attention to the program
web page, individual units, and the program itself.  For Service
Adventure coordinator, Sheri Williams, the results were worth far
more than the cost of a meal.

The contest was successful in many ways, she said.  It got the
units involved and spread the word about Service Adventure.

The contest, anchored on the Service Adventure web site, was the
brainchild of personnel counselor/recruitment associate, Kent
Miller.  Miller was searching for ways to use the Internet to
help with recruiting new program participants.  At the same time,
Service Adventure web page designer and former unit , Keith Funk
Froese, wanted to draw attention to the Service Adventure web
pages.

Williams met with Ken Gingerich, Mennonite Board of Missions art
and marketing director, to develop a contest where Service
Adventure unit members would encourage friends, family, coworkers
and church members to visit the Service Adventure web page and
vote for a unit.  The contest ran from Apr. 1 to June 1.  Those
who voted were entered in a drawing for a T-shirt, and the unit
that received the most votes won a free dinner out.  The unit
finishing second was treated to dessert.

Planners consider the contest successful.  According to Diana
Cook, MBM inquiry and information services coordinator, the
contest drew 1,430 votes.  The winning unit had 459 votes.
Since the contest, we have had 230 new inquiries about the
Service Adventure program, reported Cook.
Some units got really creative about spreading the word about the
contest and in essence about the web site, Williams said.  She
was surprised at how many votes the contest received.

At first I had a small fishbowl to hold the names for the
drawing, she said.   As more votes came in, she moved the names
to a 10-gallon fish tank and finally to an overflowing computer
box.

We were pleased to see how, in a matter of months, visitors to
our web site significantly surpassed the numbers from the entire
year before, Williams said.

Williams said she will consider running the contest again next
year.  Participants and leaders will be able to enjoy a nice
evening out, she said, because they helped to spread the word
about the program that has become a significant part of their
lives.

The Service Adventure site is at www.MBM.org/serviceadventure/.

Service Adventure provides post-high-school young adults with a
short-term adventure in service, learning and spiritual growth.
Living in a household with other young adults, Service Adventure
participants serve as volunteers for community service
organizations.  The program allows them to test possible career
interests, participate in the life of a Mennonite congregation,
and engage in group study of the Bible, social issues and areas
of personal growth under the guidance of a unit leader.

Service Adventure is a joint program of the Commission on Home
Ministries of the General Conference Mennonite Church and
Mennonite Board of Missions of the Mennonite Church.

* * *

Joni Sancken