What is the All-American Soap Box Derby?

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What is the All-American Soap Box
Derby?

• The All-American Soap Box Derby is a nonprofit
  corporation that allows boys and girls between
  the ages of 8 and 17 to build and race
  gravity-powered cars and earn the opportunity to
  attend the World Championships held in Akron,
  Ohio each summer.
• Local races are held in more than 150 communities
  in 43 states and 3 foreign countries.
• Established in 1934, a race has been held in
  Akron every year except during World War II.
• Last year a record-high 500champs competed for
  world titles in 7 divisions.
• The Derbys mission To teach youngsters the
  basic skills of workmanship, the spirit of
  competition , and the perseverance to complete a
  project once it has been begun.

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The Greater Columbus Area Soap Box Derby

• A Youth event in Central Ohio since 1934.
• We have our own dedicated track at Big Run Park!
• Our Champs regularly place highly at Akron.
• In addition to our local race in June, we also
  hold several regional rallies each year.
• We need more children and will include a Super
  Kids race this year for handicapped children.

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In the beginning . . .

• In 1934, the Soap Box Derby was born. Innovation
  in design and construction were encouraged and
  rewarded.
• It was a simpler time when boys and their fathers
  devoted evenings and weekends for many months to
  building a competitive racer for their local Soap
  Box Derby.
• Entrants were supposed to do all the work
  themselves. Dads role was that of advisor. And
  the rules emphasized craftsmanship and good
  sportsmanship.
• College scholarships and trophies were awarded to
  the top nine finishers. Chevrolet was a major
  sponsor and the program was on solid ground.
• Then the Derby program was racked by a scandal in
  1973 when the winner admitted to cheating and
  Chevrolet pulled out of the program.
• With a tarnished image, participation and
  sponsorships dwindled in numbers for several
  years. And the Derby fell on lean times.

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In the 1970s changes began to occur . . .

• The family structure began to change Both
  parents now worked fulltime and the number of
  single parent families began to rise.
• Time became a scarce commodity and parents often
  didnt have the time or the energy to devote to a
  six month project like building a Soap Box Derby
  racer.
• Children found they had more choices when it came
  to choosing activities to pursue.
• Parents and kids didnt want to invest 6 months
  to build a racer only to experience the thrill
  of the hill for a brief moment on a Saturday
  afternoon.
• Society changed and the Soap Box Derby saw the
  need to change right along with it.
• So they came up with a new idea they decided to
  sell racer kits that came with all the needed
  parts and could be assembled in an afternoon or
  two.

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The idea was really pretty simple

• All of the cars were of three designs. All were
  easy to build and there was no room for
  innovation. Parents children were encouraged to
  assemble the kits together.
  
• Three divisions were established
• Stock for small children, ages 8 and up
• Super Stock for larger children ages 10 to 14
  and,
• Masters for children at least 10 years old who
  generally had outgrown the other two divisions
• Youngsters could compete in each division with
  the winners in each category qualifying to
  compete in the All-American Soap Box Derby in
  Akron as representatives of their local
  communities.

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Or, entrants could choose a different path

• They could elect to participate in Rallies held
  each weekend throughout the country and earn
  points based on how high they placed. Those with
  enough points would qualify and represent their
  Rally regions as Champions at the AASBD race.
• But, regardless of the chosen path, the format
  of todays Soap Box Derby program is that anyone
  who can afford the price of a kit can end up with
  an entry that is extremely competitive right out
  of the box !

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Who we are . . .

• The Greater Columbus Area Soap Box Derby, Inc. is
  a non-profit youth organization that was founded
  in 1975.
• Our purpose is to organize, promote, and conduct
  an annual race whose winners will qualify to
  represent Columbus, Ohio in the All-American Soap
  Box Derby which is held each summer in Akron,
  Ohio.
• The goal of our program is to teach and develop
  the qualities of good sportsmanship, a
  competitive spirit and the mechanical skills
  necessary to construct and race a Soap Box Derby
  racer.
• More information about us can be found at our
  website www.columbussoapboxderby.com

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Our organizations dream is to make the Soap
Box Derby experience available to as
many Central Ohio youth as possible.

• But for our organization to have the greatest
  impact on our youth we need ongoing financial
  support and manpower assistance to realize our
  dream.
• The cost of conducting a top quality program will
  be between 3,000 and 5,000 this year. This will
  let us pay our franchise fees, cover our
  insurance costs, furnish awards to our kids and
  conduct a first class community event.
• So we are seeking key sponsors and we believe
  that the benefits to those who partner with us
  will far outweigh their costs.

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But you can also help us in another way

• Why not sponsor a car and mentor a child?
• Choose a child from your membership or help a
  disadvantaged child to experience the thrill of
  the hill on race day!

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The cost of a kit is about 500.00

• Racers can be assembled in a couple of
  afternoons.
• Rules change little from year to year so you can
  pass the car down to a different child next
  year.
• Choose a worthy child through an essay contest at
  a local school.
• The winner gets help from your club in assembling
  the racer.
• Your group cheers on your child at the Derby

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As a sponsor your organization will enjoy the
following benefits locally

• The opportunity to link your organizations name
  with a family event that is as All-American as
  Mom, apple pie and the 4th of July!
• As we build the numbers of participants in our
  local race and our rally programs, entrants and
  their parents will come to recognize the value
  that your organization places on making a
  difference for the youth of Central Ohio.
• The time or money you invest in helping us to
  promote our program will permit disadvantaged
  youth to experience the thrill of the Derby
  Experience by bringing the cost of competition
  within their reach.
• Todays entrants will one day be tomorrows
  consumers and the goodwill generated by your
  firms participation as a key sponsor may benefit
  your bottom line for many years to come.
• Your organizations members will have the
  opportunity to have some fun and relive a part of
  their youth !

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Key sponsors will also enjoy these broader
benefits

• Race week in Akron lets you showcase your
  groups image to
• thousands of people who will visit the track,
  watch the race in
• person or on TV, read newspaper articles in
  the Akron Beacon Journal
• and see TV news coverage of the event.
• As a sponsor, your name will appear prominently
  on the sides of our
• Champions cars.
• Your sponsorship will occupy a place of
  prominence on our website.
• Youll be able to help our youth to achieve a
  dream that lets others see
• what can be accomplished when committed people
  with vision pool
• their talents and work together toward a
  common goal.
• Your associates and their families can have
  some fun and relive a
• part of their youth !

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2009 Derby Dates

• April 4th Derby Fools Day
• Our track will be open for testing for
  experienced drivers and rookies. Well have
  loaner cars available at the track for kids and
  parents to drive.
• April 19th 20th Columbus Spring Rally
• An AASBD sanctioned rally. Open to any boy
  or girl ages 8 to 17.
• April May Rally Racing
• AASBD rallies occur just about every
  weekend within easy driving distance. Rally
  racing occurs in Akron, Cleveland, Lancaster, and
  Charleston, WV. Go to www.aasbd.com for the
  rally race schedule.
• June 20th Columbus Local Race
• Winners go to the All-American race in
  Akron!
• July 25th All-American Race
• The All-American race in Akron Ohio!

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On April 4th Come Relive Your Youth with our
Rent-A-Racer program

• Derby Fools Day Saturday, 04/04/09

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The Greater Columbus Area Soap Box Derby is
seeking key sponsors to help us achieve our
goals.

• Platinum 5,000 You will be the featured
  sponsor of our race with your groups logo being
  prominently displayed on our Champions racers in
  large letters on both sides of the cars.
• Your organizations logo will be featured on our
  website. You will have a commanding presence in
  all of our promotional materials.
• Gold 4,000 Gold sponsors will have their
  name displayed
• on both sides of the racers in smaller letters
  and will also share a strong presence on our
  website.
• Silver 3,000 Silver sponsors will be
  recognized with decals on both sides of the
  racers and will be involved to a lesser extent
  with local promotion of our organizational
  events.

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Other sponsorship options abound

• Bronze 1,000 your organizations name appears
  on our kids T-shirts and you get a full page ad
  in our Official Race Day Program.
• Red 500 Well purchase a kit for one of our
  disadvantaged kids to build and race. Your name
  appears on the racer each year.
• White 250 gets you a quarter page ad in our
  Official Race Day Program.
• Blue 100 gets you a business card ad in our
  Official race Day Program.
• What level of sponsorship works best for you?

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Together we can make a difference for the youth
of Central Ohio

• For more information, contact
• Paul Workmaster
• by email pworkmaster7336_at_wowway.com
• by phone [phone]
• www.ColumbusSoapBoxDerby.com