It’s a new month and with a new month comes our latest “Dealership Spotlight” feature. For March, we are introducing you to the Sprague family and Golden Rule Fundraising. This New Mexico-based dealership started their journey with the Butter Braid® brand back in 2004. Since the very beginning, the Spragues have always made family their top priority, both their own and the ones all throughout the community they serve. Now, almost 20 years later, Golden Rule Fundraising is still going the extra mile to make its groups feel like part of the fundraising family.
History
Tammy Sprague started running Golden Rule Fundraising part time in 2004. Around this time, her and her husband’s four kids were growing up and getting ready for college. Tammy wanted to find a way to help supplement her family’s income and support her children’s futures. Then, one day, Tammy learned about Butter Braid Pastries. She fell in love with the product and the company’s mission to “Share the Good” with families all over the country. Tammy has always put family first, and she jumped at the chance to work with a brand that felt as strongly about helping families as she did.
With her new business, Tammy was able to pay for her children to go to college while also supporting the people in her local community of Las Cruces, New Mexico. A few years later, her kids started to graduate from college and begin their own professional careers. In August 2008, Tammy decided it was time to make running Golden Rule Fundraising her full-time job.
Changes to the Dealership
When Tammy opened her dealership in 2004, she was mostly doing everything herself, from sales to delivery. Now, Golden Rule Fundraising has become a true family business. Her husband, Guy, joined Tammy at the dealership in November 2013. Having her husband beside her has made running the business an even more rewarding experience. Tammy believes that there is nothing better than doing what you love with the people you love.
There have been many others changes to the dealership as well over the last 18 years. Golden Rule Fundraising has evolved from sorting orders at delivery with volunteer assistants to staging and pre-sorting orders ahead of time. Tammy and Guy have also purchased a small, walk-in freezer and a few chest freezers to help accommodate all their orders during delivery seasons. Finally, they’ve increased their sales generation approach to help reach as many families as possible in their area.
Fundraising Groups
The Sprague family finds real joy in helping their groups reach their goals. For them, it’s a blessing to be connected to others throughout the community and to do what they can to make life the best it can be for those families and themselves. It’s the hugs of appreciation they get at deliveries from grateful group leaders, mentors, and kids that reminds them why they love what they do. That’s how, over the years, Golden Rule Fundraising has been able to help so many groups raise over $2 million for special causes.
Tammy and Guy have been part of many fundraisers over the years. The two got to help their daughter’s high school orchestra and band raise money to travel to London for a formal concert. Tammy said this was a real highlight of their time in the fundraising industry. They’ve also helped groups raise money for private medical expenses, helped athletes get to Olympic trials and national tournaments, and helped educator sororities fund scholarships for worthy students. It’s certainly been a very rewarding 18 years for the Sprague family.
Fundraising Story
Tammy and Guy have spent their lives supporting their family while also helping hundreds of others through their fundraisers. They never say no, not to helping groups raise funds or to finding time to make memories with their expanding family. They’ve been a real inspiration to their four kids who are always ready to repay that kindness and be there for their parents whenever they need help.
In 2021, Tammy was hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia. This was right during Golden Rule Fundraising’s Pre-Thanksgiving order period. Her children wanted their mom to be able to rest and recuperate instead of packing orders. To help their parents, all four kids, who grew up filling orders, traveled from their homes in Albuquerque and Arkansas to Las Cruces to get all the orders sorted and delivered. Thanks to their help, Tammy was able to recover and return home to be with her family.
The Sprague family plans to continue to “Share the Good” and spread joy to families through their fundraisers. Tammy says that they are very appreciative of the Butter Braid Fundraising family and their vision that has helped shape the foundation of Golden Rule Fundraising. For all of us at the Butter Braid brand, it has been a privilege to work with such a devoted family, and we hope you get the chance to work with them, too. If you are looking to run a fundraiser in the southern New Mexico or El Paso, Texas area, give Golden Rule Fundraising a call today! You’ll see that there is no better fundraising partner than one who lives their lives by the golden rule!
Connect with Golden Rule Fundraising Today!
Website: https://goldenrulefundraising.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Golden-Rule-Fundraising-377519915779821/
