Volume 2022 -05 | May 2022
Rocky Mountain BEST Volunteer Newsletter
30th Anniversary BEST Logo
Logo
Boosting BEST Silent Auction Fundraiser
BIDDING OPENS 8 AM MDT thru SUNDAY!
Bidding Tuesday, 31 May thru Sunday, 5 June
We have received over 250 terrific auction items with amazing Bargains! Plus we have fantastic Sponsorship options to make even more of a difference!
Click graphic below to go directly to item.
  1. LOGIN: You need to be logged in to participate. CLICK the pink AUCTION button above and select Login in the upper right to login or click "Don't have an account? Create an account now" if appropriate on the same page.
  2. FAVORITES: As you consider the 250+ auction items, you may want to create a WATCH LIST of favorite items by clicking the HEART on the item.
  3. EASY TO MANAGE YOUR BID: Use Proxy Bid to stay the top bidder! Enter a maximum bid amount and select Proxy Bid instead of Exact Bid. The system will enter your first bid as the current bid + the Minimum Bid Increment value. If another bidder bids more than your first bid, then the system will add the increment to their bid to keep you in the high bidder position. This automatic bidding will continue up to your maximum bid amount.
  4. NOTIFICATIONS: Automatic email notifications will keep you updated on bidding status.
  5. PICKUP/SHIPPING/PAYMENT: Within each item description, Pickup/Shipping and Payment Instructions explain your options.
QUESTIONS?
Check out the HELP FAQ page or contact us at DenverBESTFundraiser@bestinc.org

HELP EVEN MORE BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND!

As an additional BOOST, each purchase and donation will be matched up to $10,000 by a generous anonymous donor.
FANTASTIC SPONSORHIP OPPORTUNITES FOR A VARIETY OF BUDGETS
AMAZING BARGAINS with a Variety OF OPENING BIDS
A few of the 36 Auction GIFT CARDs
(National + Local)
Program Schedule
Please SAVE the Dates!
Summer Teacher / Mentor Training
  • Tuesday - Thursday 12-14 July - Teacher / Mentor Institute – Free Summer Training, St Mary’s Church, 6853 S Prince St, Littleton. More information at this link and if you can help mentor a team, register at the link.
Summer Game Field Build
  • TBD June/July - Game Field Cut Day – Weekend, 2-days for cutting and managing the game field. More to come.
  • SELF PACED July - August - Game Field Building see HELP WANTED for more details.
Eight-Week Fall Hub Season
  • Saturday 17 September - Hub Kickoff Event – Game Reveal, Robot Material Distribution and Training, Englewood High School, 3800 S Logan St
  • Saturday 22 October - Online Critical Design Review Presentation - judging days TBD
  • Saturday 29 October - Engineering Notebook Delivery Due - judging days 29 Oct - 8 Nov
  • Saturday 29 October - Hub Practice Day Event – Team Practice and Optional BEST Award Marketing Presentation - STRIVE Prep RISE 18250 E 51st Ave Denver (UPDATE)
  • Saturday 12 November - Hub Game Day Event – Team Competition, Judging and Optional BEST Award Team Exhibit and Interviews, Englewood High School, 3800 S Logan St
Regional Championship
  • Saturday - Sunday 3-4 Dec - Denver BEST Regional Championship – Qualifying schools by invitation. Finalizing Colorado School of Mines venues. More details to be provided.
COMING SOON - Made 2 Order Game Teaser Video with 30th Anniversary highlights
  • bESTology - Teachers can jump start their teams with 10 Weekly web postings for the Made 2 Order game including Game Theme related topics; Class/group or individual exercises; Research, writing, thinking, learning.
  • Check out the weekly postings:
  1. Defining Automatic
  2. What Job Where?
  3. Picking Which Way
  4. Control? What Is In Control?
  5. Choosing Your ARMs
6. It's a Matter of Sensor(s)
7. Where Are My Arms? Topics Sensors Path Orientation 
8. Which Way What? Topics: Sensors Path Orientation - Gyroscopes 
9. Am I All I Can Be? Topics Function Autonomous Function or Not 
10. Where’s The Guidance? Topics Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV) Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR)
HAVE EXTRA HOURS TO VOLUNTEER?
HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Calling All Interested Summer Game Field Builders!

NEW BUILD CHALLENGES INCLUDE
ELECTRONICS & POSSIBLE CNC USE
  • PLEASE CONTACT Linda.King@bestinc.org
  • Build Plan LINK - includes our planned Schedule and if required, needed skills
  • Contact us to learn more
  • Provide contact information if you MIGHT be able to support and would like to receive more information in June
BOARD OF DIRECTORS POSITIONS
  • We are looking for enthusiastic RM BEST advocates to join 7 other board members to help us fulfill and advance our mission.
  • Especially helpful if you have contacts to expand our community connections and fundraising opportunities.
  • You can support from home. Monthly meetings are currently held online. To learn more about these positions, please contact Carolyn.Bauer@bestinc.org. 
FUNDRAISING
It takes a lot of funds to cover our costs to have a free competition at both the local level and the Regional Championship level. Here are MORE ways you can help from home.
  • GRANTS: Know a company or foundation that might want to hear about how they can help provide our inspiring STEM program free to schools?  Enjoy writing or have experience writing proposals or grant requests? Please contact Carolyn.Bauer@bestinc.org to learn more.
2022 Outreach Activities
We will be presenting a BEST introduction and robot demo for participating DPS high school students at one of MSU TRIO Upward Bound Program summer sessions. We're also reaching out to BEST high schools to encourage their help in presenting.
Colorado Energy Day is Colorado's first FREE family festival showcasing exhibits focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
We are planning to have a booth at East High School this year on 24 September.
LOGO
Colorado Science Conference is geared towards anyone interested in science education, including K-12 teachers, college instructors, informal educators,
We are planning to have a booth at the conference:
Saturday, November 5th at Douglas County High School in Castle Rock.
Other Ways to Participate by Donating
Colorado Gives Donations 
You can donate ANYTIME at Rocky Mountain BEST at ColoradoGives.org.
Benevity
If your company has gift matching through Benevity, Rocky Mountain BEST is one of the eligible non-profit organizations. Please ask your HR department about Benevity gift matching!
King Soopers/City Market
Thanks to the 15 households who are using their King Soopers / City Market savings cards to donate to Rocky Mountain BEST.
If you used to refill a King Soopers gift cards for us and now need help setting up your savings card, please email lois.walton@bestinc.org. Lois would be glad to talk you through the quick process!
Amazon Smile
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Rocky Mountain BEST whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
Amazon Smile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
Wondering what to do with your used car or truck? 
Donating your old vehicle or boat to ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEST is convenient, easy, and may qualify you for a tax deduction. And best of all, your donation of a used car or truck will make a big difference in supporting ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEST.
Why not donate your vehicle today? All you need to do is to complete our SIMPLE ONLINE FORM or call 1-866-628-2277 and we'll take care of the rest. We will pick up your vehicle, arrange to have your donation towed, and provide you with a tax-deductible receipt, all at no charge to you.
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Build a robot in eight weeks;
inspire a youth for a lifetime
Don't miss out making it possible!