Jewelers of America is encouraging its members to increase their support of its long-time charity, the Jewelers Charity Fund.

Beginning this month, JA, in a letter to its members, is asking store owners to run a number of special promotions. They are:

* A watch battery replacement program in which a store would donate a portion of their proceeds from watch battery replacement to JCF,

* Having customers donate money to the JCF donation canister, and

* Performing some services, such as watchband sizing and jewelry cleaning for free and then ask that your customers make a donation to the fund instead.

JA, in its mailing, included several fundraising tools, including JCF lapel pins, a JCF countertop tent cards, advertising slicks that can include store names and logos for print advertising, and press releases for local media outlets.

Retailers who raise $500 will receive a ticket to the JCF Facets of Hope dinner during the JCK Show in Las Vegas in June. Retailers who raise $250 will be recognized in the event’s journal.

“If each store raises just $100 for JCF, the results will be a tremendous benefit for children in need all across America,” said the letter to JA members signed by Carolyn Pope, JA chairman, and Matt Runci, JA president and CEO.

JCF to date has raised nearly $4 million for its three charities: The Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

JCK