Fundraising Friday: Citywide Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt

When you create a fundraiser, the most important successful aspect of the event is that your participants have FUN!  Make a game of it.  People are more likely to buy tickets or pay to register than just donate money.  Why not take the normal Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt and SUPERSIZE it?!


As you read the following article, you will find some great ideas for taking a simple scavenger hunt to the city level.  Think about Boardman. What are some easily recognizable landmarks—and some that aren't quite so easily recognized? You can use pictures of these and also create some riddles to lead participants to other spots.

I tried to come up with a few for you.  How well do you know your community?  Here are some ideas to get you thinking about pictures and riddles:

• The clock outside of Barnes and Noble and Bath & Body Works in The Shops at Boardman Park.
• The covered bridge next to Lanterman's Mill.  Maybe just a part of it to make it not so easy.
• The turnoff lane to Tippecanoe from Lockwood—picture taken from the old Quizno's parking lot.

At the end of the Scavenger Hunt or the Treasure Hunt, be sure to provide a decent prize.  Lots of companies would be willing to donate a large prize if you have the event worked out well.

Here is the article:  http://www.scavenger-hunt-fun.com/scavenger-hunt-clues.html

Good luck and have fun!
Kari

Categories: #RelayFFS , fundraising , fundraising friday , scavenger hunt , treasure hunt

Fundraising Friday: Just a Buck

At Relay one year, we talked about doing a fundraiser called "Just a Buck".  There are a variety of ways you can implement a "Just a Buck" fundraiser.  We'll talk about two of them in depth here.

Relay Bingo

The first idea for implementing "Just a Buck" is actually a pretty simple idea.  We call it "Relay Bingo", but it's not really "bingo" per se.  Simply print the following image on a standard 8.5"x11" sheet of paper (or get fancy if you want to).

Once you have it printed, find yourself a manila envelope.  It can be one of the larger ones or a half-size one.  You could even use a ballot box type of setup.  Write "Relay Bingo" on the envelope or box so you can put it next to your Bingo board.

Your co-workers, clients, church family, whoever your audience may be can simply throw a dollar or two into your envelope or container and sign their name in a box.

EASY $100!  Good luck!

Just a Buck

This idea for "Just a Buck" takes a little planning, but it could be a lot of fun, and depending on the type of event you choose to hit, quite lucrative.  The concept is to solicit "just a buck" from attendees at a sporting event—for example, a Brown's football game or a Phantom's hockey game.  You can even choose to work with a college game or a high school game.  The sporting season you choose is completely up to you...soccer, basketball, baseball, football, volleyball...whatever ball you prefer.

One of the first things you'll need to accomplish is to get permission from the event's organizers to place your team of volunteers at the entrances to the event with money buckets.  Always get permission first.  In this case, asking for forgiveness after the fact is not a good idea.  You also want to make sure you fully understand the conditions and any rules for your volunteers.  After all, you represent the American Cancer Society and the Relay For Life.

Next, find enough volunteers for each entrance of the venue you chose.  You want to make sure you have as many buckets walking around as you can. 

Make sure you volunteers wear Relay For Life clothing or team clothing.  Get yourselves some matching t-shirts with Relay For Life on them and possibly your team name.  Go all out!!  Relay shirts, Relay hats, Relay bling, Relay, Relay, Relay!

Contact your local American Cancer Society office (or your Team Ambassadors) to get some purple Relay For Life buckets.  Any kind of container will work, but the purple is a great attention getter.

Have fun!  The most important part of any team fundraising event like this is to have fun!  Yes, this is a serious business, but in the grand scheme of everything, the fact that Angie wore a few less pieces of purple or Carlos arrived half an hour late is really not that big.  Be glad they came.

To pump up your team, assign one or more people as cheerleaders whose only task is to take care of your volunteers.  Potty breaks, hot chocolate, jokes, hugs, dancing, mini contests—anything to keep them having a ball.

Let us know if you try either of these fundraising ideas and how it went!

Happy Fundraising!

Kari

Categories: #RelayFFS , fundraising , fundraising friday , relay bingo

Fundraising Friday: Home Parties

Who DOESN'T love to shop?  Well, buy things anyway.

Believe it or not, there are still Tupperware parties out there.  And the phenomenon of the Tupperware party has morphed into a party for just about everything.  Everyone has their favorite type (or types) of home party.  Why not mix your love of Relay with your love of the party?

If you know an independent consultant in a home party company, ask them if they would consider donating a portion a party's sales to your team.  Promote the heck out of the party—at church, at school, to parents on your child's sports team, to your family and friends.  If necessary, you could host the party in a larger venue, like a room at church or a school auditorium.

Have fun with it.  Below are some popular home party companies.  Do you have another favorite?

      

     

                         



Happy Fundraising!
Kari

Categories: #RelayFFS , fundraising , fundraising friday , home party

Fundraising Friday: Host an Amazing Race Around Town

Do you love the TV show "Amazing Race"?
I do. Every time I watch it, I always think how much FUN it would be to run around the world solving problems and meeting physical challenges.

So how can we turn this into a fundraiser, you ask? It all started when I read about an Amazing Race party held by two women for a group date night. (You'll find the link to the article below.) These women have explained and created just about EVERYTHING for you, including a set of clues that should work for any town.

So HOW can we turn this into a fundraiser, you ask again? Host an Amazing Race around Boardman and surrounding areas! Now, don't get me wrong. This is one of the more involved fundraisers that require a bit of planning and prepping, but it could be oh, so fun, and it could potentially help you raise a lot (did I say A LOT) of money.

Think about it: 5 teams of 2 with a registration fee of $20 = $100 

But because it is SUCH A FUN event, you'll get a lot of interest from your church family, your own family, friends, school parents, sports teams, college kids, neighbors—anywhere you promote it. Promoting it can be as simple as creating a poster here and then putting them up all over town. (More promotion ideas listed below.)

Sooo...that could turn into 20 teams of 2 with a registration fee of $20 per team = $400

But hey, we're spending a good deal of time in planning and prepping, and we've created a FANTASTIC game that gets people out of the house, driving around town, spending time with great people (and for a GREAT cause). Let's bump that registration fee up to $30 per team. That's only $15 per person. (You spend more than that going to a movie or dinner these days.)

So NOW...we're at 20 teams of 2 with a registration fee of $30 per team = $600!! 

Taking some time and focus to put together a fundraiser such as this can help you eliminate some of the not-so-successful fundraisers you try throughout the year or at the event. We've all had them. Those great ideas (in theory) that leave you wondering why you even bothered and why you wasted four hours out of a precious Saturday.  When fundraising, it really is beneficial to step back and make sure you're getting the biggest bang for your buck.

Links to resources:
Learn more about The Amazing Race:
http://amazingrace.wikia.com/wiki/The_Amazing_Race

Complete details and printables for creating an Amazing Race around town:
http://www.thedatingdivas.com/adventurous-amore/the-ultimate-amazing-race-group-date-night/

Another Amazing Race party example:
http://www.chicaandjo.com/2010/07/05/amazing-race-party/
(Note:  The printables linked within this article aren't free.  Just use the ones from the Dating Divas link instead.  You're welcome.)

Happy Fundraising!!
Kari

Categories: #RelayFFS , amazing race , fundraising , fundraising friday

Coping with Cancer

I Can Cope® is an educational program for people facing cancer - either personally or as a friend or family caregiver.  Living with cancer is one of the greatest challenges a person can face in the course of a lifetime.  I Can Cope offers help in the form of reliable information, peer support and practical coping skills - so that you can meet this challenge.

Knowledge is power, and the more you know about what is happening during cancer treatment, the better equipped you will be to handle each step of the journey.  And, of course, there is great comfort in the simple knowledge that you are not alone.

I Can Cope classes are also online and taught by doctors, nurses, social workers and other health care professionals or community representatives.  The sessions help dispel myths by presenting straightforward facts and answers to your cancer-related questions.



There are several I Can Cope modules to choose from.  They include the following topics:

(If any module links are broken, please visit www.cancer.org and search for "I Can Cope".)

• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Side effects of Treatment
• Emotions and Self-esteem
• Cancer and Intimacy
• Communicating Concerns and Feelings
• Community Resources
• Financial Concerns
• Pain Management
• Nutrition Part 1 and Part 2
• Fatigue

This is just a representative list of the classes available with I Can Cope.  Click here for more information on I Can Cope training classes available and to find support programs and services in your area.

For more information about I Can Cope, or to find out how you can volunteer, you can also contact your local American Cancer Society at 1.800.227.2345 anytime day or night, or visit www.cancer.org.

Other resources:

“I Can Cope” Brochure

Categories: acs programs , classes , health initiatives , I Can Cope , information , volunteer opportunity

Would You Drive a Mile to Save a Life?

Road to Recovery

Road to Recovery is a service program offered by the American Cancer Society that strives to improve the quality of life for patients undergoing cancer care.  The program does this by providing patients with transportation to their treatments and medical appointments and home again.  Volunteer drivers donate their time and resources to help ensure that people with cancer get the lifesaving treatments they need.

Find a Road To Recovery program in your area

Lack of transportation sometimes leaves people with cancer with few options for completing their treatment schedules.  Many people need daily or weekly treatments over a period of months and simply have no way to get there.  Although family and friends may be able to help, there are many times when they're not available.  Road to Recovery provides transportation options for people in this situation.  Road to Recovery is a free service.  People with cancer do not need a physician's referral, but advance notice is required.

For more information about the Road to Recovery program, or to find out how you can volunteer to be a Road to Recovery driver, call 1.800.227.2345 anytime day or night, or visit www.cancer.org.

Transportation Assistance

The Transportation Assistance Program is designed to help with the financial costs of transportation for cancer patients who are in active treatment.  For more information and eligibility guidelines, call 1.800.227.2345.

Download these documents to share:
"Would you drive a mile?" Tear Off
"Road to Recovery" Brochure
"Road to Recovery" Flyer

Categories: acs programs , health initiatives , road to recovery , volunteer opportunity