table of contents 2012 Walk MS Dates... 2 About Multiple Sclerosis... 3 Where the Money Goes... 4 Fundraising Tips

Transcription

1 2012 Walker Guide

2 table of contents 2012 Walk MS Dates... 2 About Multiple Sclerosis... 3 Where the Money Goes... 4 Fundraising Tips Letter Writing Campaign Online Fundraising... 8 Teams... 9 Prizes and Tour of Champions Walk MS Elite Frequently Asked Questions... 12

3 2012 walk ms dates Thank you for joining the movement by registering for the 24 th year of Walks in the Mid America Chapter! Walk MS participants and volunteers come from all across the country and all stages of life, to create a world free of MS. You join more than 200,000 Americans who will contribute more than $37 million to Walk MS This Guide is your reference for a fun and successful event. For additional information, visit the Walk MS page at our website March 31 Wichita, KS April 14 Grand Island, NE Kansas City Metro Omaha, NE Salina, KS St. Joseph, MO April 15 Kearney, NE Manhattan, KS April 21 Emporia, KS Hutchinson, KS Johnson County, KS Liberty, MO Lincoln, NE Maryville, MO Willard, MO April 22 Scottsbluff, NE April 28 Cameron, MO Chillicothe, MO Lawrence, KS Marshall, MO Neodesha, KS Norfolk, NE North Platte, NE Seymour, MO Springfield, MO Topeka, KS May 5 Branson, MO Garden City, KS Joplin, MO May 26 Lexington, NE June 2 McCook, NE Walk MS 2012 PAGE 2

4 about ms About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and it stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.1 million worldwide. About The National Multiple Sclerosis Society The National MS Society is a collective of passionate individuals who want to do something about MS now to move together toward a world free of multiple sclerosis. MS stops people from moving. We exist to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS through our 50-state network of chapters. The Society helps people affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. JOIN THE MOVEMENT We are asking everyone to Join the movement! > Make 24 contacts Reach out to 24 people, one to represent every hour of a day. Consider donors, sponsors, participants, friends and co-workers. Encourage everyone you know to join the MS movement by participating in something they already love doing! > Forward the web site nationalmssociety.org Forward the link to everyone in your address book. Encourage people to Join the Movement simply by logging onto the National MS Society s web site and learning one new thing about living with MS. PAGE 3 Walk MS 2012

5 where the money goes Walk MS 2012 is more than just a Walk -it s a Walk with a mission to create a world free of MS. Without your fundraising efforts, vital research would go unfunded and programs could not be offered. While there is no minimum fundraising level, we fully expect a pledge to the National MS Society to support programs and services for the 11,000 people living with MS in our area. In this section of the Guide, learn ways to create and meet your personal fundraising goal! You can use these tips to raise $25, $500 or raise enough to become a Walk MS Elite 100 member. The money you raise for the MS Society helps people living with multiple sclerosis in countless ways. $200 Support for self-help groups for an annual stipend and materials $350 A month of physical therapy $500 One week of home care for a person with MS $2,500 Funding of the MS Society Scholarship Program for high school seniors $5,000 Accessibility improvements, such as power entry doors, to the Chapter s supportive housing developments 80 cents of each dollar raised in the Mid America Chapter is spent to end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis % - Fundraising 3.99% - Administration 47.35% - Local Programs 32.57% - Research Walk MS 2012 PAGE 4

6 fundraising Set a goal - decide how much you want to raise > While there is no minimum fundraising requirement, $25 is the first level our walkers aim to achieve. > Raise $100 before Walk MS to qualify for a Walk MS t-shirt. > Raise $250 to qualify for an online prize to be claimed after the prize deadline. > Take the $500 Challenge to become a Walk MS Top Fundraiser! > Join the 2013 Walk MS Elite 100 by being one of the 100 highest fundraisers across the chapter. Make it personal > Are you walking for family or a friend? Ask if you can share their story on your personal page and with those you are requesting donations from. > Tell donors exactly where the money goes and the impact it has (see pg 4). Update your personal page > Write the story of how you are moving toward a world free of MS. While there is sample text available, nothing is more compelling than your own words. > Add a picture of your team, the person you are walking for or your family. > Make sure to enter in your goal so donors can see your thermometer. > Create a URL shortcut to easily direct people to your page. Put this shortcut in the signature of your and on your Facebook or Twitter account. Start Asking and Fundraising! > Make the first donation so your donors know how serious you are. > Send out an using your Participant Center. > Use the new Facebook fundraising feature (found at and send out a message to your friends to visit your profile to donate. > Host a dress down day, office competition or raffle for a day off at work. > Have a garage sale, auction or bake sale. > Check out the fundraising tips including a list of matching companies, at Don t be afraid to ask Start your fundraising with friends and family and from there branch out to coworkers, classmates, neighbors, anyone and everyone. You never know who also has a connection and will be happy to donate. And don t forget, you are doing something good for the community and for those living with MS. People will respect you for the commitment you ve made to a worthy cause. PAGE 5 Walk MS 2012

7 fundraising Turning In Donations Drop off your donations at our office during regular business hours. Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Mail your donations into our Chapter office. Please do not send cash through the mail. National MS Society 7611State Line Road, Suite 100 Kansas City, MO Once you turn in your donations, you can track your fundraising progress at You have access to online fundraising tools and account management from your Participant Center. Tracking Donations Credit Card: Please direct donors who want to make their donation via credit card to your personal page. Credit Card Forms are also available at the MS Society office, if needed. You can track the progress of all your donations online on your Walk MS personal fundraising page. See page 8 for details. Letter Writing Campaign The method top fundraisers swear by Round out your mailing list: > Co-workers > Holiday card list > Club membership list > Spouse s place of business > Business associates > Download your Outlook contact list into your participant center! When writing your letter > We highly recommend including a self addressed, stamped envelope to make it easy for your friends and family to respond. If ing, include your personal URL so they can get directly to your page to donate. > Personalize your appeal. Use familiar details about yourself and your commitment to create a world free of MS. Thank your business associates for their help in the past year and catch up with old friends and family. > Include a deadline as a gentle nudge to get those donations in. Let them know you want to be at X dollars by X date. Walk MS 2012 PAGE 6

8 sample letter Dear, I find it hard asking someone to make a donation. I guess we all do. But, today I m writing to you about a cause that s important to me, and a cause that I know you will want to support. This Spring I will join more than 340,000 people across the nation to help create a world free of multiple sclerosis. By making a donation on my behalf, you are supporting research and local programs to those affected by this disease. MS is an unpredictable and devastating disease that can attack any of us in the prime of life. Imagine one day you are ready to take on the world...and the next day you can t move or you ve lost your vision. Many people right in our own communities are faced with the diagnosis of this incurable and debilitating disease. That s why I m participating in Walk MS 2012 and asking you to help me make a difference, MS researchers have made extraordinary progress these last few years searching for a cure, and your contributions will help support these vital efforts. Contributions will also support local programs for more than 11,000 people and their families living with MS in the Mid America Chapter. You can help me reach my fundraising goal of $ by donating to me for Walk MS. It s easy. Just visit my personal webpage via (insert your personal webpage address here) or return the enclosed self-addressed, stamped envelope with your check made payable to the National MS Society by (insert your deadline). Sample I have decided to join the movement and I hope you will support my efforts by donating to me. It will mean so much to me and the thousands of people living with this disease. Warmest Regards, Big Time Fundraiser PAGE 7 Walk MS 2012

9 online fundraising 1. Go to 2. Click on My Account in the menu to the left. Simple Steps to Online Success 3. Log in using the username and password that you set up when you registered. 4. Select the link for your Walk. 5. From the menu bar on this page, you can send fundraising s, change the content of your personal page, and view your progress. By selecting on the menu bar, you can send a message to your friends and family. You can use the suggested messages or create your own. Links will appear on the bottom of your to take donors to your webpage to make giving easy! By selecting Personal Page on the menu bar, you can: Edit Content - This is where you change the actual words that appear on the page. - Write the story of how you are moving toward a world free of MS. While there is sample text available, nothing is more compelling than your own words. Add Photo/Video - Add a picture of your team, the person you are walking for or your family. - Put up a video thanking your donors and sharing with them why you are walking. Edit Components - Choose whether or not to show your thermometer and donors on your page. - Choose to have a blog. You can update this blog as often as you would like to share more information with those who visit your page. Preview - Save before you preview so you won t lose any work! After you click Save, all changes are final on your personal page. Finally, click Preview to see how your page will look. Create a URL shortcut - Choose Create your URL by clicking Edit next to Personal Page URL and Settings. Enter the URL of your choice and click Save. You now have a unique URL to send donors directly to your page! Put this shortcut in the signature of your and on your Facebook or Twitter account. By selecting Progress on the menu bar, you can view your fundraising progress as your donations roll in! Walk MS 2012 PAGE 8

10 teams Mission of Teams Teams inspire others to join the movement by participating with friends, family or co-workers. A team consists of 4 or more participants. Walkers on a team can challenge and encourage each other as you prepare for Walk MS. Team Captain Team Captains encourage the spirit of teamwork by: > Recruiting new participants > Cultivating those endeared to the cause > Continuing the commitment to purposeful fundraising > Setting team goals for fundraising and recruitment efforts > Taking the lead with the fundraising effort Success As a Team Captain We ll provide you with support along the way. Captains will receive: > Team Captain Handbook - Online > Team Talk E-Newsletters > Promotional Materials > Special Incentives > Walk MS Updates Recruit Members Online Your team members can quickly and easily join your team when they register online. Have people join your team from your team page or use the participant center tools to send a team registration link via . Encourage Online Activity Once you see what the tools can do for you, encourage your team members to use them. Make it fun by giving incentives to your team members to fundraise online. Be creative and ensure that your team not only reaches their goals, but has fun along the way! Contact Us! To learn more about becoming a team captain or joining a team, visit or contact your local office (pg 13). PAGE 9 Walk MS 2012

11 individual prizes Commemorative Walk MS T-shirt $100 raised by day of Walk MS Online Prize - $250+, levels vary Prize Deadline - June 22, 2012 Mission Possible Club - $8,000 Tour of Champions Trip OR pick one prize from any category Mission First Club In 2010, 300+ walkers in the Mid America Chapter joined the Mission First Club by declining their prize. These club members saved the MS Society over $10,000! That is $10,000 that went directly back to the National MS Society s mission. Donate your prize back to the MS Society in 2012 and be recognized as someone fully dedicated to joining the movement! Walk MS participants who raise at least $8,000 for Walk MS 2012 are invited to attend the Tour of Champions as their fundraising reward. The trip package includes hotel accommodations, airfare, conference fees and some meals. This exclusive trip is the National MS Society s way of recognizing those who go above and beyond in helping the MS cause. The tour also provides an opportunity for top fundraisers to share information and ideas with others from around the country. The 2012 Tour of Champions location will be announced soon! Walk MS 2012 PAGE 10

12 Walk MS Elite 100 Club best of 2011 The 2012 Walk MS Elite 100 Club is made up of the top 100 fundraisers from Walk MS These individuals had fundraising totals ranging from $1,130 to $15,270! Please help us in congratulating those who have gone above and beyond in creating a world free of MS! To see a complete list of our 2012 Walk MS Elite 100 Club, visit msmidamerica.org. Top 10 Members of the Walk MS Elite 100 Club 1. Linda Burbridge Kansas City, MO $15, Ann Harvey Wichita, KS $11, Annie Lackey Topeka, KS $11, Sandy Middleton Kansas City, MO $7, Ethel White Joplin, MO $5, Lyle Morris Marshall, MO $4, Aubrey Driscoll Kansas City, MO $4, Kyle Kellough Springfield, MO $4, Nancy Bryan-Slocum Branson, MO $4, Corie Vogel Liberty, MO $3,833 Top 10 Teams from AubResearch & Destroyers Kansas City, MO $21, Viracor-IBT Kansas City, MO $18, Sibling s Crew Wichita, KS $18, Team Lockton (KC) Kansas City, MO $10, Old West Lawrence Walkers Lawrence, KS $8, Ragin Cajuns/Team MRI Kansas City, MO $7, Can You Digg It Omaha, NE $7, Come on Get Happy Johnson County, KS $6, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NE Omaha, NE $6, Team D&D Johnson County, KS $6,419 PAGE 11 Walk MS 2012

13 f.a.q. Is there a registration fee? How much money do I have to raise? There is no required registration fee or pledge minimum, but this is a fundraising event. We fully expect a pledge to the National MS Society to support programs and services for the 11,000 people living with MS in our area. (see pg 5) When do I turn in my money? You can start turning in your money today and we encourage you to have all of your funds turned in by the day of the Walk. You have until June 22, 2012 to qualify for prizes. Don t forget about our Mission First Club, where you can donate your prize back and put those funds toward our mission of ending MS. What time should I be there? We recommend you arrive at least 30 minutes before the event begins. This will give you time to check in, get warmed up and enjoy the festivities. How long is the route? Our walks have a short and a long route and the length will vary (approximately 3 and 6 miles, respectively). Both routes are always fully accessible, so that people of all abilities can participate. Do you allow strollers on the route? A separate waiver will need to be signed for children in strollers and wagons. Can my pet walk with me? Only service animals are allowed on the route with the exception of Springfield, MO, where you will need to sign a pet waiver in order to keep your pooch on a leash. What if I get hungry, thirsty or tired? Rest stops supplied with snacks and water are placed approximately every 1-2 miles. Each stop will also be staffed with medical volunteers and support vehicles that can take you to the finish line should you require assistance. What Should I Bring to Walk MS? > Donations - Be sure to bring any cash or check donations that you have not turned in to the event. > Contribution Envelope - will be available the day of the Walk > We walk rain or shine, hot or cold, so come prepared for all weather! > Comfortable shoes > Water bottle > Sunglasses and sunscreen What if it rains or snows? Walk MS 2012 will take place rain or shine. If inclement weather persists, the route may be shortened. Walk MS 2012 PAGE 12

14 contact us Do you have any questions? We can help! Contact one of our Mid America Chapter offices... Kansas City 7611 State Line Rd. Suite 100 Kansas City, MO Springfield 1675 E Seminole St. Suite J Springfield, MO St. Joseph 2921 N. Belt Hwy. Suite L1 St. Joseph, MO Wichita 9415 E. Harry St. Suite 706 Wichita, KS Toll Free Phone: Online: midamericachapter@nmss.org or look us up on Facebook! Thank you to our Walk MS 2012 sponsors! Do you know someone who would like to see their company logo here? They can contact us at midamericachapter@nmss.org or call (800) (press 2) for more information. We would appreciate the opportunity to speak with them regarding a sponsorship for Walk MS 2012!