Walker s Fundraising Guide

Transcription

1 Presenting Sponsor Walker s Fundraising Guide ALS of Michigan Northwestern Hwy., Suite 100 Southfield, MI phone: For more Walk info joanne@alsofmi.org

2 Who Do You Know? Thank you for taking the first step and signing up to Walk or Roll with ALS of Michigan. Your support makes all the difference in our success in providing services to our ALS community. This guide is meant to make your Walk effort successful and easy as possible. Please use it to its fullest extent and know we are here to help! Our most successful fundraisers make a point of asking friends, family, and others they know to support our organization. These people all know that ALS of Michigan matters to you. Below is a list of the people you can ask. Remember, start with your own donation! FAMILY Write down names 1. Spouse/Significant Other 2. Brothers/Sisters 3. Aunt/Uncles 4. In-laws (Mother/Father/Brother/Sister 5. Grandparents 6. Cousins 7. Nieces/Nephews FRIENDS College/High School Neighborhood Associations you belong to Sports teams you re involved with OTHER Your Physician/Dentist Hairdresser/Manicurist Boss/Co-Workers Teachers These are the many ways to contact people Call on the phone Text Write a letter Stop by and ask personally Ask on Social Media including: Facebook Twitter Linked In Google+

3 How You Can Raise $150 in 10 Days WHO TO ASK TOTAL AMOUNT Put in your own $10 $10 Ask your spouse/significant other for $10 $20 Ask your parents for $25 $45 Ask your sibling for $10 $55 Ask 5 friends for $5 each $80 Ask your boss for $20 $100 Raise $20 from co-workers $120 Ask your supervisor for $10 $130 Ask a neighbor for $10 $140 Ask a business owner for $10 $150 YOU DID IT!!

4 Letter Writing Always Wins Letter Writing Raises FIVE TIMES more donations! It s been proven that writing someone a quick note or a letter not only gets a better response than an , but results in a bigger donation to your Walk effort. It s easy to get started on an effective letter writing campaign. Use the list you created of people to ask for support. They are perfect candidates for your letter writing campaign. Don t forget about Holiday Lists you may have. Don t exclude anyone! With the right letter you can get close to 100% response. Put your heart and your feelings into your letter. Let them know why this organization means so much to you and why you are Walking/Rolling for ALS. Make it personal and make it positive! Ask them to join your team and do their own fundraising. The more the merrier. Hand addressed envelopes are more likely to get opened. If you are using a mass produced/form letter of some type, add a personal note to the person it s going to. like, Joan, I hope all is well with you. Please consider donating to this deserving cause. and sign your name. Always include a self addressed envelope with each letter! Make it as easy as possible for people to donate. If you can, a stamp on the return envelope also helps. Include your personal Fundraising Page link in the letter so that they can donate to your Walk effort online if they wish. Don t hesitate to remind those you haven t heard from. Reminders really do work. Don t forget to THANK your donors in writing. Saying Thank You is so important and will go a long way for your next endeavor. Everyone enjoys receiving a handwritten thank you note. If needed, ALS of Michigan is happy to put stamps on your letters for you.

5 Sample Letter Dear (insert Name), Imagine you are diagnosed with a disease that will inevitably take everything away from you. It almost seemed unimaginable to me until (name of person you know with ALS here) was diagnosed. This disease is called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), though most people know it as Lou Gehrig s Disease. I have seen how ALS robs a person of their ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually breathe, while the mind stays fully aware. Right now there is no known cause, treatment, or cure. That is why I am walking to make a difference in ALS of Michigan s 17 th Annual Walk n Roll for ALS and hope you will support my effort with a donation. All of the funds raised through this event will be used to provide critical services to help pals and their families live life as fully as possible. These are offered at no charge and include an equipment loan closet, social work assistance, support groups, conferences, and workshops, speech evaluations and training, and respite care. And ALS of Michigan keeps all of its funds in Michigan helping our Michigan ALS community. You can donate either by check or on the secure website for the Walk n Roll. If you prefer to donate by check please make it payable to ALS of Michigan and mail it to me at: Your Name Your Address City, State Zip If you prefer to donate online just visit (Insert your personal page link here) and you can donate securely online directly to my effort. If you have any questions or would like to join me at the Walk, please call me at (your phone # here) or me at (your address). Thank you so much for your help in the fight against Lou Gehrig s Disease! (Your Signature Here) Your Name Team Name Put some pictures in this space, especially if you have participated previously.

6 FAQs and FACTS FAQS What is the Registration Fee? NONE! That is why we ask every walker/roller to set a goal (we recommend at least $100) to raise funds from friends and family. How Do I get a T-shirt? Everyone who Walks or Rolls receives a T-shirt no matter the amount they raise. Another reason why we ask each and every Walker do their best to raise at least $100. How long are the Walks? Approximately three (3) miles on a path that is wheelchair friendly. Walk all or part of the route, or just be there to enjoy the festivities which generally run about 2.5 to 3 hours. Is there food at the Walks? All Walks serve food and beverages ranging from Coney dogs to pizza (depending on location) and desserts. Also, most of our Walks have music/entertainment. Does it cost to park? All parks except for Emerson Park in Midland have parking fees ranging from $3 to $10 per car. Consider car-pooling to reduce this cost. What about rain? We will walk rain or shine, except in the event of an electrical storm. Are dogs allowed? Yes! But they MUST BE on a 6-ft leash, and kept away from beaches and pavilions. FACTS Walk Dates - All Walks are held in September and October. Please visit for the dates and locations. Where to send donations - Please make checks payable to: ALS of Michigan and send them to: Northwestern Hwy., Suite 100 Southfield, MI About ALS - More commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is a progressive, neuromuscular disease that is characterized by a degeneration of the motor neurons; the cells in the brain and spinal cord which control muscles. As the motor neurons die, the muscles weaken, affecting the ability to move, speak, swallow and breathe. Through it all, the mind remains fully aware. As of today, there is no known cause or cure for ALS, although there are many promising research programs. It strikes both men and women, generally between the ages of 40 and 75. In the US more than 30,000 people living with ALS and 5,000 people diagnosed each year. In Michigan, there are about 1,000 people with ALS (PALS) and 200 diagnosed each year. ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries. 50% of pals live 3 to 5 years, 20% live 5 to 10 years, and only 10% survive 10 years or more. Sporadic ALS is the most common form and accounts for 80 85% if all cases of ALS. It occurs randomly throughout the population. "Familial" ALS suggests the disease is inherited % of pals have inherited ALS. Where the money goes Respite Care Assistance Program Augmentative and Assistive Communication (AAC) Center Durable Medical Equipment Loan Closet Support Groups, Workshops, and Seminars Professional Social Work Services And much, much more!

7 More Fundraising Ideas Many of our Teams and their Walkers have phenomenal success looking for additional ways to raise money. The ideas below have been proven and most are a great time for everyone who gets involved. Matching Gifts - many corporations and other business appreciate their employees civic involvement and reward them with matching gifts for donations they make to their favorite causes. To find out if your company has a matching gift program contact your HR department or visit this site: Spaghetti/Potluck Dinner - Host a dinner at your home and ask each attendee to make a donation to your walking/rolling. Car Wash - host a car wash and get a lot of teenagers involved to wash the car. Make it a theme. Garage Sale - host a garage sale and ask friends and family to provide items they may have that are no longer being used. Bottle and Can Drive - collect bottles and cans from people you know and your neighborhood. Return them and put the refund towards your Walk. Lou Bucks - these look like dollar bills with Lou Gehrig's picture on them. Local stores, bars, etc. can sell them for you for $1 and the buyer signs their name to them. Then they are displayed on a wall at the business and you collect the proceeds and apply them to your Walk effort. Never Give Up Bracelets - We will supply you with some of our bracelets that you can sell for $1 or more each. Add those $$$ to your Walk amount. Restaurant Night - many neighborhood restaurants will give a portion of the proceeds (often it is 10%) from a night where you encourage those you know to have dinner there.

8 Get Social Social Media has become one of the most convenient and best ways to reach large numbers of people at one time without a lot of effort. You may have one or many social media tools at your disposal including Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. A simple Facebook post or Tweet can reach your sphere of family and friends and engage them in your Walk effort. Use your social media tools often. Here are some examples of what you can say in a post or a tweet. And remember to ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR PERSONAL FUNDRAISING PAGE LINK! EXAMPLES: 1. It s almost here! ALS of Michigan s 17th Annual Walk n Roll for ALS. This year I will be walking at (insert location) on (insert date). I hope I can count on your support helping pals and their families across Michigan. Visit my walk page at (insert the link to your personal page here). 2. I m walking in honor of (insert name of pals here) in ALS of Michigan s 17th Annual Walk n Roll for ALS. Please help me help others who are living with ALS by making a donation. Just visit my personal Walk page at (insert the link to your personal page here). Thank you. 3. ALS of Michigan really made a difference for my family and I want to give back. I am participating in the 17th Annual Walk n Roll for ALS and would be so grateful if you would support my Walking in this event. It s easy to do. Just go to (insert your personal Walk page here) and click on donate. Every dollar matters. Thanks! As the Walk gets closer: 4. Walk n Roll is just around the corner and I m working hard to reach my fundraising goal of (insert your goal here). Please consider making a donation - in any amount - to my walk effort. You will be making a difference for Michigan s ALS community. Just go to my Walk page at (insert the link to your personal Walk page here). Thank you!