Fundraising Program Planning Manual

Transcription

1 Fundraising Program Planning Manual

2 This manual contains everything you need to organize a Get Up And Go For POGO! fundraiser for the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) in your school. This fundraising program is completely flexible and can be executed as a run/walk/mini- Olympics/move or dance-a-thon, or any other activity that suits your school community. Let s get started! Page 2.. Overview Page 3.. Facts About Childhood Cancer Pages 4-7 Frequently Asked Questions Page 8.. Steps & Tips To Ensure Success Page 9.. Easy-to-Use Fundraising Software Page 10 Planning Timeline Page 11. Tips & Tricks Page 12 Reporting and Donations Submission Form Pages Resources and Templates - Sample Promotional Poster - Sample Information Letter / Permissions Form - Sample Pledge Form - Sample Sponsorship Letter - Sample Thank You Letter - Planning Checklist Page 19 Additional Supplies Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001

3 What is the Get Up And Go For POGO! fundraising program? It is a run/walk (or other special event) program that promotes community service by raising funds to support the work of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO). It provides a vehicle for schools to give back to their community while promoting physical fitness. Who is POGO and what is the work that they do? The Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), a charitable organization founded in 1983, works to ensure that children with cancer across the province always receive the best possible cancer care. POGO is the official advisor on childhood cancer to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the representative voice of the childhood cancer community in Ontario. POGO s work includes: Pediatric Oncology Financial Assistance Program (POFAP) for families to assist with out-of-pocket costs Successful Academic & Vocational Transition Initiative (SAVTI) provides support to survivors, helping them reach their educational and vocational goals POGO Research Unit conducts research to improve our understanding of childhood cancer and its long-term effects and to improve outcomes for the kids POGO Interlink Community Cancer Nurses play an important role between hospital visits. They provide excellent nursing support to the family and their community care givers and work with the children's school to help them understand the needs of the young cancer patient Professional education to help multidisciplinary childhood cancer professionals to stay up-to-date in this rapidly changing field Page 2

4 1. In Ontario, every year over 400 children are diagnosed with cancer* 2. 1 in 330 individuals will be diagnosed with a malignant disease before their 20 th birthday 3. Cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death among kids in Ontario. However, close to 80% of children in this province survive cancer 4. At any point in time, over 4,000 of Ontario s children require cancer treatment or follow-up care* 5. By the year 2010, it is estimated that between 1 in 250 to 1 in 400 young adults (aged 15-45) will be a childhood cancer survivor. (Ries, 2002 SEER Cancer Statistics Review , Bethesda MD National Cancer Institute) 6. Approximately 2/3 of survivors of childhood cancer face late effects of their disease and treatment, including neurocognitive impairments, sterility and secondary cancers* 7. POGO studies show that when a child has cancer, the family typically loses 1/3 of after-tax income due to out-of-pocket costs and lost income 8. The types of cancer affecting children are very different from those commonly occurring in adults. Acute leukemias and primary brain tumours account for almost half of all cancers in childhood 9. In contrast to many of the cancers affecting adults, the causes of cancer in childhood are largely unknown, so programs for prevention are not a current priority *Data Source: the POGO Networked Information System (POGONIS) Page 3

5 WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT CANCER IN CHILDREN Most children know, or will know someone who has or has had cancer. Cancer in adults is a relatively common illness in this country, but there is less understanding among the general public, especially kids, about cancer in children. Often the information which children receive about cancer is frightening or incorrect, and usually it is associated with death. Children need to be assured that their risk of developing cancer is rare and with survival rates over 80%, it isn t a death sentence anymore. Knowing the correct facts reduces fears. With the statistics showing that over 400 children in Ontario get cancer each year, you may have a student who has cancer in your school or classroom. It is important that other students, especially young children, understand that they do not need to be afraid of catching the disease, being near the other child and that most cancers are treated very successfully. It is also important that students understand the changes that they may see happening in the children with cancer. Often, talking about the illness openly in the classroom offers valuable insight and encourages discussion about citizenship and helping others in need. Education is a preparation for life and illnesses are part of life. Talking about cancer gives us the opportunity to give students factual information based on current research findings. Talking about lifestyle practices, such as smoking, can help to reduce the risk of cancer in the future. It also helps children gain a greater understanding of the awareness and education efforts going on around them through advertising, etc. Talking about cancer does not need to be depressing. Childhood cancer is high profile on health and government agendas and with the various campaigns. Suggestion: Why Charlie Brown, Why video to primary classrooms Page 4

6 The following are typical questions children ask about cancer. Often there is no right or wrong answer and the tone and language of the answer will change, depending on the age of the child. 1. What is cancer? Cancer, although we use just one word, is not one illness but many. There are actually over 200 different types of cancer, and you can get cancer in any part of the body. The body is made up of billions of cells that can only be seen under a microscope. These cells are grouped together to make up the tissues and organs of our bodies. They are like building blocks. Cancer occurs when the cells in the body begin to grow rapidly. Normal cells grow in an orderly style where as cancer cells grow out of control. The cancer cells continue to grow and crowd out the normal cells. There are many different types of cancer. Cancer can affect the blood, bones, muscles and body organs. These abnormal cells can clump together to form a tumor. Younger children may require simpler explanations. For example, leukemia can be understood as the body making sick blood instead of healthy blood. A tumor can be explained as a lump that is growing in the body that isn t supposed to be there. 2. Can I catch cancer from someone? You can t catch cancer like you can catch a cold. Cancer is not contagious. You do not need to be afraid to be around someone with cancer. 3. Did the person do anything wrong to get cancer? No it is not their fault. No one knows exactly why some people get cancer and others don t. Genetics may explain why some people get cancer. Lifestyle choices can reduce the chance of developing some types of cancer. (Teachers Teachers: try to turn the discussion towards looking at the kinds of positive health and lifestyle choices pupils may be able to make to reduce cancer in adulthood. Point out that many forms of cancer that occur, particularly in young people, such as leukemia, are not linked to lifestyle choices.) 4. Do people always die from the cancer? No. Treatments are much more successful now, and many people fully recover. Early diagnosis and treatment greatly increase survival rates. Most children get better when they have cancer. The types of treatment used most often to treat cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Doctors use these treatments to destroy cancer cells. Depending on the type of cancer, children may have one kind of treatment or a combination of treatments. Most children receive a combination of treatments, called combination therapy. Chemotherapy is medicine used to stop cancer cells from growing. The medicine can be taken by mouth, injected into the blood stream or spinal fluid. The medicines are carried through the blood stream and are absorbed to kill the cancer cells. Radiation is also sometimes used to shrink tumors. A special machine uses strong energy beamed directly into the cancer site. Sometimes surgery is done to remove the tumor. Page 5

7 5. Do you always lose your hair? No. This depends on the treatment. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are both used to destroy cancer cells. These cancer cells divide very quickly, just like our hair cells. So when you receive chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, it not only destroys cancer cells but your hair cells as well. But it nearly always grows back, and often thicker and better than before treatment started. Hair Loss is what doctors call a side effect. Side effects are extra things that happen from the treatment. Other side effects might include feeling sick to your stomach or feeling tired. Also, cancer treatments can affect a person s body so that he or she is not as good at fighting germs as healthy people. 6. What is chemotherapy? That's a big question but the simple answer is chemotherapy is the use of different medicines to treat cancer. This drug treatment is used to kill cancer cells. Different cancer cells respond to different drugs. Often many drugs are used in combination to achieve best results when treating cancer. The length of time which chemotherapy is given depends on the type of cancer. 7. What are some side effects of chemotherapy? Chemotherapy affects the various cells in the body which have different jobs. These cells are made in the bone. We have red cells (hemoglobin), white cells (fight infection) and platelets (clot blood). The chemotherapy attacks all cells including the healthy blood cells. When the hemoglobin (red cells) is decreased, a red blood cell transfusion maybe required. A platelet transfusion is required when the platelet count drops too low. This is called thrombocytopenia. Without platelets we will bleed longer, bruise easily and may bleed from the gums or nose. When you don t have enough white cells it is called leukopenia. The white cells fight infection in the body. The white blood cells are divided into groups, such as lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils. Neutrophils make up part of the total white blood cell count. Neutrophils are used to engulf foreign organisms in the body. When neutropenia occurs the body s normal defenses against infection are decreased, this is also known as chemotherapy induced neutropenia. During this time period the child needs to be monitored closely for signs of infection or fever. Sometimes chemotherapy is delayed until the neutrophils count is recovered. 8. How long do children stay in the hospital and who stays with them? It depends on the kind of cancer and the treatment plan for that child. Sometimes children may have to stay in the hospital for a long time, weeks or even months. Other children may only have to stay in the hospital for a few days at a time. In many cases, children are able to go to the hospital, get their treatments, and then go home at the end of the day. Children s parents can stay with them when they are at the hospital. A parent can even sleep in the child s room when they have to stay overnight. Page 6

8 9. Do children with cancer go to school? Some children go to school when they are receiving cancer treatment. They may miss some days because they are getting their treatment or because they are not feeling well enough or strong enough to go to school. Other children can t go to school. However, they can keep up with school work by having a teacher come to their house or by working with a teacher at the hospital. 10. What can we do to decrease our risk of cancer? There are some things you can do to help you have a smaller chance of getting cancer when you are a grown up. Protect yourself from the sun with a hat and sunscreen, don t start smoking or quit if you ve already started, eat healthy foods including lots of vegetables, and exercise. You also should get regular check-ups from your doctor. All of these things will keep you healthy in lots of ways. 11. What can we do to help? If you know someone with cancer it is nice if you can let them know you are thinking about them. Cancer treatment can be tough. Keep in touch by sending regular cards or s. Visit if possible. Remember, even though the person might look different, he is still the same person and he needs the support of everyone who cares about them. If you are old enough, you also might wish to help by raising money to help the family or donate to a cancer-related charity. To protect the child do not visit when you are feeling unwell, instead phone or . Use good hand-washing techniques to reduce the spread of germs. If you are in the same classroom and develop chicken pox please report this to the school immediately as children with cancer will need to receive a special treatment to prevent serious illness when exposed to chicken pox. 12. How do you know you have cancer? Usually someone with cancer has been sick for a little while. Doctors do a whole lot of different tests (e.g., blood tests, scans that take pictures of the inside of the body) to find out what is wrong. Page 7

9 1. Give yourself lots of time! You will need to start planning 6-8 weeks in advance of your event 2. Involve a Parent Volunteer(s) and/or Staff Champion(s). Identify a parent(s) and a staff member(s) who can work with teachers and other parents to share the workload and generate support 3. Put together a Volunteer Committee. Perhaps comprised of staff and parents, and if appropriate, students. This Committee will plan and oversee the creation of the event 4. Select a date for your event. Plan your date(s) for your event, and create a timeline of all key dates, for example, promotion, distribution of Pledge and Permission forms. See Planning Timeline, page 10. Mark the date on your school calendar and promote it on your school s website 5. Involve the entire school. Involve all your students, faculty and administration to be part of this great event! Identify ways the Program can be fit into existing curricula, perhaps Physical Education, Art class or even Computer class (see Easy-To-Use Fundraising Software, page 9). Encourage fundraising. Once a school registers, they will receive a POGO banner to use at the event 6. Promote your event. In addition to advertising the event on your school calendar and in the classrooms, hang posters to promote the event (see Sample Promotional Poster, page 13). Include it in the morning announcements. Get creative! 7. Encourage fundraising. Students will need approximately 3 weeks to fundraise and can use pledge forms (see Sample Pledge Form, page 15) or create their own Personal Online Fundraising Page with our easy-to-use fundraising software (see Easy-To-Use Fundraising Software, page 9). Students can raise money by sending s to friends and family. Include the creation of the Personal Online Fundraising Page in Computer class 8. Celebrate afterwards. Mail the Reporting and Donations Submission Form, along with pledge forms and cheques/bank drafts to POGO, and then share the fundraising total with the whole school. Celebrate by thanking everyone who helped make your event a success; share any photos taken on Event Day. If your school raises $5,000 or more and is located within the Greater Toronto Area, POGO will attend your school in person to accept the monies raised! 9. Send Thank You letters. Using the template provided, thank anyone who helped make your event a success. See, Sample Thank You Letter, page 17 Page 8

10 POGO makes fundraising easy with software that allows each student to customize his or her own Personal Online Fundraising Page. Creation of the Page can be incorporated into Computer class, or parents can be encouraged to assist their child at home. Using the online fundraising tool greatly increases the monies raised! Encourage students to use the Pledge Plan, an easy and effective method of raising funds for POGO. 20 students ask 20 friends and family members for $20 each. This simple plan brings in $8,000! Here s how it works: Upon registering your school for a Get Up And Go For POGO! event (visit Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section), you will be contacted by POGO to confirm the details of your event. Using our simple fundraising software, POGO will then create a customized website for your school POGO will then provide step-by-step instructions for teachers/parents to help students create their customized Personal Online Fundraising Page. The page contains: - A default standard message about your event, or it can be customized by the student - A default standard picture, or it can be customized by the student with a photo of their choice - A thermometer to visually track their fundraising progress With a few simple clicks, the Personal Online Fundraising Page is made and the student can then send the link to friends and family by , and start fundraising for POGO! It s that easy! Page 9

11 6-8 weeks before your event Select a date for your event and set a fundraising goal Determine what format it will take (run, walk, Olympics Day, obstacle course, etc.), and where it will take place Identify a Parent Volunteer and/or Staff Champion Identify and approach potential sponsors for refreshments Send home Information Letter/Permission Form with students Start promoting your event Invite POGO to your school to launch your event 2-3 weeks before your event Continue promoting your event throughout the school Remind students about fundraising and using the online fundraising tool; send home information so parents can help make the Personal Online Fundraising Page if not made during class time. Using the online fundraising tool greatly increases the monies raised Make sure you have checklists for: - Volunteer tasks - Participants names/classes Organize Volunteers and materials: - Assign tasks to Volunteers, remembering to designate an official photographer - Finalize event logistics - Ensure you have all the equipment you will need (pylons, tables/chairs, easels, microphones, garbage cans, napkins, etc.) - Confirm refreshment donations Event Day! Set up your site, making sure all areas are clearly marked Have a Greeter to welcome visitors, parents and participating students Open the event with an enthusiastic greeting and explain the rules, reminding of safety. Thank any sponsors (i.e. refreshment sponsors). Have a warm-up Have fun! Close the event with a big thank you! Following your event Verify/re-count monies collected Complete the Reporting and Donations Submission form, and convert cash to cheque, money order or bank draft Host an assembly and if your school raises $5,000 or more and is located within the Greater Toronto Area, POGO will attend your school in person to accept the monies raised. Recognize top fundraisers and share photos Organize a de-brief meeting amongst organizers to critique the event and plan for next year Send thank you letters to sponsors and anyone else who helped make the event a success (see Sample Thank You Letter, page 17) Page 10

12 Identify and involve Parent Volunteer(s) and a Staff Champion who will promote the event, solicit refreshment donations and/or assist on Event Day. Invest adequate time and effort in recruiting the Champions early. Having a great team of Champions will not only make each person's responsibilities easier, but it will also keep the team motivated right up to the day of the event Approach local shops, restaurants, grocery stores and suppliers using the Sample Sponsorship Letter (see Resources and Templates, page 16) to obtain refreshment donations. Refreshments are not necessary, but greatly appreciated by participants Be prepared for any weather by selecting a back-up location Thank, thank, and thank again Parent Volunteer(s), Staff Champion(s) and sponsors. If a lot of organizing will be done by , be sure to end most notes with a thank you and a reminder of the impact the their efforts are making. If you are holding a series of meetings, take time to acknowledge milestones achieved and the people who achieved them. A well-deserved thank you is never out of place (see Resources and Templates, page 17) Incorporating the Get Up And Go For POGO! program into curricula increases participation. Recruit the Physical Education teacher to prepare students for a run/walk during gym class with light training. Involve the Computer teacher by creating Personal Online Fundraising Pages in lab time or the Art teacher by making promotional posters in Art class Keep a central file of meeting agendas and notes, templates, de-brief meeting notes and photos to make the next year even more successful Turn the fundraising into a contest and offer a pizza party to the class that raises the most money Page 11 Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001

13 Use this form to summarize and submit your donations to POGO. For a downloadable version, visit under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section School Name: Thank you for fundraising for POGO! School Contact Name: School Contact /Phone: Event Date: Approx. # of Participants: Value of Cheque Donations: $ # of Cheques Enclosed: # Value of Online Donations: $ Other: $ TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $ Be sure to enclose all Pledge Forms so POGO can provide tax receipts! Questions? Contact POGO at (416) or fundraising@pogo.ca Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001 Page 12

14 Use this Sample Promotional Poster to advertise your event. For a downloadable version, visit under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001 Page 13

15 Copy/paste this Sample Information Letter/Permission Form text onto your own letterhead to create a letter that will be sent home with students well in advance of your event. For a downloadable version, visit under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001 Page 14

16 Use this Sample Pledge Form to send home with students 2-3 weeks in advance of your event. For a downloadable version, visit under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001 Page 15

17 Use this Sample Sponsorship Letter when you approach local businesses to ask for their support of your event. It is often most effective to approach businesses with which the school, a parent or other volunteer has a relationship or connection. For a downloadable version, visit under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001 Page 16

18 Use this Sample Thank You Letter after your event to thank Sponsors, Teachers, Parent Volunteers or Staff Champions, or anyone else who helped make your event a success. For a downloadable version, visit under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario 480 University Avenue, Suite 1014 Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 Phone: (416) Charitable Registration RR0001 Page 17

19 Use this handy checklist to make sure you re ready for your Event. Tick things off as you go along to keep yourself organized Select date for Event; confirm route/location (and select back-up location if needed). Add Event to School Calendar Involve Teachers and Staff, and recruit Parent Volunteer(s) Promote Event to students. Send home Information Letter/Permission Form to parents, along with Pledge Forms and encourage online fundraising. Use samples provided Advertise Event using the Sample Promotional Poster provided, or have students create them during Art class Encourage/explain how to fundraise telling students of the Pledge Plan ; an easy and effective method of raising funds for POGO. 20 students ask 20 friends and family members for $20 each. This simple plan brings in $8,000! Create Personal Online Fundraising Page in class or ask parents to assist Solicit refreshment sponsors (if desired), using the Sample Sponsorship Letter Create decorations for Event site (if desired). Ensure you have Event Day supplies (pens, pylons, garbage cans, containers for additional donations, signage etc.) arranged Host your Event! Have fun taking lots of pictures and collecting Pledge Forms/cheques from students Tidy up Event site Submit donations to POGO using the Reporting and Donations Submission Form, and write Thank You letters as appropriate using the Sample Thank You Letter Hold de-brief meeting with key organizers/ stakeholders to critique the event Select date for next year! Page 18

20 Additional information and resources are available on our website, under the Get Up And Go For POGO! Resources section. There, you can find: A School Registration Form, the form you need to complete to let POGO know you want to hold a Get Up And Go For POGO! event A Get Up And Go For POGO! Agreement and Use of POGO Logo Form, needed to register your school and for use of the POGO logo Printable signs and posters A Reporting and Donations Submission Form (return to POGO post-event) Samples of: - Pledge Form - Information Letter/Permission Form - Sponsorship Letter - Thank you Letter We are immensely appreciative of your fundraising efforts on behalf of POGO and are available to support you through the planning and execution of your event. Contact Us: Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) Christine Cleland, Development Officer, Events and Community Outreach Phone: (416) ext. 253 ccleland@pogo.ca