Relay For Life of Downtown Grand Rapids Team Captain Guidebook -2017-
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Contact Information Event Leadership Team Contact List Contact Position E-mail Telephone Michelle Schiefen ACS Representative Michelle.Schiefen@cancer.org 616-551-4031 Amanda Daniels Event Lead Amanda_Daniels@live.com 616-916-3125 Joshua Wilson Experience Lead popularinoz@aol.com 517-599-9273 Marianne Essing Survivor/Caregiver Lead messing@mercbank.com 616-437-7486 Mandi Utter Silent Auction Mandi_sue94@hotmail.com 616-994-2233 Jessica Schilling Activities Chair schillingjess@gmail.com 616-340-3344 Kristen Thorhauer Fundraising Chair kirstenthorhauer@gmail.com 734-474-3432 Cliff Kopp Team Ambassador cliffordkopp@gmail.com 616-516-1297 Staci Dever Marketing/Social Media sdever1980@gmail.com Are you interested in joining the Event Leadership Team? Please contact Amanda or Michelle for more information. Please feel free to contact anyone on the above list for further information and questions. We are here to help you have the best Relay experience. Visit www.relayforlife.org/grandrapidsmi for up to date information. ACS 1-800 #: 800-227-2345 Team Captain Hotline: 877-898-2862 Participant Registration Help: 877-957-7848 3
Important Dates & Deadlines When & Where Wednesday, October 5, 2016 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, November 2, 2016 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, December 7, 2016 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, January 4, 2017 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, February 1, 2017 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, March 1, 2017 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, April 5, 2017 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, May 3, 2017 6:00PM-ELT Hope Lodge Wednesday, June 7, 2017 6:00PM 8:00PM Hope Lodge What Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting Bank Night Form Due Dates: Sponsorship - May 9, 2017 T-Shirt Forms - May 9, 2017 Luminaria Forms - May 26, 2017 Logistics Forms - May 26, 2017 4
Frequently Asked. Relay For Life Rules and Guidelines No tobacco or alcoholic products are allowed at the event. No rollerblading, skates, skateboards or bikes on the track. No pets or animals are allowed with the exception of service dogs. Tents may be set up in designated areas only. Some teams may serve food as a fundraiser, but teams are encouraged to bring extra food/snacks for team members. During ALL ceremonies we ask that all teams stop their walkers. Teams will establish their own schedule of walkers. Please try to maintain the spirit of Relay by keeping a walker on the track at all times (except during ceremonies) The American Cancer Society is not responsible for any loss of valuables or personal property. Be careful to secure your items properly. Please help to clean up the site at the close of the event. Garbage is the responsibility of everyone at the event. Most importantly, you are under strict orders to HAVE FUN! Q: What makes up a team? A: Teams can be made up of friends, student organizations, co-workers, faculty & staff, or residence halls. In other words, anyone who would like to join you in the fight against cancer! Q: Where do I register my team? A: Head to our website at www.relayforlife.org/grandrapidsmi Q: Where do my team members register? A: Once your team is registered online, your team members can register there too. Make sure they know your team name, and that your team is only registered once. Q: Where will our team campsite be? A: Campsites are assigned by the Event Planning Team and are dependent on the amount of space on the track. The exact process for assigning or picking campsites will be explained at the team captain meetings. Q: When can I disassemble my team site? A: After the Closing Ceremony. Q: Who should checks be written to? A: Please make all checks payable to the American Cancer Society. Q: Are there rules regarding the types of fundraising I can do? A: Your team cannot have any raffles as a fundraiser. Raffles are regulated by the State of Michigan and our event does not have a license to legally conduct a raffle. The licensing process usually takes between 8 and 10 weeks. Your team also cannot sell anything with the Relay For Life logo on it. If you have any further questions about this, please contact our American Cancer Society staff partner. Q: Our team wants to make food at Relay and sell it for our onsite fundraiser. Do we need to do anything special? A: Certain types of food preparation are regulated by your local health department and will require a temporary food permit before serving to the public. Please contact our ACS staff partner and they can discuss the rules and if you will need to obtain a food license. Q: I think my company or my family s company would be interested in being an event sponsor. Is it too late? A: It is never too late for a company to sponsor the Relay. Please contact your local staff partner and he or she will give you the information you ll need for your company. 5
Theme The 2017 theme is Movies! There are many ways to incorporate this theme into the 2017 Relay season. Here are some helpful tips for fundraising Pre-Event Fundraisers Dog Wash or Car Wash: They can be simple to put on, but have the potential to raise lots of money. Movie Night In: If every team member brings a few friends and teams charge $5-10 for admission, they can make some serious money! Plus, $5 or $10 for a movie and snacks is still cheaper than going to the theater, so everyone wins! Bake Sale: It sounds like a simple idea, but they are often the most successful fundraisers. Change: Give each team member a up with a Relay For Life sticker on it. Social Media: Each team member sends at least 20 messages to friends in their online social networks to ask for a $5 donation. Garage Sale: Ask Relay event participants, friends, and neighbors to donate items for a garage sale. Donate unsold items to charity. Game Night: Have a game night- much like a party with a purpose. Everyone comes to your house to play board games, charades etc. Charge an entrance fee. On Site Fundraisers Cakewalks (or Cupcakes): Always a natural fit. Sell a spot in the cakewalk for $1 and have 20 people compete at one time. Willy Wonka: Candy Store Face Painting : Set up a booth at the event and offer face painting for a donation. Princess Crowns: For a set donation, give out princess crowns made with curling ribbon and star garland. Include purple and white to represent the Relay event. Photo with a Star: Dress up like your favorite cartoon character or celebrity and ask participants for donations to take a photo with you. Harry Potter: Dementor s Kiss Away Hollywood Snapshot : Display a cardboard cut-out of a famous person and allow participants to take selfies with it for a donation. 6
2017 Relay Awards The following Awards will be given out at the closing ceremony of the event: Top Three Highest Fundraising Teams Top Three Individual Fundraisers Best Decorated Camp Site Most Spirited Team Grand Club Members Endurance Walkers 7
Accounting Procedures Before the Event: Encourage all team members to raise as many donations as possible. Keep track of the amount each team member has raised to ensure accurate team totals. Encourage all team members to check with their employers to see if they offer matching funds. If they do, pay close attention to the company s procedure to ensure the process is done correctly. Remember to use the Relay Online site for fundraising: www.relayforlife.org/ GrandRapidsMI Use the fundraising app on your phone! Before Bank Day: Please have your money counted before bank night to ensure timely and accurate service. Please separate cash, checks, and any credit cards slips you may have. Please roll any loose change. Record bank night total to ensure accurate team totals. A Relay Online report will be pulled after bank night; you do not need to provide your online donations at bank day Keep track of EACH team member s fundraising. At T shirt Pick Up Day: Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 6:00 PM-8:00 PM Location: Hope Lodge Bring with you: At The Event: Team Collection Envelopes totaled All other forms and unused supplies Totals from EACH of your team members Bank times will available to team captains at the registration table before the event For better record keeping Team Captain or Co-captain should be the only people turning in money. Use your app to collection donations for on-site fundraisers. I don t have cash Is no longer an issue! Please do not wait until the end of the event to turn in your money! 8
What is Relay At Relay For Life events, communities across the globe come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that has already taken too much. The funds you raise truly make a difference in the fight against cancer just ask one of the nearly 14 million cancer survivors who will celebrate another birthday this year! Celebrating Survivors One of the core values of Relay For Life is the celebration of cancer survivorship and the support of caregivers throughout the cancer journey. Relay For Life honors and celebrates the hope that cancer survivors and caregivers provide to others facing cancer. The American Cancer Society considers anyone who has ever heard the words You have cancer to be a Survivor, even if you are still currently in treatment. 2017 Relay For Life of Grand Rapids Date: Friday June 9 th, 2017 Noon - Midnight Ah Nab Awen Park Survivor & Caregiver Ceremony: 6:00PM Survivor & Caregiver Dinner: 6:30PM Luminaria Ceremony: 9:30PM Check in and registration at the event will take place at the entrance of the track & field. Dinner will be served on at the Survivor Tent down on the field. SIGN ME UP: First Name: Last Name: Address: City/State/ Zip code: Phone: Email: T-Shirt Size: Survivor and Caregiver Information Are you a Survivor (please circle) : YES or NO Are you a Caregiver (please circle) : YES or NO Year of diagnosis: Type of Cancer: Please return to: Relay For Life of Grand Rapids 129 Jefferson Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 9
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Sponsorship Sponsorship Due Date: May 9, 2017 Sponsorships will still be accepted after May 9, but certain recognition pieces may not be available after this date (example - sponsor name/logo on t-shirt). We will do our best to accommodate all sponsorship turned in after the due date but there are no guarantees. Why should you get sponsors to support your teams: This is a great way to kick off your fundraising! Don t have a lot of time to fundraise door to door? This is a great alternative! All sponsor donations can be associated to individual participants or teams. Meeting new people to be apart of your team the day of event once you ve secured a sponsor talk to your ACS staff to see if we can get them 2017 RFL T-shirts. Also, make sure to invite the sponsor to the day of the event! How to make a sponsorship ask: Asks can be made through email, phone calls, and face to face. ACS volunteers have success with all three. Be prepared: Plan ahead-have sponsorship materials and numbers from last year s event, how much it raised, how many people participated, etc. Do they have any area competitors that sponsored last year? Opening: Create your own personal opening. How would you like to start the conversation? Start by telling them who you are and what you are there to discuss. I.e. I m, and I ve been volunteering with the American Cancer Society for. I m a team captain for the Relay For Life of and this wonderful community event has some great partnership opportunities for businesses just like yours. Ask them if they have heard of Relay For Life? Have they ever attended? If not tell them about it!! Tell a story:- Paint a picture of why you got involved. Talk about how great it is as a member of the community to see all the area businesses giving back and supporting the fight against cancer. The Ask: Ask them if they might consider partnering with the American Cancer Society in the Fight against Cancer through a sponsorship opportunity with phrases the sponsorship dollars what we raise through Relay For Life helps us to provide people in our community with the programs and resources they need. Because of this we can ensure that no one will have to go through the cancer journey alone. Would you be willing to help us save lives by joining our already committed area business as an event sponsor of the Relay For Life of? Close: Leave information including contact info, flyers with event date information. Thank them for their thoughtful consideration of this request. Ask when it would be appropriate to follow-up? Follow-up: Send a thank you note for their time, and put it on your calendar to follow-up based on the date decided when you left the meeting. 11
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Logistics Form DUE: FRIDAY May 26, 2017 To: Email: Fax: Hand-in: On May 3rd at the team captain s meeting Please help our committee by completing this form and turning it in by May 26, 2017. This will be used to help organize the track layout and for planning activities during Relay. Team Name: Team Captain (s): Electric outlet needed? For? Estimated number of team members at Relay Please describe in detail all on-site fundraising events and activities you plan on conducting. Please note that you are not allowed to hold any fundraisers that include raffles or a game of chance per Michigan gaming laws: Are you planning on selling any food? Please describe: Additional Comments: If you have any questions regarding this form, please contact the Logistics Lead from Event Leadership Committee. Date Received: 13
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Luminaria Tracker Due: May 26, 2017 Team Member Name: Team Name: Continue to fill these out throughout your Relay planning. You or another team member will be asked to read them aloud during our luminaria ceremony at Relay For Life. Do not lose this important piece of paper. In Honor Of: In Memory Of: 15
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Walker Sign Up 17
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Hope Club All registered participants who raise $100 by the t-shirt deadline (May 3, 2017), will automatically receive the Hope Club T-Shirt. Please keep in mind that money must be raised online through your personal relay page or turned into Michelle Schiefen (ACS Staff) to be credited to your account. If you have any questions please contact Michelle.Schiefen@cancer.org or 616.551.4031. 19
2017 RFL T-Shirts To earn a gray participant HOPE Club Relay t-shirt to wear at Relay on June 9, 2017: 1. Participant registers online or submits an offline registration form by May 9, 2017 2. Participant must have $100 in fundraising by May 9, 2017 The $100 can be done through online donations or cash turned in at a team captain meeting. Participants can also earn a shirt if their team average equals out to at least $100/person. Survivor shirts are free to all registered cancer survivors. Survivor shirts will be available the day of Relay. Survivors are encouraged to register prior to the event at www.relayforlife.org/grandrapidsmi to ensure correct sizes are available. All registered survivors on teams will receive their shirt at the T-shirt Pick-Up night. 20
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Team Captain Resources Relay Nation www.relaynation.org www.relayforlife.org/grandrapidsmi Click on the Team Captain Corner button on the homepage Pinterest Search Relay For Life to find amazing fundraising & decorating ideas! Facebook American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Relay For Life Relay For Life of Downtown Grand Rapids Like for updates National Campus Relay For Life 24
Glossary 25
Where The Money Goes 26
Meeting #1 Notes 27
Meeting #1 Notes 28
Meeting #2 Notes 29
Meeting #2 Notes 30
Meeting #3 Notes 31
Meeting #3 Notes 32
Inspiration & Ideas 33