Relay For Life Sparta Team Captain Guidebook

Relay For Life Sparta Team Captain Guidebook -2017- Saving the world one cure at a time.

Contact Information Event Leadership Team Contact List Contact Position E-mail Telephone Michelle Schiefen ACS Representative Michelle.Schiefen@cancer.org 616-551-4031 Heather Holland Event Lead heatherkholland@gmail.com 616-260-1413 Molly Schmid People Lead mollyschmid@outlook.com 616-262-2230 Carol Capek Logistics caroljcapek@gmail.com 616-498-2567 Are you interested in joining the Event Leadership Team? Please contact Heather 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/spartami 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 Tuesday, October 11, 2016 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, November 8, 2016 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, December 13, 2016 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, January 10, 2017 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, February 14, 2017 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, March 14, 2017 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, April 11, 2017 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center Tuesday, May 9, 2017 6:00PM Sparta High School Media Center What Community Meeting Community Meeting Community Meeting Community Meeting Community Meeting Community Meeting Community Meeting Community Meeting Wednesday, May 31, 2017 11:00 AM 7:00PM Independent Bank in Sparta Bank Day Form Due Dates: Sponsorship, T-Shirt Forms, Silent Auction, & Logistics Forms - May 9, 2017 Luminaria & Endurance Walker Forms - May 31, 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/spartami 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 Superheros! 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. Super Hero Cape Fundraiser: Are you skilled and craft? Take orders and sell personalized capes for kids and adults! And create a cape store for your on site fundraiser at relay! Face Painting : Set up a booth at the event and offer face painting for a donation. Photo with a Super Hero: Dress up like your favorite Super Hero or villain and ask participants for donations to take a photo with you. 6

2017 Relay Awards The following Awards will be given out at the closing ceremony of the event: Most Spirited Team: Teams will be eligible for the mist spirited team award by attending team captain meetings, participating in onsite activities, and exhibiting good spirit during the event. This award will be presented during the closing ceremonies. Best Decorated Site: A first place award will be presented to the team that has the best decorated site, using elements of the event's Superheros theme. Highest Fundraising Team: A first, second, and third place award will be presented to the teams that have the highest fundraising totals at the final bank time of the event. This will be presented at the wrap-up meeting. Highest Individual Fundraising: A first place award will be presented to the individual that raises the most money. This will be presented at the wrap-up meeting. Voting for these awards will take place during the event or otherwise noted. Keep your eyes and ears open to teams that display these qualities and find ways to put your team in the running. The possibilities to win these awards are endless; teams are encouraged to be creative and most of all, HAVE FUN. Please contact your Team Mentor if you have any questions! 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, May 31, 2017 11AM 7PM Location: Independent Bank 525 S. State St. Sparta, MI 49345 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

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. 9

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. 11

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. 12

Team Captain Resources Relay Nation www.relaynation.org www.relayforlife.org/spartami 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 Sparta (Michigan) Like for updates National Campus Relay For Life 16

Glossary 17

Where The Money Goes 18

Meeting #1 Notes 19

Meeting #1 Notes 20

Meeting #2 Notes 21

Meeting #2 Notes 22

Meeting #3 Notes 23

Meeting #3 Notes 24

Inspiration & Ideas 25

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 Sparta Date: Saturday June 10 th, 2017 Noon - Midnight Sparta Middle School Track Survivor & Caregiver Ceremony: Noon Survivor & Caregiver Lunch: 1:00PM 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 Sparta 129 Jefferson Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 27

Endurance Walker DUE: May 31 2017 (at Bank Day) Endurance Walkers must register as event participants by May 1st to be guaranteed a t-shirt. Endurance walkers must wear Endurance Walker sign at all times. Endurance walkers may participate in the activities at the event. On the day of Relay, please check in between 10:00AM Noon at the RFL Headquarters. You can begin walking at Noon. Endurance walkers may take a 15 minute break each hour (this may be taken in a block of time later in the walk). Sign in and out for breaks at the RFL Headquarters. Endurance Walkers must have a team or a sponsor that will assist and support the Endurance walker throughout the event. Must fill out Endurance walker registration form and return to ACS by May 31, 2017 By making a commitment to be an Endurance walker, the walker agrees to follow the guidelines listed. Each endurance walker will be assigned a designated bib to wear (not optional). This will be pinned to your outer most layer of clothing so it can be recognized at all times. Ceremonies: 1. Opening Ceremonies: Participate in National Anthem and will be recognized as an Endurance Walker, then resume walking. 2. Survivor Lap: May walk with survivors or may stand with others at side of track to encourage survivors. 3. Luminaria Ceremony: Listen to speakers at the ceremony and resume walking. 4. Closing Ceremony: Endurance Walkers are welcome to be present at the Closing Ceremony. Walker may have finished walking prior to this due to banking 15 minute breaks; however they are welcome to join us at the end of the 12 hours. 5. Any Endurance walker that is a cancer survivor is welcome to participate in all Survivor Activities without this counting against the 15 minute break time. Thank you for making an endurance walker commitment to Relay For Life! Have a safe and enjoyable walk! **Notice to all Endurance Walker Participants: Medical assistance is NOT available the entire 12 hours of event. The Registration area will only have items such as band aids, etc.. The Endurance Walker and emergency contact person must meet the needs of the Endurance Walker. In the event of an emergency: Call 911, check in to Relay Headquarters, or seek medical assistance at a medical facility. 29

Endurance Walker Registration DUE: May 31, 2017 I plan on walking: 4 HR 8 HR 12HR HR Name: Email: Address: City: Phone Number: Age: (13 and up) Team Name: Cancer Survivor: YES NO Allergies What happens when you have an allergic reaction? Current Daily Medications (include prescription and nonprescription) Current Health Concerns (diseases, stressors) Team Captain Name (s): Team Captain Email: Emergency Contact Information: Name (s): Address: Relation: Phone: Alt. Phone: Is your Emergency Contact at the Event? Y N Please return completed form to: Attn: Michelle Schiefen Relay For Life of Sparta American Cancer Society 129 Jefferson, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Fax: 616.364.6451 michelle.schiefen@cancer.org Direct Line: 616.551.4031 31

Logistics Form DUE: May 9, 2017 To: Michelle Schiefen From: Fax: (616) 364-6451 Pages: Phone: 616-551-4031 Date: Re: Relay For Life of Sparta CC: Please help our event leadership team by completing this form and turning it in by May 9, 2017 This will be used to help organize the track layout and for planning activities during Relay. Team Name: Team Captain (s): Tent Size: 10 x 10 10 x 20 Other If renting a tent, please list the rental company: (Set-up is permitted from 8:00am Noon at Sparta Schools Track on Saturday, June 10 If you are a returning team, do you prefer to keep last year s tent site? YES NO, I d prefer a new tent site (The committee will do our best to accommodate your preferences) Do your team fundraisers require access to water or electricity? YES NO (very limited access available, and we may need to move your tent site to accommodate this request) Please describe in detail all on-site fundraising events and activities you plan on conducting (water not provided). Please note that you are not allowed to hold any fundraisers that include raffles or a game of chance unless approved by the American Cancer Society: Are you planning on selling any food? Please describe (All food preparation and sales need to be licensed by the Kent County Health Department - please contact Michelle Schiefen michelle.schiefen@cancer.org for more information): Additional Comments: If you have any questions regarding this form, please contact Michelle Schiefen 616-551-4031 American Cancer Society - Relay For Life of Sparta 129 Jefferson, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 33 Date Received:

T-Shirt Form Relay For Life of Sparta Due: May 10, 2017 Ordering T-shirts is always a challenge for the committee. The cost of the t-shirts comes out of the profits for the event, and because the t-shirts are one of our largest expenses, we would like to be as accurate as possible. Please fill this out and return it by the date above to the best of your ability. Please note: To guarantee the correct size and quantity for your team, this form must be turned in by the due date. All other teams will receive t-shirts based on availability. It is required that each team member raises $100.00 to earn at-shirt. Each member who you are requesting a t-shirt for must be registered for the event. They can use the Online Fundraising tool to register, or the participant form. This order form is meant to represent your entire teams needs. If your team member is registered online please include their shirt in your order below as long as they ve raised $100.00. However, if they have not then a t-shirt can be ordered post event. Size Quantity Size Quantity Small Youth Small Medium Youth Medium Large Youth Large XLarge 2XLarge 3XLarge 4XLarge 5XLarge Total number of shirts Team Name: Team Captain: Shirt Size Team Co-captain: Shirt Size Mail: Attn: Relay For Life of Sparta 129 Jefferson, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Fax: 616-364-6451 Attn: Relay For Life of Sparta Or e-mail your sizes and quantities to Michelle.Schiefen@cancer.org 35

Silent Auction Form Relay For Life of Sparta Due: May 9, 2017 Please complete the information below and send it to Contact Name by June 6, 2017: E-mail to: Michelle.Schiefen@cancer.org OR Deliver In Person/Team Captain Meetings: Team Name Team Captain (or contact person for auction item): Phone Number for contact person: Auction items submitted should be new items with a fair market value of at least $20. Please list auction items below (or attach/create a spreadsheet): Description Estimated Value Minimum Bid Space Needed 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. June 6th is the due date for Forms. Please bring items to Silent Auction tent before Noon day of event.. 37

Luminaria Tracker Due: May 31, 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: 39

Walker Sign Up 41