Walk Information Packet Humane Society of Chittenden County 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, VT 05403 www.chittendenhumane.org (802)862-0135 Questions about the Walk? Contact Kylie degroot (802) 862-0135x15 or kylied@chittendenhumane.org 1
Table of Contents General Walk Information...3 More Than a Shelter.. 4 How You Can Help. 5 How to Register..6 How to Ask for Donations......7 How Your Donations Make a Difference... 8 Team Leader Instructions....9 Run Map..10 Walk Map.11 Team Roster......12 Receipts for Donors...... 13 2
General Walk Information WHERE & WHEN: Sunday, June 11 th, at an exciting new location, Veteran s Memorial Park, South Burlington. Check in begins at 8AM, Walk and 5K Run begin at 9AM. WHO: About 500 walkers and runners and 100 dogs come together from schools, organizations, businesses and neighborhoods. Individuals from all over Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties assemble to participate in the annual Walk for the Animals & 5K Doggie Fun Run! WHAT: Vermont s largest dog friendly event will feature a one mile walk through Veteran's Memorial Park, a 5K Doggie Fun Run, music, snacks, contests and more! WHY: The mission of the Humane Society of Chittenden County (HSCC) is to foster compassionate treatment of animals and to prevent animal suffering. HSCC is a private, independent, 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that receives no city, state or federal funding. We serve Vermont s most populated county, Chittenden, as well as Grand Isle County. Founded in 1901, HSCC has been serving both animals and people for well over 100 years. The HSCC Walk for the Animals & 5K Doggie Fun Run serves several purposes: 1. Raise public awareness about compassionate treatment of animals in our community 2. Raise money to support HSCC s mission, shelter operations, programs and services. Last year HSCC found homes for 940 companion animals. GOAL: We aim to raise $86,000 to support HSCC s mission, shelter operations, programs and services. Why Your Help Matters DAISY Daisy was full of surprises! This sweet, active dog came to us with a displaced kneecap that needed immediate medical attention. During her surgery, we discovered that she also needed her hip repaired. All of this medical attention was necessary for Daisy, but the associated cost was hard for us to swallow. We were humbled by the support that came flooding in to help us cover the cost of her surgeries. Donations were made in Daisy s honor, and our friends at VCA Brown donated the surprise hip surgery! Thanks to the tremendous support, Daisy made a full recovery from her surgeries, and soon after ran into the arms of her new family! She got second chance that she deserved. 3
HSCC: More than a Shelter HSCC S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Adoption/Rehoming of Companion Animals Humane Education: Camp Paw Paw, Helyn Kerr Humane Education Series Humane Investigation Feral Cat Trap/ Neuter/ Return Shelter Tours Spay the Mom Scooter Fund Extreme Medical Needs Ruffy Rescue Transport Fund Rainy Day Pet Fund Volunteer Training Microchip Clinics Member of Vermont Humane Federation Message from our Board Chair: Susan McMillan, DVM. Do you remember the house that sat on the hill as you came up the drive at HSCC? That old building was our shelter for many years. It had just been retired for the opening of our current facility when I volunteered in 2004. HSCC was pushing to be at the forefront. The design of this building reflected many new ideas about sheltering. However, 'shelter medicine' was in its' infancy. Pet enrichment, fostering, transports, microchipping, social media? These were not even concepts yet. Jump to 2017. HSCC strives to be at the cutting edge in the sheltering world. We transport and microchip. We foster pets and have open adoptions. We actively provide for the enrichment of the animals in our care. We use social media to promote the animals and our services and programs. We also have an emergency pet food shelf for pet owners in need and we support low cost spay-neuter efforts. HSCC staff and volunteers work every day to adopt out animals and also to support the human animal bond in our community. Watch and you will see us change and grow, always focused on our mission but responding to the changing world. If you are reading this, you may be a donor, volunteer, adopter or all of the above. I want to thank you for everything you do. Organizations (and their buildings) come and go. This one endures because of the compassion and professionalism of our staff, and because of each hour given, each dollar raised, each Facebook like, each kind word, each team entered for the Walk, every community effort -- it all matters. 4
How you can Raise Money for the 23 RD Annual Walk for the Animals & 5K Doggie Fun Run BE A WALKER Set a fundraising goal for yourself and start right away to collect donations from friends, co-workers, family members, and neighbors. Register and raise money online at www.chittendenhumane.org. Then, join in the crowd as it departs from Veteran s Memorial Park on Sunday, June 11 th. We will award prizes to the top Individual, Youth, Team, and Corporate Challenge Team fundraisers in the ceremony. BE A RUNNER Set a fundraising goal for yourself and start right away to collect donations from friends, co-workers, family members, and neighbors. Register and raise money online at www.chittendenhumane.org. Then, join in the crowd as it departs from Veteran s Memorial Park on Sunday, June 11 th. There will be prizes awarded to the top 5K finishers in the following categories: Runner, Runner with Dog, Youth, and Corporate Challenge Team. JOIN THE CORPORATE CHALLENGE Businesses and schools may enter teams into the Corporate Challenge! The team registration fee is $100 and team members may choose to run in the 5K or walk in the parade. Your team can consist of as many members as you d like- the more the merrier! Your team will receive 10 complimentary bibs for the 5K Doggie Fun Run. You will be competing to win the Top Corporate Challenge Fundraising Award! For every $100 raised, you will receive a walk T-shirt for your team raise $1,000 and everyone on your team will receive one! We will honor the top fundraising corporate challenge team with an award during the ceremony. There will also be an award for the fastest Corporate Challenge Team in the 5K. Let s see which team will come out on top! BE A TEAM LEADER Form a team of friends and family to join you for the Walk! Give your team a name, bring a banner, make team uniforms, or think of another creative way to identify your team in the Walk! Take the lead in encouraging your team to raise the most to support HSCC. The top fundraising team will receive an award in the ceremony! 5
How to Register Visit https://www.firstgiving.com/hscc/walk2017 and click on the large, green Register button. Choose to register for the Walk (the walk is free for kids 12 and under), the Corporate Challenge or the 5K Run. You may register as many people as you like, but will need their email address and other basic information in order to do so. Next you will be asked to give some basic information and create a password (if you have already done this for previous events you will just use your information to log in). Next you will be asked to start or join a team. If you are the first person signing up for a group, you will be asked to start the team and enter your team name. Be as creative with your team name as you like! If someone from your group has already started the team, you will select join a team and you can search for the team name. If you prefer to register as an individual simply click on the I don t want to join a team button. Next you will be brought to your personal fundraising page. There is already some generic information, but we encourage you to customize it and make it your own. Create a clever title for your page, upload some of your favorite pictures, and briefly explain why this cause is important to you. It is a fact that compelling stories result in greater donations, so don t hold back! Set your individual fundraising goal high enough to stretch you, but not so high it is unrealistic. We suggest setting it at $500. If you set it at $100, then you people will stop donating when they see you have reached that amount. Next you will be asked if you want to make your own donation to jumpstart your fundraising. Please note that this is not the same as the 5K/Corporate Challenge registration fee. Making your first donation is a great way to show your supporters how much you believe in the cause, and will often inspire more donations. Next you will pay for any personal donation and/or registration fees, and complete your registration! Click on Your Fundraising tab to find links to share on social media and through email. Let all of your friends, family, and coworkers know about this opportunity to support a great cause through donation, or by joining your team! Even the smallest amounts make a big difference in the lives of the animals we save. Last but never least; don t forget to personally thank every person who donates to your page! Tips about your page! If you receive gifts in the form of cash or checks as donations, please report them on your page by clicking the add an offline donation button. This will allow your supporters to see what you have raised even when the donations are not made online. These monies can be turned in the day of the event, mailed to the address below (checks only please) or brought into the Humane Society during our open hours. Humane Society of Chittenden County Attn.: Kylie degroot 142 Kindness Court South Burlington, VT 05403 Questions? Call or email Kylie at kylied@chittendenhumane.org or 802-862-0135 ext. 15 6
How to Ask for Donations! The chances are good that you know a few animal lovers, and they want to support you and the Humane Society of Chittenden County! 1. You ve got to ask. There is one group of people who are not likely to give to you: Those you never ask! Asking for a donation can certainly take some courage at first but as soon as you get that first gift, it gets a lot easier! Keep in mind that most people are honored to be asked to contribute to a cause that you care deeply about. 2. If you re using social media, ask more than once. Only 30% of your Facebook friends see your posts, and posts on Facebook have a very short lifespan! Post your ask frequently try once a week for four weeks--and include updates as you get closer to your goal! Create a story about your fundraising efforts, and people will be excited to follow it and get on board. 3. If you re using email, ask more than once. How many emails have you received that have slipped through the cracks? Folks who intend to give may need a reminder or just a gentle nudge to take the action. Send an initial email asking for donations, and then send a follow-up reminder as the event draws closer, with an update on your goal progress. 4. Ask for a specific amount. Top fundraisers know that suggesting a specific gift or maybe three specific levels of giving like, $10, $25 or $50 can help folks make up their minds to give. 5. Make it super easy to give. You can probably relate to this: if folks have to take a million steps to give to you, or hunt for your online fundraising page, they re probably going to give up. Provide an obvious link to your online fundraising page for online asks. If you re fundraising offline, offer to come by another time if folks aren t prepared to give right away. Set a date for your next visit. 6. Make your ask personal. A fundraising platitude: People don t give to organizations or causes. They give to people. We relate to each other. Talk about why this cause is so important to you. Talk about your own animals and ask about theirs! Others can relate to that! 7. Always, always say Thank you. The thank you might be the most rewarding aspect of giving for a donor and don t they deserve that? Express your gratitude early and often and those same donors will be inspired to give again. 7
How Your Donations Make a Difference!. 8
Team Leader Instructions 1. Recruit Team Members! If you are the team leader of a Corporate Challenge Team you can recruit up to 10 runners, and as many walkers as possible! If you are the team leader of a Walking Team, recruit as many walkers as possible! Give each team member a fundraising envelope or ask them to join your team online fundraising at https://www.firstgiving.com/hscc/walk2017 (Find link to this page at www.chittendenhumane.org). Review the contents of the Walk Information Packet with your team o Enter each member of your team on your Team Roster Remind team members that commemorative event t-shirts are awarded to each person who raises at least $100 Encourage your team members to help spread the word about the Walk! 2. Stay in Touch with Your Team: Regularly check in with your team to see how they are doing! Help your team members set fundraising goals, or set a team goal, and check in to make sure that everyone is on track. Remember, the top fundraising team and Corporate Challenge Teams will receive awards during the ceremony! Decide where you will meet on June 11th! You may want to bring a banner, or wear a specific costume, uniform or logo wear to distinguish your team! 3. The Day Of: Check in for your team at Veteran s Memorial Park at 8AM. You may check-in your entire team at one time, or individual members may check-in themselves. Be sure to bring in any donations collected for your team offline to the registration table; we will add it all up while your team is walking/running. Enjoy the festivities and have fun! 9
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