TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK A guide to successful fundraising CELEBRATE REMEMBER relayforlife.ca FIGHT BACK
TEAM INFORMATION Local Committee Team representative: NAME: TEAM CAPTAIN S NAME: PHONE: TEAM NAME: EMAIL: Team participants: Name Email address Phone Registered (y/n) Set up personal page (y/n) Set a goal (y/n) Important dates: EVENT DAY: TEAM CAPTAIN RALLY: TEAM FUNDRAISING EVENT(S): TEAM MEETING: BANK NIGHT: OTHER: RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 1
INTRODUCTION What is Relay For Life? Relay For Life is an inspirational, non-competitive, 12-hour overnight fundraising event that brings you and your community together to celebrate life and fight cancer. Relay For Life has a festival-like atmosphere that your family, friends and co-workers can enjoy - regardless of age or fitness level! What to expect at Relay For Life 1 Relay kicks off with the Opening Ceremony that welcomes participants and survivors to join together for 12 hours to celebrate, remember and fight back. 6 As the sun rises, participants join together at the Fight Back Ceremony to make a personal commitment to fight against cancer in their own lives all year long. Cancer survivors are surrounded by an emotional wave of support as they walk the Survivors Victory Lap. During this first lap of the evening, survivors celebrate success in their battle with cancer and give hope to those still facing the disease. 2 5 3 Teams stay overnight in the decorated tent city united together to enjoy music, food, activities, entertainment and to celebrate life. 4 Each team keeps at least one member on the track at all times, while all around them the party is in full swing. During the moving Luminary Ceremony, special candles are lit honouring cancer survivors and loved ones who have lost their fight with cancer. Luminaries provide light and inspiration to participants all night. relayforlife.ca 2 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
Congratulations on registering as a Team Captain for Relay For Life! The role of the Team Captain is to lead, influence, focus and engage a powerful team of friends, family and co-workers and help fight back against cancer. Relay For Life is a global movement against cancer, taking place in 20 countries worldwide including over 500 communities across Canada. This booklet will help you: A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. Every dollar you raise at your Relay For Life event helps the Canadian Cancer Society to: Fund life-saving cancer research. More people are surviving cancer than ever before. Today, 60% of people diagnosed with cancer will survive compared to only 25% in the 1940s when we began funding research. Stop cancer before it starts. Our researchers are leading the fight to prevent cancer while we promote healthy lifestyles and work to create change in the health care system so it is more responsive to the needs of cancer patients. Ensure no one facing cancer is alone by offering compassionate services and support to those living with cancer and their families and friends. Empower Canadians with information about cancer to help them make informed choices about their health. Why is Relay overnight? For the thousands of Canadians fighting cancer right now, their journey is long and hard. From the shock of initial diagnosis, through days of treatment and the long nights that follow, for them, cancer never sleeps, so neither do we. At Relay For Life, each step we take is our way of showing them that they are not alone. As the sun rises and Relay draws to a close, we commit to continuing the fight for life all year long. LET S GET STARTED! Cancer Survivors and the Survivors Victory Lap Cancer survivors give strength, courage and hope to participants at Relay. Anyone diagnosed with cancer at any stage can sign up for the Survivors Victory Lap and Reception. Signing up is free! Invite a cancer survivor to sign up by going to relayforlife.ca or by contacting your Relay For Life representative. Better yet, if you know a survivor, why not ask them to join your team? Teams that have a survivor as a team member: Raise more money, because of the personal connection to cancer Typically have higher involvement from all team members, because of the personal connection to the survivor Have someone specific they can cheer for during the Survivors Victory Lap RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 3
A. RECRUIT TEAM MEMBERS AND HOLD TEAM MEETINGS Recruit team members Team Captains are asked to lead a team of about 10-15 people. Successful Team Captains recruit team members and hold team meetings among friends, family members, co-workers and neighbours. To invite people to join your team you can talk to people face-to-face or use the online tools to send out email invitations. Hold team meetings Once you have your team in place, plan a team meeting and come prepared with an agenda. As with most gatherings, snacks are a good idea! A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. Sample topics to cover at your first meeting: Review the Canadian Cancer Society s mission and vision and encourage everyone to visit cancer.ca for more information. Select a co-captain to help you along the way. Choose a team theme and name. Consider dedicating your team in honour or in memory of a loved one. Tell your Relay story and encourage your team members to share their Relay story. Inform your team members to register online at relayforlife.ca. Set team and individual fundraising goals and discuss ways you can reach the $100 minumum. Brainstorm potential team fundraising activities. Delegate tasks to your team members and determine the best way to keep in touch. Checklist for team recruitment and holding team meetings: Use the online tools to send out an email to friends, family, neighbours and colleagues. Ask people in person to sign up for Relay. Ensure all team members register online or complete a registration form. Enter contact information on the inside cover of this booklet for easy access. Invite your team members to a team meeting and set an agenda. Follow up with team members and monitor team progress. 4 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
B. THE IMPORTANCE OF TELLING YOUR STORY TO FUNDRAISE Whether you re fundraising online or offline (collecting cash and cheques), you should always share your story with your donors and let them know why you Relay. Keep in mind the following questions when preparing to share your reason to Relay: What motivated you to sign up for Relay? Are you participating in honour or in memory of someone special? What is your fundraising goal? Who will be on your team at Relay? What creative ways is your team raising money? How are you fighting back against cancer? How can donors support your fundraising efforts? (i.e. give an online donation, participate in a team fundraiser, spread the word to potential donors) How does the Canadian Cancer Society use donor dollars in the fight against cancer? Sample of telling your story: A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. Whether you are talking to someone in person at a team fundraising event, sending an email or happen to run into a potential donor at the grocery store, be ready to share your story with them. I was 17 years old when I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma. I was just beginning my final year of high school. I immediately began treatment in a clinical trial and I was given a slightly different regimen of chemotherapy in the hopes that I would respond well enough to avoid radiation. During chemo, I experienced many of the side effects that come along with it - hair loss, nausea, vomiting and a few emergency visits to the hospital. As difficult as it was, I made it through four rounds of chemo and received great news - the cancer was gone and I would not need radiation! A few weeks later, I finished my treatment and went back to my life. I completed high school and graduated with my classmates, went to prom (with a little less hair than I d hoped) and got accepted into university. I have been cancer free for 6 years and I am currently halfway through medical school. I had a happy ending. I just wish every story came to a similar close. The saddest part of my story is that while undergoing treatment, I attended three funerals of friends I made during treatment. These people are the reason my battle with cancer is ongoing. I can confidently say that without the research funded by initiatives like Relay For Life, I would likely not be alive today to tell you my story. Survivors like me are proof that we are making progress in the fight against cancer. I will never stop fighting this disease. I will fight cancer in my professional life as a physician and in my personal life as a Relay For Life participant. I Relay for those we have lost, for those who are fighting, for those who will have to fight in the future and for survivors like me who live in fear of a relapse. I Relay because I believe we can make more happy endings. Thank you for joining me in this fight. See you on the track! Alison Martin Cancer survivor and proud Relay For Life participant RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 5
C. DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDRAISING & PLANNING FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES There are three main types of fundraising: collecting pledges offline (cash and cheques), collecting pledges online and team fundraising. Participants can raise funds both online and in person. Whether you are sending emails to online donors, or writing letters to offline donors, don t forget to share your story and your team s story whenever you can. A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. 1. OFFLINE FUNDRAISING While collecting donations online is the most efficient and cost effective way to fundraise, collecting individual cash and cheques is also a great fundraising technique. You will receive pledge forms as a part of your Team Captain s kit or you can download pledge forms from your online Participant Centre. Ensure that each team member has access to a pledge form for their own offline fundraising. Tips on using the pledge form: Photo copy the pledge form if you need more than the 25 sheets provided in your kit or print more copies from your Participant Centre. Donations of $15 or more will be automatically receipted only if the donor s name and address are clearly printed and complete. Ensure each team member completes the contact information portion of each of their pledge forms and pledge envelope. Ensure all cheques are made payable to the Canadian Cancer Society. Note: Please track offline luminary sales on a designated luminary purchase form and keep luminary monies separate from donations. Watch for emails regarding your local event, fundraising tips and updates on how donor dollars are helping to fight cancer. If you re not currently receiving email from the Canadian Cancer Society, visit your Participant Centre and click Profile at the top of the page to opt-in to communication and customize your email preferences. Don t forget to coach your team mates to do the same! Ideas for offline fundraising: Place a donation jar on your desk at work. Ask your employer to match any money you raise. Promote your fundraising efforts by posting the thermometer poster at work or at home and carrying your pledge form everywhere you go. Ask 10 friends to pledge you $10 to quickly reach your $100 minimum (or ask for $15 so they can get an official tax receipt). Fill a water bottle with dimes - it amounts to about $100! 2. ONLINE FUNDRAISING Online fundraising is fast, easy and convenient and saves administration costs for the Canadian Cancer Society which means more of the money raised goes towards our mission. Through the Participant Centre, you and your team can personalize individual and team fundraising pages with photos and Why I Relay stories. You can email friends and family anywhere/anytime, and instantly link your personal or team fundraising page to Facebook, Twitter, or your preferred social media platform! 6 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
Online Resources for Relay For Life You can find the electronic versions of Relay For Life forms and a variety of promotional materials in your online Participant Centre under Ways to Fundraise or Event Information. Access your Participant Centre by visiting relayforlife.ca. Ideas for online fundraising: Personalize your fundraising page in the Participant Centre. Share why you Relay through social media and by using the #WhyIRelay hashtag. Add a photo of your team or the person you Relay in honour or memory of. Share a video talking about why you Relay. Email friends and family asking for donations. Download the mobile fundraising app from your online Participant Centre. 3. TEAM FUNDRAISING Many Relay For Life participants enjoy fundraising as a team. Team fundraising encourages team members to work together to reach their team goal. With endless event possibilities, the key is to be creative, organized and to have fun! Top teams cited the following as their most effective team fundraisers: General sales: garage sales, food/bake sales, BBQ or pot-luck lunches, gift-wrapping services, etc. Social activities: silent auction, game nights, Bud Spud Steaks at your local restaurant, etc. Tournaments: cook offs, Rock Band, Guitar Hero or Wii, golf and other sports. Matching gifts: Ask your company to match every dollar you raise. Good to know Whatever you decide, we encourage you to promote a smoke-free environment and if alcohol is served, please drink responsibly. Please note the Canadian Cancer Society does not support certain fundraising activities or events and asks that you please refrain from organizing fundraising activities that include: tobacco or tanning beds lottery schemes (including raffles, sports pools, and 50/50 draws) going door-to-door to ask for donations (so not to overlap with the visits our residential canvassers make) product endorsement if unsure, please contact your local Canadian Cancer Society office Team fundraising tools To help promote and execute your team fundraiser, your local Canadian Cancer Society office can provide you with the following materials or, you can download printable copies from your Participant Centre. Relay For Life team fundraising poster A poster designed to help you advertise your upcoming fundraising event. Within the white space, you can include specific dates, times and details for your event. Relay For Life thank you cards Be sure to use these cards to show your appreciation to donors and volunteers after your fundraising event. RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 7
Relay For Life Proud Supporter Logo You can use this logo on any other promotional materials that you may use to help promote your team fundraising event. Designing your promotional materials In order to create an informative and appealing promotional piece (e.g. a poster or flyer) please remember to include the following: event name, date and time location (including street address) ticket price and where to purchase tickets, if applicable brief description of what the event is, what it includes (e.g. entertainment, silent auction and/or dinner) and that the proceeds go to the Canadian Cancer Society via your Relay For Life team contact number and/or website URL for more information the logo above - if it needs to be resized, please keep dimensions the same (do not stretch the logo). Using your materials to promote your event Place your materials where they can generate the most interest in your event and consider the target audiences you are trying to reach. Community centres, libraries, sport and social clubs and work places are great places to start. Fundraising activity tips Bring an event box with supplies including pens, markers, tape, a stapler, scissors, highlighters, blank paper, string, push pins, a first aid kit, calculator and cash box as you never know what you might need! Make sure you have someone watching the cash/ cheque box at all times and in order to safeguard the funds, please submit them to the Canadian Cancer Society right after your activity or event. If your event is an outdoor event have a 'Plan B' in case it rains. SUBMITTING THE PROCEEDS All proceeds should be submitted as soon as possible to the Canadian Cancer Society. Funds can be entered online by visiting Record donations on the main page of your Participant Centre. However, all cash and cheques need to be submitted to your local office, at a bank night or at your Relay For Life event. Funds raised from a team fundraiser should never be processed online (and if there are any direct donations made;) and the amount receipted should not be credited to anyone other than to the individual who made the original donation. Things to consider: Corporate support - The Canadian Cancer Society is regularly speaking to companies regarding their support. As such, please do not approach a national or provincial office of a company for support without prior consultation with your local Canadian Cancer Society office. Tax receipts - The Canadian Cancer Society is a registered charity and therefore is eligible to issue tax receipts. Please contact your local Canadian Cancer Society office for more information regarding tax receipts or visit cancer.ca. The Canadian Cancer Society can issue tax receipts only to individuals or organizations that make a donation without receiving any service or tangible item in return. As a result all funds raised from team fundraisers should be turned in to the local offices for processing. Insurance - Team fundraising events are not covered under the Canadian Cancer Society insurance policy and therefore event organizers must research and obtain their own insurance to cover the venue, volunteers and participants. A great resource is the Insurance Bureau of Canada website at www.ibc.ca/en/index.asp. 8 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
A-Z WAYS TO TEAM FUNDRAISE When you promote your event, we recommend calling it a For Life event, to help let members of your community know that you are fundraising for the Canadian Cancer Society s Relay For Life. For Example: Jen s Auction For Life, Bills BBQ For Life, etc. A B C D I J K Auction: Anything and everything! Auction off parking spaces at work or days off from work, or have businesses and people you know donate items to auction off. Bake Sale: Host a bake sale with homemade items at your office or function. BBQ: Host at your work or in your yard or approach a company about holding the sale outside of their business. Try to get the meat donated. Bingo Bowl: Contact your local bowling alley to find out if they offer fundraising options where you sell tickets to a Bingo bowling night and you get a percentage of the ticket sales. Car Wash: Hold it in either your office parking lot or in your neighbourhood. Cook Off: Find out which team members have the best skills sell by donation. Casual Dress Day: Have co-workers pay to partake in a casual dress day at work. Dinner Party: Invite your friends and family over for a night in and charge at the door. For extra excitement, add a theme to your evening. Ice Cream: Sell ice cream or frozen treats to your co-workers on a hot day during lunch hour. International Events: Host either an international themed dinner party, afternoon or fair; organize games, entertainment and food from specific areas of the world. Try another country that hosts Relay! Jazzy Jar: Decorate a jar on your desk at work and ask people to donate their pocket change. It really adds up! For another challenge, donate $1 per day to yourself. Karaoke Competition: Organize a Karaoke singing competition either at a local pub or at your own house, contestants pay to enter or watch! RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK Eco-Challenge: Help out the environment while raising money! Organize a bottle drive or offer to set up a recycling service. Flamingo Alert : Place plastic pink flamingos in the front yard of unsuspected donors and request a donation for them to be removed. You can also request an additional donation for the homeowner to pick whose yard they are placed in next and another donation as insurance that they don t wind up back in their yard again. Function: Work with a local pub in your area to host a function with ticket sales. Garage Sale: Solicit friends and neighbors for donations for the sale. Advertise that all proceeds go to the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life! Game Night: Organize either a night of board games or video games and charge an admission. Head Shave: Ask friends and family to pledge you to shave your head, this can be completed prior to the Relay, or speak to your local Relay For Life representative if you want to do it on event night. 9
L M N O P Q R S T Lemonade Stand: Gets your kids to sell lemonade at a stand on a beautiful day and sell to neighbours and passersby. This fundraiser works great in conjunction with a community garage sale. Lawn Service: Offer a neighbourhood lawn service for donations to your team. Litter Pick-up: Check with your local county or city officials to see about litter sponsorship programs. Manitoba Social : Talk to your company or organization to set up matching gifts to match your team fundraising. Matching Gifts: Host a Manitoba Social with all proceeds to your team. Movie Night or lunch hour: Organize a movie marathon one night and invite friends over or and have a movie week during lunch hour. Charge admission and invite employees to eat their lunch while they watch (with popcorn of course!). New Years Party: Help those around you get started with their resolutions by providing them with an opportunity to donate to a worthy cause! Online Donations: The most effective way of reaching everyone around you is by posting on Facebook or Twitter, or by sending out emails through your Participant Centre. Percentage of Sales: Talk to a local retailer about donating a portion of their sales. Plant Sales Contact your local greenhouse and find out if your team can sell their plants or containers as a fundraiser and they donate a % (30% is common) Potluck Lunch: Organize with your office to bring a dish and a donation. Quilt Sale: Do you have the skills? Do you know someone who does? Create a great themed quilt for your team to auction or raffle off. Races: Gather kids in your community for a neighbourhood Race Day. Ask kids and parents to bring loose change as an entry fee. Hold competitions like three-legged, potato sack and jump rope! Scavenger Hunt: This is a fun and creative way to get everyone together and raise money. Sports Tournaments: From hockey to bowling and ping pong to football, organize a fun tournament and have teams and participants fundraise. Toonie Toss: Participants toss toonies into a pot; at the end of the competition those who have hit the pot successfully will win a prize. Try and get a prize donated, or arrange a service prize like a massage or haircut. Use the skills of people you know! U Z Underwear Party: Charge an admission and hand out prizes for the funniest outfit. Used Clothing Sale: Organize an unwanted clothing sale with your team. Used Book sale: Collect used books from friends, family, coworkers, etc and sell them. This fundraiser works great in conjunction with a bake sale! Votes select 3 to 5 well-known and well-liked employees and have the employees cast their votes ($1 donation) for the individual they would like to see dress up in a costume. Individuals with the most votes will spend an entire workday dressed up. Window Cleaning: Roll up your sleeves and patrol your neighbourhood offering your superior window cleaning services for a donation. Xmas Parties: Host a holiday soiree and charge an admission, or have your guests make a donation in lieu of gifts. Yoga: Partner with a local instructor to offer a yoga session for donation. Zumba: Organize a fun-filled fundraiser with local instructors donating their time. 10 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
D. SET INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM FUNDRAISING GOALS Now that you are familiar with all types of fundraising, it s time to set a goal. Make sure to set a goal both for yourself and for your team. Use the chart on the next page to record individual and team goals and add them together to determine your team s total fundraising goal! Each person who becomes a Relay For Life participant makes a commitment to raise at least $100. In many areas, the average raised by each participant is much higher than that, close to $300. By using online, offline and team fundraising tools, you can ensure that you will meet and exceed your fundraising goals! Once your team members have set individual goals and together you ve set a team fundraising goal, work together to discuss how you will blend online, offline and team fundraising to succeed. When you are setting your team goals, keep in mind that top teams become a part of the National FUNdraising Club. This is a great way to motivate and encourage your team. FUNdraising CLUB A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. Teams will be recognized at the event with FUNdraising club signs to put up at their campsites. Teams are encouraged to display their signs at their campsites during the night and to take them home as well. They can be displayed at your workplace and around the community too! The FUNdraising Club builds friendly competition, adds fun and excitement and recognizes teams for their fundraising efforts. TEAM FUNDRAISING LEVELS: Dollars raised Membership level $2,500 to $3,499 Bronze Level $3,500 to $4,999 Silver Level $5,000 to $7,499 Gold Level $7,500 to $9,999 Platinum Level $10,000 to $14,999 Ruby Level $15,000 to $24,999 Sapphire Level $25,000 + Diamond Level RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 11
GOAL SETTING CHART Use this chart to keep track of the goals you set with your team! FUNDRAISING TYPE: INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISING Online goal Cash & cheques goal Total goal Team member Ex. JANE SMITH $200 $100 $300 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. ESTIMATED INDIVIDUAL GRAND TOTAL: ONLINE CASH & CHEQUES A + = TEAM FUNDRAISING Lead team member Date of fundraiser Fundraising event / activity Goal Ex. GUITAR HERO TOURNAMENT RYAN MARCH 25 $350 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ESTIMATED TEAM GRAND TOTAL: TOTAL FUNDRAISING GOAL (A + B) = B 12 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
E. MOTIVATE & COACH TEAM MEMBERS TO HELP THEM REACH THEIR GOALS Motivating your team Motivation that hits close to home is always the most effective. To add to your team s personal motivation, communicate the mission of the Canadian Cancer Society as further incentive (check out cancer.ca for information). Letting your team know that all their hard work fundraising will fund the best cancer research in Canada, and provide much-needed services for cancer patients and their families in your community, will make them feel even better about what they are doing and will motivate them to raise even more money! A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. Coaching your team A successful Team Captain is also an effective coach someone who can provide the tools and knowledge to help their team members reach their goals. Here are some simple tips that could make you the coach of the year! Encourage your team to use the online fundraising tools available through their Participant Centre. Demonstrate how it works during one of your team meetings. Use the chart on page 1 to track who has set goals and personalized their page. Also remember to personalize your team page. Share the Relay Rap newsletter with all of your team members. Consider giving each team member individual awards or prizes (such as fun medals, ribbons, or buttons). Look for the unique characteristics of each team member and award them accordingly. For example: Most Pledges Collected, Best New Relayer, Best Returning Relayer, Most Spirit, Most Improved, Most Funds Raised Online, Most Funds Raised Offline, etc. Be creative! Delegate fundraising tasks and event day responsibilities to your team members. Smile and have fun! You ll be setting a great example for your team. Regularly check in on each team member s fundraising progress; provide praise if they are doing a good job and offer assistance if they are having difficulty reaching their fundraising goal. Communicate with your team often, updating them on the team s fundraising progress and congratulate them as they reach their fundraising goals. RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 13
F. DELEGATE EVENT NIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. Be sure to let everyone know what they might need to have on hand for a safe and comfortable experience at Relay For Life and assign people to bring the items with them. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. WHAT TO BRING TO THE EVENT Item Sunscreen SPF 15 or higher Who will bring this item? Wide brimmed hats Bottled water, drinks Paper towels Soap (liquid or bar) to wash face and hands Toilet paper (just in case) Healthy snack foods Ice, coolers Bug spray Tent Lawn chairs Blankets and/or sleeping bags Washcloth and towels Extra pair of shoes, socks and change of clothes (consider weather) Sweaters/fleece in case of cool weather Masking tape and scissors for tent decorations Umbrella/rain gear Campsite decorations and team outfits Cards, games, reading materials, etc. Any funds that have not been turned in Camera 14 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
G. ENJOY THE NIGHT Now that you have put together all of your plans, done your fundraising and planned for a great night, it s time to enjoy it! A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. M o t i va te a n d co a c h tea m m e m b e r s to h e l p t h e m reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. EVENT NIGHT CHECKLIST Throughout the night be sure to: Turn in any offline funds to the banking and registration area. Attend opening ceremonies. Cheer for the survivors during the Survivors Victory Lap. Visit with your team. Consider purchasing luminaries if you haven t already done so. Read the luminaries around the track. Participate in all of the activities. Take turns walking around the track. Chat with other teams. Hand out team awards to motivate your team. Attend the closing ceremonies. Make a pledge to fight back against cancer all year long. RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 15
H. WRAP UP AND FOLLOW UP The event is over and thanks to you, Team Captain, we re able to celebrate, remember and fight back for another year. Thank you for all of your hard work and we hope to see you and your team members around the track again next year! A. Recruit team members and hold team meetings. B. Tell your story to fundraise. C. Explore different types of fundraising and plan fundraising activities. D. Set individual and team fundraising goals. E. Motivate and coach team members to help them reach their goals. F. Delegate event night responsibilities. G. Enjoy the night! H. Wrap up and follow up. POST EVENT CHECKLIST Ensure that all team members have submitted any outstanding fundraising money raised. Send thank you notes to all online and offline donors to let them know how the event went. Encourage team members to send thank you notes to their donors. Consider including a team photo from the event in your thank you notes and emails. Schedule a wrap up meeting with your team to celebrate this year s success and share ideas for next year. Invite team members to join your team again next year or challenge them to join you as a captain and start up a new team. Want to get even more involved in Relay? Consider joining your community s Relay For Life volunteer planning committee! Contact your local Canadian Cancer Society office for more information. 5 IDEAS FOR FIGHTING BACK AGAINST CANCER ALL YEAR LONG! Reduce your risk of cancer by committing to eating well and being active. Purchase a daffodil pin in April to wear in memory of those lost to cancer and in support of those battling the disease. Be safe in the sun throughout the summer. Protect yourself by finding shade, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and applying sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. Make an appointment with your healthcare professional to get a cancer screening exam. Reach out to someone you know who is battling cancer and help connect them to the Canadian Cancer Society resources. 16 RELAYFORLIFE.CA
NOTES RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK 17
NOTES 18 RELAYFORLIFE.CA