With the current state of the economy it is no surprise that the ability to donate to charity organizations is changing for many people. Regular participants and donators are being forced to either limit participation in events or the amount they give to the causes they believe in.

Last month a Boston Globe article reported about some negative changes in charity fundraising through athletic events. Highlighted was the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, a two-day bike trip across the state for charity which takes place this year on August 1st.

 According to organizers registration is down 10%. The planning committee has turned to promoting shorter routes that allow for lower fundraising totals to draw in those who can’t commit to the full $4200 for participation.

Organizations hosting charity fitness events are searching for ways to keep total donations up and promote growth. Many are taking action to raise their number of participants knowing that each person is probably going donate less. Less money from more people is one way to meet fundraising goals.

Despite challenges, positive news is still being reported and many are taking an optimistic view of the situation. The Run, Walk, Ride Fundraising Council conducts an annual survey among managers of well-known athletic fundraising events. This information is used to compile the Run, Walk, Ride 30 – the top 30 athletic event fundraising programs. The survey also gathers information on strategies and trends among event organizers.

Their annual report shows that in 2008 the top 30 “athon” programs had a 7.6% increase in dollars raised to total $1.76 billion in gross revenue for charity. The top five programs included the Relay for Life, Team in Training, March for Babies, Race for the Cure and Breast Cancer 3-day.

This diverse group of events which topped the list can only be seen as a positive from the perspective of fundraising and participant numbers. The group includes everything from a short walk to endurance events. A wide variety of events such as this will help to draw novice exercisers as well as trained athletes. More participants mean more fundraising dollars.

Although there are worries about the ability to repeat similar fundraising growth in 2009, the survey showed that managers are implementing strategies to succeed. The top two of these strategies includes increasing corporate team recruitment and providing participants with tools to raise more funds. By focusing on the challenge from this perspective hopes are high that successful fundraising and growth will continue this year and beyond.

Do you organize charity fitness events or participate in them? How has the economy affected your efforts and what is your outlook for this year?

Photo by ronnieb, morgueFile.com

ALS 5K Run/Walk & 1K Kids Race

• What: This is the first ALS athletic fundraising event to take place in Southern Utah. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is sometimes called “Lou Gehrig’s disease” after the famous baseball player who battled it with such courage.
• When: Saturday, March 28, 2009, 8 AM
• Where: Highland Park, 1250 N Highland Parkway, Washington City, Utah
• Cost: $15 until 3/8/09; $20 after 3/8/09 (t-shirt guaranteed only to those who register by 3/8/09). Only $2 for 1K Kids Race (untimed; every child receives a prize).
• Notes: Geared toward the whole family, the event will include a “cow train ride” for kids and live music. (If anyone has actually seen a cow train ride, please describe it to us!)

American Cancer Society Relay for Life

• What: The American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event.
• When: Friday, April 17, 2009, 6 PM – Saturday, April 18, 2009, 10 AM
• Where: Southern Utah University Coliseum, 100 South 1150 West, Cedar City, Utah
• Cost: TBA
• Notes: I’ve participated in Relay for Life before, but with a much larger team. I have a lot of work to do to prepare for this event!

Walk MS 2009

• What: Approximately 3-mile walk to raise money to support programs and services for those with multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as research to find a cure.
• When: Saturday, April 25, 2009, time TBA
• Where: West Canyon Park, 400 East 200 South, Cedar City, Utah
• Cost: No entry fee.
• Notes: I’ve walked the Coal Creek Trail, which will serve as the walk route for this event. It’s a beautiful place for a spring charity walk!

Southern Utah Memory Walk

• What: Annual 1-mile walk to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and funds for the Southern Utah Alzheimer’s Association’s programs and services.
• When: Saturday, November 14, 2009; Registration 8 AM, Walk 9 AM
• Where: SunRiver Community Center, 1860 West Horizon View Drive, St. George, Utah
• Cost: $25 suggested donation
• Notes: This will be my ninth straight year participating in the Southern Utah Memory Walk. It holds a special place in my heart.

I’m still waiting for details on whether the American Diabetes Association will hold a walk in Southern Utah and for information about the local HIV/AIDS Task Force’s walk-a-thon. But I feel good about the schedule I’ve developed so far, and I look forward to bringing you firsthand reports on these events. I’d love to hear what others have planned for 2009, so post a comment to this blog and share your events with the community!

Happy New Year, everyone.

This quote from Pat Winter, the honorary chair of the Plymouth County, IA Relay, gives us the voice of the survivors who are honored during the luminaria ceremony:

“After my cancer surgery, I realized my past is not my future,” Winter said. “I appreciated every card and letter I received during my recovery.”

“I feel each day is a treasure. Enjoy your time with family and friends,” said Winter, who is a two-time breast cancer survivor. “For me, there is no such day as a bad hair day,” she said. “Let’s keep fighting.” Winter’s first diagnosis was in December 2000, the second in 2006.

Here are some links to other great relays held last weekend:

Ellis County, TX Relay raised $135,000

Randolph County, IN held a cross-dressing Miss Relay fundraiser during its event

Becca walked the survivor’s lap at the Whitley County, IN Relay For Life

Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada

Kearney, NE has a great video of their relay

Allen County, KS moved its event from August to June with great success

Caledonia County, VT raised $215,000 this year!

Devils Lake, ND relay’ers spirits not dampened by rain

Team registrations were up more than 49 percent this year, as increased community support from residents and local businesses led the fundraising efforts to jump more than 23 percent over last year’s record performance.

Source: Brentwood Press

Like many Relay for Life events all across the country, fundraising drives before the night of relay, campsites and a spirit of team work played into their success. For cancer survivors and families, the luminaria ceremony was of central importance. Besides raising funds for cancer research, the event serves as a way to honor people who have struggled with the disease and a healing process for everyone touched by cancer.

Photo Booth  Offer mementos from the Relay Night. You could create unusual backgrounds, wooden backgrounds with head cutouts or photos with the stars and have look a likes and costumed characters in attendance at certain times. Borrow a digital camera and printer from one of your group members. You can offer photo buttons using supplies such as Badge-a-Minit.

Small Biz Connection – Do you know small business owners or distributors in your area? Partner with your local reps for companies like Tupperware and Creative Memories.

AVON consultant Shannon Copeland recently held a booth at her local relay.

I was there to pass out fliers, business cards, brochures, dvd’s and sell raffle tickets. We have to give all proceeds to the American Cancer Society that night. I make good contacts everywhere I go, so it was worth it! There were booths from lots of other groups too.

Food Booths – The type of booth that most groups immediately think of is food booths. Sell BBQ, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, funnel cakes or anything people would like. Choose just a few items and specialize. For example your group could specialize in hot dogs and sausage dogs and offer just about every topping you can think of.

Glow Booth  Let relayers shine! Glow in the dark sticks and wearables are very popular with kids and adults alike. Offer glow bracelets, necklaces in a variety of colors. Just enter the word glow in the search box on Oriental Trading Companyand you’ll find lots of glow stuff.

There’s lots of other fun stuff that you could offer at your relay booth. Always find out what other groups are doing so you don’t end up selling the same things! Usually team captains have meetings where they can share this information. If not call your ACS office and I bet they would be glad to help!

Perhaps you are looking for some creative ideas for the luminarias. Relays often also have HOPE signs, sometimes painted and other times illuminated.

You can find some great luminaria and HOPE sign ideas at Relay.org.

Photo courtesy of Relay Blogger.

Relay has grown to an international level with events taking place all over the world to benefit other cancer related charities.

International Relay for Life

Australia – The Cancer Council Australia

Canada – Canadian Cancer Society

New Zealand – Cancer Society of New Zealand

United Kingdom – Cancer Research UK

United States – American Cancer Society

One of the cool things in the packet was a small business card size tent card. It has tips on how to raise funds for ACS relay team.

How to Raise $100 in 10 Days:

• Put in your own $10
• Ask your spouse/roommate for $10
• Ask a co-worker for $10
• Two friends for $10
• Ask a relative for $10
• Ask a neighbor for $10
• Ask two people from church for $10
• Even your hairdresser, for a final $10

Find out more about Relay for Life

The potty fundraiser is unusual, fun and really excites interest among those participating. It’s also great because it takes place over an extended period of time (not just one day) and is easy to plan and particpate in.

By far the most unusual Fundraiser we have done to date is our Relay For Life Potty. We took a regular bathroon toilet and painted it in Relay For Life Colors – Purple – with a little bit of added pink (for Breast Cancer). We also painted ribbons on it in a lighter purple color, got a garden knome and put him on the potty.

We then took requests from people to have the potty placed in someones yard. The cost to place the potty was $10. The cost to have the potty removed from your yard was $10 – and you could forward it to someone else for an additional $5. We also offered “Potty Insurance” that could be purchased for $5.

We actually had a waiting list for this potty and before it was over we had 3 potty’s floating around our County. We first started delivering the Potty after dark – but we had to stop that when we had the cops called on us. After that we figured out that about 2pm was the best time to move and place the potty as most people are at work.

We had alot of fun with this fundraiser – we kept the potty going for a 1 month period and raised closed to $800.

Some fundraisers can take place at the Relay, as long as they are pre-approved by ACS. Here are some fundraising ideas for the weekend of Relay for Life:

1. Food booth - Sell BBQ, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, funnel cakes or anything people would like. It’s best if you can find out what other groups are doing so you don’t end up selling the same things!

2. Blow up Obstacle Course - Check party rental places for a blow up obstacle course. It’s like a bounce house but adults AND kids can play. Charge $1 each time someone goes through the course and time them. Have a board with the best times and prizes for the top 3 competitors. Of course let people go through as many times as they want until the cut-off time when you give out the prizes.

3. Do a Jail N Bail or a Luxury Lock-Up the night of relay.

4. Face Painting – Kids love it! Glow in the dark sticks, necklaces or Princess garlands are also good sellers.

5. Carnival Games are always fun!