As I go out to recruit Relay teams I 'multi-task.' When I go to the local business groups, such as the local chamber of commerce, Rotary etc I ask a notice to be in their newsletter. Because they are groups of local business owners, I request each person attending the meeting I am speaking with to bring a doorprize to the meeting with them. This has been so helpful gathering doorprizes, all in one spot instead of chasing all over town. And the people who did not bring something feel left out and will usually make sure they tell me to stop by and they will have something for me, nothing like peer pressure.
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August 19, 2006 - 11:00am
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Another idea - making sure you leverage your committee
Make sure that you ask your committee members about their contacts in the community... You can use the following template to help your committee members share their connections:
Leverage your committee members to make the contacts with the people they know!
Ramesh Moorthy Webmaster, acsrelay.org, Ideas for Volunteers Blogging about Relay at acsrelay blog Volunteer Content Advisor, SA Division Relay Web rflvolunteer@gmail.com
Our teams are asked to bring
Our teams are asked to bring in an item or a basket for a silent auction. We have raised about $1500-$2000 extra from various items...movie themed baskets, 4th of July themed baskets, etc. Items have been St. Louis Cardinals tickets (we are 2 hours away from St. Louis), Six Flags theme park tickets, etc.
I started writing some letters to get donations because I am the awards and incentives chairperson on our committee. When it gets closer to Relay, we'll try to do a tag team or door to door type event by asking businesses, stores, etc, to help us out with prizes.
I've also asked my ACS staff partner for a few extra ACS prizes...relaygear.com has some cool stuff, and the office has small goodies and other items as well!
I think the multitasking idea is a great idea
When I chaired, we did "Spread Out Saturdays" or "Tag Team Thursdays", where we got as many volunteers together, and meet up at a central location and fed folks lunch or breakfast (depending on the timing) before giving them an overview of what to do:
o Divide up our town, and have folks spread out to talk to businesses all over. Take the right materials with them (see below for what is needed).
For each business/location they make contact with, they:
o Provided a flyer about Relay and ask them to post it in their business,
o Provided info about corporate sponsorship if they seem interested
o Provided info about teams, etc. especially if they have a lot of employees.
o Place a coin can and brochure rack if the business is willing
o Provided info about sponsorship and in-kind donations... Many places donated on the spot!
o If the business came on board strongly, we asked them to display a "This is a Relay For Life business" sign in their window.
o We also offered to return and have a info session if they are willing.
We found it is usually it is best to ask for a manager, mid-afternoon (between the lunch and dinner rush) on a weekday, but Saturday mornings worked too.
Ramesh Moorthy
Webmaster, acsrelay.org, Ideas & Information for Volunteers by Volunteers.
Blogging about Relay at acsrelay.blogspot.com
Volunteer Content Advisor, South Atlantic Division Relay Link Extranet
Volunteer, Baltimore, MD
rflvolunteer@gmail.com
doorprizes
We asked each team to donate a prize. The winners of our events (like Jello slurping, balloon shave, etc.) got to pick a prize from the table. I suggested each team add a tag to the prize they donated so the winner could thank them (good for team spirit). I found some awesome things at Wal-Mart for only $5.00 each so I bought multiples!
Fantastic idea, to get each team to donate a prize!
To build on this idea, a Relay in California asked each team for a donation of a prize, and used them to hold a silent auction that raised several thousand dollars!
Email rflvolunteer@gmail.com for instructions on holding a silent auction - my Relay used to do one, and we raised a few thousand $ each year!
Ramesh Moorthy Webmaster, acsrelay.org, Ideas for Volunteers Blogging about Relay at acsrelay blog Volunteer Content Advisor, SA Division Relay Web rflvolunteer@gmail.com
Joined: 2006-08-19