Fundraising Friday: Make the Most of the Holiday Giving Season

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2018 is ending, and this means Giving Season is upon us! It’s that time of the year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, which is the perfect time to get a jump start on your 2019 fundraising. People are in the holiday spirit and will likely want to support causes that mean something to them and their loved ones.

So, let’s get fundraising!

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First things first, we need to talk about snail mail. Everyone loves getting traditional mail, and with an influx of holiday cards and packages coming their way, they’ll be checking their mailbox more now than ever. That is perfect timing because December is “Write a Friend Month” and December 7^th is “National Letter Writing Day.” Hand-written fundraising letters are more personal than emails and are also harder to miss. Send letters to your past donors, family and friends to let them know you’re participating in the 3-Day in 2019 and that you’d love their support!

This is an especially important time to reach out to past donors. Keeping up that regular contact with loyal donors demonstrates your need for their continued support.

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It also gives you the chance to show them how their past donation made a difference. Check out our Facebook albums to see how much the 3-Day in your city raised, and let your donors know how that money was used! The 3-Day also has lots of infographics that explain how their donations, past and present, are aiding in the fight against breast cancer.

These facts and figures can be printed out and included in your fundraising letter, or you can link right to them if you prefer to send out fundraising emails. Emails also give you an easy way to attach photos of you from the 3-Day or even videos from the event! Those visuals will help keep your donors engaged.

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Speaking of engagement, you’ve got to engage with people on multiple fronts! The holidays can be a busy time for everyone, so don’t be surprised if donors miss one of your emails or forget to donate. So, cover all your bases just in case. Aside from emails and letters, you can also list your fundraising link in your email signature, post it on your social media or even post a reminder sign at your desk or cubicle. That way, no one can forget the 3-Day!

If you really want to get in the holiday spirit, host a “12 Days of the 3-Day” with daily posts on social media letting people know different facts about the 3-Day for 12 straight days. Use each post as an opportunity to spread the word about the 3-Day, and link to your fundraising page!

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After it’s all over, celebrate a Giving Season that has helped us take steps towards Susan G. Komen’s Bold Goal. Host an appreciation party in January for everyone who donates before the end of 2018! You can use this as an added incentive to get donations through the end of the year, and as a way to thank your donors! Give back to those who have given generously to you.

Happy Holidays!

My 3-Day Experience: Checking in with Former AVON 39 Walker, Lenore

This year on the 3-Day, we were happy and honored to welcome many past-AVON 39 walkers to our pink family. One of those walkers, Lenore C., joined our 2018 Philadelphia 3-Day along with a few of her past AVON 39 teammates.

When we talked to her before the event, she said her desire to join the 3-Day came from the simple knowledge that “we can do more together” in the fight against breast cancer.

Now, with those 60-miles behind her, Lenore says she had a stellar experience both preparing for, and walking in the 3-Day.

“I even really enjoyed my fundraising! My husband’s yoga students helped, the Transformation Made Easy digital community supported me tremendously and 3-Day fundraiser emails were essential!

As for training, the 3-Day app was so great. It connected with my calendar, so I could see what I needed to do every day. It was fun and challenging! I got people to go with me on training walks. I took advantage of my environment and explored new paths. I listened to podcasts while I walked alone — thank you Being Here, Audible and Audiobooks. They were amazing company! I listened to all the Harry Potter books!”

After all that support and training, Lenore approached the weekend in Philadelphia with excitement. She found our Opening Ceremony inspiring, but she said she loved the walker stalkers and Crew support most of all.

“It was comforting and hilarious to share snacks and stories with them. The Youth Corps are also the best! Their cheering and chanting were terrific for matching my own enthusiasm. I was charged up all the way!”

As a Philadelphia native returning home for the walk, she also liked the variety in the route, and getting to see everything from “unique and artsy shopping areas to the great spans of green by the Schukyill River to the iconic Rocky Statue and the Liberty Bell” all in one weekend.

And then, after all those sights and steps, she came to the finish line.

“I felt proud and honored. Honored by the presence of all those who supported me personally in my journey that honors my body and my perseverance. Grateful for my body’s responding positively to my demands and also grateful to the bodies of those who can only dream of being able to walk 60 miles but have truly journeyed so much further in overcoming breast cancer.”

She was glad to honor those in her own life who had been affected by breast cancer, including her stepmom, Geri, her best friend’s mom, Rosie, and her first boyfriend’s sister, Crisse. It was their memory that kept her moving all weekend, and she even finished faster than she thought she would.

“I found myself speeding up as I approached the arch and could not and did not resist dancing across that finish line. I kept dancing and was joined by the emcee! It was a blast, our impromptu party! My friends’ and my husband’s smiles, applause and congratulations were elevating!”

She even ended up walking 4 more miles along the route to her car, cheering on those approaching the finish line as she went. She says she also showed off her medal proudly. ?

So, after all that training, fundraising, walking, and yes, even a little dancing…will she be back in 2019? You bet!

“Oh, yes! I’ll be back! I plan to raise even more money! I think I’ll auction off some specific miles and take photos as proof! I might even promise to execute dares for extra pledges — like walk backwards for 1 or selfies with a man in pink or a pink girl doing a cartwheel… something cooler but, like those are my ideas for now.”

We have no doubt that Lenore will continue to make her 3-Day experience an extraordinary one.

If you want to join Lenore in 2019, the time to sign up is NOW! If you register at The3Day.org by 11:55 PM CST TONIGHT 12/6, you’ll automatically get 50% off your registration fee—no special codes required!

Come and walk with us.

View from the 3-Day Crew: Looking Back with the Michigan 3-Day Crew

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The 3-Day Crew is an integral, amazing and appreciated part of the 3-Day family. We simply could not do it without them! They work tirelessly for long hours to make sure that every step of our walkers’ 60-mile journey is a wonderful one. And they do it all with a smile on their face!

That’s why we are honored to be featuring a few members of our Michigan 3-Day Crew. These ladies are all-stars and have made such a difference in our community. As 2018 fades into the past, it’s people like these that are already getting us excited for the 2019 Michigan 3-Day!

Let’s hear it for all the Michigan 3-Day Crew!

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Monika Schmidt on Camp Support knows that her job is hard work because this group of Crew members are up very early and go to bed very late to make sure every walker can camp in comfort. But she says that being on Crew is like having a really big family, so she never minds the hours!

“I love my pink family! It can be exhausting work, but its oh so rewarding. I love to see everyone coming back to Crew year after year. We are crying together and laughing so hard. I would not miss it in the world.”

She was also a part of our Opening Ceremony in 2018 and was humbled by the honor! But she says her favorite memory every year is to see all those lovely walkers coming back to camp each day ?

Becky Jo Beverly, a long-time Crew member, echoes that 3-Day love.

“There are so many things to love about the 3-Day – the pink bubble is legit! If the rest of the world was as strong, kind, accepting, loving and GOOD as the 3-Day world, it would be a better place.”

She has so many wonderful memories from her time on the Michigan Crew, everything from tons of grahamwiches, tutus on peoples’ heads, pink fountains, problems with air mattresses, accidental strobe lights and “so. many. dance. moves.”

Even with those laughs and fun times on her mind, Becky Jo and the Michigan Crew all take their “duty to serve and care for our walkers (yeah, I said OUR walkers … we love them that much) very seriously. For those three days, they are our whole world. We. Love. OUR. Walkers.”

And they’re thankful for them, too!

“Thankful. That is the best word I can come up with when I think of this event. I am thankful for the people that work behind the scenes to use the funds raised to make a difference in this war we are waging. For the experiences I have had along the way (blisters, dehydration, sunburns and all) that have made me stronger. For the people I’ve met that have made me a better person. I am thankful for the pink bubble that proves again and again that this world is full of beautiful potential. I am Blessed beyond measure to be part of the pink family … and I am forever thankful.”

We are also forever thankful for Becky Jo, Monika, our 3-Day Michigan Crew….and our 3-Day Crew across the country. You motivate our steps and make our journey even more special

Michigan Crew sound off! What are some of your best 3-Day memories? What memories do you hope to make in 2019?

Remember, if you register at The3Day.org by TOMORROW 12/6, you’ll automatically get 50% off your registration fee—no special codes required! Come join us and make new amazing memories in 2019!