Monthly Archives: September 2021

Bring the 3-Day National Campout to Your Backyard

Bring a piece of the 3-Day to the comfort of your living room or backyard for the 3-Day National Campout! On October 16, 3-Day Nation participants from all over the country will be settling into their backyard camp at the same time to connect and come together virtually! From decorating your tent to 3-Day inspired activities, we have some great ways to make the experience memorable.

Camping by yourself is fun, but camping with other members of the 3-Day family can make the experience even better. Find other walkers in your area to walk with and set up camp together at the end of the day. Check out our Friend Finder or post in the 3-Day Nation Facebook group to search for walkers near you.

It’s time to set up your tent and start decorating! Take your camp to the next level with some festive décor inspiration on our Pinterest board. Whether you decide on a simple camping setup or plan to step it up a notch with a glamping experience, creating a beautiful space to come home to after walking your mileage for the day will make 3-Day Nation that much more enjoyable. String up lights, hang photos of loved ones and past 3-Day walks, and anything else that will make you feel at home in your tent.

We know you’ll be hungry after a long day of walking, so the next step is one of our favorite camping activities: eating. Make your favorite 3-Day recipes in the comfort of your backyard. Craving some decadent mac n’ cheese? Check out this recipe. For dessert, ditch the traditional s’mores for grahamwhiches! No matter what you cook, a backyard cookout is a great activity to do either by yourself or with a group.

Don’t forget to tune into the inspiring Honor Ceremony and take time to reflect on why you walk. Then, once your tent is set up, it’s time to snuggle into your sleeping bag and  check in with us on Facebook Live. We might even have a special guest or two providing entertainment for the night!

What’s your favorite part of camp that you will be recreating for 3-Day Nation this year? Send us photos of your 3-Day Nation backyard camping experience at 3daynation@the3day.org or tag #3DayNation on social media. Happy camping!

The ABCs of Fundraising

Whether you are a first-time walker or a seasoned veteran, fundraising can be intimidating. Coming up with creative ways to get donations can add a little fun to the process of raising money! We asked 3-Dayers to name one fundraisWhether you are a first-time walker or a seasoned veteran, fundraising can be intimidating. Coming up with creative ways to get donations can add a little fun to the process of raising money! We asked 3-Dayers to name one fundraising idea for every letter of the alphabet from A to Z. Here is what they came up with: ing idea for every letter of the alphabet from A to Z. Here is what they came up with: 

Ask everyone 

Boobie Bingo 

Christmas card list 

Dog walking 

Emails  

Five dollar Friday 

Garage sales 

Holiday themes

Increase your goal 

Jewelry

Keep letter and donation forms with you at all times 

Lots and lots of baking 

Make calls to local restaurants and ask to have a fundraiser night where you get a percentage of total sales 

No negative thinking

OREO Cookie Bunnies — sell these delish treats as part of a bake sale! 

People — contact them all! 

QR codes — create a QR code that goes directly to your fundraising page 

Remind people why you walk

Sell items at a flea market 

Talk about it with everyone you meet! 

Utilize your talents and skills 

Video fundraising message — post it on your social channels, send it in an email or go live! 

Wash cars 

Xerox flyers and hand them out 

Yard work — mow lawns and do chores in exchange for donations 

Zucchini — sell produce you grew at a local farmers market 

Do you have a fundraising idea that has worked well? Share it below in the comments! 

$0 Balance Fundraising

It can be difficult to figure out where to begin when fundraising for the 3-Day, especially if you have little to no experience with asking for donations. If your fundraising account is stuck at $0, take this opportunity to learn from those who are practically professional fundraisers. Veterans of the Pink Bubble share with us their most successful fundraising strategies that have helped them meet and exceed their fundraising goals, year after year.

Farrell C.’s suggestion is to share and highlight the person for whom you’re walking. She lost her Mom to breast cancer so she shares her personal story. She believes that you never know who you’ll touch by doing so. Farrell also suggests having a high fundraising goal and continuing to move the goal as you get close to reaching the current one.

Debbie S. collects emails addresses from anyone and everyone all year long! She starts a monthly email campaign beginning in June to send to everyone on her list. The first email is long and explains what the 3-Day is, why she’s doing it, how long she’s fundraised and walked, and closes it out with asking for donations. Each month, she sends out a new letter to anyone who hasn’t donated yet. Right before the event, she sends out another email to everyone on her list again, regardless if they’ve donated or not. This email is an update of what she’s doing, why, and how much she’s raised so far. Debbie doesn’t mention a fundraising goal, but always pushes for more, regardless of where she’s at. She also utilizes Facebook by copying and pasting her monthly email to a Facebook post with her personal page link! She is also a big fan of taking advantage of all matching gift opportunities.

Cathy L. started her pink envelope campaign many years ago and has since stuck with it because it works so well! She mails everyone on her list a personalized letter in a bright pink envelope with a self-addressed pink envelope inside for the recipient to mail a donation check back to her. She still gets excited to see those pink envelopes in her mailbox because she knows it’s a donation. (And don’t forget — you can easily deposit checks with the 3-Day app. It’s as simple as taking a picture of the check.) Cathy believes her personal touch is the main reason why her donors keep supporting her. Over the years, she has also hosted many types of parties (Pampered Chef, Tupperware, etc.) where a portion of the sales are donated to her 3-Day fundraising.

For more ideas on how to fundraise, head to our ABCs of Fundraising blog and join our Facebook Groups. What has been your most successful fundraising strategy? Share it with us in the comments below.

* States and local communities have laws governing many fundraising activities, including raffles, garage sales, leafleting, auctions and other promotional activities. Compliance with applicable laws is the responsibility of each participant, and the 3-Day cannot render legal or tax advice on these matters. Please check with your local authorities before fundraising in these ways.