3-Day September Fundraising Calendar

In September, we will be walking in the Seattle 3-Day! As fall approaches, it’s the perfect time to get in some final fundraising for your fall 3-Day, or even get a jump start on your 2018 fundraising! Luckily, we have plenty of ideas to help you get started.

First, make sure you are encouraging your donors to send you mail and sweet treats if your 3-Day is this month! They can also come cheer you on along the route! All the needed information can be found in the Spectator Info section on our website, listed here for the next two events:

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September is Better Breakfast Month and Self Improvement Month, which are great for training and fundraising ideas:

In honor of Self Improvement Month, look at what goals you have for September. Whether that includes goals for the 3-Day, or otherwise! Write down your goals for miles walked or dollars raised or local events attended and stick to it. Writing goals down can be a helpful reminder not to miss a walk or send out another round of letters!
In honor of Better Breakfast Month, get your team together for an early morning weekend walk, and then host them for a fun breakfast afterwards! Or, make easy on-the-go breakfast packs to give to donors when they hit a certain dollar amount. It was help them start the day on the sunny side.

There are some workshops happening this month. You can find the complete list on our website here. We will also be calling out more local events on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out. Also, don’t forget to follow your local coaches’ page for more information and inspiration!

Other key days this month include:

September 10: Swap Ideas Day: Fundraising is an ongoing effort, and sometimes a little creativity can help! Talk to your teammates, post on the 3-Day message boards, or ask you coaches for new ideas. We also have 101 Fundraising Ideas on our website!
September 13: Fortune Cookie Day: We hope your fortunes are always sunny and bright – and you can share the same wish with your donors! Fortune Cookies are easy to get from your local Chinese restaurant, so attach your own “3-Day Fortune” with inspiring quotes to the cookies, and drop them with your donors as a thank you! Need ideas? Check out our Inspiration Page for quotes, statistics and fun images.

September 17: National Women’s Friendship Day: You love your friends and they love you! They’re the family you choose, so reach out and remind them about your fundraising goals for this year and even next. You could get your next big donation, or even recruit a pal to walk with you on your 60-mile journey.

September 21: World Gratitude Day: “Thank you” are words you can never say enough, especially to your donors. They support you before you even attend the Opening Ceremony, and help us raise such important funds towards research and local efforts by Susan G. Komen. Remind them how important their donations are on World Gratitude Day! Thank those who have already donated, and share with those who haven’t yet, just how far their donation can go.
September 28: National Good Neighbor Day: Be a good neighbor, and help raise money for your 3-Day walk! Offer your services near your home for chores like mowing the lawn, raking leaves, cleaning windows etc. for donations. Don’t forget to wear your 3-Day pink while you work to spread awareness!

Also, make sure to join our 3-Day Social Stars! This is an easy-to-join group that’s part of our social media community, where you can earn prizes for interacting with the 3-Day on social media. Talk, connect, and share with us! You can also pick up good fundraising ideas from your fellow 3-Dayers.

Are you walking in our Seattle 3-Day? What are your fundraising and training goals for September?

3-Day August Fundraising Calendar

August is going to be a jam-packed month, with the Michigan, Twin Cities and Philadelphia 3-Days all happening, plus training walks and holidays galore! If you’re participating in any of the first 3-Days of the year, it’s your last chance to get a few more donations, so we have fun and simple ideas for you to use this month.

First, make sure you are encouraging your donors to send you mail and sweet treats on event if your 3-Day is this month! They can also come cheer you on along the route! All the needed information can be found in the Spectator Info section on our website, listed here:

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August is National Family Fun and Admit You’re Happy Month, plus there are a lot of weekly celebrations for you to take advantage of:

In honor of Family Fun Month, get your family involved in your fundraising! We’ve got tons of crafts, baking projects, and fundraising party ideas on our Creative Fundraising Pinterest Board that would be much more fun with a few extra helping hands. Your family will love seeing your passion for the 3-Day, and it will give you some quality time together.
National Friendship Week Starts on August 21^st, so bring your friends into the 3-Day family! If you haven’t recruited a pal to walk with you yet, there’s still plenty of time to get registered for our fall 3-Days. If they’re nervous about doing the whole sixty miles, tell them about our one-day, 20-Mile walker option. Then help them start their fundraising efforts!

There are plenty of Walk & Talks, Get Trained Workshops and Training Kick-Offs happening this month. Some of these events are highlighted in the calendar above, but you can find the complete list on our website here. We will also be calling out more local events on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out.

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Other key days this month include:

August 6: Sisters Day and Friendship Day: Have a sister or a friend walking in the 3-Day with you? Challenge each other in honor of the holiday! See who can raise more fundraising money on August 6^th. Whoever “loses” (really everyone is a winner here) must pack a special surprise present for the winner to receive on the 3-Day. Think favorite snacks, a foot massage coupon, or anything else that might make them smile.
August 9: Book Lover’s Day: Clean out your bookshelf and send an extra special fundraising package to potential donors. Make a 3-Day bookmark (we just posted a bunch of ideas to our Pinterest page!) and slip it in the book, along with a fundraising letter. Then drop those books off in potential donors’ mail boxes. It’s a great way to clean out old books, and spread 3-Day joy through the written word.
August 10: Lazy Day: This isn’t really a fundraising tip, but we are giving every 3-Dayer the day off on August 10^th! Take a break from training and fundraising and be lazy for a bit – You deserve it! You can also take the day off for Relaxation Day on August 15^thif you really want to go wild.
August 16^th: Tell a Joke Day: Include humor in your next fundraising letter! Here are some 3-Day jokes that you can add in to make your letters stand out and spread smiles.

We on the 3 Day like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy us.

I have to walk early in the morning for my 3 Day training, before my brain figures out what I’m doing.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

Which?

What which?

Grahamwich!

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August 26: National Dog Day: Who could see “no” to a cute pup? Bring your pooch out on the fundraising trail with you today and see the donors line up! You can bring you dog with you canning, have them stand with you at your fundraising table at the grocery store or other local spot.
August 30: Toasted Marshmallow Day: Summer isn’t complete without at least one s’more shared between friends! Make s’mores packs with marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers and maybe even a cute pink matchbox, then drop them off at potential donors’ homes. Let them know how sweet it would be if they’d support your 3-Day journey!
August 31: Eat Outside Day: This holiday also falls on Trail Mix Day, and you can combine the two by hosting a big picnic for your friends and family! Have easy-to-eat treats like Trail Mix, plus other summer classics like hot dogs and burgers to say thank you for all the love they have shown you so far. Invite people who have already donated, as well as potential donors, and remind them that you’re still accepting donations!

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Are you walking in any of our August 3-Days? What are your fundraising and training goals for August?

3-Day Fundraising Idea: Planning an Ice Cream Social Fundraiser

Photo via Igor Ovsyannykov

July is the heart of summer, and that means the heat is on! Luckily, it is also Ice Cream Month, which makes it the perfect time to celebrate the sweet dessert. It’s a delicious inspiration for a fundraising event that will be entertaining for everyone involved! Plan an ice cream social at your home or backyard, then invite potential donors over to have a good time. Encourage attendees to make a donation to your fundraising account and celebrate the sweetness of the 3-Day experience.

Partner with local businesses

To maximize your fundraising, work with local businesses in your area to donate as many materials as possible, from the actual ice cream to napkins and other fun toppings. You might even be able to get a donation to your 3-Day fundraising from the businesses as well!

Photo via Alex Jones

Offer variety

You should of course have the standard flavors like vanilla and chocolate but get creative with fun and more unique flavors if you can. A rainbow of flavored colors will make your spread look all the more appetizing! Then, don’t forget the toppings! Go wild with these too, and ask your guests to come up with their favorite combination. Let them submit recipes to be crowned the Ice Cream King and Queen for the day!

Add in some fun

Have ice-cream themed games for your guests, like an ice cream cone-shaped piñata! You could also make a twist on the usual kids’ game and create your own “Pin the Scoop on the Ice Cream!” Use poster board and draw a fun image of an ice cream cone (sans the ice cream!) Then, blind fold your guests and give them a cut out of different scoops of ice cream. Spin them around with the blind fold on, and let them try to add scoop after scoop onto your “cone!”

Photo via Evan Kirby

Don’t forget non-dairy

Not everyone can eat dairy, so be sure to offer other, non-milk-based desserts like sorbet or baked goods! You can still get these donated, and it will allow more guests to partake in the fun.

Capture the event!

Take photos and share them on your Facebook with a link to your fundraising page. That way, if someone misses the event, they can still contribute to your 3-Day cause! Also, be sure to tag the 3-Day in any of your social media photos. We love sharing innovative fundraising ideas!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream… especially when it’s connected to fundraising!