Valentine’s Day Fundraising Ideas

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Valentine’s Day is next week, and we can’t wait to see how all our 3-Dayers spread the love! From sweethearts to Galentines and beyond, it’s the perfect time to show everyone just how much you care. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for your donors to show YOU a little 3-Day love, so here are some unique ways to ask for a donation. Valentine’s Day can be a fun holiday to start or reinvigorate your 2018 fundraising with easy ideas like these…

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Valentine Donor Letters

This is the easiest and most simple way to start your Valentine’s Day fundraising. Pick your favorite Valentine (you can buy whole packs of them on a budget) and include your next donor outreach inside a “love letter”. Explain why you care about the 3-Day, how it brings happiness and joy to your life, and encourage your friends and family to donate in 2018. By adding a more personal touch, and showing the emotion behind why you walk, you can bring people into the pink bubble just by sending some snail mail.

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Appeal to their Sweet Tooth

Candy and other sweets go on super sale the day after Valentine’s Day (sometimes even the day of), so take advantage of this chance to make or buy tasty treats at a bargain. Pick up a range of goodies, and make gift bags to deliver to your friends and neighbors. It gives a personal touch, will have them feeling sweet inside and out, and you can attach a quick donation reminder to the treat!

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Throw a Galentine’s or (Guy’entine’s) Party

If you’re single this holiday, or just want to give your pals some extra love, celebrate with a party on February 13^th. That’s the official Galentine’s Day holiday, and you can plan a fun night for yourself, your team, and all your favorite people.

If you’re part of a team, invite all of them to bring their best friends over for a night in with romantic movies, house made snacks and lots of fun times celebrating each other. Then, remind your friends to donate to your pink family — or join it — this year. You can accept donations that night, and send your guests away with information about how to donate and join the 3-Day.

You can do the same thing if you’re walking alone — just cast a wider net for your invites.

Also, be sure to remind your friends that if they sign up before February 20^th, they can take $20 off their registration fee!

Use Flower Power

Just like candy, many florists put flowers on sale after the Valentine’s Day rush. If you call ahead, and work with your local flower shops, you might be able to get options at an even bigger discount, or for free. There are often leftover buds and stems from bouquets, or whole arrangements that don’t get picked up. See if the shops will donate flowers directly to you, for you to use for your fundraising efforts. Then, deliver them to potential donors with donation forms, or let donors “send” them to loved ones, with you playing the mail carrier.

How will you be celebrating the love-filled holiday? Tell us in the comments!

And don’t forget, if you haven’t signed up for the 3-Day yet, now is the perfect time! Through February 20^th, you can take $20 off your registration fee with no code needed.

Every Question You’ve Had About Multi-Day Walks… Answered! (At least we hope so!)

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Committing to walk for a whole weekend, even for a good cause, can be a daunting idea. You can do it, though! Since 2003, we have had more than 500,000 participants in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, and we have spent countless weekends together, walking 60 miles to find a cure for breast cancer. If you’re nervous about doing a multi-day walk, don’t be! You will have your 3-Day family walking alongside you, and supporting you every step of the way.

If you haven’t signed up yet, now is the time to do it! We are offering $20 off your registration fee through February 5^th, a fee of only $50 to start your 3-Day journey!

If you have any questions before you sign up, we have everything you need to know…

How far do we walk on the 3-Day?

The 3-Day route covers approximately 15-22 miles each day for three days in a row, totaling approximately 60 miles. It’s the greatest distance you can go in the fight against breast cancer® .

If you are unable to keep walking at any point while you’re out on the route, we have support vehicles to transport you to the next pit stop, or ahead to camp, where you can rest and get medical attention if you need it. Your safety is always our first concern!

Once I’ve signed up, how do I join or form a team?

If you haven’t registered as a participant for the 3-Day yet, you can register online (now for only $50!) and select “Start a Team” or “Join a Team”.

To start a team, create your team name and fundraising goal and you’ll be designated as the captain. To join a team, search for the name of the team you want to join and select it. Or call 800-996-3DAY to register and indicate that you would like to join a team. Let us know the team name, and your coach will be happy to get you started.

Or, register as an individual! Even if you’re not officially part of a team, no one is alone on the 3-Day. We have meeting points for Solo Walkers to join together, or you can join a team along the way!

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How will the 3-Day help me fundraise for the event?

Each 3-Day walker needs to raise $2,300 to participate in the event, with proceeds going towards breast cancer research, funding, support, and more.

We will support you in your fundraising process in many ways:

You will be assigned a personal 3-Day coach to advise you through your fundraising and training
Our Fundraising Handbook with our tried-and-true “3-Day Way” of fundraising
Info meetings and workshops, plus online webinars
An online Participant Center to track your efforts, send emails, and get all the info you need
The 3-Day Fundraise app for your iOS or Android smartphone
Posters, business cards, infographics and much more!

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How does Susan G. Komen utilize the contributions?

75% of the net proceeds raised by the 3-Day help Komen support the global research program and other mission objectives, while the remaining 25% helps Affiliates support local programs including medical assistance, patient navigation and provider education.

All monetary donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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Where do we spend the night on event?

Once you start your 3-Day journey, we take care of you for the whole weekend. After a long day’s journey, you’ll spend the night at the 3-Day camp with your fellow walkers and crew members. We provide you a two-person sleeping tent to share with another participant.* If you don’t wish to sleep at camp, we have information on hotels which include shuttles to and from camp.

Camp has different areas, including the dining tent, where you will eat dinner and breakfast, and shower trucks for washing up. There will be a “3-Day Lounge” for relaxation and socialization, a stage for nightly announcements and entertainment, and much more!

*This year, we have a new experience for Philadelphia! The Philadelphia 3-Day camp will take place entirely in hotels. Our host hotel for camp will still include meals, main street and participant lodging. This format will allow participants the same ceremony, community and camaraderie as usual on the 3-Day, or as our veterans call it, “The 3-Day Pink Bubble!”

Do I have to carry all my gear while I am walking?

Don’t worry, the 3-Day Crew will transport your gear for you to camp. You’ll just need to pick it up from the gear truck when you arrive at camp after walking. After your 60-mile journey, the crew will transport your gear to the Closing Ceremony location for you while you’re walking on Sunday. Easy peasy!

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If I can’t walk, how else can I be involved?

You can join the 3-Day crew! A crew member is a registered 3-Day participant who attends the event in a service capacity. Crew members do not walk the 60-mile route, but are onsite during the entire event performing a specific job. The crew is the backbone of the Komen 3-Day! Crew members are not required to fundraise, though we do encourage it and will support you in your fundraising efforts! We couldn’t make the 3-Day happen without the crew.

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If I can’t Crew, can I still volunteer?

Yes! Volunteers are needed to help with single-day commitments. It’s a way to stay flexible and still contribute your time, expertise and ideas to help make the 3-Day a success. From outreach and recruitment, to on-event roles and responsibilities, there is a volunteer opportunity to fit your schedule, skills and passions.

Click here to search for volunteer opportunities in your area.

We also welcome groups of volunteers for our street teams, local events and ceremonies. Please contact a 3-Day Crew & Volunteer Coordinator to learn more.

Where can I find information about the financial results of the 3-Day?

Visit Komen.org/AboutUs/FinancialInformation.html for Susan G. Komen’s financial reports. These shareable infographics will educate your donors, teammates, family and friends about how 3-Day funds are transformed into life-saving work.

Have any more questions about the 3-Day? Check out our FAQ’s page on the 3-Day website! Or reach out to us on social media. We’re here to help and answer all your questions!

Goal Setting: Make 2018 Your Best Year Yet

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New year, new goals! It’s the perfect time to take stock, and plan for your best 2018 possible. With less than nine months until our first 3-Day of the year (you read that right!), setting goals now for your training and fundraising will set you up for success. To help you get started, we have tips to help you set goals that are attainable but still inspirational.

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Write them down

Writing goals down helps them stick in your mind, and gives you a visual representation of them to keep throughout the year. Set short term goals that you can check off each week or month. This will keep you motivated, and allow you to take smaller steps towards whatever your year-end goal might be.

Make them specific

As you outline your goals, make sure you’re detailed in your wording.

For example, instead of saying, “I want to train more before the 3-Day,” say “I want to train three times a week, and walk at least 20 miles per week through June.” Give yourself numerical, trackable goals.

This helps you be honest with yourself about what you truly think you can achieve, and track your results more easily.

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Be realistic but enthusiastic

Goal setting can be difficult, because you want to set yourself up for success, but still challenge yourself.

By being enthusiastic about what you want to achieve, while allowing for realism about your time constraints or other commitments, you’re going to amaze yourself with what you can achieve.

Take action

Once you set those goals, don’t forget to do them! Lots of people make resolutions for the New Year, and then forget about them. This is why writing your goals is key. Put them in a spot you will see every day so you’re always reminded of what you want to achieve.

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Believe in Yourself

No matter what your goals, remember that you are awesome just as you are! If you slip up, or face setbacks throughout the year, never give up. You can do anything you set your mind to! We think every 3-Dayer is truly something special.

What are your goals for 2018? Tell us in the comments!

If one of your 2018 goals is to join the 3-Day, the perfect time is NOW! Through February 5th, you can get $20 off your registration fee. Sign up today!

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