Celebrate. Remember.
Fight Back.
Relay For Life
New England Division Leadership Handbook 2011
Winter 2011
Welcome! And thank you for all that you do to help the American Cancer Society reach its lifesaving goals. Your dedication and service are invaluable. As a result of all of your efforts, the American Cancer Society has been able to improve the lives of so many through research, education, advocacy and service.
Whether starting a new Relay For Life or joining an existing Relay event in your community, you will find that this handbook is a great resource in assuring your success. It includes all the tools you will need to plan and execute your Relay For Life. Along with the National Standards, a planning calendar, and an in-depth look at all of the components of a Relay, this guide includes an overview of the American Cancer Society’s accomplishments in which Relay dollars have played a key role.
We hope you find this handbook useful and urge you to use all available resources, including the American Cancer Society web site and the New England Division Task Force. We are so proud of our past successes, and look forward to continued growth in the future. Good luck in your planning, and thank you again for all that you do.
Gratefully,
The New England Division Relay For Life Task Force 2010 - 2011
Dan Bahr, Co-Chair Sandy McDonald Alexis Begin Liz Morgan Angel Cappella Lynne Peters, Chair Mary Kate Dolan Sara Pieczarka Alan Hoang, Co-Chair CLT Nick Simmons-Stern, Co-Chair CLT Howard Karp Laura Sweeney Erik Langhoff Darci Woodward, Chair NETT Alice Leonard Amy Yobst American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Table of Contents Who Is the American Cancer Society? ...... 5 American Cancer Society Year 2015 Goals ...... 6 Relay For Life Overview...... 7 History of Relay...... 8 Impact of Relay...... 8 Relay For Life Standards ...... 10 Mandatory National Standards...... 10 Recommended National Standards...... 11 New England Standards...... 12 New England Recommendations...... 13 Tips for Building Relationships ...... 17 Elements of Success...... 17 Building Relay Excellence – The 5 Ds ...... 18 Key Research Findings for the 5 Ds...... 20 Your Contributions at Work ...... 23 Leadership Development...... 24 Planning Benchmarks...... 25 Leadership Committee Recruitment and Development...... 28 Developing Your Relay For Life Leadership Committee ...... 29 Sample Relay For Life Leadership Committee Organizational Chart ...... 30 Committee Structure and Responsibilities...... 31 Volunteer Opportunities...... 37 Team Development: The Key to Relay Success ...... 38 Team Development Recommendations and Benchmarks...... 38 Team Development Committee...... 40 Recruiting Team Captains ...... 42 Team Retention Recommendations ...... 45 Team Recognition...... 45 Mentoring Team Captains ...... 47 Communicating with Your Committee and Teams...... 48 Relay For Life Team Retention Cycle...... 49 Survivorship Development ...... 50 Survivorship Subcommittee Position Descriptions...... 51 Recruiting Survivors for Relay ...... 52 Survivor Involvement and Activities ...... 53 National Survivorship/Relay For Life HOPE Model ...... 55 Fundraising Development ...... 56 Team and Individual Fundraising...... 56 Types of Fundraising...... 56 Relay For Life Fundraising Club ...... 59 Third Party Team Fundraisers: Guidelines for Organizers...... 60 Use of the Relay For Life Logo for Team Fundraisers ...... 62 Event Development...... 64 Relay For Life Ceremonies...... 64 Entertainment and Activities...... 66 Entertainment and Activities...... 67 Fight Back Through ...... 68 Mission Education ...... 68
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Fight Back Through Advocacy ...... 70 Why advocacy at Relay For Life?...... 70 What’s involved? ...... 71 American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Mission Statement ...... 71 Questions & Answers on ACS CAN Membership...... 71 Meetings and Relay For Life ...... 73 Meetings and Relay For Life ...... 74 The Relay Rally...... 74 The Kickoff...... 76 Leadership Committee Meetings ...... 78 Subcommittee Meetings ...... 79 Team Captain Meetings...... 79 Bank Nights...... 79 Corporate Partnerships ...... 81 Steps to Sponsorship Success...... 81 Why Businesses Sponsor Relay For Life ...... 82 Where to Go for Sponsorships...... 82 Signage and Corporate Partners: Visibility with Equity ...... 83 Matching Gifts...... 83 Publicity...... 85 The Role of Publicity in Relay For Life ...... 85 Toll-free Number and Web Site ...... 86 Media Sponsorships...... 86 Paid Advertising...... 86 Crisis Communications ...... 86 Using the Web to Promote Relay...... 87 Keeping Your Relay Safe, Fun, and Focused ...... 89 No Live Animals at Relay...... 89 Dunk Tanks/Moon Walks/Climbing Walls at Relay...... 89 Golf Carts at Relay...... 89 Fireworks at Relay...... 89 Be Safe, Be Smart ...... 89 Hair Donations ...... 90 Distribution of Free Merchandise and Product or Service Demonstrations...... 90 Other Organizations Seeking Visibility at Relay...... 90 Other Organizations Seeking to Combine Events with Relay For Life ...... 91 Medical Procedures at Relay...... 91 Research Speakers at Relay For Life...... 91 Recognition and Awards ...... 92 New England Division Awards and Recognition Program...... 92 Relay Pacesetter Program ...... 92 Nationwide Awards and Recognition Program ...... 93 Acknowledgements ...... 94 Organizational Contacts for Possible Volunteer Recruitment ...... 95 Committee Personality Traits ...... 96 Working the Track...... 97 Top Ten Teams:...... 97 Top Ten Individuals:...... 97 Survivors:...... 97
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Youth Participants: ...... 97 Team Recruitment Wheel ...... 98 National Team Program ...... 100 Event Activities...... 101 More Ideas for Entertainment and Activities...... 102 Team Captain Meetings ...... 103 Volunteer Recognition ...... 105 Everyday and Special Recognition Tips ...... 105 Creative Ways to Recognize Volunteers...... 106 New England Division...... 107 Hair Donation Agreement Form for Minors...... 107 New England Division...... 108 Relay For Life Awards ...... 108 Community Awards...... 108 Collegiate Awards...... 109 Nationwide Team Fundraising Club...... 109 Nationwide Awards and Recognition Program ...... 111
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Who Is the American Cancer Society?
We save lives The American Cancer Society is the largest nonprofit provider of cancer research funds. Here in New England, more than $59 million supports 136 scientists at 33 hospitals and universities. Nationwide, the Society has funded approximately $3.4 billion in research to date. Society researchers helped to increase the overall five-year cancer survival rate from only 25% in the 1940s to 66% today. There are 11.1 million cancer survivors in the U.S. In the past, our researchers not only dramatically increased the cure rate for most childhood leukemias to more than 80%, but also established the link between cancer and smoking. Today’s cancer researchers are poised to make great advances. They are working on gene therapy, targeted drugs designed to attack cancer at its genetic roots, and cancer vaccines. The Society has a proven record of identifying the most promising research. Altogether, 44 of our researchers have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, including 13 from New England. Cancer research, no matter where it is carried out, benefits us all, wherever we live.
We are a respected presence in communities The American Cancer Society is, along with a patient’s personal physician, the most trusted source of cancer information. Society education programs promote cancer prevention and early detection. The American Cancer Society offers patient support services, including peer support and rides to treatment, in local communities throughout New England. We speak out on cancer issues on the federal, state and local levels. All six New England states have banned worksite smoking. We are proud that all six New England States are in the top tier with the highest smoke-free workplace coverage in the country.
We are powered by volunteers We have helped 29,076 patients, survivors, caregivers, and families face the challenges of cancer with our comprehensive cancer resource network, which offers free information, support, and local resources. The New England Division is reaching more newly diagnosed patients than ever, this year we served over 16,000 newly diagnosed patients with free American Cancer Society programs and services. Road to RecoverySM volunteers provided more than 34,700 rides to treatment for New England patients. Over 3,656 cancer patients learned how to Look Good. . .Feel BetterSM thanks to community programs designed to teach women how to cope with treatment side effects. Volunteers work tirelessly to fund the mission through special events such as Daffodil Days®, Relay For Life, and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer®.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
American Cancer Society Year 2015 Goals
Mortality Goal: The American Cancer Society delivers hope. We now know that with a nationwide dedicated effort, in collaboration with community partners, we can double the number of lives saved from cancer.
Incidence Goal: The American Cancer Society is making progress. Fewer people now hear the words "you have cancer." Through targeted cancer research and teaching people how to prevent cancer, the number of Americans diagnosed with cancer will continue to fall.
Quality of Life Goal: The American Cancer Society is the most trusted source for answers. We empower people to make informed decisions while advocating for the highest quality of life for cancer patients and their families.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Relay For Life Overview
This handbook provides the tools and the ideas needed either to plan and organize a new American Cancer Society Relay or to enhance an already successful Relay For Life event in your community. Relays are effective in both large and small communities. When you’ve become familiar with the unique characteristics and traditions of your community, you’ve taken the first steps to coordinating a great Relay For Life!
Philosophy - Why We Relay
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.
What is the American Cancer Society Relay For Life? Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length.
Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much needed funds to fight cancer, and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay. To participate, form a team, or dedicate a luminaria at your local American Cancer Society Relay For Life, please call 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
Why Relay? One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. The money raised at Relay saves lives by funding cutting-edge cancer research, early detection and prevention education, advocacy efforts, and life-affirming patient services. It is because of your involvement that we are able to save lives, help those battling cancer, and empower all to fight back against the disease.
Relay allows all individuals an opportunity to celebrate the lives of those who have survived cancer and to remember those who have been lost to the disease. For the newly diagnosed, Relay is a healing experience that offers a chance to meet others who have claimed victory over cancer. For the caregivers who give their time, love, and support to their friends and family who face cancer it provides hope and understanding. Come join your local survivor celebration today at Relay and participate in this life-changing event!
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 History of Relay One person can make a difference. Nowhere is that more evident than with the story of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, which began in Tacoma, Washington. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.
In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran and walked for more than 83 miles. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course. Throughout the night, friends donated $25 to run or walk with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.
While circling the track those 24 hours, Dr. Klatt thought about how others could take part in his mission to fight cancer. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer. In 1986, with the help of Pat Flynn – now known as the “Mother of Relay” – 19 teams took part in the first team relay event on the track at the colorful, historical Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield.
Since 1985, Relay For Life has grown from one man – Dr. Gordy Klatt, to a movement to eliminate cancer that now takes place in 5,000 communities in the United States and in 19 other countries around the world. In May 2009, Relay For Life reached the milestone of 25 years of community presence and action in the fight against cancer. More than 3.5 million people participate in the life-changing event, which has raised a total of more than $3 billion to fund the American Cancer Society’s mission.
Impact of Relay A presence in communities Relay For Life is conducted not simply to raise funds, but to involve new communities, give the Society a local presence, and provide communities the opportunity to own the mission. Relay provides grassroots access to the population and therefore, it is a critical means of achieving the Society’s 2015 goals.
A celebration of cancer survivorship Relay is a moving celebration of cancer survivorship. The event usually begins with a survivors’ lap in which cancer survivors take a victory lap around the track. A candlelight ceremony is held later in the evening to honor cancer survivors and remember those who lost the battle against this disease. Recruiting as many survivors as possible adds to the impact of the event. (Please see National Survivor Model on page 55.)
A community event Relay For Life is a community event. Event sites should be selected based on how communities identify themselves. A town or small city may see itself as one community. Larger cities are usually made up of several different communities and neighborhoods. If people identify
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 themselves as being part of a given community, the community qualifies as a Relay site. For example, Relays are happening on college and corporate campuses, on military bases and even in cyberspace.
A community owned/volunteer driven activity As a community event, Relay fulfills the need to belong that we all have. It also creates a sense of community by bringing people together in a moving and fun atmosphere, with sufficient time for cultivating relationships. The event is volunteer driven, with Society staff coaching the volunteers. There is a true partnership between volunteers and staff.
A means of unifying communities Cancer is indiscriminate and knows no boundaries. As voluntary organizations in the United States must serve an increasingly diverse population and customer base, the way in which the American Cancer Society does business will need to shift. Our ability to communicate appropriately and utilize partners in our efforts will facilitate our growth in reaching diverse communities, and ultimately in reaching the 2015 goals of the Society. Inclusion is imperative.
A tool for year-round fundraising As teams are retained over multiple years at given Relays, there is great opportunity for year- round fundraising. This allows teams to implement their favorite fundraising events to raise money for their teams. This may include seasonal activities such as hayrides or holiday bazaars, jail and bail events, golf tournaments, bake sales – whatever their team views as a fun and worthwhile activity.
A venue for mission education Relay is a venue for interactive education and provides an environment where relationships can be built with community-based organizations, businesses, service groups, and schools. In establishing these relationships, mission education volunteers can bring Society messages to organizations on a year-round basis.
A location for volunteer recruitment Relays have proven to be an excellent way to recruit new volunteers for the multitude of community projects conducted by the local American Cancer Society. Relay helps to build a community infrastructure that provides significant financial resources, serves as an entry point for volunteers, develops volunteer leadership, and provides a connection to the community that will put the American Cancer Society in a position to achieve its 2015 goals.
A way to involve youth in the mission Relay is the doorway for youth to get to know the Society. Youth are the future volunteer and staff leaders of the American Cancer Society. Their interest and passion are powerful. Youth across the country have shown they have the organizational skills, motivation, and leadership to be involved in Relay either as Mini Relay participants, committee members, team captains, teams, or by building high school and college Relays.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Relay For Life Standards
Mandatory National Standards Overnight event The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life was originally created as a 24-hour event because cancer never sleeps; someone who has cancer deals with it 24 hours a day. Relays that last less than 24 hours (usually 12 to 18 hours) must still be overnight. Overnight can be defined as sunset to sunrise. The longer the event, the greater the opportunity to promote mission education and advocacy programs, build relationships, and recruit volunteers.
The New England Division Relay For Life Business Unit recommends 18 to 24 hours.
Opening and closing ceremonies Relays begin with an opening ceremony that clearly identifies Relay For Life as an American Cancer Society event. The opening ceremony includes a victory lap, led by cancer survivors, that starts and sets the tone for the entire event. The closing ceremony provides another opportunity for cancer survivors and their caregivers to both walk the track and celebrate the success of the event.
Luminaria ceremony Luminarias are white paper bags filled with an inch or so of sand supporting lighted candles. Each bag bears the name of a loved one in whose honor or memory the luminaria was purchased. The luminaria ceremony is a time to remember those we have lost to cancer and to honor and support those who have been diagnosed with cancer. This powerful ceremony provides an opportunity for people to work through grief and find hope.
Fight Back ceremony The Fight Back Ceremony is an emotionally powerful time that serves to inspire Relay participants to take action. The Fight Back Ceremony symbolizes the emotional commitment we each make to the fight against cancer. The Fight Back ceremony provides an opportunity for people to make a pledge to fight back against cancer. The action we take represents what we are willing to do for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our community to fight cancer year-round and to commit to saving lives. The Fight Back ceremony should result in an increased awareness and changes in behaviors leading to cancer and a rise in the number of volunteers who are expanding their volunteer relationship with the American Cancer Society and its sister organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM (ACS CAN).
Survivor & caregiver activities Survivorship activities include a reception for survivors and caregivers. The reception area is used for staging the survivors’ lap and the caregivers’ lap, and to hand out a special recognition memento such as a sash, pin, or special T-shirt that is offered to survivors. Additional survivorship activities are encouraged.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Mission education activities Mission education activities at Relay result in greater awareness of cancer prevention and detection methods as well as American Cancer Society programs of research, education, advocacy and patient services. Relay supporters have evolved into year-round collaborative partners who promote cancer awareness and programs before, during, and after Relay.
Team registration/commitment fee Teams that pay a registration/commitment fee are more likely to follow through on their participation and fundraising. If nothing else, the commitment fee helps to cover the costs of both printing the registration materials and other event overhead costs. There is no nationally recommended fee, although many Relays charge $10 per person or $150 for each team.
Follow Relay For Life graphic standards Relay For Life printed materials, signs, and other materials should follow national graphic standards so the appearance of local Relays will coordinate with the efforts of others nationwide. Please work with your staff partner if you have questions about this.
Tobacco-free environment Although Relays are tobacco-free environments, we do not ban tobacco users. Rather, we encourage their participation but prohibit their use of tobacco during the event.
No alcohol allowed Relay For Life is a family event most often held on school property. Therefore, alcohol is prohibited.
Recommended National Standards Team and individual incentives It has been shown that incentives increase the level of fundraising for many individuals. The American Cancer Society has an incentive program, the Fundraising Club which recognizes individuals as well as teams for their fundraising efforts, was created with cost effectiveness in mind . Another incentive offering is the Team Challenger Program which rewards team captains and participants who recruit a new team to their event that raises a minimum of $1,000. The Pacesetter Program is a Division-wide program that recognizes and rewards individuals who raise $2,500 or more during their Relay year. Talk to your staff partner for details about these incentive programs.
Hold team captain meetings Team captain meetings are a great venue to share Relay-specific information, as well as a time to share organizational information about our programs, services, and advocacy efforts.
Communication/newsletters Inform your teams through newsletters, meetings, and blast emails. Educate them on all the American Cancer Society provides, including comprehensive cancer information, outreach programs, and support services. Email templates are available through Convio, our online
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 registration and fundraising website and Walk Talk newsletter templates are available through your staff partner.
Hold bank nights Bank nights accomplish two important goals. Teams can turn in any money collected prior to the Relay, and team captains can receive any last-minute information and updates.
Sponsorships Try to solicit enough sponsorship dollars to cover expenses- 10 to 11% of your event goal. Many events find great success with asking for in-kind sponsorship- items like food and beverages for your participants, goods and services such as tents, porta-a-johns, and staging. While team recruitment should remain a higher priority than sponsorship (recruiting two more teams would likely result in a greater increase in dollars than securing one more sponsorship) partnering with local businesses can lead to increased number of participants and teams for your event in the future. Encourage Sponsors to also form a team or have a presence at your event. .
New England Standards Annual Event: Relay For Life is an annual event. Communities across New England offer Relay For Life events each year as an opportunity for everyone to participate in the fight against cancer. Cancer survivors are celebrated and given the opportunity to be recognized in the Survivor Lap each year.
Relay chair and subcommittee chairs may serve a maximum of two years in any one position on the committee: It is important for each Relay to remain exciting and fresh. Bringing new leadership to each event will keep the event growing for many years. Relay chair/co-chairs and subcommittee chairs may remain on the committee for more than two years; however, they must rotate and may not serve more than two years in any one position.
Relay For Life is volunteer-driven and staff supported: It is the belief and steadfast desire of the New England Division that all Relays are volunteer-driven events. While staff plays an integral role in providing resources and support, we continue to uphold the grassroots philosophy of volunteer-driven Relays in our communities. Staff and volunteers continue to work together in a true partnership based on a common desire to fight cancer and promote the spirit of Relay For Life.
Relay For Life is a community-based event: In order to reach all communities and as many people as possible with Relay For Life and our mission education programs, we encourage the growth of Relays throughout New England. Relay is a wonderful gift that should be offered to all communities. Expanding Relay sites throughout New England communities ensures the growth of Relay, and helps us conquer cancer, one community at a time.
$100 minimum per team member New England’s Relays could raise significantly more if every event achieved the recommended $100 per team member fundraising average. Many Relays strive to have their team members achieve the fundraising average for the Division.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Team captains need to understand the importance of having each member raise at least $100, a message that can be reinforced during team captain meetings and other communications. The committee can help by disseminating fundraising ideas and successes. Captains can help by sharing fundraising tips with their teams and giving them tools to help them get started.
For some Relays, reaching the $100 per person average may make the difference between reaching goal and not reaching goal. For example, in a Relay with 600 participants: If 38 % of participants raise $58 each and the others raise $100 each (228 x $58 plus 372 x $100), the Relay will raise $50,424. If all raise the minimum of $100 each (600 x $100) the Relay will raise $60,000, or an additional $9,576 from the same number of participants.
Expense ratio less than 10% All New England Relays should maintain expense ratios of less than 10%. This ensures good stewardship and allows maximum dollars to go to the mission of fighting cancer. Getting as many items donated as part of in-kind sponsorship is one way to keep expenses low. Another is to use “Relay Store to Go,” a consignment Relay store that eliminates the need to purchase Relay items up front. Please ask your staff partner about this option.
New England Recommendations New England will continue focus on the five development areas (the 5 Ds) in 2011: Leadership Development, Team Development, Survivorship Development, Event Development, and Fundraising Development. This handbook highlights these key areas for growth and development of your Relay For Life.
Here are some additional recommendations based on national data research:
Consistent communication with teams Experience has shown that consistent communication with teams has a positive effect on team retention and growth. Communication tools such as your event website, newsletters and blast emails are also valuable ways to share community mission education information, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising tips. Through regular communication, not only is information shared with team captains, but key relationships with others can also be built. Consider sending one or two newsletters per year to Relay participants, survivors, and sponsors. In addition to newsletters and emails, communication also happens during team mentoring programs, team captain meetings, and phone calls.
Incentives, individual and team Events where individuals could strive for fundraising incentives had higher individual averages. Team-based fundraising programs have been proven to increase teams’ overall fundraising levels. Competition among teams is a powerful motivating factor.
Rallies, kickoffs, and team captain meetings Communicating with team captains, survivors, and team members is key for growing Relay. Rallies and kickoffs can both help, each in a different way.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Rallies are excellent outreach opportunities for both new and veteran events to recruit volunteers, teams, and survivors. They offer a taste of the excitement of Relay and extend an invitation to an upcoming kickoff or team captain meeting. For example, if a Relay draws from several communities, a rally could be held in each town to increase local involvement.
At a kickoff… Team captains receive detailed information about the event and supplies of event materials. Committed teams sign-up and turn in their team registration fees. Team captains receive ideas and tools to recruit team members and raise funds. Captains receive information about the American Cancer Society and its important role in the fight against cancer.
For best success, plan to hold at least three team captain meetings, and one or two bank nights. During team captain meetings, you can not only communicate Relay information, but also share ideas and information about cancer in the community and the local work of the American Cancer Society. Regular team captain meetings increase creativity and motivation, and have been shown to be a key to success.
Team registration fee and deadlines Payment of registration fees (a national Relay guideline) will allow your committee to see how many teams have made a commitment and signed on. An early deadline for registration is recommended – as early as the kickoff, and preferably no later than the first team captain meeting. For new events, we recommend a deadline of a minimum of six weeks before your event.
Offering an incentive will help encourage early registration. Incentives might include first choice of campsites, prize drawings or food vouchers. But don’t stop recruiting teams after the early registration date passes. A strong registration policy will enable your committee to see how much progress you have made toward team and income goals. Early registration deadlines also motivate teams to start fundraising earlier.
Top 10 teams Do you know who your top 10 teams are? Find out how long they have been involved and who their team captains are, and build relationships. These supporters are key to the success of Relay fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and involvement with other American Cancer Society programs and services. You may want to recognize your top 10 teams through: A track sign listing top teams Acknowledgement at the event wrap-up Listing of teams in your event newsletters Recognition on your event website Recognition at the kickoff the following year A listing in the program book Be creative in the way you thank these important constituents!
Committee wrap-up and team celebrations Relays that hold event wrap-up celebrations are more successful, on average, than events that do not. A post-event debriefing for the leadership committee will set in motion improvements for the
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 following year. Minutes from the wrap-up meeting should be the place to start when your committee meets for the first time to plan the next year’s event.
Transition planning for event chairs By appointing a co-chair, Relay leaders and committee chairs can set the stage for a smooth transition. A helpful guideline is to plan for a two-year term limit for event and subcommittee chairs.
Data use and management Data allows us to successfully plan and implement local Relays to meet their goals. With good data, we can see potential, evaluate success factors, and set benchmarks for achievement. The American Cancer Society is committed to working with staff and volunteers to analyze and use all data sources available to maximize success factors for Relay.
Fight Back Relay For Life continues to be a wonderful example of how the American Cancer Society can mobilize a community in the fight against cancer. Relay remains a key focus of the Society’s New England Division’s strategic plan. The following recommendations will help promote knowledge of cancer, and of the American Cancer Society, among participants: Recruit Mission Education and Advocacy Chairs to lead the Fight Back activities at each Relay Post track signs with cancer facts and updates Announce cancer information and resources at all team captain meetings and at the event Raise awareness of the Society’s toll free hotline 1-800-227-2345 and website,www.cancer.org Raise awareness of and recruit members for the Society’s sister organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Recruit volunteers from among Relays participants (teams and survivors) who express an interest, or by “working the track” Involve cancer survivors in Relay For Life through teams, survivor activities, and other volunteer opportunities The engagement of teams in mission education and advocacy themes and activities is also a fun addition to your Relay For Life.
Survivorship This is at the heart of “why we Relay.” By having an integrated approach to survivor recruitment, retention and celebration, we can Maximize the involvement of survivors in Relay For Life activities Offer volunteer and program participation opportunities to survivors and caregivers Ultimately, strengthen the meaning of Relay For Life
National Survivorship HOPE model and New England survivorship standards – Because of the importance of survivors to the meaning and success of each Relay, all events should implement the national survivorship standards. (See pages 50-55 for details on survivorship.)
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 National Data Results: Success Factors Data collected over the last few years has revealed the following success factors. Chances are, the more you include at your Relay For Life, the more successful it will be.
Survivor involvement Survivors are the heart of Relay For Life, their passion and drive demonstrate that Relay is a celebration of hope. The more survivors you have involved in your event, the greater the success – in terms of income and otherwise.
Teams/team members Roughly two-thirds of the average event’s income is generated from team and team member fundraising, so the importance of maximizing the number of teams and team members at an event is obvious.
Data showed that teams with an average of 11-15 members raise more money per individual than those with larger or smaller teams.
Team retention is critical for event success and growth. While the most successful events recruit significantly more new teams (on average), returning teams usually make up a greater proportion. The data clearly showed that returning teams, on average, raise more money than new teams.
The earlier team recruitment is started, the more successful the event. Relays that had more teams at the kickoff were found to be more successful Relays that have more teams staying overnight seem to be more successful overall. Data also showed that overnight teams raised more money than those that did not stay overnight. The findings suggest that those who spend the night have a greater involvement or engagement with the event, and therefore raise more money.
Committee size The number of committee members has a relatively strong relationship to an event’s overall success. While it stands to reason that larger Relay For Life events will have larger committees, growing events should try to avoid the problem of not having enough committee members to handle the work involved in putting together a successful Relay For Life.
Incentives Team and individual incentives have a relationship to the overall success of fundraising. Early registration incentives seem to have a greater impact on the overall income success of an event – the earlier a team registers, the earlier they are out in the community raising funds.
Wrap-ups Committee and team captain wrap-ups play a role in making an event more successful. With an opportunity to debrief on successes and opportunities for improvement, volunteers and team captains will be better prepared to hold a more successful event the next year.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Event length Current data shows that longer events are more successful overall than shorter events. The most successful events are more than 18 hours in length. One possible reason is that longer events allow greater opportunities for on-site fundraising, mission delivery, and an overall commitment to the event. More research is planned in this area.
Tips for Building Relationships
Always focus on teams Emphasis should be placed on encouraging businesses, service clubs, and school teams to bring their families to the event, thereby leading to greater retention of teams. Relay is a family event.
Mentor teams over time Groom your teams over time to raise more funds. These participants become the source of your new committee members and provide new doorways into your community. Involve teams in other American Cancer Society activities throughout the year.
Total event experience Participants describe Relay as a life-changing event – one that provides them with an opportunity to heal and grow. Relay can be like a support group for cancer survivors, caregivers, and their families and friends.
Elements of Success
Recognize that Relay For Life is both a community event and a celebration of hope. Follow this Relay For Life Leadership Handbook, other resources, and best practices. Develop leaders with enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to the cause. Attend local and Division trainings. Create a strong leadership committee with the recommended subcommittee structure. Focus your efforts on team recruitment and team development. Focus on year-round individual and team fundraising opportunities. Recruit teams from your entire community and make sure it is a family event. Nurture, reward, and educate your team captains. Build relationships with your top Relay For Life constituents. Schedule Relays that are at least 18 hours long. Hold team captain meetings. Update Walk Talk templates post to your event website and send out via blast e-mails Market, motivate, and inform potential team captains about your Relay For Life by holding Relay rallies. Inspire participants by making your survivor, luminaria, and Fight Back ceremonies special. Involve survivors in all aspects of Relay, including participation on committees and teams and through survivor activities.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Educate participants by making mission education and advocacy an integral part of your Relay For Life. Convene bank nights so that teams turn in contributions before the event. Offer individual and/or team incentives. Encourage staff and volunteers to work together in collaborative partnerships.
More tips for success Focus on team recruitment first, and then consider corporate partnerships. Focus on structuring the team recruitment subcommittee before developing other subcommittees such as corporate partnerships, entertainment, prizes, media, or food. Be sure to include all segments of the community in team recruitment efforts: businesses, churches, clubs, schools, and service organizations. Start the planning process early. Appoint committee chairs who know how to delegate. Be sure to communicate year-round through regular team captain meetings, newsletters, or phone calls. Concentrate on team goals instead of money goals. Share fundraising ideas with team captains at meetings, in newsletters, over the phone, and at trainings. Add new committee members every year. Limit leadership positions to a two-year term.
Building Relay Excellence – The 5 Ds
For Relay to be successful for another 25 years, volunteers and staff alike must be committed to building greater event efficiency through:
1) Leadership Development a) Establish a business culture within each event (event evaluation, data analysis, planning sessions, developing plans and repeating the cycle) b) Focus on building relationships, networking and social contracting c) Commit to chairs and co-chairs for not only the event but for all subcommittees d) Ensure evolution of leadership with chairs stepping down after two years and taking on new roles. e) Organize event committee by installing two-prong committee structure, certain subcommittees focus on producing the event (logistics, registration, luminaria, etc.) and certain subcommittees focus on growing the event (team recruitment, survivor recruitment, corporate sponsorship, etc.) f) Develop leaders from diverse populations. g) Develop youth leaders and youth events.
2) Team Development a) Establish a team development committee comprised of a chair, co-chair and subcommittee members for: . Team recruitment
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 . Team retention . Team recognition . Team mentoring b) Ensure team captains have co-captains. c) Develop youth teams.
3) Survivor Development a) Establish a survivor development committee comprised of a chair, co-chair and subcommittee members for: Survivor recruitment Survivor retention Day-of event activities and recognition Year-round engagement
b) Implement National Survivor HOPE Model to recruit more survivors, develop stronger relationships, and employ as advocates for the Society. c) Recruit survivors from diverse and youth populations.
4) Event Development a) Relay ceremonies set the tone for the event, have the ability to emotionally impact everyone, and provide healing and hope to all. A well run, entertaining Relay will ensure participants return. b) The mantra has always been “teams, teams, teams” but if there is “no Show” – coming back may become an option instead of a way of life for participants. c) A quality sound system is essential to a successful event. The sound system impacts the organization of the event, the success of all ceremonies, sets the tone for the entire event, and is a means to communicate with participants in case of emergency. d) Relays need to begin with a well-planned survivors lap and an inspiring opening ceremony. e) A caregiver’s ceremony provides an opportunity for survivors to say thank you to those who cared most for them. f) The luminaria ceremony needs to allow people to work through grief and to find hope. g) The Fight Back ceremony must inspire participants to take action to save a life, their own, that of a loved one, or that of someone in their community. h) Relay should be filled with games, activities, and entertainment. Mission education and advocacy can be worked into each of these areas. i) Ensure entertainment and other cultural aspects of the event reach out to the needs of diverse populations and youth.
5) Fundraising Development a) Refocus fundraising as a priority at the event, committee, team, pre-event, onsite and post-event levels. b) Ensure that fundraising best practices reach every participant, not just team captains and explain with “how to” steps to maximize success.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 c) At a minimum, every Relayer should do a fundraising letter or participate in online fundraising. d) Ensure fundraising is taught to diverse populations, being sensitive to cultural differences. e) Ensure fundraising is taught to youth populations. f) Implement both the Individual and Team Fundraising Club to ensure participants are recognized for their fundraising efforts.
Key Research Findings for the 5 Ds The following findings and best practices are based on a number of quantitative and qualitative marketing research studies with Relay For Life participants.
1) Leadership Development Key Findings Though structures vary, the most successful Relays tend to have a structure similar to that of a corporation. Successful participants in leadership Relay positions share several traits and skills in common: o Successful Relay leaders have a solid understanding of their roles and those of others. o Every leader impacts a given Relay’s success. However, the Relay leaders (co- chairs) appear to have the strongest influence. o Regardless of their level of success, Relay leaders benefit from training.
2) Team Development Key Findings Successful fundraising teams tend to have the following characteristics: They set ambitious, yet attainable goals. Most successful teams use a combined approach of individual and team fundraising. Top team captains see their role as: Building a team – recruiting people who will be an asset to the team. Having a vision/plan – helping to set ambitious goals, serving as an example to the team. Equipping the team to achieve its goals. Communicating with the team. Motivating and encouraging team members. Staff partners and co-chairs for successful events make team recruitment a priority. In fact, some consider it their “#1 priority.” They recognize that team growth is critical to their continued success. In conjunction with his/her committee, the successful team recruitment chair: Sets specific goals in terms of number of teams. Develops a strategy for recruiting teams. Builds enthusiasm about recruitment (in their subcommittee and Relay committee). Asks all committee members and current team captains to help recruit new teams. Effective team recruitment chairs/committees conduct a thorough assessment of their teams before deciding upon strategies.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Top team recruitment chairs/committees contact past teams and encourage them to register. At this point, top events’ primary methods for retaining teams relate to making the Relay experience positive for them. There is a clear opportunity for Relay moving forward, as the “hows” are what set our top teams apart from the rest of the pack. It is particularly important to arm all Relay participants with knowledge about the Society. They need to be able to respond intelligently to questions posed by prospective donors. In particular, they need to feel comfortable about describing how the funds will be spent. Quite a few Relays have created fundraising clubs and other recognition programs that have enhanced the friendly competition that takes place between teams and, in doing so, have increased their events’ profitability. The most important lesson relative to recognition is the need to reward desired behaviors. The award itself is less than important than how it is presented to the participant.
3) Event Development Key Findings To be successful in the long-term, a Relay must have a strong entertainment committee. Given the number of repeat participants, it is critical that “the Show” feature new elements every year to keep it fresh. Education is an important part of a successful “Show.” Successful events incorporate survivor recognition into the activities early and often – they energize Relay participants and set a positive tone. Successful Relays recognize the importance of the luminaria ceremony. It is an important time for participants – the time they reflect on all who have been impacted by cancer. Publicity and promotion are important to event development as well
4) Survivor Development Key Findings Survivors are critical not only to the spirit of Relay, but to an event’s financial success. Successful survivors committees view their role as: Ensuring that the survivor’s perspective is heard regarding all aspects of the event. Understanding that the committee needs to remain fresh and members must rotate. Developing plans to engage survivors in as many ways as possible – before, during, and after the event. Many successful Relays place an emphasis on engaging survivors beyond the reception and survivor lap. They strive to have survivors represented on the committee, among the team captains and among the team members as well. Quite a few also recruit and engage survivors by asking them to share their own personal messages about “Why we Relay.” This not only helps lead them to participate on a team or committee, but it also serves to help promote the event and the cause. The successful survivors chair(s):
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Usually has a very close connection to cancer – is a survivor or has been a caregiver for someone with cancer. Is outgoing and willing to approach people she/he doesn’t know.
5.) Fundraising Development Key Findings The following guidelines/recommendations are based on research conducted among Team Captains nationwide, including some of Relay’s top fundraising teams (with team totals ranging from $7K - $156K).
The Role of a Team Captain Build a team Develop a vision/plan for the team Equip the team to achieve its goals Communicate with the team regularly Try to motivate and encourage team members
Keys to Individual Fundraising Success Most successful teams use a combined approach of individual and team fundraising. Best practices with respective to individual fundraising include: Letter-writing Making personal phone calls or approaching people in-person Putting your own creativity and talents/skills to good use Always remembering to thank those who give
Keys to Team Fundraising Success Top teams utilize varied techniques to raise their funds. The key ingredients to their success relate less to the specific techniques they use and more to the way they execute them. From top teams, we have learned that you can make virtually any type of fundraiser successful by applying the following strategies: o Understand your community/target audience and try to identify something that might be of value/interest to them. o Publicize the fundraiser heavily – the more people who are aware, the greater likelihood of success. o Undertake the fundraiser with great enthusiasm – it’s contagious. o Pursue fundraising activities on a year-round, ongoing basis. The type of fundraisers you choose is only limited by your own creativity and drive.
Appreciation and Recognition Thank your team members verbally throughout the process. Consider ways in which you might recognize each person for his/her contributions at the end of Relay. Help them to share in the glory of any formal awards received at Relay. Remember to recognize your own contributions and keep in mind that each dollar we raise brings us that much closer to winning the battle against cancer.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Your Contributions at Work
With more than three and a half million dedicated volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society has made great progress in the fight against cancer – progress directly impacted by the fundraising power of Relay For Life.
The money raised has played a key role in Society accomplishments such as: Awarding approximately $3.5 billion in grants for promising cancer research since 1946 Funding 44 Nobel Prize-winning researchers Investing in studies that led to discoveries like the Pap test, bone marrow transplants, Tamoxifen, and Gleevec Making possible more than $59 million in research grants in effect at 33 New England hospitals, universities, and research centers Supplying valuable resources to anyone, anytime, through our toll-free information line, 1-800-227-2345, and web site, cancer.org Working with legislators to make sure that cancer issues are addressed in a timely manner with the attention and funding they need Campaigning for important legislative victories like the Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act and expanded Medicare benefits for cancer screenings Offering patients support and a network of other cancer survivors in their communities through programs like Man to Man® and Reach to Recovery® Providing tools and programs, such as Look Good…Feel Better, for patients and survivors dealing with the physical effects of the disease
Your contributions are the reason the American Cancer Society has been able to do so much in the fight against this disease. Your continued support will help us achieve our ambitious goals for the year 2015: preventing almost five million additional deaths from cancer, avoiding six million new cancer diagnoses, and measurably improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with cancer.
Together, we will achieve victory over cancer!
“Ever Wonder” State Fact Pages Available There are one-page documents available that answer the question: “Ever wonder what happens to your contribution to the American Cancer Society?” and highlight New England-wide accomplishments, as well as the accomplishments of each state. Please ask your staff partner for the most up-to-date information for New England and your state.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Leadership Development
Strong and active leadership committees will allow for more productive Relay planning and growth of existing events and the development of new Relay For Life sites in New England.
There are three areas of focus for Relay For Life leadership development: leadership committee structure, training, and the volunteer and staff partnership.
Increased focus on the development of leadership committees will positively impact Relay For Life growth in New England. Data shows the most successful Relays across the country have a structured committee approach. Through recruitment, recognition, and retention of leadership volunteers, New England will instill motivated and structured committees. Included in this structure is transition planning for all committees.
Training of Relay For Life leadership volunteers is critical to the success of Relay For Life activities. It will not only positively impact the event, but can also be a valuable personal experience. Data shows that regardless of their skill level, Relay For Life staff and volunteers could benefit from training including conflict management, delegation, long-range planning, fundraising, Society information, and the volunteer/staff partnership. The New England Relay For Life Business Unit and New England Relay For Life Task Force are committed to meeting your needs as the frontline leadership and support of these community events. Please talk to your staff partner about ways we can provide support and trainings for your local committee. Improving the volunteer/staff partnership model is key for productive working relationships. Data shows the most successful Relay leaders have a solid understanding of their roles and those of others. This same data demonstrates the strongest influence on an event’s success appears to be the Relay co-chairs. We will use this data to develop trainings and resources to strengthen the volunteer/staff partnership and develop leadership skills for event chairs.
We will strengthen leadership development throughout New England with a focus on: Committee structures Building a team based culture Volunteer recruitment & training The volunteer/staff partnership
In the following section, we have provided helpful tools and resources for event chairs and co- chairs to review as they begin to plan for their Relay For Life events. Also please see the appendix for additional resources including, Organizational Contacts for Possible Volunteer Recruitment page 95, and Working the Track, page 97.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Planning Benchmarks When beginning to plan your Relay For Life, it is important to develop a timeline. This gives your committee a plan, a focus, and an idea about the process necessary to coordinate a successful event. Keep in mind your timeline will be unique to your community and your event. Here are some benchmarks that need to be included in your timeline.
11 to 12 months before event Recruit and train event chairperson(s). Finalize date, time, and location of event. Secure site. Hold a committee retreat Set event goals, including number of teams, survivors, luminaria, and more. Hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary. (Please see page 74 for more information on Relay rallies.) Develop a corporate partnership plan, including sponsors, teams, in-kind, and underwriting. Share Mission Education priorities and information.
10 to 11 months before event Continue to secure corporate partners. Event chair and staff partner work together on committee recruitment and development. Develop subcommittee timelines. Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
9 to 10 months before event Hold first leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Reviewing previous year's event; referring back to wrap-up notes and team and sponsor lists from the previous year Setting goals and timelines Determining vacancies and assigning roles of committee members Educating the committee about the American Cancer Society Choosing an honorary chairperson You can also hold a separate Committee Retreat to cover all the above items more in-depth or as an opportunity for everyone on the committee to get to know one another. The New England Division Task Force and Training Team volunteers are available to assist with your retreat- ask your staff partner for more information. Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
8 to 9 months before event Hold second leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Committee recruitment and development (Please see page 28 for more details.) A team development plan (Please see pages 38-40 for more information.) Begin planning a kickoff. Set date, time, and location. (More information on Relay kickoffs on page 76.) Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 7 to 8 months before event Hold third leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Team development plan and rallies Finalizing plans for the kickoff Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
6 to 7 months before event Hold fourth leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Team development plan and rallies Corporate partnership plan Publicity Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
5 to 6 months before event Hold fifth leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Development of kickoff program and materials Publicity Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
4 to 5 months before event Hold event kickoff. (Please see page 76 for more information on kickoffs.) Hold sixth leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Team development plan Survivor development plan Entertainment and activities Plans for food and refreshment in-kind donations Publicity Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
3 to 4 months before event Hold seventh leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Team recruitment benchmark: 50% of Relay teams committed Survivor recruitment benchmark: 25% of survivor victory lap participants committed Publicity Any approaching deadlines All ceremonies Hold first team captain meeting. Focus on … Contents of the Team Captain Packet Role of the Team Captain & Team Goal setting Registration and T-shirt deadlines Online Fundraising Tool Fundraising ideas (individual, team, and day of event options) Fundraising Club & Incentive program information American Cancer Society mission education and advocacy update
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 2 to 3 months before event Hold eighth leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Team recruitment – confirmations Publicity Opening and closing ceremonies Hold second team captain meeting. Focus on … More fundraising ideas Incentive program information Team development American Cancer Society mission education and advocacy update Questions and answers Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
1 to 2 months before event Hold ninth leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Team recruitment benchmark: 100% of Relay teams committed Survivor recruitment benchmark: 50% of survivor participants committed Updates and last minute issues from all subcommittees Hold third team captains’ meeting. Focus on … Onsite fundraising ideas Fundraising Club & Incentive program information Review Bank Night Logistics/Expectations American Cancer Society mission education and advocacy update Questions and answers Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies as necessary.
2 weeks before event Hold tenth leadership committee meeting. Focus on … Confirming all commitments Tying up loose ends
1 to 3 weeks before event Hold bank day/nights- be sure to include t-shirt distribution. Hold a Chaperone meeting and a Youth Team Captain meeting
EVENT TIME: Your Relay For Life! Work the Track- make sure that every team gets a visit from a committee members or ACS staff member. Having a plan to “Work the Track” allows you to… Thank every team for their participation and hard work! Recruit new committee members from interested Team Captains, Participants and Survivors Take action on any items that might need to be corrected during the event. Thank and recognize your top teams, top individuals and sponsors. More information on Working the Track is available in the Appendix on page 97.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 2 to 3 weeks after event Hold wrap-up meeting for team captains. Focus on … Celebrating success Handing out incentive program prizes Assessing the event – what went well, what needs to change in the future Recognition and thank-yous Discuss next year’s event: date, time, location Hold wrap-up meeting for leadership committee. Focus on … Celebrating success Assessing the event (including feedback received from Team Captains) Look at positives and improvements for next year Remember recognition and thank-yous Transition plan for chairs and co chairs Discuss next year’s event: date, time, location
While these benchmarks are a great reference for American Cancer Society Relay For Life events, they are generic and basic. Feel free to make changes and additions to them according to the needs of your individual Relay For Life.
Leadership Committee Recruitment and Development The American Cancer Society is volunteer-driven. The success of everything we do is a result of recruiting and developing volunteers who are enthusiastic, dedicated, and goal-oriented. The success of Relay For Life is no different. When planning your Relay, it’s important to assess your committee. Consider questions such as … Are the people we have representative of the community? Do we need more volunteers to coordinate the event? Are the volunteers enthusiastic and hardworking? Are some of them well connected in the community? Will the volunteers be able to give us the time we need from them? Do we have cancer survivors on the committee?
The planning of your Relay For Life is made easier and more meaningful when you have a strong committee and subcommittees behind you. It affords you more creativity, helps further reflect your community ’s distinctiveness, brings in more people to form teams and volunteer, reaches more people in your community who have been touched by cancer, and shares the work among many.
Relay Recommendations for Leadership Development Use of key data benchmarks for the Relay can assist your planning. Benchmark reports, also known as scorecards, are available from your staff partner. Established events have a transition plan for leadership committee positions. A two-year term limit for all chairs is recommended. What is your transition plan? It is recommended you hold at least three team captains’ meetings, with one or two bank nights, depending on the size of your Relay. Successful Relay For Life events begin to hold community-based rallies 10-12 months prior to the actual event
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Developing Your Relay For Life Leadership Committee The size of your Relay For Life committee will depend on many factors, including the size of your Relay and the number of years your Relay has been held. Keep in mind, with more people on your committee, not only will there be less work for everyone, but also more potential contacts for teams, survivors, and sponsors, as well as the opportunity to continue to develop Relay volunteer leaders.
Relay Recommendations for Committee Development Each leadership chairperson should enter into a partnership agreement with the event chair and event staff partner to review appropriate roles and expectations. Each leadership chairperson should be trained. Each leadership chairperson should recruit a subcommittee of 2-4 people to support the success of his or her designated area of Relay. Each member of the leadership committee should assist in the recruitment of teams. Plan ahead for next year by recruiting leadership committee and subcommittee volunteers at your Relay For Life event! Leadership committee structures can vary – some events have chairs and co-chairs and others have tri-chairs. Organize the committee the way that works best for your community. Additional resources for subcommittee development are available through your staff partner. New England Division recommends a minimum of two survivors on the leadership committee and subcommittees. A gold standard to reach for is at least four survivors on the committee and subcommittees.
Below is a list of the leadership committee positions you will need for a successful Relay event. If you do not have enough people to fill all the roles, some people may volunteer to fill more than one position. Successful Relay For Life events have a committee structure that consists of active subcommittees for each area of the event. Remember subcommittees with several members are more productive than those with just a chairperson. When the work is shared among many subcommittee members, the whole committee will achieve more.
Event chairperson/co-chair(s) Team recruitment chairperson Team retention chairperson Survivor recruitment chairperson Survivor retention chairperson Publicity chairperson Logistics chairperson Registration/Accounting chairperson Corporate Partnership chairperson Luminaria chairperson Entertainment and activities chairperson Kids Care/Youth activities chairperson Ceremonies chairperson Mission education chairperson Advocacy chairperson Online fundraising chairperson
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Sample Relay For Life Leadership Committee Organizational Chart This flowchart represents a best practice organizational chart, showing both the growth and production sides. The positions shaded in gray indicate a best practice for expansion into multiple sub-committees within a development area. Please check with your staff partner for state and local organizational charts as they may differ.
Relay Co-Chair-Growth ACS Staff Partner Relay Co-Chair- Production Business/Org Leader Event Planner Visonary, Motivator, Planner Motivator, Delegator Visonary, Motivator, Delegator Organizer, Communicator Good Communicator Organizer, Creative, Planner
CORPORATE TEAM RECRUITMENT CHAIR CEREMONIES CHAIR LOGISTICS CHAIR PARTNERSHIP CHAIR Sales or Recruitment Guru Event/Program Manager Project/Event Managers Business/Org Leader Supportive, Accessible, Motivator Organized, Impactful, Meaningful Organized, Detailed, Persistant, Passionate, Motivator Compelling, Passionate Good Communicator Communicator, Connected
MISSION CHAIR TEAM RETENTION CHAIR ACTIVITIES & LUMINARIA CHAIR Health Care Representative Sales or Recruitment Guru ENTERTAINMENT CHAIR Sales/Program Manager Compassionate, Sensitive Supportive, Accessible, DJ/Entertainers/Teachers Creative, Marketing, Impact Knowledgeable, Motivator Knowledgeable, Motivator Creative, Organized, Fun Sensitive, Compassionate
SURVIVORSHIP CHAIR ONLINE CHAIR ACCOUNTING & FOOD & HOSPITALITY CHAIR Health Care Rep/Activities Coord Technology Related Expert REGISTRATION CHAIR Hotel/Catering Manager Knowledgeable, Understanding Organized, Accessible, Available Accountant/Bankers Impactful, Meaningful, Creative, Point of Contact Creative, Collaborative Detailed, Organized Good Communicator, Creative
ADVOCACY CHAIR PUBLICITY CHAIR Voter/Activist/Ambassador Media Contact Passionate, Understanding Compelling, Passionate Good Communiator, Organizer Creative, Responsible
Note: Each Committee Chair can create an additional subcommittee to help accomplish the goals. The addition of subcommittees will help Maximize the Potential of the committee while creating a succession plan for each committee position.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Committee Structure and Responsibilities Event chair/co-chairs Receives training/orientation from staff Reviews Leadership Handbook Completes partnership agreement with staff Along with staff partner, determines the goals for the event, including the number of teams needed to reach monetary goal, and establishes event date and times Recruits leadership committee and subcommittee chairs Monitors progress of subcommittees to ensure that tasks are completed Facilitates Relay For Life committee meetings; creates agenda and distributes meeting minutes Acts as event spokesperson where needed Helps with team recruitment and sponsorship where needed Writes correspondence, including event thank-you notes, with staff partner as needed
Team development chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings Recruits subcommittee members, with focus on retention, recruitment, recognition, and mentoring Coordinates team development subcommittee meetings Sets goal for number of teams with chair/co-chairs and staff partner Assigns team retention subcommittee members contacts for last year's teams Works with team recruitment subcommittee to develop potential teams list Holds community-based Relay rallies in various locations to recruit new teams Working with subcommittee, ensures that team captain communication plan is followed May work with staff partner and/or the publicity chair to develop newsletters Coordinates Relay For Life kickoff and all team captains’ meetings and mentoring Sends out appropriate thank-you letters and develops recognition plan for teams
Survivorship chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members with a focus on recruitment, retention, day-of activities and year-round engagement Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Coordinates Survivor development subcommittee meetings Recruits cancer survivors to participate in Relay and other Society survivorship activities throughout the year Together with the local staff partner, coordinates sending invitations to survivors Plans cancer survivor ceremony, survivors’ lap, and survivor recognition activities Manages cancer survivors' registration at event, and also insures complete data Recruits day-of volunteers to assist with activities
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Publicity chair Receives training/orientation from chair, staff partner, and/or local communications staff Reviews Leadership Handbook and Relay For Life Publicity Volunteer Guidebook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Coordinates media potentials list with local communications staff Writes and submits local Relay For Life stories and updates to local media outlets Places follow-up calls to media to encourage coverage Works with committee and/or volunteers to distribute posters and flyers Works with staff and team recruitment chair to develop newsletters Provides newsletter content to online chair for posting on fundraising site Thanks media outlets who provided coverage/support for the event Works with staff to determine needs for the printing of all signage for the event; e.g., signs for major sponsors, thank-yous, and underwriters
Logistics chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Requests authorization to use facility rent-free and secures paperwork Arranges for all material needs (tables, chairs, flatbed, tents, etc.) Recruits volunteers for setup and takedown Walks through location for exact placement of logistical support, medical, committee headquarters, etc. Works with team development and registration chairs to determine team campsite layout Transports material and sets up site on the day of the event Arranges restroom and shower facilities, sound system, and lighting if needed Arranges first-aid station and setup Recruits necessary medical personnel Sets up water stations
Registration/accounting chair Receives specialized finance training/orientation from staff partner and ensures all day-of registration and finance volunteers are also properly trained. Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Works with team recruitment and online chairs to ensure that each team registers with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all team members Recruits volunteers to assist with collecting donations and awarding incentive prizes Works with logistics to ensure all registered teams are assigned a campsite Recruits and trains day-of volunteers for Bank Night(s) and day-of for greeting, registration and donation processing
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Works with staff partner to create an efficient and effective system for processing day-of registrations
Luminaria chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Arranges luminaria ceremony (music, speakers, etc.) Obtains donated luminaria materials (candles, bags, sand, lighters, permanent markers) Works with publicity committee to produce luminaria flyer and distributes around the community to encourage pre-sales Arranges to sell luminaria at other community events or through other venues prior to Relay Recruits volunteers to sell luminaria at the event Works with sponsorship chair to secure underwriting for luminaria ceremony Works with Publicity committee to promote the ceremony to the public Thanks all luminaria ceremony speakers and entertainers
Entertainment and activities chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Secures music for both days of the Relay Works with logistics/facilities to set up public address system Coordinates on stage entertainment Arranges for games and entertainment for all constituent groups—kids, high school students, seniors Secures other activities; e.g., massage therapist, clowns, aerobics, midnight madness activities, country line dancing, volleyball, and movie tent Works with mission education chair to schedule and conduct educational activities Solicits small prizes from local businesses to present to contest winners throughout the event Thanks all entertainment/activity performers and donors
Volunteer recruitment chair Receives training/orientation from Relay For Life chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Works with all subcommittees to determine their volunteer needs for the day of Relay, schedule volunteers and provide appropriate training Finds additional volunteers to work at the event as volunteer recruiters for other American Cancer Society programs and services Ensures appropriate follow-up of recruited and prospective volunteers
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Mission education chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits additional sub-committee members to assist with Mission education and Fight Back activities. Attends all Leadership Committee and Team Captain Meetings as needed Provides year-round Mission education messages & activities through the Relay (this includes pre-event activities, such as Committee meetings, Team Captain meetings, & Kickoff; as well as Day-of activities and post-event wrap-up). Works with Team Development Chair to engage teams in Mission and Fight Back messaging at Relay through campsites activities/team themes, etc. Works with Advocacy & Entertainment Chair to implement the Fight Back ceremony and Mission messages at Relay (Podium Announcements, Track signs, etc) “Works the Track” on the day of the event to identify teams and individuals to engage in mission education and Fight Back activities at Relay, and year-round. Evaluates the mission education and Fight Back activities and shares accordingly. Recognizes the contributions of those who worked throughout the year to make mission education a priority.
Advocacy chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or government relations staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee members Attends all Leadership Committee and Team Captain Meetings as needed Plans and implements American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) member recruitment at committee and team captain meetings Creates an I CAN page for recruitment through blast emails Plans and manages advocacy and Fight Back activities that provide Relay participants with information on Society advocacy initiatives by recruiting, educating, and empowering other volunteers Provides advocacy updates at Relay committee meetings and in the Walk Talk newsletters Recruits volunteers to assist with advocacy and Fight Back activities Coordinates advocacy awareness and recruitment at Relay For Life Invites and manages relationships with elected officials with direction from Government Relations staff Works with the Mission Education and Entertainment/Ceremonies Chairs to plan and implement the Fight Back ceremony Evaluates advocacy and Fight Back activities
Online fundraising chair Receives training/orientation from Relay For Life chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook and Online Fundraising Manual Attends committee and team captain meetings to promote tool and answer online questions Recruits subcommittee members Manages fundraising Web site and promotion of it
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Sends blast emails to past and current team captains Pulls reports for the registration, team development, luminaria and volunteer committee chairs Updates website text and photos regularly throughout Relay season Utilizes social networking such as facebook, twitter and Linkin to promote their website and Relay
Corporate partnership chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or Division Online trainer Reviews Leadership Handbook and Online Fundraising Manual Recruits subcommittee members for recruitment, retention and recognition Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed Develops list of and solicits potential sponsors and underwriters Contacts and secures last year's sponsors In partnership with the event chair(s), sets goal for sponsorship income (10to 11% to cover Relay expenses) If applicable, solicits donors for food items for the event Sends out appropriate thank-you letters
Kids Care/Youth Activities chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner Reviews Leadership Handbook Recruits subcommittee volunteers for team recruitment, retention, and recognition Attends all leadership committee and team captain meetings as needed When possible, works through local school system and youth groups to conduct pre-event activities to promote Kids Care and cancer awareness Works with mission education subcommittee to create and implement educational games/activities If applicable creates a Kids Care team recruitment flyer and team captain packet; as well as coordinates the creation of a t-shirt design, if applicable Works with registration and accounting chairs to arrange for Kids Care team information session, sign-up, bank night & t-shirt distribution Works with entertainment chair to solicit and schedule events/activities Works with logistics chair for location and materials needed Works with volunteer recruitment chair for day-of assistance with activity stations
Ceremonies chair Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff. Reviews Leadership Handbook. Recruits, orients and trains sub-committee. Works with Event Chair and Survivor Chair to plan Opening Ceremony. Works with Event Chair to plan Closing Ceremony. Works with Luminaria Chair to plan Luminaria Ceremony. Works with Advocacy and Mission Education Chairs to plan the Fight Back Ceremony.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Coordinates music, speakers, and performers for all ceremonies. Works with the logistics chair to coordinate logistical needs. Post event, thanks all speakers & performers and sub-committee members
Honorary chair Works closely with the event chair/co-chairs and the staff partner Acts as spokesperson Attends opening ceremony, closing, and/or luminaria ceremony Writes inspirational story for team packets Attends kickoff May be a cancer survivor or a caregiver
Staff partner Provides leadership chairs with training opportunities Works with chair(s) to develop goals, timeline, and event plan Works closely with event chair(s) to ensure committee development and event planning Works with chair(s) on creation of meeting agendas, meeting notices, and minutes as needed Educates committee about the American Cancer Society Works with and follows up with leadership committee and/or subcommittees regularly Produces team captain packets for kickoff Obtains certificate of insurance Orders Relay For Life materials, T-shirts, and incentive awards
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Volunteer Opportunities Volunteer recruitment: Things to consider The American Cancer Society relies on volunteers to carry out its programs and services. Without a strong volunteer base, the American Cancer Society’s mission to prevent cancer and to diminish suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service would be impossible to accomplish.
How can your Relay For Life committee help with volunteer recruitment? Recruitment should include these important steps:
First step: Assess your needs Knowing the existing needs and recruiting to meet those needs is not only beneficial for you and the American Cancer Society, but also for the person you are asking to volunteer. Work with your staff partner to identify the areas where volunteers are needed. Does your community have a need for more Road to Recovery drivers, or are you looking to expand your Relay For Life committee or subcommittees?
Second step: Develop and implement a recruitment plan Relay For Life is a venue to meet new people who care about cancer and are helping to find cures, all of whom are potential volunteers. It is also unique in that you will have repeated contact with team captains and participants – at meetings, kickoffs, and at the Relay itself.
Third step: Recruit volunteers and share roles and responsibilities Articulate the local need, and as a volunteer, share your perspective with those who may be considering involvement. Your staff partner can help you share information about volunteer roles and responsibilities and about American Cancer Society programs and services. Be clear on expectations of the roles.
While Relay For Life is a special opportunity to honor and celebrate those from your community who are surviving cancer, it is also a wonderful time to engage survivors in volunteer opportunities with the American Cancer Society. One important tool is the survivor registration form, which asks survivors who attend Relay if they’re interested in learning more about volunteering. Be sure to assign specific committee members to share information on volunteer opportunities with the survivors who attend. If someone expresses interest, your staff partner will give the person’s name and contact information to other staff members. Remember, survivors aren’t the only ones we hope to recruit as new volunteers. Caregivers and other Relay participants are also encouraged to get involved!
Get to know Relay participants and corporate sponsors. Through your conversations, learn about people’s interests and potential skills. Look at the list of volunteer opportunities. Does someone on your list have the qualifications that meet one of your community’s needs?
Relay Recommendation for Volunteer Opportunities Take time to find the right fit for each specific role. It will be worth the investment of time. Recruit people by personality type for each position. (See page 96 in the appendix to learn more)
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Team Development: The Key to Relay Success
Team Development is the key to any successful Relay For Life Event. NO TEAMS = NO RELAY. First year events should focus on two areas; Team Development and the celebration of Survivorship. All events should focus on teams, specifically recruitment and retention. Get teams around the track!
Team Development Recommendations and Benchmarks Before your committee members begin team recruitment, consider the following time frame for team development responsibilities: 10 to 11 months before event Recruit separate subcommittees to cover recruitment, retention, mentoring, and recognition. Develop a blitz/recruitment strategy including a goal for number of teams Provide publicity and online chair with team specific information (registration deadline, kickoff and rally dates) for the Walk Talk newsletter and for posting to the online website Hold recruitment/informational rallies
8 to 9 months before event Develop and prepare team captain packets with staff partner Hold team captain reunion for last year’s top 10 teams Organize a list of previous team captains (go back at least two years) and begin making contacts for commitment Develop a team prospect list for new recruits. At a committee meeting, dedicate 30 minutes to a “Team Recruitment Wheel” exercise; this will help in creating a team prospect list. Make sure these potentials are invited to the kickoff. Divide the list among volunteers (don’t forget the planning committee) who have contacts and are willing to serve as “account representatives” If your Relay covers multiple towns/communities, develop a town coordinator program as part of your team recruitment strategy Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies Assign team mentors to new team captains
6 to 7 months before event “Account representatives” report on the status of their contacts Continue making contact with past and new prospects to seek commitments Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies Develop kickoff invitation and mailing list from names collected at informational rallies Assign mentors to new team captains
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 5 to 6 months before event Mail kickoff invitation to past team captains, participants, survivors and sponsors Prepare agenda for kickoff Continue making contact with past and new prospects to seek commitments Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies Send out newsletter (Walk Talk) and use Relay Online to communicate with team captains and, continue to assign team mentors to new team captains
4 to 5 months before event Call potential team captains (those who attended rallies) to remind them about the kickoff Host kickoff Continue to hold recruitment or informational rallies Assign team mentors to new team captains
3 to 4 months before event Continue making contacts and obtaining commitments Distribute posters and brochures throughout community Follow up with kickoff attendees to thank them for attending Contact those not at the kickoff to obtain their commitment and send them materials Assign team mentors to new team captains Hold first team captain meeting 50% of teams should now be registered
2 to 3 months before event Hold second team captain meeting Share fundraising tips and encourage each participant to raise at least $100 Assign team mentors to new team captains Continue making contacts and getting commitments Early registration deadline
1 to 2 months before event Hold third team captain meeting Encourage Team Fundraisers and get teams to start thinking about their On-Site Fundraiser Send out newsletter (Walk Talk) and use Relay Online to communicate with team captains Assign mentors to new team captains Continue making contacts and obtaining commitments Follow up with team captains to check on progress, remind them of deadlines, promote matching funds, etc. 100% of teams should be registered
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 1 to 3 weeks before event Hold fourth team captain meeting Hold bank night Hold a Chaperone meeting and/or Youth Team Captain meeting
At your Relay For Life Hold team captain meeting 30 minutes prior to start of event to make last minute announcements Work the Track: Visit campsites thanking team captains and participants for attending and ask if they are interested in joining the committee next year Assist logistics and/or registration in helping teams find their campsites Hold team captain meeting after luminaria to review the schedule and guidelines for overnight activities
3 to 4 weeks after event Send thank-you letter to team captains Send out newsletter (Walk Talk) and use Relay Online to communicate with team captains Hold a team captain wrap-up to celebrate success and pass out incentive prizes Turn in all worksheets, checklists, team registration form, etc., to your staff partner Relax!
Team Development Committee Teams are a critical component of a successful Relay For Life! The team development committee should have four areas of focus – recruitment of new teams, retention of past teams, team recognition, and team mentoring. This committee structure has proven to be the most successful structure to grow teams at Relay For Life Events across the nation.
Team development chair The team development chair should ensure each of the above subcommittees have a substantial number of committee members since Team Development is a focus of any Relay. It is suggested that you have at least one team retention committee member for every 10 teams that you want to return (ex. You had 40 teams at your event last year; you should have a minimum of four team retention committee members to re-contact and re-sign those teams.) You should also have one Team Recruitment committee member for every five new teams that you want to recruit (ex. You want to add 20 new teams to your event; you should have a minimum of four team recruitment committee members to recruit those new teams.)
No teams, no Relay…the more people you have out there getting your teams to come to the event, the more successful you will be. Remember, the more people you involve, the greater our chance of educating people about the American Cancer Society and its mission. Make sure you recruit team development volunteers who are familiar with working in the community; talking to businesses, schools, faith-based institutions, etc. Our goal is to engage as many people in the fight against cancer as possible.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
The Subcommittees Team Recruitment This subcommittee is solely responsible for recruiting new teams. This subcommittee should develop a plan to recruit the appropriate number of volunteer team recruiters to “knock on doors” and get teams recruited for the event. More teams equal a more successful Relay. Relay For Life kickoff’s (which are events used to recruit teams) fall under this committee.
Team Retention The team retention subcommittee is responsible for contacting and re-recruiting teams who have participated in your event in the past (if you are a first year event, your team development committee will focus on team recruitment and recognition of teams and team members). Strong team retention is a key success factor for Relay. This subcommittee develops a strong plan to contact past teams and make sure they come back. Never assume that a veteran team will come back on its own, and do not forget to contact teams who participated in the past but maybe not last year!
This subcommittee is also responsible for planning and holding all team captain meetings—we recommend at least three meetings throughout the year. Team captain meetings are the best way to share information about the Relay, recognize successes of teams to date, reemphasize the importance of fundraising, and motivate teams about the upcoming Relay. Team captain meetings need to be fun, interesting and each one different, so people will want to attend. The subcommittee works with team captains to ensure they know what their team is to do before and during the event. This subcommittee should help coordinate the Relay kickoff with the team recruitment chair as well as coordinate bank night(s) along with the accounting and registration chair.
Team Recognition The team recognition subcommittee will develop a plan that ensures teams receive recognition for their efforts. This may include fundraising club, incentive programs, awards, and special recognition laps. Recognition should also be woven into the event wrap-up celebration and the following year’s kickoff.
Team Mentoring This subcommittee is responsible for staying in touch with and working with teams once they are recruited (especially new teams). Team mentoring involves staying in contact with team captains and making sure they are progressing with the recruitment of their entire team, ensuring team fundraising is progressing, following up with those who miss a team captain meeting, and sharing ideas on team fundraising. These mentoring activities are conducted by phone calls, meetings and emails. The team mentoring subcommittee is the important link to team success between the time the team is recruited and the event. It is often helpful to invite past, experienced team captains to serve on your committee to mentor new teams.
We would like to challenge you to develop a plan for team development for your Relay, with a focus on three areas: Committee structure: By sharing the responsibility of team development with as many people as possible, it will be easier to reach our goals. Venues for recruitment: Opening up the number of venues from which we recruit will help to ensure Relay growth.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Retention of teams: Retaining as many teams as possible, with the goal of an 80% retention rate, will make it easier for the recruitment committee to reach their overall team goal. In addition, returning teams raise more money than new teams.
Relay Recommendations for Team Development Hold at least three team captain meetings. (See page 79 for details on team captain meetings.) Encourage teams to turn in money as it is raised. Hold one or two bank nights, depending on the size of your Relay (See page 79 for details.) Contact team captains monthly via newsletters, emails, or phone calls. Hold a team captain wrap-up celebration. Conduct a brainstorming recruitment session at every committee meeting. Hold a mapping session with several committee members. (Ask your staff partner for more information on community mapping.) The Team Development Chair will act as a clearinghouse for all team leads.
Recruiting Team Captains Whom to recruit Team captains are an essential part of Relay For Life. They are your link to all participants who raise funds for the event. When recruiting team captains, know that an effective team captain: Believes in the American Cancer Society and its mission Has a passion for the cause Is enthusiastic, dedicated, and organized Is not afraid of fundraising and understands its importance Is respected and well connected in the company /organization if captain of a company team
Survivors, caregivers, and family members who have lost a loved one to cancer are often eager to get involved in Relay For Life. Invite them to channel their energy and honor that person’s memory or survival through their efforts.
Once you know the type of person to recruit, you must be sure each one understands his or her responsibilities. Nationwide focus groups showed that top team captains viewed their role as: Building a team: Actively recruiting people who will be an asset to the team, not just posting information and waiting for people to sign up. Having a vision/plan: Helping to set ambitious goals and serving as an example to the team. Communicating with the team: Offering encouragement, answering questions, and ensuring that each member raises a minimum of $100. Motivating and encouraging team members: Challenging them, fostering a competitive spirit and a desire to be number one, and thanking people throughout the process. Attending meetings: Kickoff, team captain meetings, and bank night(s). Publicizing: Displaying posters and brochures throughout workplaces and neighborhoods. Making it fun: Creating a team theme to make sure that all team members enjoy their time preparing for and participating in the Relay.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 In addition, the team captain must also: Be sure the commitment/registration fee is paid by participants or a team sponsor by the deadline date. Seek matching funds from their businesses and ask their participants to do the same. Refer new teams. Be enthusiastic!
How to recruit People recruit people. One of the major areas of focus for the Team Development subcommittee is to recruit team captains. The entire leadership committee should be involved in team recruitment, with the team recruitment subcommittee focusing specifically on organizing team recruitment efforts.
Step 1: Contact all teams from the previous year's Relay. A team retention subcommittee member should be assigned to each of the previous year's teams. Thank them for their participation last year and ask them if they are planning to participate again. If yes, inform them of the meeting dates and get them team materials. If no, try to determine why. Is the Team Captain stepping down and no one is stepping up? If so, ask if members may be interested in joining another team. Make sure they have contact information in case they decide to join later.
Step 2: Brainstorm ideas for new teams at every leadership committee meeting. Consider all companies, houses of worship, hospitals/clinics, schools, clubs, etc., in the community. Then go through each of those individually and divide them up among committee members who have contacts or relationships already established with people in those organizations. For those places where no personal relationship is already formed, assign a member from the team recruitment subcommittee. A great tool to use for this activity is the personal team recruitment wheel and worksheet, found on page 98.
When making the initial contact, committee members must know about the commitment. Make sure they know what is required of a team captain, and important dates, such as those for the kickoff, rally and team captain meetings. The committee member is not seeking a definite commitment (although that would be great), but is seeking someone interested in fighting cancer to attend a rally and/or kickoff to learn more about the event. Our underlying intention is that they will find the cause so important, and the event so fun, that they will agree to serve as a team captain. Make sure that committee members and team captains understand the efforts made by the American Cancer Society and its progress in the fight against cancer.
Step 3: Once a team captain has made a commitment to participate in Relay For Life, make sure that you follow the team captain communications plan, found on page 18. Remember, it is not the job of the team recruitment chair to be in contact with all teams. By assigning mentors from the subcommittee, you will ensure that each team will have a dedicated volunteer to help them.
Steps to team captain recruitment Before making any calls or visits, make sure you are in a positive frame of mind. Remember to smile and be assertive and confident. You are offering the opportunity to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Following these 10 steps can help ensure Relay success.
1. Ask prospective team captain if he or she has five minutes.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 2. Tell the person how his or her name was given to you Would your consider joining a team as a walker? Do you know someone who might be interested in a team captain role? Do you know anyone who might be interested in sponsoring the Relay? Would you be interested in another aspect of the Relay? 3. If the answer is yes, ask … What is the best time to meet with you and/or others from your organization? Let them know that the presentation will take only 15-20 minutes. Do you know anyone else who might be interested? (See if the person would be willing to make an introductory call for you or if you can use their names as a referral) Invite the person to the next scheduled rally, kickoff or team captain meeting. 4. If the person says he or she needs to think about it, or will check around, ask when would be a good time to check back. Be specific about a follow-up time. Ask if they have any questions about the American Cancer Society or the event, and invite them to a rally or event kickoff to get more information. 5. Always thank the person, no matter the outcome. 6. Follow up with a letter or thank-you card, no matter the outcome. 7. Make the team “official” by collecting their registration/commitment fee.
The team commitment fee is $10 per person. Teams are encouraged to have between 8-15 members and those that are larger than 15 should be encouraged to split into two teams. This not only increases fundraising and competitiveness, but also maintains better communication between team captain and their teammates. Registration fees for company-sponsored teams may be paid for by an employer.
What constitutes a Relay For Life Team? This seems like a simple question. However, there is a big difference between a Relay For Life team and a potential Relay For Life team. A team is a group of 8-15 people who complete team and individual registration, pay a team registration/commitment fee and whose team captain attends at least one team captain meeting – this constitutes ONE team. Each team member is to raise a minimum of $100 in donations for the event; this is the national recommendation and is expected from all members. A potential Relay For Life team is a group of people who are considering a team but have not yet committed by completing their registration or paying their registration fees.
Relay Recommendations for Team Recruitment Relay For Life is a family event – encourage company teams to include their families. At a company, ask to speak at a staff meeting. Set committee goals for number of new and returning teams. A team is not considered “official” until the commitment/registration fee is paid. Set an early registration deadline. Offer an incentive or a drawing for all teams that pay their registration fee by that date. Please see the appendix for more information on recruiting Team Captains including the Team Recruitment Wheel Worksheet, page 98. Please appendix page 100 for more information on the Society’s National Team Program.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Team Retention Recommendations There are several things you can do to increase the likelihood of past teams returning: Look at the teams list and prioritize teams based on past performance. Determine those that are high priorities; those are your top 10 teams or any team that raises over $2,000. Contact these teams first to get their commitment for this year. Continue calling all past teams to determine their participation. Develop a plan for year round communication for all past teams, with a special focus on cultivating high priority teams. This plan should include Walk Talks and emails from Relay Online, if applicable. Research potential teams from larger entities last year and recommend they host multiple teams for this year event (i.e. multiple departments from within a company, multiple classes from within a faith-based institution). Recruit teams year-round and begin securing past teams no later than January on a traditional Relay cycle. Encourage teams to include cancer survivors and caregivers on their teams. Challenge teams to recruit new teams. Offer incentives to reward teams—early campsite selection, Relay goodies, or items or gift cards donated by local businesses. Be creative on recognition ideas: consider printing certificates or finding small giveaways and awarding them at team meetings for things like most money raised to date, registrations turned in early or on-time, recruiting the most teams, etc.
This subcommittee is also responsible for team captain meetings. Please see page 79 for more information about Team Captain meetings as well as the appendix pgs. 103-104 for sample Team Captain meeting agendas.
Team Recognition Team Recognition manages recognition and awards for teams and individuals. It’s important teams are thanked and awarded for their participation. Here are some ideas on recognizing teams (more ideas are available from your staff partner): Personal Messaging: Sending hand-written thank you notes and holiday cards are great ways to recognize your captains. Top team captains from across the country identified hand written messages as one of the most motivating forms of recognition they liked receiving. Verbal Face to Face/Verbal in Front of Peers: Thanking captains face to face verbally is also very important. Whether you run into a captain at the grocery store, football game or at a team captain meeting be sure to acknowledge them and thank them for all they are doing. Thanking and recognizing your team captains in front of their team, their employees/employers or other team captains when the opportunity presents itself is important. Gifts: Small tokens of appreciation are a nice way to recognize Captains. Please ask your staff partner for information on placing an order for these items. Awards: In addition to your other team awards where the Captain is recognized for their leadership skills – Most Spirited Team, Highest Fund Raising Team, etc…- consider instituting a couple of team captain awards: An example could be to recognize captains for
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 their number of years participating. Doing so with some fanfare is a GREAT way to draw attention to these wonderful leaders! Incentives: Not just for captains any more…offering incentives to captains and participants to recruit new teams and increase team fundraising levels are important and a great way to recognize their efforts. Ask your staff partner for more information on placing an order for these items. Leadership Opportunities: One of the most important ways to recognize our captains for their hard work and dedication is to ask them to share their expertise on the event planning committee. Captains display incredible leadership abilities. Acknowledging their abilities and passion for the cause by asking them to play a leadership role on the committee is a HUGE honor!
Team Mentoring Below is a recommended communication schedule that subcommittee members or mentors are strongly encouraged to follow when working with team captains. It is designed for the person who has already expressed an interest in being a team captain or is interested in receiving an invitation to the kickoff. Communicate in the manner that best suits each team captain – email, phone, newsletters, and team captain meetings.
First contact – within one week of showing interest Invite them to the next scheduled rally or kickoff. Encourage them to bring others to the rally or kickoff. Some Relays will offer an incentive or drawing linked to attendance. If materials were mailed, ask if they received them or ask if they need materials. Answer any questions.
Second contact – one week after rally or kickoff Thank them for attending the rally or kickoff. Make sure they have distributed Relay materials to team members (packets, posters, etc.). Remind them of deadlines – especially registration details. Invite them to the kickoff, if it has not occurred yet. Ask them for referrals for new team prospects. Answer any questions.
Third contact – one week before first team captain meeting Remind them of impending T-shirt and registration deadlines. Check to see how many are on their team. Remind them of the 15-person limit to be eligible for the fundraising club. Stress the importance of fundraising and each person raising $100 minimum. Ask them if they have enough materials; for example, luminaria forms, collection envelopes, posters, brochures, etc. Thank them. Remind them of the next team captain meeting date. Answer any questions.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Fourth and fifth contacts – one week before second and third team captain meeting Check on fundraising progress. Give them hints or ideas to help raise more money. (Ask your staff partner for the A-Zs of fundraising for ideas.) Answer any logistical questions they may have and let them know what to bring to Relay. Thank them. You cannot do this enough! Remind them of the next team captain meeting date.
Sixth contact – one week after the Relay For Life Thank them for serving as team captain. Invite them to the Wrap Up Celebration. Ask for a commitment for next year. Ask for a referral for a new team for next year. Give them their results. Tell them where they can turn in additional donations.
Mentoring Team Captains Constant communication with your team captains will lead to a successful event. Mentoring reminds team captains of their responsibilities and deadlines, shows them you are there to support them, gives them the chance to ask questions, and gives you the opportunity to find out important information, such as fundraising progress. It also makes them feel important and lets them know we really want them to be a part of this special event.
Relay Recommendations for Mentoring Team mentoring is a great way to educate new team captains and to ensure their questions and concerns are addressed throughout the planning process. Recruit your top team captains and members from previous years to act as mentors for new teams. Ask team captains about the best way to communicate with them: phone, email, or mail. Encourage team captains to call you, as needed, at any time. Develop a relationship with team captains and team members. This will allow you to identify potential new spin-off teams for future growth.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Communicating with Your Committee and Teams Relay For Life Walk Talk newsletters Newsletters, such as Walk Talk, play a vital role in communicating with committee members, team captains, participants, survivors and sponsors. Three Walk Talk newsletters are recommended for each Relay For Life. It is recommended to use one before kick-off, pre-event and one post event.
Newsletters allow you to highlight top teams and to share their stories about why they are joining Relay. Typically, the publicity chair handles the content for the Walk Talk, but committees are asked to submit information for inclusion. Including team stories in newsletters can be a source of pride for teams and help bring them to the next level of fundraising or volunteer involvement. Newsletters also offer an opportunity to distribute information about the mission of the American Cancer Society.
Relay Recommendations for Communicating with Team Captains Newsletter templates are available from your staff partner and can be used as a communication tools with team captains, team members, community collaborators, and sponsors. Communication helps in retention of teams from year to year. You don’t need to mail Walk Talks. Post your Walk Talk newsletters to your online site and providing hard copies at team captain meetings for those teams who don’t use the online tool. Team Captain University Program (TCU) is a great program that is available for your Relay’s team captains. Ask your staff partner about holding a TCU for your local Relay!
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Relay For Life Team Retention Cycle 12 Months
Evaluate teams’ successes (internal/external)
Your Relay For Walk Talk newsletter post event Life event Highlight successes from Relay
Walk Talk newsletter pre event Recruit teams Highlight any last-minute Relay details for Begin prospecting for new team captains and participants. teams and call back past teams for their commitment.
Check-in call from mentor Ask if everything is going well. Assign a new RFL team to a mentor.
Hold a team captain reunion for Attend local trainings on your top teams’ captains. fundraising ideas.
Invite to kickoff Begin holding team Invite all past team captain meetings. captains as well as any potential team captains.
Send thank-you for attending kickoff.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Survivorship Development
Survivor Development is one of the components of Relay and involves the support, recognition, and involvement of survivors and caregivers at Relay Life. Support of survivors and caregivers is an important part of the mission of the American Cancer Society and is at the heart of Relay For Life.
In order for the American Cancer Society to provide the support, information and resources appropriate to the different stages of the cancer experience for survivors and families, we must have an ongoing and evolving relationship with them. Relay For Life provides that portal through which we can reach a broad, diverse base of survivors and caregivers within a community.
Relay For Life provides communities with a unique opportunity to bring cancer survivors and caregivers together for the purpose of: Honoring the hope they symbolize in the cancer journey Sharing important program and service information Creating an opportunity for a year-round engagement with the American Cancer Society.
WHO ARE SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS?
A SURVIVOR One truly starts to survive cancer from the first day of their diagnosis. Therefore, we celebrate our survivors from their first day of battling cancer throughout their life. Many cancer organizations consider a cancer survivor to be anyone who defines himself or herself this way, from the time of diagnosis throughout the balance of his or her life.
A CAREGIVER A caregiver is a family member, friend, loved one, or other support person who lends physical, emotional, or other support to someone at any time during the cancer journey and continues to do so for those who have lost a loved one to cancer.
Survivor Development is one of the “5D” components of Relay and involves the support, recognition, and involvement of survivors and caregivers at Relay For Life and with the American Cancer Society all year long. Support of survivors and caregivers is an important part of the mission of the American Cancer Society and is at the heart of Relay For Life. In order for the American Cancer Society to provide the support, information, and resources appropriate to the different stages of the cancer experience for survivors and families, we must have an ongoing and evolving relationship with them. Relay For Life provides the portal through which we can reach a broad, diverse base of survivors and caregivers within a community.
Relay For Life provides communities with a unique opportunity to bring cancer survivors and caregivers together for the purpose of honoring the hope they symbolize in the cancer journey.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 sharing important program and service information. creating an opportunity for year-round engagement with the American Cancer Society.
Survivorship Subcommittee Position Descriptions Survivor recruitment Understands that cancer survivors are everywhere in your community - newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment or years beyond treatment, old or young, people with special needs or independent, active people. Recruitment efforts should reflect all of these possibilities. With Survivor Development Chair, sets goals for recruitment. Develops a plan to recruit survivors for participation in Relay For Life and all related activities. Works with Publicity chair to develop and implement a publicity and marketing plan for survivor recruitment. Publicity should begin months in advance of event. Works with Corporate Sponsorship chair to promote survivor recruitment through the underwriting/sponsorship packets. Works with Team Development committee to promote survivor involvement on teams, as team captains, in team captain kickoffs/rallies, at team captain meetings etc. Works with Survivorship chair and communicate progress regularly. Ensures that confidentiality is maintained when dealing with survivor data.
Survivor retention For those events past their first year, having someone specifically responsible for establishing and maintaining contact with previous year’s survivors following the event is essential. Works to establish year-round communication through newsletters, notes (thank you notes, holiday cards), invitations to kickoffs, team captain meetings, survivor functions. Invites survivors to become team captains or team members. Invites survivors to volunteer on the Relay planning committee, and/or as American Cancer Society program and service volunteers. Works with other sub committee members to provide opportunities to engage survivors in all that the American Cancer Society has to offer. Works with Relay Survivor Activity Planner to ensure data is captured on all survivors participating in Relay and the privacy statement is signed. This will better ensure accurate information for future communications with survivors. Works with Survivorship chair and communicate progress regularly Ensures that confidentiality is maintained when dealing with survivor data.
Day-of survivor activities Planning person for all survivor components at Relay For life, including caregiver recognition component. Plans for the registration of survivors who participate in the Relay event. Many successful Relays emphasize a pre-registration process whereby survivors can mail their plans for involvement in the event. Collects survivor contact information using registration forms provided by the American Cancer Society.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Submits the information collected through the registration process to American Cancer Society staff within 10 days after the event. Works with the logistics chair to assure the survivor’s tent, the gathering point for survivors and their caregivers, has signage and is in a high traffic area close to the cancer survivor “drop off” area. The survivor’s parking lot should be wheelchair accessible, close to the survivor tent and manned by a volunteer. Plans the survivor lap, caregiver’s lap, and survivor ceremony. Works with entertainment chair to coordinate survivor ceremony components. During the survivor ceremony, recognizes survivors with a special gift item and a T-shirt. Determines how to recognize caregivers. Works with underwriting/sponsorship chair to secure in-kind or cash donations to cover costs associated with survivorship activities. Works with the Year Round Engagement chair to ensure survivors and caregivers are educated on available programs and services. Also promotes resources and services available to assist patients, survivors, families, and caregivers. Works with survivorship chair and communicates progress regularly. Ensures confidentiality is maintained when dealing with survivor data.
Year-round survivor engagement Someone who plans survivor activities and functions throughout the year and provides opportunities for survivors to become engaged in Society programs and services. Plans and implements functions and activities that: o Recognize and honor survivors o Educate survivors on volunteer opportunities o Educate survivors on available programs, services, research efforts, advocacy efforts, National Cancer Information Center 1-800-227-2345, Society website (cancer.org), and cancer survivor’s network o Provide survivors with various opportunities to participate in Society programs and services throughout the year Works with Survivorship chair and communicates progress regularly. Ensures that confidentiality is maintained when dealing with survivor data.
Recruiting Survivors for Relay Cancer survivors are ideal candidates for involvement in your Relay’s leadership committee, survivorship or team recruitment subcommittee, or as day-of-event volunteers. Invite survivors who volunteer with the Society’s patient service programs to get involved with Relay.
Invite survivors who are already involved in your area to… Brainstorm places and methods for recruiting other survivors. Make phone calls to people they know who are survivors, or who have connections with survivors. Speak at support groups and other local survivor gatherings to talk about Relay, the importance of survivor involvement, and how they can help. Write a letter or make a phone call to a support group leader or hospital social worker to ask for their help spreading the word.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Start or join a team. Evaluations have shown that the teams with a survivor connection raise more money than those that do not. Volunteer for other Society programs or services.
The number-one reason why survivors do not further their participation is because we did not ask! Don’t forget to ask for and utilize their expertise!
Survivor Involvement and Activities Here are some activities focusing on survivorship, along with tips on how to get survivors there and how to make them feel extra special.
Involving survivors As you ready for your Relay’s survivor activities, utilize the support of survivors who have participated in previous Relays to help spread the word and share the significance of the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Here are some great ways they can help: Recruit survivors to be on the Relay For Life leadership committee. Personally invite last year's survivors to the event. Challenge teams to invite cancer survivors. With their permission, share survivors’ stories with the local newspaper. Contact local support groups to participate in Relay For Life. The best invitation is by word of mouth.
Lending a hand Using a white bed sheet or large piece of white paper, have Relay For Life participants leave their painted handprints. They can also write their names somewhere in or around their handprints. On the top of the sheet write, “(Community) is Lending a Hand in the Fight Against Cancer.” This banner can be displayed throughout the community and saved for next year's Relay For Life. Larger Relays can collect thumbprints instead of handprints.
Survivor reception Offer a special reception for cancer survivors either before or after the opening ceremony. Make the reception site attractive, with balloons, fresh flowers, music, etc. The best place is under a tent with tables and chairs available. Provide a donated meal, potluck dinner, cheese and crackers, veggies, or a sheet cake for those who attend. Be creative and make it festive!
Survivors’ lap and opening ceremony The cancer survivors' lap around the track is the highlight of the opening ceremony. Encourage all Relay participants to stop what they are doing and gather around to cheer on cancer survivors as they make the first lap. Give each survivor a small token to carry, e.g., flower, candle, sash, or balloon.
Roll out the red carpet Provide survivors with a special gift. Offer your survivors VIP valet parking. Encourage them to invite guests.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Offer a special place to sit. Provide wheelchairs and golf carts, if needed. Have a registration table for cancer survivors to visit when they arrive.
Tips for involving survivors who participate in Relay After Relay, invite survivor participants to an American Cancer Society information night. Provide a speaker on a topic related to survivorship, allow networking time, and advertise volunteer opportunities. Send a thank-you note written by a volunteer survivor to all survivor participants and/or team captains. Send information on new or existing American Cancer Society resources, programs, and upcoming community activities to survivor participants. Invite all survivor participants to your Relay rally and kickoff. Send the local Walk Talk newsletter to survivor participants. Offer various American Cancer Society newsletters to survivor participants. Be creative!
Relay Recommendation for Survivorship Development 1. Encourage survivors to register online. 2. Have a pre-registration process where survivors can mail or turn in their scannable registration forms. 3. Mention survivor activities and registration at every meeting. 4. Put survivor forms, brochures, and posters in local stores, doctor’s offices, oncology centers, gyms, etc. 5. For more ideas for survivor activities, be sure to talk with your staff partner and visit RelayForLife.org.
Heros of Hope The American Cancer Society Relay For Life, New England Division Heroes of Hope initiative will honor cancer survivors and caregivers from across the Division whose work exemplifies the mission of the American Cancer Society by providing them public speaking opportunities to share their American Cancer Society story with others.
Our goal is to provide training that will assist them in publicly sharing their story with local American Cancer Society groups, Relay For Life team captains, Kick-off event participants, survivor groups and at a variety of other engagements. The honorees will be comprised of representatives from each state in the division. These cancer survivors and caregivers show an outstanding commitment to the fight against cancer, by continually offering inspiration through their outstanding presence and significant contribution (time, talents or financial) in their local community through Relay For Life. They exhibit exemplary behavior and inspire hope, courage and determination in the fight to eliminate cancer. Heroes of Hope display a resilient attitude and inspire others to choose a pro-active and positive attitude throughout the cancer journey.
In nominating a cancer survivor or caregiver to be a Hero of Hope, consider their understanding of the mission of the Society and their Relay For Life experience. Heroes should represent a cross- section of society and types of cancer.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 There is a selection process of Heros of Hope. Please talk with your staff partner for more information.
National Survivorship/Relay For Life HOPE Model The National Survivorship Model compliments the vision for Survivor Development here in New England. Please keep this in mind as you form your Survivorship Development Subcommittee. This should serve as a guide for the work they do throughout the Relay season.
Honor Survivors and Caregivers Throughout the Year One of the core values of Relay For Life is the celebration of cancer survivorship and the support of caregivers throughout the cancer journey. Relay For Life honors and celebrates the hope that cancer survivors and caregivers provide to others facing cancer.
Offer Opportunities to Be Further Involved with Relay For Life Translating the energy and spirit of Relay For Life into meaningful year-round volunteer involvement is a powerful way for individuals to stay connected to the American Cancer Society mission. Involving more people in our lifesaving work is crucial. Relay For Life plays a key role in INVITING survivors and caregivers to stay engaged, EXCITING them about their role in the fight against cancer, and helping them to EXPLORE how they can help.
Provide Hope Through Information, Education and Services Nationwide more than 3.5 million individuals, 600,000 cancer survivors, and over 5,100 communities take up the fight against cancer through Relay For Life, making Relay a community’s “front door” to the American Cancer Society. Empowering participants to learn more, share more, and do more to fight cancer is what Relay For Life is all about. Through Relay, we can provide high quality information about Society programs and services that connect cancer survivors and caregivers to needed services.
Engage Survivors and Caregivers As Active American Cancer Society Volunteers Relay For Life isn’t only about walking around a track. For survivors and caregivers, the steps taken at this life-changing event are just the first of many opportunities to provide hope to others facing cancer. To help connect survivors and caregivers with the many different ways they can deepen their involvement with Relay, it is important to invite, excite, and explore these opportunities.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Fundraising Development
Team and Individual Fundraising Team and individual fundraising activities are the largest sources of income for a Relay For Life. Once you have recruited teams, the next step is to provide them with the tools, tips, information, and motivation to become successful fundraisers. Each participant in a Relay For Life event is asked to raise at least $100 in donations from friends, coworkers, relatives, business associates, and others in the months preceding the event.
There are things you can do to help your teams be successful fundraisers: 1. Help teams set ambitious, yet attainable goals 2. Teach them about the different types of fundraising, and to use a combined approach of individual and team fundraising 3. Encourage them to fundraise year-round 4. Encourage them to use on-site fundraising as the icing on the cake
GOALS: Most teams generally set a specific dollar goal for their team and the goal is almost always higher than the previous year’s goal. The team goal needs to be set by the team. Some teams like to get competitive and challenge other teams to see who can raise the most money. A first year team should set their goal to equal an average of $100 per team member.
Types of Fundraising Individual fundraising The most successful type of individual fundraising is writing personal letters or sending personal emails. This allows the team member to reach those people they know and to tell their story. Individuals can also raise money by babysitting, dog sitting, mowing the neighbor’s lawn, or just asking 10 people for $20 each.
Online fundraising Online fundraising is also an option for many Relays. A Relay has its own secure Web site where a variety of event information is housed. This site also allows each team and participant to create their own page. Team members customize Web pages for themselves and contact potential donors by sending emails and donations can be made by credit card. Imagine not having to collect checks from donors who live far away!
Once your Relay’s Web site is set up, it is easy to sign up to fundraise online. Follow these steps and you will find online success: 1. Promote your site to all team captains and participants. 2. Team captains must register first, then team members are able to sign-up. 3. Ask teams to customize their personal pages (team and individual pages) as much as possible by including personalized text and their own photos. 4. Ask them to send emails to friends, family, and coworkers. 5. Encourage participants to sign up to ‘Fundraise through Facebook’ 6. Use reports online to track progress. 7. Donors can even light a luminaria online!
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Team fundraising To help participants raise funds, team captains can organize team fundraisers. The money can be split among all team members who participate. Team fundraisers include car washes, bake sales, dances, tag sales, and sports tournaments. Top teams utilize varied techniques to raise their funds. The key ingredients to their success relate less to the specific techniques they use, and more to the way they execute them. Teams can make virtually any type of fundraiser successful by applying the following strategies: 1. Understand their target audience and identify something of interest to them. 2. Publicize the fundraiser heavily – the more people aware the greater chance for success. 3. Undertake the fundraiser with great enthusiasm (it’s contagious!).
On-site fundraising Another opportunity to raise money is at the Relay itself, by holding on-site fundraisers. For example, teams can sell snacks or host games at their campsite. Many teams organize a fundraiser around their team or Relay theme. REMEMBER: On-site fundraising is the icing on the cake for individual and team fundraising. If it rains, the fundraiser may not raise as much as expected. That doesn’t mean that teams shouldn’t fundraise on-site —these activities are a great way to add fun to a Relay.
Year-round fundraising Now that we have talked about individual and team fundraising, let’s talk about when to fundraise. The most successful teams fundraise all year long. This lets the team be more creative and have time to work towards their goal and it takes the stress off of a team during the final weeks of preparation for the Relay.
Here are some additional hints for developing your Relay’s fundraising efforts: Motivate team captains and members. By training team captains to share information about where the money goes, we will be able to motivate participants and raise more money. Teach them how to fundraise. By sharing ideas at team captain meetings, in newsletters, and during mentoring calls, we will collectively learn how to raise more money. Help them set a goal. By setting goals, we will help teams and individuals reach levels they didn’t think were possible. When they reach those goals, they can receive recognition through the fundraising club and incentive program.
Motivation Most people involved in Relay For Life have been touched by cancer, so they are naturally motivated. Your kickoff can also serve as a great source of motivation. Testimonials from cancer survivors help put things into perspective and motivate people to do their part.
When you educate people about both the American Cancer Society and the importance of raising funds to support research, programs, and services, they will feel they are making a difference in the fight against cancer. Refer to page 22 of this hanbook, Your Contributions at Work, for more information on some amazing accomplishments in New England.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Teach them to raise funds Most people are not natural fundraisers, so you must teach them to overcome a fear of fundraising. Providing teams with fundraising tips and best practices will help them feel prepared and comfortable when asking for support. Please ask your American Cancer Society staff partner for more information and resources about fundraising.
You can hold new (or “rookie”) team captain meetings and invite successful past team captains to come and share how they were successful at fundraising last year. Dedicate 15-20 minutes of every team captain meeting to allow teams to share their fundraisers, including details and locations. This will give you a sense of what teams are doing and give new teams some great ideas.
Set goals Setting goals gives participants and teams something for which to strive. Your fundraising will be enhanced by working with your team captains and encouraging them to set team goals. By setting team and individual goals, you will find you will have a higher per team dollar average.
The individual Fundraising Club program is a great way to increase individual fundraising averages. A great tool to help determine team goals is Team Fundraising Club. (Ask your staff partner for information on the Fundraising Club programs offered)
Try these ideas to make goal-setting fun for team captains and participants: 1. At kickoff, place poster board on the walls of the room. As teams come in, ask them to write their team name and their team fundraising goal on the poster board. Display these at team captain meetings and at Relay For Life. As teams reach their goal, place a big gold star by the team name. 2. Ask each team captain to write down his or her personal fundraising goal and their favorite treat. At the last team captain meeting, pass out their goals attached to their favorite treat. If they haven’t reached that goal yet, it might encourage them to go out and collect a little more to go over the top.
Relay Recommendations for Fundraising The National Relay For Life Fundraising Handbook is available, as are other resources. Please contact your staff partner for more information. Encourage team captains to set a team fundraising goal and provide them with the tools— tips and ideas—to reach that goal.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Relay For Life Fundraising Club The Relay For Life Fundraising Club provides a uniform recognition program for Relay For Life teams.
Criteria All registration/commitment fees must be paid in advance. All team members must raise at least the minimum of $100 for the team to qualify. Only donations raised by team members will qualify. Registration fees, corporate sponsorship, team sponsorship, and matching gifts do not qualify.
Club levels Bronze Level: $2,500 per team
Silver Level: $3,500 per team
Gold Level: $5,000 per team
Platinum Level: $7,500 per team
Jade Level: $10,000 per team
Sapphire Level: $ 15,000 per team
Emerald Level: $25,000 per team
Ruby Level: $50,000 per team
Diamond Level: $75,000 per team
Purple Level: $100,000 per team
For more information about Team Fundraising Club please see page 110 in the appendix.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Third Party Team Fundraisers: Guidelines for Organizers Team fundraisers are considered third-party benefit activities, since the American Cancer Society does not directly oversee all that goes into planning and conducting them. Here are some guidelines that should prove helpful as you plan your activities.
Getting approval Please work closely with your American Cancer Society staff partner if you have more questions about team fundraising. A wide variety of federal and state laws apply to fundraising efforts, and it’s important for everyone to be aware of both the legal requirements and the American Cancer Society’s own event standards. For third-party events not related to Relay, the event coordinator needs to sign a third-party benefit form. This is not the case if the event is part of your Relay team’s fundraising efforts, but you should inform your staff partner of your plans. If the event will also benefit organizations other than the American Cancer Society, it will need to be pre-approved by the appropriate Society state vice president for development.
Our financial policy The American Cancer Society provides receipts only for donations directly received by the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society is responsible for depositing all checks made out to the American Cancer Society. Bank accounts may not be opened by anyone in the American Cancer Society’s name. State sales-tax-exempt certificates can be used only by American Cancer Society staff to give to vendors who sell goods and services directly to the Society. Gambling is an illegal activity in most states. Licensing for charitable poker, Bingo, casino, and Las Vegas-type events vary from state to state, and is governed by a variety of state and federal laws. Due to the complexities of these permitting, licensing, and reporting laws, the Society will not accept funds from any third party gaming that would require licensing. The Society will not accept funds from any gaming that would require American Cancer Society involvement in obtaining permits or licenses, or in the advertising or administration of the event. The American Cancer Society does not hire outside fundraisers to raise money for its events. Such outside fundraisers do not typically meet our standards for the cost ratios of fundraising. Many of them exact exorbitant fees for their services, thus preventing the bulk of the funds raised from ever reaching the designated charity. The Society, its volunteers and staff will not provide Society letterhead, articles of incorporation, tax-exempt data, or other corporate materials to individuals seeking to obtain licenses or permits to raise funds on behalf of the Society. If such fundraising is conducted in the Society's name without authorization, appropriate action will be taken to end the activity.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Fundraisers with up-front costs are discouraged Initiatives to purchase and resell food, books, and other items are discouraged. Experience has shown that fundraisers with up-front costs are not as effective at raising money for the mission of eliminating cancer. A better option is the sale of something with costs covered by donors; for example, a bake sale, sale of handcrafted items, yard sale, or resale of items donated or underwritten by a sponsoring company. The Internal Revenue Service allows a donor to deduct only that portion of a gift above the “fair market value” of the goods or services received. For example, if someone would pay $15 for a similar item in a store, only $5 of a $20 contribution would be eligible for a tax deduction. Experience has shown that most people are happy to contribute to the fight against cancer with a check to the American Cancer Society. Virtually everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer, and most are happy to help – if you ask!
Drawings vs. raffles Raffles – where tickets are printed and sold over a period of time – are governed by a variety of state and federal laws. Due to the complexities of these legal requirements, raffle fundraising is strongly discouraged. Under no circumstances should a raffle permit be taken out in the American Cancer Society’s name. These permits are limited and reserved for raffles conducted by the Society. Drawings – where tickets are sold at a single site on one day – are regulated differently than raffles and are often permitted. Please check with a local Society staff member, since laws vary by state and sometimes by city or town.
Making and using promotional materials If the event is part of your Relay For Life team’s fundraising efforts, the Relay For Life logo may be used on your promotional materials, as long as graphic standards are followed. (See the section titled, “Use of the Relay For Life Logo for Team Fundraisers”, on page 62) The American Cancer Society logo or letterhead may not be used for third-party events unrelated to Relay. If you wish to cite the American Cancer Society by name as a beneficiary of the event in printed materials – press releases, print, broadcast, or electronic advertising, Web pages, emails, or any other promotional venues – please use the materials on the publicity CD, available from your communications staff partner or publicity chair. If a percentage of the event proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society, please state the percentage in all event materials.
Cookbooks and recipes Occasionally, supporters will collect local recipes, have them printed for free, and offer a cookbook for a contribution. Approximately one-third of cancers are related to nutrition, body weight, and physical activity. If the cookbook mentions the American Cancer Society as a beneficiary, it’s important to also include a printed statement that the recipes have not been evaluated or endorsed by the Society.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Our tobacco policy The American Cancer Society strongly recommends that, like all Society-sponsored activities, third-party activities be smoke-free.
Insurance The American Cancer Society cannot issue insurance coverage or certificates for fundraisers.
Publicizing the event Approved press releases are available through your staff partner on The Link. American Cancer Society communication staff partners can help prepare additional materials, if not on The Link, for any public appearances. Publicity for a benefit, in which the name of the American Cancer Society is used, cannot conflict with publicity for a pre-existing Society event in the same area or division.
Confidentiality Due to our confidentiality guidelines, we are unable to share our donor lists.
Use of the Relay For Life Logo for Team Fundraisers If you are conducting a team fundraiser such as a yard sale, bake sale, or car wash, you may want to include the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life logo on flyers or posters you distribute in the community. Please follow the Society’s graphic standards for using the logo correctly.
Sales of items with Relay For Life and/or American Cancer Society logo as fundraiser The sale of any items with either logo is prohibited. There are complicated tax laws that prohibit the sale of items with the RFL logo by teams. Please talk to your staff partner if you have more questions.
Why graphic standards? Our Relay message competes with thousands of other marketing and advertising messages for the attention of potential supporters. Using the Relay logo in a consistent manner will reinforce it in the minds of the public, and make it more likely that they’ll remember that logo.
Each Relay is local, but it’s also a part of a worldwide fundraising effort. Large international brands like Coke, Nike, and McDonald’s have standards for the use of their logos – and Relay does, too. Your staff partner can provide you with a copy of the Relay For Life logo as a medium- resolution (150 dpi) jpeg file.
The information below is excerpted from the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Standards Manual. Please talk to your staff partner if you are interested in seeing the full manual for more details.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Ink colors Printing the logo in full color (purple, blue, and red) is best, if you have access to a color printer or copier. The ink colors specified are Pantone Matching Systems (PMS) 200 red, 286 blue, and 2607 purple. For two-color printing, use black and purple (the American Cancer Society logo grayscale and the other elements purple). For one-color printing, use all black.
White paper Only white paper may be used to reproduce the Relay For Life logo. The sword logo and words “American Cancer Society” must always appear white. If purple paper were used, for example, these elements would appear purple, which is contrary to our graphic standards and is not acceptable.
Design and placement It’s best to place the logo in one of the corners of the poster or flyer, so it “stands apart” and does not get lost among text, photos, or other elements. In general, simple messages are most effective. A poster with a large, straightforward headline dominating the layout will be more effective than one cluttered with many small phrases or clip-art. Try to keep your materials simple, direct, and eye-catching to get the message across most effectively.
Clear space around the logo Take note of the width of the rectangle containing the American Cancer Society’s sword symbol. That amount of clear space should be left on all sides of the Relay For Life logo. Text or other elements should not enter that space.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Event Development
When people come to a Relay For Life event for the first time, many are awed by the experience. Relay is unique, inspirational, community- focused, and fun-filled. The goal for each Relay For Life event is to provide an unforgettable, inviting experience for all who are involved. We want everyone who attends to have fun and continue to come back year after year!
We would like to challenge you to develop a plan for “the Show” at Relay For Life, with a focus on three areas: Gatherings leading up to Relay: – All meetings, rallies, and kickoffs leading up to Relay should be informative, fun-filled, and energizing. Ceremonies – Exciting, well-run ceremonies have the ability to emotionally impact everyone. Activities and entertainment – Relay should be filled with games, activities, and entertainment if we want people to come back.
Relay For Life Ceremonies Ceremonies help make your Relay For Life a quality event that will keep people coming back year after year. Remember to include survivors and team members in planning and implementing these ceremonies.
Opening ceremony The opening ceremony is an emotional highlight, and serves as the official start of your Relay For Life. The program usually includes: Welcome by the chairperson Review of schedule of events and any event logistics (ie: where first aide is located) Thanks to volunteers, sponsors, team captains, and the community at large An inspirational speech by an honorary chairperson, survivor, or caregiver Cancer survivors' lap accompanied by a special song Caregivers’ lap accompanied by a special song All participants' lap, perhaps organized around a team parade
The focal point of the opening ceremony is the cancer survivors' lap. This first lap, usually led by the honorary chairperson if you have one, is walked by anyone (participant or not) who considers themselves a cancer survivor. The American Cancer Society has chosen to adopt the broadest definition possible for a cancer survivor – all those who choose to define themselves as survivors, from the time of diagnosis and through the balance of life. (See the Survivorship section of this handbook beginning on page 50 for more information and ideas about how to honor survivors.) Relays should include a caregivers’ lap, which is inclusive of both active caregivers attending with a survivor and caregivers who have lost a loved one. This lap is a chance for everyone to celebrate the lives of loved ones.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Relay Recommendations for Opening Ceremonies Start ceremonies on time and keep them short. Best practice is 20 minutes! Luminaria ceremony The luminaria ceremony can be one of the most memorable aspects of the Relay experience; it is a time to honor cancer survivors and a time to remember those whom we have lost. The ceremony has three key components: Speakers, usually no more than two or three, each limited to three to five minutes. One speaker – a committee member or American Cancer Society volunteer – should welcome everyone, extend thanks, and mention a few facts about the American Cancer Society. The other speakers should talk about their experiences with cancer, the importance of fighting cancer, and how everyone can make a difference by getting involved. Caregivers are great speakers for this ceremony. All speakers should have the ability to inspire participants with their messages. It is important when securing speakers that you meet with them to discuss their messages prior to the event. A minute of quiet time. Ask for a minute of silence for participants to remember family, friends, or colleagues who have died and to honor those who are surviving. A special song. Carefully choose an inspirational song to be sung or played on the sound system. Examples: Wind Beneath My Wings or Hero.
Relay Recommendations for Luminaria Ceremonies Before deciding to read all names on luminaria bags during your ceremony, consider the growth of luminaria fundraising in coming years. A great alternative to reading names is to scroll them in an ongoing PowerPoint presentation or read a few names at the top of every hour during your Relay For Life. Consider adding a caregiver lap and speaker. This is a meaningful way to thank those who support loved ones who have cancer. Please contact your staff partner about the RFL – Speakers’ Resource Guide, a resource available from the local office.
Fight Back ceremony In 2008, Relay events across the country introduced their Relay communities to a new, powerful ceremony designed to inspire and symbolize the emotional commitment we each make to the fight against cancer: the Fight Back Ceremony. Not unlike the Survivors Lap and Luminaria Ceremony, the Fight Back Ceremony is an emotionally powerful time that serves to inspire Relay participants to take action. The Fight Back Ceremony symbolizes the emotional commitment we each make to the fight against cancer. The action we take represents what we are willing to do for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our community to fight cancer year-round and to commit to saving lives.
Here are the basic components of the Fight Back Ceremony: Ceremony – Inspires people to take action Taking a flag – Represents the commitment to save a life Signing the banner and pledge card – Symbolizes the action that person will take to save a life
Key Points to Convey During the Fight Back Ceremony
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Welcome and thank participants for coming/supporting Relay For Life. Relay represents a community coming together for one reason: to fight cancer. The Relay philosophy is: We are here so that those who face cancer will be supported, that those who have lost their battle will not be forgotten and that, one day, cancer will be eliminated. It’s a 365-day fight each year. Convey the cancer burden. Mention that the flags you see represent people who are facing cancer. These are people in our own community. (You can use local diagnosis information here.) It is our responsibility to fight back and ensure we reduce the number of our own family members and neighbors who face cancer. Explain the logistics of the Fight Back Ceremony.
Closing ceremony The closing ceremony is a time for thank-yous, awards, reflection, and togetherness. It's the time to recognize people and teams who put in a lot of time, money, and energy to make the Relay For Life successful. The closing ceremony is the official end to your event. To make it a success, you should do everything possible to ensure the teams and participants stay until the end. You can do this by … Providing quality entertainment up until the closing ceremony Announcing awards at the closing ceremony, such as top fundraising team or best tent decorations Holding a drawing for top fundraisers at the closing and mentioning that the contestants must be present to win Hosting a meal Announcing results, including number of luminaria sold, number of fight back pledges made, number of survivors, and total funds raised Announcing next year’s chair, date of Relay, and location if known
The closing ceremony should celebrate what your Relay For Life has accomplished. After the awards, thank-yous, and recognition, having an all-participants' lap to end the event is a fitting finale. Everyone who made a difference in the fight against cancer will feel the spirit of togetherness and camaraderie.
Relay Recommendations for all ceremonies Access the Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back resource guidebook on www.RelayForLife .org for ceremony scripts, talking points, poems, and music selections.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Entertainment and Activities Once you've recruited all those teams of people, you'll want their experiences to be fun! The amount and types of entertainment and activities are up to the volunteers and the teams. By coordinating a variety of entertainment and activities, you can create a fun, festive atmosphere. National data shows that well-planned, interactive, and fun activities throughout the Relay, including overnight, is a key measure of success, and is essential for retaining teams year after year.
The gold standard is to have all entertainment and activities donated to the event. The less money spent on expenses means more money to help fund a cure! In-kind donations and underwriting are great ways to provide entertainment at Relay for little to no cost. Most people – if asked – are willing to donate their time and services to an American Cancer Society event. The teams at Relay For Life can be a great source of entertainment and truly bring a festive atmosphere.
Relay Recommendations for Entertainment and Activities Please talk to your staff partner about more resources available to you. Please see the appendix for activity ideas on page 101 and ideas for entertainers, theme laps, and games on page 102.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Fight Back Through Mission Education
Why Relay is Critical To Achieving the American Cancer Society Mission? Really great opportunity to engage and strengthen relationships while creating new ones Exciting event to deliver lifesaving educational messages Links people from diverse communities Awesome time to capture survivors’ passion for fighting the disease You can raise funds needed to help achieve the American Cancer Society mission by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.
Relay For Life is one of the most powerful vehicles to help achieve the American Cancer Society’s mission. Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day, cancer will be eliminated. We think of Relay as a year-round event that culminates in an overnight celebration. Being involved in these activities all year long provides a wonderful opportunity to educate the community about the American Cancer Society’s services and programs, recruit organizations and volunteers to get involved in educational programs, as well as promote lifestyle choices that may reduce the risk of getting cancer.
When we look at factors such as community involvement, visibility, money raised, and volunteer recruitment, we realize that Relay For Life has become one of the most successful American Cancer Society activities ever. However, Relay also provides an opportunity to promote cancer prevention and early detection efforts, and share information about programs and services that can improve patients’ quality of life.
Your Relay – no matter the size – affords an opportunity to increase awareness about lifestyle changes that could have a major impact on reducing the number of lives lost to cancer. The American Cancer Society’s 2015 goals are to: Double the number of lives saved from cancer Reduce by a quarter the number of people who will have to hear the words “you have cancer” Empower people to make informed decisions while advocating for the highest quality of life for cancer patients and their families
In New England, this will mean saving nearly 15,000 lives each year, and reducing cancer incidence by almost 18,500 annually.
Nationwide, the Society has established mission priorities to help focus our efforts so we can achieve these goals. These priorities reinforce the Society’s commitment to a broad-based effort to prevent and find cures for cancer, to advocate effectively at all levels of government for public policies that will help us win this fight, and to work to eliminate disparities.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Support better decisions by making available high-quality, timely, understandable information, especially to cancer patients and their caregivers Advance cancer-related research by funding key research gaps and by influencing the amount and direction of funds invested by leading research sponsors Improve cancer patients’ quality of life by assisting primarily with service referral, community mobilization, collaboration, advocacy, and, where appropriate, directly providing services Increase prevention and early detection of cancer
How do we include mission education in Relay For Life? Share information about cancer issues and community-based mission initiatives at all committee meetings, in newsletters and emails to teams and sponsors. A brief presentation will bring the message home about how cancer affects us locally, reinforce everyone’s commitment to the cause, and help keep participants engaged throughout the year. Have a member of the community who has been impacted by American Cancer Society programs speak at a Relay event, such as a kickoff or rally. Utilize the New England Division Relay For Life Mission Toolkit to share information on American Cancer Society programs and services with teams. It is especially important to share our 1-800-227-2345 number and web site (cancer.org) with the community. Because we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we’ll be there to offer information and support when a cancer concern presents itself to members of your community. Post mission track signs that reflect community cancer issues, solutions, and successes around the Relay track. Share mission moments throughout the event as stage announcements. Encourage teams to include a mission component as part of their tent site theme. Share American Cancer Society volunteer opportunities during team captain meetings and tent site visits or other meet-and-greet opportunities during Relay. Leverage local, state, or federal advocacy opportunities. Host a Fight Back ceremony at your event.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Fight Back Through Advocacy
Why advocacy at Relay For Life? The battle against cancer is no longer being waged solely in laboratories and hospitals. It's being waged in Congress, before state legislatures, and in front of city councils. Now more than ever, our lawmakers are making critical decisions that affect cancer detection, prevention, treatment, and research.
Advocacy at Relay For Life … Gives participants the opportunity to have their voices heard by their elected officials. Presents an unparalleled opportunity for American Cancer Society volunteers and staff to get others in the community involved in the fight against cancer – something crucial if this is a battle we are going to win.
Advocacy activities have resulted in successes throughout New England, including … The Connecticut legislature unanimously passed legislation providing out-of-pocket relief for those cancer patients taking chemotherapy in pill form. This law will make if affordable for patients to receive oral chemotherapy. Maine passed the first-in-the-nation law to eliminate annual and lifetime insurance coverage caps. In Massachusetts, we were successful in killing efforts to provide an exemption from the smoke-free workplace law for casinos. This is a major victory which means that any gaming facility in Massachusetts will be required to be smoke-free like any other entertainment facility. New Hampshire-fought to equalize the price of “other tobacco products”, which were 1/3 lower than cigarettes. Raised the tax on these products by 33% The number of uninsured in Rhode Island has now reached its highest level in history. So many women accessed the Women’s Cancer Screening program this year that the Department of Health was forced to suspend operation for six weeks. In addition, when the program’s doors reopened, women who enroll are now provided with significantly scaled- back services. We successfully advocated for level-funding of the program, and our advocacy efforts led to a private infusion of money which led to the program doors being reopened in May (two months earlier than planned). In Vermont, we fought off $1.2 million in cuts for the tobacco control program.
The New England Division raised over $255,000 for ACS CAN this year, a 14% increase from last year and 45% over goal. New England is the #2 Division in total dollars raised for ACS CAN this year. The third Annual New England Research Breakfast held at the Campus Center at the University of Massachusetts in Boston raised over $142,000 and featured a tribute to the late Senator Kennedy for his leadership and commitment in the fight against cancer.
Relayers have helped to accomplish a great deal on a Federal level as well!
The thriving partnership between Relay For Life, the Society’s signature fundraising event, and advocacy marches on, with more Relays integrating advocacy into their events and more Relay volunteers embracing advocacy as a powerful means of fighting back against cancer than ever
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 before. With more than 3.5 million participants in 5,000 communities nationwide, Relay participants are in the vanguard of the ACS CAN movement.
More than 32,000 electronic and handwritten Picture A Cure messages, in which individuals share their personal cancer stories and photos with lawmakers, were collected at Relay events nationwide. The testimonials, which were delivered to members of Congress in their districts and Washington, D.C. offices, urged lawmakers to make access to cancer care and health care reform top national priorities. Nearly 9,000 Relay participants, most of them taking action through ACS CAN for the first time, sent approximately 18,500 emails to Congress in the weeks leading up tot eh final vote that assured passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which gave the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the sale, manufacture, and marketing of tobacco products. Nearly 16,000 Relay participants joined ACS CAN for the first time
What’s involved? The great thing about advocacy is a law or policy can affect thousands of people with a single action. Elected officials will make cancer-related issues a priority – but only if American Cancer Society volunteers urge them to through government relations and advocacy efforts.
The government relations and advocacy team in your state will work with you to utilize the Relay For Life Advocacy Toolkit to find activities for Relay that will both enhance the event and support advocacy efforts. Activities will focus on signing up highly motivated volunteers for the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network®. The network keeps members informed of the status of priority legislation and offers ways for advocates to help move our priorities forward. Activities might also promote current legislation, or invite participants to write personal messages to their legislators. The time spent on government relations and advocacy at Relay For Life is literally time spent saving lives.
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Mission Statement ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society, which is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. Questions & Answers on ACS CAN Membership Why do I have to pay $10 to join ACS CAN? ACS CAN is the sister organization to the American Cancer Society. While the goals and mission are identical, how they go about achieving those goals are different. Since ACS CAN is the advocacy arm of the organization, membership dues protect the American Cancer Society and free up resources for them to use on education and services.
In order for ACS CAN to make the biggest impact in the war on cancer, we need funding sources. Membership dues are one funding source. With ACS CAN dollars, we have been able to fund several successful campaigns, such as saving critical screenings (for instance - colonoscopies
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 and mammograms) and ensuring that as of 2009 over half of our nation is protected by smoke free laws.
How long does membership last? The membership term is 12 months from receipt of the membership gift.
Why is my membership only good for one year? Like all non-profits, ACS CAN needs a constant revenue source. By renewing your membership each year, this will ensure our grassroots army is engaged and motivated to do the important work that needs to be done if we are going to find a cure!
What do ACS CAN members get for $10? By becoming an ACS CAN member, you join a nationwide grassroots organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Members receive a legislative welcome kit that includes a membership card, personal legislative profile, guide to taking action, and a refrigerator magnet. Members will receive email action alerts when Congress and state legislatures are debating critical cancer legislation, as well as invitations to special ACS CAN events, like candidate forums. In addition, members can access a monthly ACS CAN Inside Washington update from Dan Smith, president of ACS CAN, on a members’ only section of acscan.org.
How will ACS CAN use membership dues? The small $10 donation funds ACS CAN legislative advocacy efforts to increase government funding of cancer research, prevention, and treatment programs. This fee also allows ACS CAN to fund issue advertisements and create constituent voter guides to put pressure on elected officials.
In the past year, membership dollars have helped ACS CAN, working in partnership with Society Divisions, defeat legislation that would have eliminated guaranteed coverage for mammograms, help increase tobacco taxes, and enact smoke-free workplace laws.
ACS CAN is dedicated to empowering members to fight the war on cancer by giving them a voice in the halls of Congress, state capitols, and city halls. To do that, ACS CAN needs to build a grassroots army empowered to fight for change. ACS CAN members are that army.
Will ACS CAN take sides in the political arena? Definitely not. ACS CAN is a nonpartisan organization that operates on a free-form, ideological basis aiming to find a cure for cancer on behalf of its constituents. ACS CAN will not: Expressly endorse or advocate defeat of political candidates or political parties Form Political Action Committees (PACs) Contribute money to or on behalf of political candidates
How do I find out more? Please visit acscan.org/relay for more information and answers.
What's in it for your Relay For Life? Government relations and advocacy at Relay For Life provides greater variety for your Relay participants: new information, new materials, and another means of educating, entertaining, and engaging everyone at the event. To make a significant impact against cancer, elected
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 officials must hear the message that American Cancer Society volunteers want them to make cancer issues a priority. Government relations and advocacy at Relay For Life empowers your volunteers with a voice that their legislators can hear – a voice that will help defeat cancer.
Relay Recommendations for Fighting Back Through Mission & Advocacy Recruit Chairs and subcommittees for both Mission Education and Advocacy Talk to your staff partner to get copies of the Mission Education and Advocacy Toolkits Share Mission Education and Advocacy information at all pre-event meetings Become a member of ACS CAN and encourage your participants to do the same
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Meetings and Relay For Life
There are different types of meetings associated with Relay For Life: leadership committee meetings, subcommittee meetings, team captain meetings, and bank nights. The schedule for all the meetings should be set by the time of the event rallies and kickoff. With all meeting dates pre-established, you can let participants know up front about the time commitments involved and get on everyone’s calendar well in advance.
Informational rallies are one way to increase community involvement with Relay as a complement to one-on-one recruitment. In addition, well-attended, informative, and motivational kickoffs will let the community know that Relay is coming, and we need their support!
The Relay Rally Purpose The purpose of a rally is to inform community members (i.e., potential team captains or committee members) about the Relay For Life and how they can become involved. The rally should provide the community with a visual and an emotional picture of Relay, with videos and testimonials, with a goal to gain commitments from participants. Bring sign-up forms to capture names and contact information of all who attend. These sign-ups are great for one-on-one follow-up after the Rally. Rallies should be held in an area where you want to recruit more teams or committee members.
When you first make contact with a new recruit, you are not asking him or her to commit to being a team captain. (But if they do, great!) Initially, simply ask if they want to attend the rally and learn about the event. Once there, they will find out more about the benefits of becoming more involved, as either a team captain or a committee member. You will be offering them the opportunity to get involved in their community to benefit a great cause. With a good program, 85 % of the people at the rally will become team captains. So, when making the initial contact, soft sell them on the concept of Relay. Count on the rally to do the closing.
Why have a rally? A rally raises awareness of the event and the American Cancer Society. It also kicks off the Relay season. It offers the perfect opportunity to invite the community to learn about the event and interact with volunteers and participants. It presents an opportunity to get new teams involved, revitalize previous teams, and attract sponsors and new volunteers.
Whom to invite Previous Relay captains Potential Relay captains Businesses Chamber of Commerce representatives City council leaders
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Donors (previous and potential) Sponsors (previous and potential) Faith-based organizations Healthcare Systems Civic clubs Survivors News media Other Society volunteers/donors
Best time for a rally Hold your rally as soon as possible! Ideally, rallies can begin 11 months before the Relay, to allow more than enough time to recruit from the community and increase involvement with Relay. Multiple rallies should be held throughout the year.
Where to hold a rally A place where the community frequents! School Social hall Local library Church hall Local business or health care facility Community room at a local banks Restaurant
What do you need for a rally? Food Music Name tags Invitations with an RSVP Relay brochures and materials Luminaria bags TV/VCR (for video) An honorary chairperson or cancer survivor to share his or her story Commitment cards Computer to register teams online Balloons Colorful agenda Signage A festive atmosphere An excited Relay committee
Agenda A sample agenda for a Relay For Life kickoff might look like this: Welcome and introductions
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Description of event and history (Relay For Life video) Why we Relay; program and service overview and research highlights Past top team captain speaks about their experience A personal story from a cancer survivor Mini luminaria ceremony Questions and answers Sign-up as team captain or committee member Hand out team captain packets Have computers available to register teams online Door prizes given away; you could use commitment cards for drawing Invite participants to kickoff
The Kickoff A great way to ensure a successful American Cancer Society Relay For Life is to have a well- attended, informative, and motivational kickoff. If you present your guests with a well-organized kickoff, they will feel that they are a part of a successful and important event. All team recruitment efforts preceding the kickoff should culminate at this time.
Purpose The purpose of the kickoff is to present team captains with information about the event, and to … Officially kick off the Relay season Collect team registration fees Provide team captains with ideas and tools to recruit their team members and raise funds Provide team captains with information about the American Cancer Society and its important role in the fight against cancer Distribute all event materials, including team captain packets and event brochures Motivate them to get involved (by having an inspirational cancer survivor or caregiver speak
Whom to invite Previous Relay captains Potential Relay captains Current committee members Potential committee members Businesses Chamber of Commerce representatives City council leaders Donors (previous and potential) Sponsors (previous and potential) Faith-based organizations Healthcare systems Civic Clubs Survivors News media
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Best time for a kickoff Kickoffs usually are held five or six months before the date of the event. For example, if your event is in June, the kickoff may be held in late January or early February.
Where to hold a kickoff A place where the community frequents! School Social hall Local library Church hall Local business or health care facility Community room at a local bank Restaurant/banquet facility
What do you need for a kickoff Food Music Name tags Invitations with an RSVP Team captain packets Luminaria bags TV and DVD player or a computer and projector(for video) A cancer survivor to share his or her story Commitment cards Computer to register teams online Balloons/decorations Colorful agenda A festive atmosphere An excited Relay committee
Agenda A sample agenda for a Relay For Life kickoff might look like this: Welcome and introductions Description of event and history (Relay For Life video) Speaker ideas: honorary chairperson/ survivor/caregiver story, past team captain, sponsor, motivational community member, ACS funded researcher Team captain packet walk-through Recruiting your team and fundraising ideas including the online fundraising tool Where the money goes and why it is important Share community mission education information Review team captain meeting schedule Questions and answers
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Motivational wrap-up
If a representative from a potential team cannot attend the kickoff, hand-deliver a team packet within a few days and present information that was shared at the kickoff.
Relay Recommendations for Rallies and Kickoffs Begin to hold rallies each month, as far as 11 months before your Relay. Hold the kickoff five to six months before the Relay For Life. If your Relay covers multiple communities or is new, multiple rallies may increase your recruitment efforts. Having a good kickoff will pay enormous dividends and eliminate a lot of additional work for your Relay! More resources are available. Please contact your staff partner for more information.
Leadership Committee Meetings Leadership committee meetings should be focused, fun, and meaningful.
What Leadership committee meetings provide time to refine the plan for each Relay. This is a time for chairs and co-chairs of all subcommittees to meet and plan for the Relay.
Who These meetings are usually co-facilitated by the event chair and co-chair. Subcommittee chairs attend and give reports. The role of the staff partner is to provide support behind the scenes – pre-meeting agenda planning, post-meeting follow-up related to questions and concerns, and more. Each subcommittee chair or co-chair may provide a report about the status of the work of each group.
When Depending on the age and size of your event, some committees meet year-round, while others may start meeting 10 months before the event date. We recommend monthly committee meetings until around two months prior to the event. At that point, you may need to have more frequent meetings.
Where The location chosen for these meetings should be convenient for all committee members. Some committees meet at a local school or community center. The location should be decided by the committee members – you know what will work best!
Sample agenda for a committee meeting General business update from the chairs Subcommittee updates Upcoming community events/fundraisers
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Other business Next meeting reminder
Subcommittee Meetings Each subcommittee should meet regularly, outside of leadership committee meetings. Subcommittee meetings are the time to work on details and specifics related to each area of Relay. For example, the entertainment subcommittee may meet to brainstorm a draft of the opening ceremony speakers and agenda. Once these details are ironed out at the subcommittee meeting, then the chair of the subcommittee can report back to the leadership committee for final approval.
Team Captain Meetings Team captain meetings should be focused, fun, and informative.
What Team captain meetings provide a foundation of education and support to the leaders of our Relay teams. The number one priority of these meetings is to provide our team captains with the tools and support they need to be successful.
Who These meetings may be facilitated by the team development subcommittee members, or by the event chair and co-chair. The role of the staff partner is to provide support behind the scenes – pre-meeting agenda planning, materials, post-meeting follow-up related to questions and concerns, and more.
When We recommend each Relay hold at least three team captain meetings. Some events hold even more if necessary. After the kickoff to start the Relay season, we recommend holding your first team captain meeting two to three weeks later.
Where The location chosen for these meetings should be convenient for all the community members, as well as a popular spot that is familiar to all. Some team captain meetings are held at the school that hosts the Relay, or a local restaurant or business. You know what will work best!
Bank Nights Bank nights are a time for team captains to hand in donations and pick up materials and T-shirts. The location should be convenient for team captains – a local bank is best. We recommend holding at least one or two bank nights for each event, one to two weeks prior to the event.
Best practices for Bank Night include providing the following: o T-shirts pre-sorted and packaged by team o Wristbands counted out and organized by team or sub-groups (youth, chaperones, etc) o Copies of campsite map available
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 o One-pager of logistics reminders—parking, set-up time, etc. o Schedule of events including a listing of all the on-site team fundraisers
Relay Recommendations for Relay Meetings Meetings should be organized and motivating Meetings should start and end on time and last no longer than 90 minutes Ask you staff partner about holding a Committee Retreat as an initial committee meeting. The retreat is designed to unite your committee, get volunteers focused and empowered, create an action plan and to set your event goals for the year Each event should hold at least three team captain meetings. Leadership committee meetings are for the event chair and/or co-chair, as well as all the subcommittee chairs. Sub committee members are not required to attend. Talk to your staff partner about accessing Committee Meeting in a Box. It includes sample agendas for a full season of committee meetings! Successful subcommittees are made up of more than one member, and they meet regularly. Rallies can help grow each Relay event in diverse areas of your community. Review the Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back. resource guidebook on .RelayForLife.org for meaningful activities that can be conducted at committee and team captain meetings Please see appendix pgs. 103-104 Team Captain meeting agendas including the 20-20-20 format.
It is also important to have a well-organized Relay For Life. For example, make sure team members know how to find their teams’ tent sites, and give everyone a schedule of activities. Start and end all meetings and planned events at the Relay on time. This has been shown to be key for retaining teams.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Corporate Partnerships
Corporate partnerships are an essential component to a successful Relay For Life event. The size and income of Relay For Life, put us in a solid position to develop strong partnerships with local businesses and organizations. Corporate partnerships may include team involvement, event sponsorship, and/or in-kind or underwritten donations. Relay For Life is a significant community event, and therefore it is a tremendous public relations opportunity for any local company, bank, or hospital. By securing more corporate partners for your Relay For Life, you will be tapping into a largely untapped source of income and resources and creating a larger awareness; all are important to an event’s continued growth.
Sponsorship is not defined solely by a donation from a company to your event. Rather, it is an exchange between the company and the American Cancer Society. In return for the publicity a company receives for sponsoring the Relay, it pays an amount of money based on the perceived value of being publicly associated with the event. Note that sponsorship money does not typically come from a company's contributions budget, but from its marketing or public relations budget. Understanding the benefits of having your Relay sponsored – and the reasons why businesses sponsor Relays – is important when selling your event.
Understand the difference between a sponsor and an underwriter. Sponsors’ contributions cover general expenses, while underwriters’ contributions are in-kind and cover specific costs; e.g., tent rental or refreshments. Be careful to avoid using the two terms interchangeably.
Steps to Sponsorship Success Set a sponsorship goal for this year A good rule of thumb is that sponsorship goal should be 10-11% of your income goal – basically the same amount of the event’s expenses. Review the sponsorship list from the past two years, and make sure these sponsors get the partnership folder with agreement early in the season. Follow up the mailing or meeting with those sponsors to get their commitment. If the event was a success last year and promises to be larger and more successful this year, consider raising your “ask” amount.
It is helpful to do the “who do you know” or circle of influence exercise to expand the potential sponsors list. Ask the committee to make asks to the businesses they know. It is also a good idea to give the team recruitment committee partnership folders so when they have recruitment presentations they can also ask for sponsorship.
Recruitment: prepare for the meeting Once you have a meeting with a potential sponsor, you must prepare. Preparation for the sponsorship meeting is the most important step in securing needed money. Working with your staff partner, use or customize the New England Division’s Partnership Opportunities package.
Identify appropriate volunteer(s) to make the presentation. The volunteer team should be comfortable talking about the American Cancer Society as whole, as well as the local impact it
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 makes in the communities. All presenters should become familiar with the Partnership Opportunities package before the meeting. Your staff partner can also provide you with a sample script and a list of what to bring to the presentation.
Review the proposal and develop a strategy. It is important for the volunteer/staff team to meet before presenting the proposal to the potential sponsor to fully understand the “talking piece” and strategize about the most effective approach.
Retention: closing “the ask” The final step in this process is closing “the ask” for the sponsorship. Once a sponsor has agreed to come on board, please have him or her complete a partnership agreement. (Template agreements are available from your staff partner). If the prospective sponsor declines or needs to think about it, don’t forget to follow up with a call or a note. At a minimum, invite the prospective sponsor to the event itself. As we all know, once someone experiences a Relay event, he or she often wants to become more involved!
Why Businesses Sponsor Relay For Life When we understand why businesses sponsor Relay For Life, we then understand their needs and can let them know the benefits of sponsorship. The next step is to show them how support of Relay can help them meet those needs.
Sponsoring a Relay For Life event … Is great publicity – the sponsor's name may be included on the posters, registrations, t-shirts, signage at the event, verbal acknowledgments, etc. Shows community involvement – people see the sponsor as a good corporate citizen – one who gives back to the community. It broadens the company's message. Can help a business gain an advantage over a competitor in the community. Shows employees that the company is giving and supportive. It increases pride among employees. Shows support for an employee (or relative of an employee) who may be fighting cancer. Aligns a business with the American Cancer Society, the world's largest voluntary health organization devoted to fighting cancer. Might be a favor to a customer, friend, relative, or supplier. Is a tax-deductible donation.
Where to Go for Sponsorships First of all, sponsors can come from anywhere and anybody. One mistake you can make is to assume a business will not sponsor the event. Don't be afraid to ask anyone. You might be surprised by the one who says yes! A great place to start developing your list for sponsor prospects is by looking at the team affiliations from the prior year. This is a warm lead for a sponsorship ask.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Businesses (large and small) that provide a service or have customers in the community Some businesses are very competitive and will go to great lengths to get a step up on their competitors. When they understand the benefits of sponsoring Relay, many companies that provide a service see Relay as a great way to get their name out in the community.
Companies with corporate offices located in the community The decision to sponsor a Relay For Life can be made locally. Usually, corporations are bigger donors in the communities where their headquarters are located.
Health care facilities Both the American Cancer Society and local health organizations want to promote healthier communities, so why not team up to achieve the mission? Additionally, the importance of raising money for cancer truly hits home with medical professionals who deal with cancer every day.
Financial institutions These businesses often are very competitive and want to get their names out front and be seen as community partners. What better way to show their support for the community than by sponsoring a Relay For Life?
Signage and Corporate Partners: Visibility with Equity Carefully consider the visibility given to each of your Relay sponsors at the event. The size, positioning, and quantity of signs should be directly proportional to each sponsor’s donation, and sponsors with equivalent contributions should receive equivalent visibility. (See page 65 in the Leadership Handbook for information on other organizations seeking visibility at Relay.) Understand the difference between sponsorship and advertising. Relay signs should feature sponsorship messages, not advertising messages. A sponsorship message on a sign would be: “XYZ Company supports the American Cancer Society.” An advertising message on a sign would be: “Call XYZ Company for great rates.”
Matching Gifts What is the easiest way for a Relay For Life team to double its contributions from one year to the next? The answer is matching gifts. As we continue to develop Relay For Life events into large- scale special events, matching gifts will play an increasingly important role in our efforts to raise event income levels.
If you have teams from companies without matching gift programs, encourage them to ask their management to match their fundraising efforts, even without an official program. If a company’s own employees are advocating for support for a cause they believe in – a cause that touches many of their lives – there is a good chance the company will provide their employees with a gift.
Relay Recommendations for Sponsorship and Matching Gifts Make sure previous year’s sponsors receive the partnership opportunities folder early in the season. Follow up and get their commitment.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Securing matching gifts will be successful only if you and your committee actively promote this opportunity. It is not enough to briefly mention it in your team packet. You must discuss it at your kickoff and team captain meetings. Tell team captains what matching gifts can do for their team’s goals, and how they can further advance the American Cancer Society’s mission. If you participate in online fundraising, ask your online promotions chair to run a report to find matching gift opportunities.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Publicity
The Role of Publicity in Relay For Life Publicity gives visibility and credibility to your event and to the American Cancer Society, and validates everyone’s involvement in Relay For Life. The Publicity chair plays a key role in making that
happen. Participants like to see and hear about an event in which they are involved. Publicity also supports fundraising efforts and helps create a favorable climate for securing sponsorships. Sponsorships not only promote the American Cancer Society and the Relay For Life, but also portray the sponsors as community leaders in the fight against cancer. Publicity alone usually results in generating about less than 10% of the teams at a Relay. Publicity combined with strong team recruitment and community mobilization around Relay will yield amazing results!
Recruiting a publicity chair for your Relay committee Each Relay For Life committee should consider the following qualifications when getting ready to recruit a Relay publicity chair: Knowledge of the community, and where residents turn for their local news and information Comfort working on internal and external communications projects Some writing skills and knowledge of how the print and broadcast news media operate, including local cable access Have some media contacts Knowledge about people whose cancer stories or Relay-related experiences are inspiring or heartwarming, and which would be good subjects for feature stories Photography skills a plus
Role of publicity volunteers in Relay promotion Recruited and appointed by the Relay committee, the Publicity chair is responsible for developing a communications plan for his or her Relay that utilizes local news and alternative media. The Publicity chair’s charge is to keep the community informed about the local Relay, how the public can support it, and how the American Cancer Society fights cancer. The publicity chair may want to appoint a committee to help plan and implement the publicity strategy.
The Relay For Life Publicity Volunteer Guidebook is available through your American Cancer Society staff partner. The guidebook provides updated, accurate, and branded template publicity materials, such as press releases and letters to the editor that describe the purpose and value of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, while allowing for local adaptation.
The more the public learns about your Relay, the more they will understand the vital link between your event and the ways that the American Cancer Society is making a difference!
Media potentials Because the number of Relays grows every year, it is essential for publicity volunteers to approach the local and regional news media in a coordinated way, so that each Relay receives the attention it deserves. Publicity chairs should get local media lists that identify those media
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 outlets that relate only to their Relay, as well as those outlets that may be shared by numerous Relays in a given region from their staff partners each season – please make sure they ask for them! Where there is overlap of Relay coverage, particularly in those larger markets where numerous Relays share the same television or radio stations or large daily newspaper, your state or area communications director will work with the publicity chair to coordinate coverage to insure that those media outlets have the opportunity to cover all of the Relays.
In addition to traditional media channels, publicity volunteers should also take advantage of local alternative media potentials, such as street banners, announcements at community gatherings and sporting events, and posters placed in high-visibility, strategic locations throughout town.
Toll-free Number and Web Site In the interest of fairness, it is the Society’s policy to always use the American Cancer Society nationwide toll-free phone number (1-800-227-2345) in all broadcast and print media campaigns rather than publicize a local Relay number. An individual who calls the toll-free number will be given details about the Relay in his or her community or the Relays that are closest. Similarly, the Society’s policy is to use the nationwide Web site (cancer.org and RelayForLife.org) in press releases. All Relay sites are accessible to Web visitors by ZIP code.
Media Sponsorships Media sponsorships are often negotiated as a way of insuring a Relay receives the consistent and timely support of the local media that is needed for a successful event. Due to the overlapping and shared nature of many local media markets, most publicity volunteers should expect to work in concert with their American Cancer Society communications staff to secure media sponsorships.
Paid Advertising As a rule, the American Cancer Society cannot pay for advertising; however, we have been very successful in placing public service advertising to support our events. Paying for advertising reduces the possibility that public service advertising will be offered by the media. It also reduces the net income of the event. In certain instances, we have been successful in securing underwriters for paid advertising campaigns. Questions about advertising should be brought to your American Cancer Society staff partner.
Crisis Communications The American Cancer Society’s New England Division maintains a crisis communication plan to ensure that Relay volunteers and staff will deploy uniform communications, procedures, and protocols in the event of an emergency. The crisis plan helps Society staff evaluate the scope and level of a crisis and determine when to notify and involve additional regional staff and, if necessary, Division leadership. The Relay committee should review Relay crisis procedures together with their staff partner as part of their preparations for Relay. A copy of the crisis plan is available through your staff partner.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Using the Web to Promote Relay Publicizing your Relay on cancer.org and relayforlife.org You won’t want to miss the opportunity to publicize your event on our public Web site, cancer.org. It is the virtual front door to the Society, with 2 million visits to the site each month. To ensure that your Relay’s details can be accessed through www.cancer.org, do this: Go to cancer.org Type in your ZIP code in the yellow box on the home page and click “Go.” Once the “In My Community” page appears, look for “Upcoming Events” on the right-hand side of the screen. Click the link that says, “view all upcoming events.” Your event will be listed. It will have a computer icon in front of it. (See screen shot below.) If you do not see a computer icon next to it, please alert your staff partner.
When the viewer clicks on the name of the Relay, it will take them directly to the Web site. Like all Websites, it should be updated often with important news, upcoming fundraisers, meetings dates, day-of details, etc. The online chair(s) will be responsible for updating the information. The Publicity chair can provide content to the online chair for posting.
Other ways to promote your Relay Online site
#1: Send out Relay Online emails – Making sure that blast emails go out is a key to success. The more emails you send, the more donations you raise. Emails are the driving force behind Relay Online, as the most successful online fundraisers will testify! As the staff partner, online promotion chair, and online technical chair, it is your responsibility to encourage each participant to send emails and for you to send out motivational emails promoting the online tool.
#2: Clear and concise “online” calls to action – Going hand in hand with the emails are the calls to action. It is imperative to the success of the project that participants not only visit the Relay Web site, but use it. The mantra “Sign up. Set up. Send!” should be a familiar
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 phrase to all. Equally important is expressing the Society’s mission and successes and why raising money is so important.
#3: Issue challenges to teams and communities – A little healthy competition can really fire up people. For example, one event set a challenge for their participants to send out 2,500 emails by the end of the month, with the promise of pizza and an ice cream party as a reward. Who can pass up free food?
#4: Identify successful teams and participants – In an email or at your next meeting, showcase your online stars, encourage others to visit their personal pages, and share their keys to success. Better yet, find your online all star and invite him/her to talk to team captains at a meeting, offering help, ideas, and inspiration.
#5: Share FAQs with team captains – Utilize the Relay Online community on The Link to view the answers to frequently asked questions, and share this information with your team captains. Providing this information to the group can not only cut down on the number of questions, but also can help break down the barrier of the unknown and encourage online participation.
#6: Be creative and customize – Whether you’re doing an online presentation at the next committee meeting or recruiting a great online participant to share his/her experiences, try and think outside of the box when promoting Relay Online. People will be inspired by your enthusiasm and more people will be motivated to sign up online. Think about what will appeal to your community when developing your promotion plan. Generate excitement! Don’t forget to visit other Relay Web sites to see how they are using the tool to promote their events.
#7: Start promoting the Web Site early – Introduce the tool to your committee first and try to have your first team captains’ meeting in a computer lab. This is strongly encouraged for all events. The key is booking a school’s computer lab well ahead of time. Get every team captain present to register their team on the site. That’s critical because team members can’t join a team and begin their online fundraising until the team captain registers the team on the Relay Web site.
Relay Recommendation for Publicity 1. The publicity chair should participate in a Relay publicity training session. Check with your staff partner for dates and times. 2. The online chair/publicity chair should join the Relay Online Best Practice calls whenever possible.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Keeping Your Relay Safe, Fun, and Focused
No Live Animals at Relay For the safety of all Relay participants, We do not allow pets at our events. We do not allow any live animals at Relay events. This includes fish, petting zoos, pony rides, animal exhibits, etc.
Dunk Tanks/Moon Walks/Climbing Walls at Relay Relay For Life is an exciting event, with many activities and plenty of entertainment. We do allow dunk tanks/moon walks/climbing walls at our events, but they must be staffed by an adult volunteer at all times. When these types of activities are not in use, they must be secured appropriately. All children participating in these types of activities at Relay must be accompanied by a parent/adult. Children should never be allowed in a dunk tank. Also, each vendor for these types of activities must provide the American Cancer Society with a certificate of insurance before being able to attend the Relay event.
Golf Carts at Relay Please share this information with all committee members prior to your event. Golf carts are permitted to be used at events however the following criteria must be met: Keep cart keys in your possession when not in use or when unattended Only licensed drivers allowed to operate the cart Absolutely no alcohol use while operating the cart Avoid driving cart in heavy pedestrian traffic Drive slowly; remember to set parking brake before exiting the cart Do not overload or have supplies protruding from the cart
Fireworks at Relay For the safety of all Relay participants, we do not allow Fireworks of any kind at Relay For Life events.
Be Safe, Be Smart Please share this information with all Relay For Life Team Captains including the Chaperones of your Youth teams. Be responsible for your own personal health and safety. For example, be sure to use sunscreen; stay properly hydrated; understand that lack of sleep can impair your participants ability to drive.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Hair Donations Hair donations are allowed as a third-party team fundraising activity - both pre-Relay and at Relay. All participants must be 18 years old to donate. If someone under 18 is interested in this opportunity, a parent/guardian must be present with the child and sign a permission slip allowing participation in this activity. Hairdressers and/or the salon hosting this fundraising activity must provide a permission slip to be signed by the parent/guardian for those under the age of 18. Please see page 107 of the appendix for a sample permission slip. The ACS recommends using Wigs for Kids or Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Wigs for Kids is for chemotherapy patients and offers their wigs free of charge. Pantene also gives their wigs free of charge to ACS.
Distribution of Free Merchandise and Product or Service Demonstrations Only teams representing designated sponsors of a Relay For Life event may offer free merchandise on-site. All items intended for giveaway at any Relay For Life must be approved by the Relay leadership committee at least one month prior to the event. Giveaway items must not compromise the potential for additional revenue generated through the sale of merchandise at the on-site Relay store. All planned product demonstrations and/or free services (e.g., massage therapy) must be approved by the Relay For Life leadership committee at least one month prior to the event. Signage promoting such services, and the agencies providing them, must also be approved, or provided by the Relay leadership committee. This policy will insure equity with sponsors, whose signage should not be eclipsed by that of service providers. Teams wishing to sell items or conduct revenue-generating contests at the event to contribute to their overall fundraising total must clearly state that all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. These items/contests must also be approved by the Relay leadership committee at least one month prior to the event to insure that they do not conflict with either Relay store sales, or with the American Cancer Society’s mission. No merchandise containing a Relay For Life logo can be sold by teams. These items can only be sold in the Relay store.
Other Organizations Seeking Visibility at Relay The American Cancer Society is committed to supporting Relay For Life as a team event that takes up the fight against cancer. To that end, the Society encourages Relay organizers to keep the cancer message front and center, and avoid the appearance of Relays as “town days” or health fairs. Such action would dilute the Society’s mission education messages, and misrepresent the purpose of the event to the participants.
We encourage our community partners and collaborators to join us with their teams and their time to combat cancer as American Cancer Society volunteers. When they join our event, it is with the understanding that they are there to give voice, visibility, and support to the American Cancer Society.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 In order for the American Cancer Society to retain center stage at the event, we do not allow the use of large billboard-like vans, mobile clinics of any kind, and similar vehicles (e.g., the Re/Max hot air balloon) that provide advertising and visibility for any organizations or businesses other than American Cancer Society programs and properties.
Other Organizations Seeking to Combine Events with Relay For Life Relay For Life is the signature activity of the American Cancer Society. Merging or blending Relay For Life with another event runs counter to the policy of the American Cancer Society.
Medical Procedures at Relay The American Cancer Society does not permit medical procedures to be performed at an American Cancer Society event by any one other than the American Cancer Society. Such medical procedures include cancer-related procedures such as giving blood, testing for bone marrow compatibility, mammograms, or skin cancer screening, as well as non-cancer-related tests such as vision testing, blood pressure screening, or any other procedures that invite the direct involvement of the public or other participants.
At Relay For Life events, the American Cancer Society has the opportunity to be visible as the primary referral source for area agencies and programs that do offer medical screenings at appropriate locations. It is the role of the Society at Relays to direct interested parties back to medical providers or institutions for medical screening or procedures. While we are also not able to use Relay sites as service or information distribution points for other organizations, we are happy to include appropriate agencies in our local resource databases.
Research Speakers at Relay For Life The American Cancer Society – the largest private funder of cancer research in the nation – currently supports 136 cancer research grants in New England, totaling over $59 million. We actively encourage the recruitment of American Cancer Society-funded researchers to serve as spokespersons for the Society by sharing their stories and successes with audiences through Relays and other venues.
Our volunteers, contributors, supporters, and the public are vitally interested in learning about scientific progress against cancer, and one of the best ways to share this information is by inviting a Society-funded researcher to speak at Relay. Other institutions – both private and academic – conduct cancer research that receives funding from other sources. While these projects are no doubt important, the Society’s first priority is to have its own research activity presented to our audiences, preferably by a Society-funded researcher.
If a non-Society researcher speaks at a Relay event, it should be clarified in the person’s introduction that he or she is not funded by the Society. The reason for doing so is that we do not wish to be held answerable for the direction or results of research projects that are funded by others.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Recognition and Awards
When your Relay For Life is over, you have one more job to do before starting to plan next year's event: thank your volunteers. Thank each individual who made the Relay possible – the planning committee, sponsors, team captains, team members, survivors, and everyone who donated an item, service, or their time. We want everyone to feel good about the event and their contributions to the fight against cancer. This will ensure that they will come back next year – and hopefully bring more people with them!
There are many ways to recognize and reward volunteers and participants. Get to know as many people as possible who are involved in your Relay, so you will know how they like to be recognized. This does not have to be an expensive undertaking or a one-time thank-you letter at the end of the event. Treat them with respect, kindness, and honesty by showing your appreciation often, in many ways, and in ways that recognize the individual. Match the reward to the person. Match the reward to the achievement. Make the reward timely and distinctive.
There is a formal awards program for Relay For Life events, including both National and New England Relay For Life awards. Awards are great incentives for leadership committees and for participants. We encourage all Relay For Life events to strive to win these awards. Please see the appendix page 105 for Everyday and Special Recognition Tips as well as page 106 for Creative Ways to Recognize Volunteers.
New England Division Awards and Recognition Program Award and Recognition opportunities are available to qualifying New England Relay For Life events held in a fiscal year. These awards do not require an application process; they are all data-driven, using the data tracked through our internal databases. All data must be entered in our internal databases by August 15th for consideration. These awards will be announced and celebrated at the New England Division’s Relay For Life Leadership Summit in the fall. All event dollar amounts will be considered using NET income numbers. Please see appendix pages 108 - 109 for list of awards and criteria.
Relay Pacesetter Program The Relay Pacesetter Club has been created to recognize Relay participants who excel in their efforts to support the Society’s mission to eliminate cancer as a life-threatening illness. The Relay Pacesetters are a select group of individuals committed to achieving extraordinary fundraising results for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life events. For more please talk with your staff partner.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Nationwide Awards and Recognition Program There is a comprehensive National Awards Program for Relay For Life. Each year, our local Relays here in New England, have the opportunity to qualify for these awards. Please ask your staff partner for more information on these awards. Most of them are data-driven, and there are some that require applications. Recognition of award winners will be at the Division and/or local level. Please see appendix pages 111-112 for more information about the Nationwide Awards and Recognition Program.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Acknowledgements
Thank you for the long hours, dedication, creativity, and passion you put into planning your Relay For Life. We hope this handbook is a useful tool to help you enhance the planning you do.
Thanks to those who helped to make this handbook possible. Angel Cappella, Project Coordinator, Relay For Life, New England Division Stacy Chansky, Director of Creative Services, New England Division Mary Howell, Training Specialist, Relay For Life, New England Division Erik Langhoff, Vice President, Relay For Life, New England Division Alice Leonard, Training Specialist, Relay For Life, New England Division Sara Pieczarka, Training Specialist, Relay For Life, New England Division Lynn Peters, Chair, New England Relay For Life Task Force Dan Bahr, Co-chair, New England Relay For Life Task Force Derek Walther, Director of Print Services, New England Division College Leadership Team
Additional resources Your staff partner New England Division Relay For Life Task Force & Training Team Relay Q&A training calls Divisional trainings Regional/area trainings Other Relay For Life volunteers RelayForLife.org cancer.org acscan.org/relay
Contact your American Cancer Society 1.800.227.2345 cancer.org
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Organizational Contacts for Possible Volunteer Recruitment Community health agencies/groups Professional Local hospitals and clinics trainers association Local support groups Local Toastmasters Home health care agencies Local attorneys’ or Elder services accountants’ Visiting nurse associations association Local Social Workers Oncology Group Medical association Local Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Downtown merchants association Occupational health nurses and wellness Municipal agencies—fire, police, library coordinators Local health departments, family clinics, Local school systems smoking education staff, WIC, etc. Principals Local Board of Health Parent/Teacher Organizations and Department of human resources (cancer Associations (PTO/PTA) program staff) School nurses Local nutritionists and dieticians Health educators Massage therapists (and professional groups) Local DARE coordinators Art therapy/music therapy groups Student councils Local survivor groups and or coalitions YMCA Retiree groups American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Business and professional organizations Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Chamber of Commerce (business leaders) Retired business leaders’ organizations Managers/CEOs Retired military personnel organizations Small business owners Local realtors’ association Veterans’ organizations Local Veterans of Foreign Wars and Women’s Auxiliary Fraternities and sororities American Legion and Women’s Auxiliary Local college sororities and fraternities Senior centers College alumni chapters
Ethnic organizations Medical auxiliaries Various ethnic chambers of commerce Medical wives National Association for the Advancement Pharmacists’ wives of Colored People (NAACP) Hispanic/Latino health and service groups Youth groups Professional associations Candlelighters (or other childhood cancer Sororities and fraternities organization, if appropriate) 4-H/Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Civic Groups Boy/Girl Scouts Rotarians Local youth religious groups Kiwanis Local youth sports leagues Jaycees Junior Achievement/Student councils Lions clubs National Honor Society Exchange clubs
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Committee Personality Traits
Leader I know my community I am goal-oriented I am comfortable speaking in front of groups I have excellent leadership skills I have the ability to motivate I am enthusiastic I am organized, able to manage and delegate Event Chair Team Mentoring Advocacy
“People” Person I establish new relationships easily I am goal oriented I have the ability to secure commitments I have contacts with businesses in my community I have a good knowledge of the community I have the ability to hear “no” and keep asking Team Recruitment Team Retention Sponsorship Entertainment
Organizer I am creative and fun-loving I am enthusiastic and results oriented Have the ability to motivate people I am organized, can manage and delegate Love working with children Have lots of energy Activities/Entertainment Activities/ Entertainment Kid’s Activities
Marketing I am very good with public relations I have contacts within my community I am familiar with ACS goals and programs I am comfortable speaking with the media Publicity/Promotion Cancer Education
Communication Skills I am well known in my community I am respected by the business community I am not afraid to ask for money I focus on the goal
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Working the Track
Working the Track is fun and very important…not only to the success of your event but also to the volunteers, participants, survivors and team captains.
Make the most out of your time at the Relay….You are going to be there at least 12 hours anyway! Plus…you will have a captive audience of committed community leaders who care about conquering cancer.
Meet Greet and Recruit the following priority groups at relay and ask the following probing questions.
Top Ten Teams: Check with accounting for top 10 teams. Visit each camp site and THANK THEM! Ask them these questions: Would you like to join the committee? Do you know of anyone who would like to have a team next year? Do you know any survivors who were not here tonight?
Top Ten Individuals: Personally visit them and THANK THEM! Ask them how they raised their money. Ask them if they would like to join the committee. Ask them if they know of anyone that would like to have a team.
Survivors: Visit with 10 survivors……THANK THEM! Ask them if they know other survivors. Ask them for their suggestions on how to honor survivors better. Ask them if they would like to join the committee.
Youth Participants: THANK THEM! Ask them why they are at the event. Ask them to be a youth team captain. Ask them to be youth team recruiter for the committee. Ask them who they know.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Team Recruitment Wheel
This activity is best done at a committee meeting. It’s recommended that you do this exercise on a flip chart. (See worksheet on next page.)
1. Draw a circle on a flip chart – “This is the community of _____.” 2. Then divide it up like a pie (10-12 pieces). “These are segments of the community from which we might recruit teams.” 3. Now fill in the segments as the group brainstorms what segments of the community they might recruit teams from. Keep the labeling generic, so that many teams could be recruited from each segment. Let them come up with the categories. Here’s a cheat sheet for you if they get stuck. 4. They will probably come up with the following categories:
Major employers Small businesses Medical facilities Faith-based organizations Health organizations Fitness centers Community organizations (fraternity, sorority, chambers, rotary, lions, etc.) Schools Service clubs Media Support groups Federal/City/County employees Financial institutions Families 5. Next, brainstorm on how many teams they might recruit from each segment. Write that number in each slice of the pie. 6. Now examine what your committee looks like. Does your committee have a person from each slice of the pie? If not, whom can you recruit to get into that segment of the community? 7. Team recruitment chair should do this with the committee (better yet – their subcommittee) to determine who will recruit teams from each segment. 8. The benefit to this approach is that you don’t have people trying to recruit from the same areas; and you don’t miss anything or anyone in attempt to blanket the community in team recruitment. 9. This technique does work! Try it!!!
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Personal Team Recruitment Wheel and Worksheet
Civic/Political Education Organizations
Family and Friends Social Groups
Self Professional Recreational or Job-related Interests
Religion Health
List here all the contacts you have in the above categories. Use this list in a brainstorming session at your leadership committee meetings.
My contacts:
1. 7.
2. 8.
3. 9.
4. 10.
5. 11.
6. 12.
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National Team Program The companies and COA’s (Clubs, Organizations, and Associations) that have qualified and agreed to be part of the Relay For Life National Corporate Team program encourage their employees or members to form teams and participate in local Relays. In fact, the companies set a goal of at least 50 teams nationwide, and several have goals of more than 100 teams. Now is the time to reach out to the local offices or contacts for the companies and COA’s that are participating in the National Team Program and recruit teams for the Relays in your communities. Remember that these teams are not guaranteed and it has been requested that the approach be with care and cultivation from the grassroots level.
National Team Program COA's: Parrot Heads in Paradise, Inc., National Jaycees, National Funeral Directors Association Phi Beta Sigma Zeta Phi Beta Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias
Together, these organizations represent over 12,000 chapters around the globe. There are fact sheets for each participating COA which outline the best process for locating local chapters. Please contact your staff partner for more information and additional resources.
National Corporate Team Program: As you review the list below of participants in the National Team Program below, please keep in mind that the companies are large and face the communication and organizational issues any large organization encounters. When you contact employees in local offices about teams, those employees may or may not be aware of their corporate participation. This becomes an opportunity to share what the company agreed to on a national level and present the opportunity to join in. Membership in the National Corporate Team Program changes from year to year, so be sure to check with your staff partner for the most up to date listing of companies and for available resources.
AT&T Delta Air Lines KPMG SAM’S CLUB Abbott dressbarn Kroger Starbucks Employees AGLA Dow Liberty Savings Bank State Farm Alegent Health El Paso Corporation Lockheed Martin Target AllState Fred Meyer maurices United Community Bank American Airlines GE MetLife UnitedHealth Group Bank of America GEICO Nucor Steele United Technologies Best Buy HCA Healthcare PartyLite UPS Booz Allen Hamilton Hewitt PricewaterhouseCoopers Walgreens CHN Holiday Retirement Purolator Walmart COUNTRY Financial JELD-WEN Quest Diagnostics Curves JBS Rolls-Royce
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Event Activities
Below is a list of some of the ideas for entertainment and activities that can make your event fun for the whole family. More information and resources are available to you – all you need to do is ask your staff partner.
Team themes: they can add a lot of fun to a Relay
Music: DJ or band throughout the Relay Massage therapists: relax and enjoy! Podiatrists: foot massages are a great treat Tent or banner decorating contest: great team-building activity Theme laps – please see the list on the following page for ideas. Clowns: fun for the young children! Sports games including volleyball, kickball, ect…: fun for the older children! Storyteller: great late-night activity to quiet down the children Movie tent: great way to keep the teenagers entertained Children's corner: crayons, coloring books, magician Demonstrations: tae kwon do, gymnastics, cheerleading Aerobics: loosen up in the morning Team photos: capture the moment Games: water balloon toss, three-legged race, obstacle course Mission Education: educational and fun! Scavenger Hunt Team trivia challenge
It is a good idea to secure your entertainment and activities early in your planning, as many people and services are booked well in advance.
National data shows that having activities throughout the event, including during the overnight, is a key to success and is essential for the retention of teams
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More Ideas for Entertainment and Activities
Entertainers Acrobats Theme laps Bell choirs Backwards Lap
Church choirs Bunny hop lap
Cheerleaders Cancer information lap
Celebrity lap Dance teams Exercise Instructors Children's lap Contests/games Jugglers Clownin' around lap Bean bag toss Line dancers Costume/Halloween Bingo lap Magicians Checkers tournament Couples only lap Martial artists Dance lessons/contest Crazy Hat lap Pep band Golf putting contest Decade laps: 50s, 60s, Singers Gunny sack race 70s, 80s Tap dancer Hula Hoop contest Dine and dash lap Hula dancing Disney lap Jump rope contest Favorite Sports Team lap Karaoke contest Funky Chicken lap Limbo contest Hawaiian Obstacle Course Holiday lap Ping-pong contest Jump rope lap Scavenger Hunt Line Dane lap (electric Sports: basketball, slide, Macarena, ect…) football, volleyball
Mr. Relay lap (men Sumo wrestling dressed as women) Talent show
Pajama lap Trivial Pursuit
Purple lap tournament Tug of war Grandma’s rocking chair lap: "Rockin' King and queen of Relay Relay For Life” Sunglasses lap Midnight Madness activities Tobacco survivors’ lap Crafts for Kids (ex-smokers/chewers)
Women-only or men- Boxer shorts only lap decorating contest: Get “behind” the Relay For YMCA lap Life Poker (team with the best hand wins!)
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
Team Captain Meetings Team Captain meeting sample agendas
Meeting #1 Meeting #2 Meeting #3 Welcome and Welcome and Welcome and introductions introductions introductions Video Team update Team update Event overview Information time: Activities update Rules and review team luminaria, survivors, Review what to bring captain packets activities, and what not to bring Fundraising ideas and entertainment, food Fundraising ideas Incentive program and beverages, Incentive program logistics, etc. Remarks by a cancer Bank night and survivor or caregiver Fundraising ideas registration Mission education and Incentive program information advocacy information Remarks by a cancer Remarks by a cancer Important dates, and survivor or caregiver survivor or caregiver Bank night and Mission education and Mission education and registration advocacy information advocacy information information Important dates Questions and answers Questions and answers update Thank yous Thank yous Questions and answers Thank yous
Additional Team Captain meeting sample agendas: 1st meeting Team organization tips Fundraising: tips and team fundraiser reports What is Relay: video Sponsorship Luminaria Where the money goes, part 1: research
2nd Meeting Advocacy Where the money goes, part 2: mission delivery Mission Education at Relay Survivor Fundraising: tips and team fundraiser reports
3rd Meeting Logistics Day of Relay info Fundraising: tips and team fundraiser reports Bank night Awards
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20-20-20 Team Captain meeting sample agenda:
20 Fundraising: 20 minutes of each Team Captain meeting would be dedicated to Fundraising. The committee can share best practices and Team Captains can share upcoming fundraisers or their fundraising successes. The committee can also share materials available to assist with fundraising including posters, coin cans, suns and moons, ect. This time is also always used to review the Relay Online and the online chair would do a brief review.
20 Logistics: 20 minutes of each Team Captain meeting would be dedicated to all things event. This could include new rules and regulations, youth teams and chaperone business, t-shirt ordering, tent site location, entertainment schedule, volunteer needs, ect.
20 Mission: 20 minutes of each Team Captain meeting would be dedicated to Mission. This could include sharing cancer education, the Advocacy chair doing a presentation, attendees sharing their mission moments (a TC could stand up and talk about how they have utilized Society programs and services) and discussion and sharing of materials on where the money goes. Also included during this time is Survivorship including discussions about what your survivor reception was going to look like, how to get the word out, day of event survivor activities, etc.
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Volunteer Recognition
Everyday and Special Recognition Tips Smile Ask a question Send a birthday card Have coffee together Recognize and accommodate personal needs and problems Be pleasant Respect their wishes Keep challenging him or her Say “Good morning” Greet him or her by name Provide good training Help develop self-confidence Take time to explain things fully Give additional responsibility Recommend newsworthy information about him or her as a media feature Honor his or her preferences Create pleasant surroundings Enlist him or her to train others Take the time to talk Defend against negative members Commend him or her to supervisory staff Write thank-you notes Surprise him or her with coffee and cake Celebrate outstanding projects and achievements Nominate him or her for an award Carefully match volunteers to jobs Accept his or her individuality Provide opportunities for evaluation Send impromptu fun cards Plan a surprise Send a letter of appreciation Include recognition in the Relay newsletter Adequately orient him or her Award special citations Be familiar with the details of assignments Say “Thank you”
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Creative Ways to Recognize Volunteers
What a bright idea! Note stuck to a Christmas bulb What a Cracker Jack idea! Box of Cracker Jacks Your ideas are so exciting I could just pop! A balloon Thanks for raisin’ the tough questions! Mini-boxes of raisins Your great work has me wreathed in smiles! Small grapevine wreath No one holds a candle to you! Scented votive candle or pack of birthday candles You are a LIFESAVER! Candy with a note You’re the apple of my eye! Real or artificial apple, maybe tied with a bow What an angel! Here’s your halo. Two silver pipe cleaners twisted together Your vision is our guiding light! Mini-flashlight You have given our project the sweet smell of success! Potpourri or sachet packet Your presentation was right to the point. Box of tacks or push pins Thanks! You’ve energized us! Package of batteries By any measure, you are a leader! Tape measure or a ruler Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. A note with a Band-Aid attached “Prescription” pep pills for tough jobs, cheer-up pills, etc. M&M’s or other candy in an old medicine bottle Thanks for your hard work. I know it has been a headache! Small aspirin or Tylenol packet I’ll help you see this project through. Goofy joke glasses I know you’re feeling snowed under right now. Inexpensive snow-globes Don’t worry, it will be fine. or You’re a doll! Box of worry dolls Many motivated and marvelous volunteers! Marvelous and Motivated – M&Ms You take the cake! Cupcakes for a committee meeting
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
New England Division Hair Donation Agreement Form for Minors
Hair donations to Wigs for Kids are allowed as a third-party Relay For Life team fundraising activity - both pre-Relay and at Relay. All participants must be at least 18 years old to donate. If someone under age 18 is interested in this opportunity, a parent/guardian must be present with the minor, and sign this permission slip allowing the minor’s participation in this activity.
Information on minor participant:
Name: ______
Address: ______
Phone (H) ______E-mail ______
Date of Birth: ______
Information of parent/guardian:
Name: ______
Address: ______
Phone (H) ______E-mail ______
Minor participant’s signature: ______Date: ______
I give permission for my son/daughter to donate their hair to Wigs for Kids. I understand that Wigs for Kids is not a program of the American Cancer Society.
Parent/guardian signature (required): ______
Date: ______
American Cancer Society RFL of XXXXXXXX Street Address City, State, Zip
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
New England Division Relay For Life Awards
Award and recognition opportunities are available to qualifying Relay For Life events held in a fiscal year. These awards do not require an application process; they are all data-driven, tracked through our internal databases. All data must be entered by August 15th for consideration. These awards will be announced and celebrated at the New England Division’s Relay For Life Community Leadership Summit and Collegiate Leadership Summit in the fall. All event dollar amounts will be considered using NET income numbers. Community Awards R – RELAY REVENUE a) Top Relay Overall: for the Relay that raises the most income throughout the Division b) Top New Community Relay: for the Relay that raises the most income in its first year c) Top Growth for an Existing Community Relay: for the 2+ year old Relay that has the highest percentage of income growth d) Top Community Relay Online: for the Relay that raises the most income through the online fundraising tool E – EXCELLENCE IN FUNDRAISING a) #1 Fundraising Team – Community Relay: for the highest fundraising team throughout the Division. Team size limited to 15 members. b) #1 Individual Fundraiser – Community Relay: for the highest fundraising individual throughout the Division L – LONGEVITY OF EXCELLENCE a) For 5-9 year old Relays: Highest Percentage of Growth: for the 5-9 year old Relay with the highest percentage of growth b) For 10+ year old Relays: Highest Percentage of Growth: for the 10+ year old Relay with the highest percentage of growth A – ACKNOWLEDING SURVIVORS a) Pack the Track: for the Relay that has the highest number of survivors throughout the Division b) Highest Level of Survivor Participation: Survivor:Participant ratio for the events and awarding one award for each of the 6 states in NE. c) Most Survivors at a New Relay: for the Relay that has the highest number of survivors in its first year Y –YOUTH AWARDS a) Top Youth Relay Overall: for the high school Relay that raises the most income b) Top Youth Team: for the highest high school fundraising team c) Top Youth Individual Fundraiser: for the highest individual youth fundraiser d) Top Mini Relay Overall: for the Mini Relay that raises the most income e) Top Mini Relay Team: for the highest Mini Relay fundraising team f) Top Mini Relay Individual Fundraiser: for the highest individual Mini Relay fundraiser
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011 Collegiate Awards R – RELAY REVENUE a. Top College Relay Overall: for the Relay that raises the most income throughout the Division b. Top New College Relay: for the Relay that raises the most income in its first year c. Top Growth for an Existing College Relay: for the 2+ year old Relay that has the highest percentage of income growth d. Top College Relay Online: for the Relay that raises the most income through the online fundraising tool E – EXCELLENCE IN FUNDRAISING a) #1 Fundraising Team – College Relay: for the highest fundraising team throughout the Division. Team size limited to 15 members. b) #1 Individual Fundraiser – College Relay: for the highest fundraising individual throughout the Division L – LONGEVITY OF EXCELLENCE a) For 2-4 year old College Relays: Highest Percentage of Growth: for the 2-4 year old Relay with the highest percentage of growth b) For 5+ year old College Relays: Highest Percentage of Growth: for the 5+ year old Relay with the highest percentage of growth A – ACKNOWLEDING SURVIVORS a) Pack the Track: for the Relay that has the highest number of survivors throughout the Division b) Highest Level of Survivor Participation: Survivor:Participant ratio for the events and awarding one award for each of the 6 states in NE. c) Most Survivors at a New College Relay: for the Relay that has the highest number of survivors in its first year Y – You Are Making It Happen! Qualitative awards recognizing extremely creative programs or events put on by a school’s Relay For Life or CAC Chapter throughout the year. a) Get the People: a. Best recruiting event/program b) Get the Fun: Best event/program that is wicked fun and incorporates mission/cancer education/ advocacy/survivorship/etc. c) Get the Money: Best fundraising event/program
How to apply for one of the awards: Ask for an award nomination form from your Relay or CAC Chapter’s Staff Partner. Nominations should include the event details and pictures of the event. Events/Chapters can apply for one or all of the categories. Winners will be chosen by the New England College Leadership Team and Division Task Force members. Winners for each category will be announced each year at Summit.
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American Cancer Society Relay For Life Leadership Handbook 2011
American Cancer Society Relay For Life
Nationwide Awards and Recognition Program
■ All American Relay Award (application required) ■ Nationwide Online Communications Award Awarded to communities that show growth, retention, (application required) Relay branding, diversity, and leadership in incorporating Awarded to the top three events and the top three teams the 5Ds within Relay event and throughout the year recognized by the nationwide RFL Marketing and based on an application and review process. Communications Leadership Committee as (Community, collegiate, and high school events are demonstrating the best use of the eligible) e-revenue/communications tool, social media and/or RelayForLife.org for online communication. ■ Colleges Against Cancer Awards (Community, collegiate, and high school events are (determined through CAC chapter Year End Reports) eligible) Awarded to Colleges Against Cancer chapters that show outstanding activities in the areas of Advocacy, ■ Nationwide Per Capita Award Survivorship, Cancer Education, and Relay For Life. Awarded to the top 10 per capita counties in each Awards for Outstanding Chapter of the Year and Rookie Population bucket based on the net income from Lawson Chapter of the Year are also included in this category. and county population from all the Relays in each county. Awarded to the top five per capita youth events in each ■ Gordy Klatt Power of Hope Award --- New! population bucket based on net income from Lawson and Awarded to the top county in each population bucket with enrollment population. the highest per capita number of total registered (Overall Number One event is Gordy Klatt winner) survivors participating in all events in the county based on county population and survivors in Siebel. ■ Nationwide Team of Excellence Award Awarded to all teams that raise $50,000 and above (with ■ Gordy Klatt Number One Net Income Award an average of $3,333 per team member) and awarded to Awarded to the number one nationwide fundraising all youth teams that raise $15,000 and above (with an community and youth fundraising event in the country average of $1,000 per team member). Data based on based on net income from Lawson. estimated revenue and number of team members in Siebel. ■ Gordy Klatt Number One Per Capita Award Awarded to the number one per capita county in the ■ Nationwide Top Net Income Events country based on net income from Lawson and county Awarded to the top 10 nationwide fundraising events and population and awarded to the number one per capita awarded to the top five nationwide fundraising youth youth event in the country based on net income from events in the country based on net income from Lawson. Lawson and enrollment population. (Overall Number One event is Gordy Klatt winner)
■ Heart of Relay Award (application required) ■ Nationwide Top Online Fundraising Award Awarded to community, collegiate, and youth events that Awarded to the top individual and top event with the most demonstrate successful practices and innovations in online dollars raised (both community and youth) based supporting the Society’s mission in the areas of mission on credit card donations. delivery, advocacy, survivor/caregiver engagement, and youth involvement based on application and review ■ Nationwide Top Individual Fundraising Award process. Awarded to the top 10 individuals who raise the most funds nationwide and the top five youth based on ■ Nationwide Power of Hope Award estimated revenue in Siebel. Awarded to the top county in each population bucket with the highest per capita number of total registered ■ Nationwide Top Team Fundraising Award survivors participating in all events in the county based Awarded to the top 10 community fundraising teams on county population and survivors in Siebel. (with an average of $3,333 per team member) and (Overall Number One event is Gordy Klatt winner) the top five youth fundraising teams above (with an average of $1,000 per team member) in the country – ■ Nationwide Number One Rookie Event Award based on estimated revenue in Siebel including both Awarded to the first year community event with the top online and offline income. net income in Lawson and awarded to the first year youth event with the top net income in Lawson. ■ Terry Zahn Excellence in Publicity (application required) Awarded to the top three events demonstrating excellence in Relay event or team publicity based on an application and review process. (Community, collegiate, and high school events are
eligible)
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