Walk to the
Future, Silicon Valley
Saturday
May
28,
2016 - 10am - 11am
Penetencia Creek Park, San Jose, 3050
Berryessa
Rd,
San Jose, CA 95132
In Conjuction with San Jose F.O.A.M.
Festival Festival of Arts & Musique
Presented by Opening Doors 2020,
a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation
Walk - Hints for Fundraising
Our Goal: To build a massively fun FUNraiser and FUNDraiser
for many local schools and education
projects.
Walkers
register, then can raise pledges online that
will be credited to THEIR favorite
nonprofit
cause.
Lists of beneficiaries will be published
soon. Please check back in a few days.
To apply for your favorite nonprofit to be a
potential beneficiary, have the nonprofit fill out
the application below.
|
THIS IS A
VERY PRELIMINARY WORK IN
PROGRESS!
PLEASE
BEAR WITH US AS WE GET THE EVENT
PACKAGES UP TO SPEED.
Saturday May
28, 2016 for Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley Walk 2016,
Penetencia Creek Park, San Jose, California
This Year, Walk to the Future Silicon
Valley's
Walk is encouraging walkers to
"champions" the fight for youth causes and
raise pledges online. Walkers in
similar
events have raised literally millions of
dollars using online pledging. You can
raise big money too. 100% of proceeds go to
Walk to the Future Silicon Valley.
Never
raised money before? Believe us,
it's a LOT easier to raise pledges than you
think! The secret is to ASK. Ask, ask,
ASK. Ask everybody you know, and
you
will be surprised how generous people will
be
to the cause. Remember, you are
not asking for money for yourself, you are
asking for money to help Walk to the Future
Silicon Valley work with at risk youth,
enhance educational opportunities, improve
health, give families emotional support and
links to resources, you name it.
So get out there and contact everybody
you know to pledge in your name. Read
on
for ways to do it...
- For Walkers
- For Nonprofits
Research
shows that the number one reason people
do not donate is that no one ever asked
them! Whether you are an
individual fundraiser or are fundraising
with a team, the goal is to reach out to
as many people as possible and to remember
you are not doing this alone. Thousands of
women, men, and children will contribute
to Walk to the Future Silicon Valley's
Walk this year. The bigger the
network, the more money we'll raise.
Below
are
some
great fundraising tips to get you
started in spreading your personal passion
for Walk to the Future Silicon Valley's
Walk
First, a sample
email some nonprofits are sending to their
clients/volunteers/staff/board/etc.
Greetings!
I hope this finds you all well and
having a great summer!
To our great honor, {nonprofitname}
has been invited to be a potential
beneficiary on the huge 'Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley', a
multi-thousand person 5K walk-a-thon
in Penetencia Creek Park, San Jose.
Unlike most walkers where an
anonymous committee decides who
receives proceeds, in this walk
WALKERS SELECT THEIR FAVORITE
NONPROFITS to receive pledges the
walkers raised.
So we want YOU to walk with us and
raise pledges for {nonprofitname}.
The walk be in spectacular historic
Penetencia Creek Park, San Jose;
along the waterfront,
terminating in the new F.O.A.M.
Festival Of Arts &
Musique. I am excited about
this awesome opportunity to join
2000+ walkers and give back to our
community!
PLUS F.O.A.M. Festival takes place
in the park that
day. So all walkers will get
free admission to the festival, free
hands on art/science/food fun hosted
by as many as 150 exhibitors, live
music, you name it!
Registration includes a T-shirt,
free parking, free food,
entertainment, and an AWESOME time.
Registration is only $20/adult,
$5/youth 12-17, free for children
under 12.
Once registered, you will be able to
raise pledges for us online. Ask
family/friends/co-workers/neighbors
etc for small pledges to support the
cause, and you might be amazed how
generous people can be. Even very
small $5 - $10 pledges can really
add up and can really help if you
ask enough people.
For more information, and to sign up
to walk, please visit the website:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/
So I hope you can join us September
17. It will be an awesome lot of
fun, and a fantastic way to support
your favorite group, {nonprofit}.
Best regards;
{yourname}
|
|
Walker
Recruiting
Tips for
Beneficiaries <Top>
The
trick to walker recruitment is
ask, ask, ASK. That, and get
walkers EXCITED about your cause,
cite specifically what walkers'
money will go for, then coach the
walkers to sign up online AND
start raising pledges asap.
First
step: Sign Up online
to
Register as a
Nonprofit:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/nonprofit-registration.htm
Email
your Friends and Family to
get your feet wet
Send emails to
everyone you know (see samples
below). You might be surprised
at how many walkers sign up
right away.
Then
email
your distribution
lists
Send an impassioned plea to
your distribution lists and
ask walkers to sign up.
Make a
List and Check It Twice
Make a list of
potential donors. Include
everyone you know. Start by
sponsoring yourself on your
walk paper and by making a
donation to yourself online.
Your gift will set the tone
for others to give. (You can
print a walk paper from this
Web site).
One a
Day
Ask one person
each day to make a
contribution. If you get four
$25 gifts, you will have
raised $100 in less than a
week. Don’t be afraid to ask
for larger gifts. Youth causes
affect everyone, and most
people are happy to
donate. Ask people
if they would like to donate
in the name of a friend or
loved one, perhaps a relative
who has received scholarships
to go to college, or perhaps
someone who has been a victim
of violence, or perhaps a
young person who has battled
illness.
Double
Your Money
Many employers
offer matching funds programs.
Your $50 donation could turn
into $100. Inquire with your
personnel/HR department and
remind your supporters about
matching gifts.
The
Mighty e-Pen
Send an email
to friends, family, and
co-workers asking for their
support. Let them know if you
are paddling in honor of
someone. Explain why the cause
is important to you; heartfelt
messages get the best
response. Don’t forget to send
a thank you note to people who
donate.
Talk
It Up
Ask for a few
minutes on the agenda of any
meetings you will be
attending. Explain why you are
walking and ask for everyone’s
support. If you are dedicating
your efforts to someone you
know. Tell their story.
Offer
Food
Offer healthy
treats to your friends, family
and co-workers for a small
gift to your cause through
Walk to the Future Silicon
Valley's Walk. The best way to
most people's wallet is
through their stomach.
Clean
House
Clean out your
garage or home and set up a
Walk to the Future Silicon
Valley's Walk donation booth
in exchange for your finds.
Ask your friends and neighbors
to donate their stuff to you,
explaining that all proceeds
go to your cause.
Celebrate
If a birthday
or holiday is coming up, tell
your family and friends that
in lieu of a gift, you would
like them to make a donation
to your cause through Walk to
the Future Silicon Valley's
Walk.
Pin It
Up
Post
your
walk
paper on the bulletin
board at church or temple, in
the office, at the gym, or at
school. Make sure to highlight
your name, phone number, email
address, and team Web page
address.
Send
the Message
Change
the
recording
on
your voicemail or answering
machine to mention Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley's Walk
and how callers can make a
donation. Then, when you call
people back, ask them to
sponsor you. When emailing
friends, add a “PS” asking for
their support.
|
Sample Walker
Recruitment Emails <Top>
Here
is
one
sample of emails that work.
More are coming soon. Got a great
one of your own to share with us?
Send it to walkforyouth@regathon.com
Here is a sample email written by
a walker recruiter for The Firehouse
Community Development Corportation
Hi
Friends and Family,
I hope this finds you all well and
having a great 2011!
I have been working with a great
non-profit organization called The
Firehouse Community Development
Corporation (FCDC), which
provides many benefits to our
local community. The Firehouses
vision is to become a network of
multi-cultural resource centers
located in underserved communities
that helps to break the cycles of
poverty and violence affecting
youth and their families. Over the
past three years we have served
over 1400 unduplicated youth with
exemplary results. They also serve
families and friends of youth
involved in the gang lifestyle
Part of the work I'm doing with
The FCD is to participate in the
1st annual benefit walk called "Walk
to the Future Silicon Valley" on
September 17th, 2011.
The event is raising money which
will go directly back into our
Silicon Valley community to
continue our work with at risk
youth in our mission to help them
become productive members of our
society.
The Walk for Local Youth is a
collaborative effort between
Opening Doors 2020 and several
nonprofit groups to
build one of the biggest, most
successful collaborative Bay Area
fundraisers in the name of the
youth we all mutually serve.
I am excited
about this awesome opportunity to
join hundreds of walkers and give
back
to our community!
I
would like to invite you to be a
part of the Team in
this great event and recruit
walkers/pledgers for Waking Doors
2020.
If you are interested in joining
my team or signing up for this
walk please feel free to do so at:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/walker-registration.htm
Or if you would like to submit a
pledge and support me :-)
Please go to:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/sponsor.htm
Thank you, in advance, for your
generous support. Together we will
make a difference.
Warmly,
Angel Garza
|
Some more info to pass along to your
walkers...
|
Fundraising
Tips
for
Individuals <Top>
Never
raised money before? It's actually
probably easier than you
think. Here's how.
First
step: Sign Up online
to
Register
to
Walk at
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/walker-registration.htm
Email
your Friends and Family
Send emails to
everyone you know (see samples
below). You might be surprised
as donations start rolling in.
Make a
List and Check It Twice
Make a list of
potential donors. Include
everyone you know. Start by
sponsoring yourself on your walk
paper and by making a donation
to yourself online. Your gift
will set the tone for others to
give. (You can print a walk
paper from this Web site).
One a
Day
Ask one person
each day to make a contribution.
If you get four $25 gifts, you
will have raised $100 in less
than a week. Don’t be afraid to
ask for larger gifts. Youth
causes affect everyone, and most
people are happy to
donate. Ask people
if they would like to donate in
the name of a friend or loved
one, perhaps a relative who has
received scholarships to go to
college, or perhaps someone who
has been a victim of violence,
or perhaps a young person who
has battled illness.
Double
Your Money
Many employers
offer matching funds programs.
Your $50 donation could turn
into $100. Inquire with your
personnel/HR department and
remind your supporters about
matching gifts.
The
Mighty e-Pen
Send an email to
friends, family, and co-workers
asking for their support. Let
them know if you are paddling in
honor of someone. Explain why
the cause is important to you;
heartfelt messages get the best
response. Don’t forget to send a
thank you note to people who
donate.
Talk It
Up
Ask for a few
minutes on the agenda of any
meetings you will be attending.
Explain why you are walking and
ask for everyone’s support. If
you are dedicating your efforts
to someone you know. Tell
their story.
Offer
Food
Offer healthy
treats to your friends, family
and co-workers for a small gift
to your cause through Walk to
the Future Silicon Valley's
Walk. The best way to most
people's wallet is through their
stomach.
Clean
House
Clean out your
garage or home and set up a Walk
to the Future Silicon Valley's
Walk donation booth in exchange
for your finds. Ask your friends
and neighbors to donate their
stuff to you, explaining that
all proceeds go to your cause.
Celebrate
If a birthday or
holiday is coming up, tell your
family and friends that in lieu
of a gift, you would like them
to make a donation to your cause
through Walk to the Future
Silicon Valley's Walk.
Pin It
Up
Post
your walk paper on the bulletin
board at church or temple, in
the office, at the gym, or at
school. Make sure to highlight
your name, phone number, email
address, and team Web page
address.
Send the
Message
Change
the recording on your voicemail
or answering machine to mention
Walk to the Future Silicon
Valley's Walk and how callers
can make a donation. Then, when
you call people back, ask them
to sponsor you. When emailing
friends, add a “PS” asking for
their support.
|
Fundraising
Tips
for
Teams <Top>
|
Walking as
a team?
Team-based
pledgeraising can be
very effective by
using the power of
the team to promote
your walk.
Here's
how:
Challenge Each
Other
Hold weekly
challenges within a company that
has two or more teams. Drive
your fundraising effort through
healthy competition.
Go
Casual
Dress down for a cause.
Arrange for your office or
school to allow people to
dress casual in support of
Walk to the Future Silicon
Valley's Wal by giving a
dollar or two or even five.
Reduce
Stress
Find a masseuse
through a health club,
training school, or
chiropractor’s office. Have
them come to your business and
provide five or 10-minute neck
and shoulder massages for a
gift of $10. Have employees
sign up beforehand, and the
masseuse will come right into
their office.
Give
Ribbons
Give out ribbons for a gift of
$1 or more. Employees can take
home a ribbon in honor of a
friend or loved one. Create
your own wall to list the
names of these people.
Give
Rewards
Ask your boss to offer an
extra vacation day to the team
member who raises the most
money. If your team is the
highest fundraising team
within the company, see if
everyone on the team can have
a day off.
Give
Prizes
Get some great prizes donated
to your team. Try gift
certificates at a restaurant
or spa. Then auction them off
to the highest bidders.
Honor
Loved
Ones
Create quilt squares
in honor of, or in memory of
people. Accept varying
donations for different sizes:
a 4” square for $5, an 8”
square for $15, and a 12”
square for $25. Display the
quilt in the lobby at work,
school, health club, or place
of worship. If you can’t use
fabric, try something else
like card stock.
|
How to raise $1,500 in just six
weeks: <Top>
|
Think
it
can't
be
done?
Think
again.
Hundreds
of
thousands
of
walkers
all
over
the
U.S.
raise
that
much
every
year
for
innumerable
causes.
You
can do it
too!!! Here's how.
Week 1:
- Take the first step: Sponsor
yourself for $25.
- Send out at least 25
emails to friends and family
(ask for a minimum donation of
$20) = $500.
- (Note: the AVERAGE pledge in
most similar events is $40.
$20 is do-able by just about
everybody.)
Week 2:
- Follow up on your fundraising
letters and emails.
- Ask four additional family
members (minimum donation of $25
each) = $100.
- Ask five friends to sponsor you
(minimum donation of $25 each) =
$125.
- Ask three co-workers to sponsor
you (minimum of $25 each) = $75.
- Check with your company's human
resource department to see if they
offer matching gifts.
Week 3:
- Ask three additional co-workers
to sponsor you (minimum donation
of $25 each) = $75.
- Plan a fundraising party with at
least 25 people (e.g. 50% of split
cover charge of $20 for a happy
hour) = $250.
Week 4:
- Ask eight neighbors to sponsor
you (minimum donation of $10 each)
= $80
Week 5:
- Ask your boss for a company
contribution = $100
Week 6:
- Ask three businesses you
frequent for a donation (e.g.
doctor, dentist, dry cleaners,
etc., $50 each) = $150
VOILA!
$1500 YOU CAN DO IT!
|
Sample Emails <Top>
Here
is
one
sample of emails that work. More
are coming soon. Got a great one of
your own to share with us? Send it
to walkforyouth@regathon.com
Here is a sample email written by a
walker for The Firehouse Community
Development Corportation
Hi
Friends and Family,
I hope this finds you all well and
having a great 2011!
I have been working with a great
non-profit organization called The
Firehouse Community Development
Corporation (FCDC), which
provides many benefits to our local
community. The Firehouses vision is
to become a network of
multi-cultural resource centers
located in underserved communities
that helps to break the cycles of
poverty and violence affecting youth
and their families. Over the past
three years we have served over 1400
unduplicated youth with exemplary
results. They also serve families
and friends of youth involved in the
gang lifestyle
Part of the work I'm doing with The
FCD is to participate in the 1st
annual benefit walk called "Walk
to the Future Silicon Valley" on
September 17th, 2011.
The event is raising money which
will go directly back into our
Silicon Valley community to continue
our work with at risk youth in our
mission to help them become
productive members of our society.
The Walk for Local Youth is a
collaborative effort between Opening
Doors 2020 and numerous nonprofit
groups to build one
of the biggest, most successful
collaborative Bay Area fundraisers
in the name of the youth we all
mutually serve.
I am excited about this
awesome opportunity to join hundreds
of
walkers and give back to our
community!
I am sending this to you to see if
you can support me by entering a
pledge - any amount is incredibly
helpful and greatly
appreciated. As well as to
invite you to be a part of my team
in this great event and recruit
walkers/pledgers for Opening Doors
2020.
If you are interested in joining my
team or signing up for this walk
please feel free to do so at:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/walker-registration.htm
Or if you would like to submit a
pledge and support me :-)
Please go to:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/sponsor.htm
Thank you, in advance, for your
generous support. Together we will
make a difference.
Warmly,
Angel Garza
|
Here is
another email used by another walker.
|
Hola Friends
and Family,
I hope this finds
you all well and having a great
2011!
I have been working with a great
non-profit organization called <your
nonprofit
goes
here> which
provides unrivaled educational and
outreach services to provide
<services go here> with young
people.
Part of the work I'm doing with Walk
to the Future Silicon Valley is to
participate in the first annual
benefit walk called "Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley's Walk" on May
28, 2016. The event is raising
money to raise awareness about youth
causes. The course will be in
spectacular Penetencia Creek Park,
San Jose, along
the waterfront, and back to my
starting point to raise money for
the cause. I am excited about
this awesome opportunity to join
thousands of walkers and give back
to the community!
I am sending this to you to see if
you can support me by entering a
pledge - any amount is incredibly
helpful and greatly
appreciated. If you can't -
that's okay, I understand - your
moral support is welcome also!
Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley's Walk
is a collaborative effort to enhance
awareness and education about
several causes, diseases and
challenges that each of us face.
Walk to
the Future Silicon Valley is
fighting
an important battle for an
important cause. I want to raise as
much as I can to help the
environment through "Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley's Walk".
If you can, please go to the
following link, select me as your
walker to sponsor, and make a
pledge.
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/sponsor.htm
Even a couple of collars would help,
whatever you can spare . . .
Also, would you
mind spreading the word to your
friends & family & coworkers
etc. by forwarding this
e-mail! If even 500 people
pledged $20, that would be an
amazing gesture of support for
individuals in need.
Also, if you can join us in
Penetencia Creek Park,
come on out and cheer me on, on May
28, 2016. Here are the
directions:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/faq.htm
Thank you, in
advance, for your generous support.
Together we will make a difference.
Warmly, Paula
Martinez
|
When someone
made a pledge to Paula, she sends a thank
you email to her walk sponsor.
Dear
<pledger>
THANK YOU for making a pledge to my
walk in the 7th annual Walk to the
Future Silicon Valley Walk on
Saturday May 28, 2016. 1000+
walkers are expected to walk with me
from 9am-10am along the amazing
Penetentia Creek Park
waterfront. We expect
to see egrets and blue heron and all
manner of birds as we walk.
Local residents are going to be
lining the walk route and cheering
us on as we raise money for a very
important cause. Please
consider joining us and cheering us
at 9am Saturday morning! I
would love to give you a high five
and a hug as I walk past you.
ALSO, please join me at the big F.O.A.M.
Festival after the
walk in the spectacular Penetencia
Creek Park from 11am-5pm.
The
6
hour
festival
features
live entertainment, up to 150
hands-on science booths, live
animals, lots of fun and educational
stuff.
Directions here: http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/faq.htm
So thanks again for the awesome
pledge! Hugs for helping me
help the kids!
Warmly, Paula Martinez |
Another letter
from another participant who is raising
money for pediatric cancer
|
Hi Friends,
On
Saturday May 28, 2016 I will be
walking in the 7th annual benefit "Walk
to the Future Silicon Valley's
Walk" to raise money to
battle childhood cancer. 100%
of proceeds from pledges I raise go
directly to Walk to the Future
Silicon Valley. The course
will be along scenic historic
Penetencia Creek Park, along the
waterfront, and
back to my starting point to raise
money for the cause. I am
excited about walking in this new
event to raise money for the cause!
I am asking everyone support
me by entering a pledge!
My goal is to
set a fund-raising record of $1000
before I hit the starting gate on
May 28, 2016. Since this is my
first time walking, I am setting my
fundraising goal high.
Walk to
the Future Silicon Valley's Walk
is a collaborative effort to enhance
awareness and education about
several causes, diseases and
challenges each of us face.
Walk to
the Future Silicon Valley
is fighting an important battle for
an important cause. I want to raise
as much as I can for the cause
through "Walk to the Future Silicon
Valley's Walk". Please go to the
following link asap, select me as
your walker to sponsor, and make a
pledge. Even a couple of dollars
would help, whatever you can spare.
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/sponsor.htm
Also,
would
you
mind spreading the word to your
friends & family & coworkers
etc. by forwarding this email!
If only 500 people pledged $20, I
would hit my goal and show an
amazing gesture of support for
individuals in need. Also, if you
can join us in Penetencia Creek
Park, come on out
and cheer me on, May 28, 2016.
ALSO, please join me at the big F.O.A.M.
Festival after the walk in
the
spectacular Penetencia Creek
Park. The festival runs from
11am-5pm, and features 100+ hands on exhibits, and tons
of other fun!!!
Here are the directions:
http://www.walktothefuturesv.org/faq.htm
Thank you, in
advance, for your generous support.
Together we will eventually put an
end to pediatric cancer once and for
all!
Sincerely,
Paula Martinez
|
Do you have a great letter or email that
works for you? Share it with us so
that we can share it with your fellow
walkers. Have questions? Contact us at: walkforyouth@regathon.com
So we look forward to seeing you at the Walk
to the Future Silicon Valley Walk in
spectacular Penetencia Creek Park, San Jose
California, on Saturday
May 28, 2016. Walk
registration opens at 7:30am.
The walk
kicks off at 9am. We walk
along the awe inspiring Penetencia Creek
Park waterfront,
through a throng of residents cheering us
on, back to the Marina for the fun-filled Health Fair
from 10am-2pm.
See you Saturday,
May
28, 2016!
<Top> |
|
