Dee & Shannon’s Top 10!
Top Individual Fundraisers Shannon Gilmartin, left, ($10,130 in 2009) and Dee Hymel ($10,255 in 2010) have offered their Top 10 Fundraising Tips to help get you started!
- Put your money where your mouth (and heart) is – make the first donation yourself so that people see you really believe in this cause.
- Put your donation link in your holiday cards – it might inspire some added holiday cheer.
- Do a campaign (letter, email or other) where you share your story with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers etc.
- Be creative – people are more likely to give if you’re enthusiastic and original in your fundraising venture.
- Get people involved – don’t take it all on yourself. If you know someone who will sell raffle tickets, bake for a bake sale, or help otherwise, even if they are not participating in the Challenge, their support can help more than you know. It is also a way for people who cannot make a monetary donation to get involved.
- Be prepared to answer questions. Know who is benefiting from their donations: cancer patients and their families through The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing.
- Ask EVERYONE – the worst thing they can do is say no. Many will surprise you. This is a cause that touches nearly everyone.
- Sometimes you can make a mountain out of many molehills. Every donation helps, so ask people to give what they can, and ALWAYS be grateful for every donation that you receive.
- If you are fundraising as a team, pool your resources and think big.
- Set your goal high – make it fun and see where it takes you. We never expected to get to the top when we started, but with a little belief and determination, we made it happen. You can too!
