How to FUNd-raise like a BOSS!

If you are here reading this blog, it is probably because you are looking for awesome and fun fund raising ideas for kids!  But, when you have an awesome kid that is working hard and kicking butt, it means YOU have to step up your game to!  Today I am going to share my tips and ideas on how to fund raise like a BOSS, so that you can RELAY BIG! After all, we are setting an example for some pretty amazing kids!

Now, first things first.  The fund raising game changes a little bit when you have a child (or spouse!) fundraising to.  Wes and I have an unwritten rule that he gets to ask for the donations from our friends and family, so I have to think outside of the box when it comes to my efforts.  Luckily, that is something I am pretty good at, since my job requires me to think outside of the box on a daily basis!

USE YOUR SKILLS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Whether you realize it or not, we all have unique and amazing talents!  Are you a great cook?  A painter?  Do you make the cutest hair bows for your daughter?  Do you play an instrument?  Find that special talent, and use it to your advantage with fundraising.

I have two unique skills that I use to raise money for RFL.  One thing I do year round is donate a large portion of my sales from my Cancer Awareness Tie Dye to my Relay For Life goal.  The thing I really love about this is that I get to communicate with people all over the world who are fighting the same fight I am.  Now, if you have a talent, but don't run a business doing that talent, you can still sell your items!  Use Facebook to your advantage- it's a free advertising tool!  Post pictures of your creations, and ask your friends to buy them, or share the pictures :)

Something else I love to do is paint.  This year, my Relay hosted a silent auction, so I painted up two jewelry boxes and filled them with bracelets to auction off.  This was a really easy project, I just sat them on the coffee table and worked on them each night as I watched TV!

Now, I can't talk about talents and skills without mentioning my friend Krisha (who is also a fundraising power house!).  Krisha and her team are off the charts good bakers.  During the fall, they sell pumpkin rolls that are TO DIE FOR, and during Valentines Day, they sell Valentines cookies!  What Krisha does is post about what she is baking on facebook, and takes orders, so she knows how much to make.  THIS FUNDRAISER WORKS like a charm, and is way less stress than a traditional bake sale, because you know what you need to make ahead of time!  So far this year, they have raised over $800 by doing this!

Take it to the next level
Let's face it- I can only sell so many tie dye t-shirts at an event.  So this year, I thought further out of the box- I wanted to figure out how to get a bigger variety of items to auction off or sell, without having to buy them all outright.  Then it hit me- what if I asked other Relayers all over the country to trade their crafty items for tie dye?  Surely they had the same dilemma I did!  I went straight to Etsy (which is like the worlds biggest craft show online), and searched "Relay For Life".  When I found an item that I thought would work great for what I was doing, I simply shot that seller an email and asked if they would consider trading me for tie dye!  I figured, the worst I was going to hear was no!  Guess what happened?  Most people said yes!  It created a win win situation for both of us.

TinkerDotDesigns, for example, sent me this amazing mounted print, and magnets, and I made tie dye for her and her daughters to wear at Relay!  I'll admit I am going to have a hard time selling this one off, it's beautiful!

Other Ideas that work!
So, you're not the crafty type, you can't boil water, and your last project ended up an epic Pinterest fail.   Don't worry, all is not lost!  Here are my two favorite fundraisers that don;t require much creativity!

Relay For Life T-SHIRTS with a message sell!  Go to your local T-shirt printer, and find out how much they would charge to print shirts for you.  Many print shops also have a designer who can sit down with you and your ideas, and come up with the perfect design for your shirts!  Have them make you an order form, and take pre-orders for T-shirts.  Use that money to purchase the shirts, and put the rest towards your Relay goal!  Last year, I noticed that no one in our area had shirts made for the event that represented our schools- The Weatherford Eagles.  So, I drew up a design with that in mind, and it has been a hit!

Here are some more of my favorites!  If you would like to purchase any of these, you can find them over at https://www.facebook.com/RelayForLifeOfCusterCounty

Who doesn't love wearing Relay gear all year anyway!?  I love buying all of the t-shirts everyone makes, because it gives me the opportunity to talk about RFL everyone someone compliments what I am wearing!

MUDLOVE BRACELETS
I absolutely love MUD LOVE bracelets.  They are handmade in the USA, waterproof, made of clay, adjustable, and come in tons of colors and sayings.  As if that isn't enough, 20% of all sales go to creating clean drinking water in Africa.  I love using the bracelets to raise money for Relay, because it is something different, and they go fast!  Mud Love offers bulk ordering straight from their website with minimums as low as 50 bracelets.

USE YOUR CONNECTIONS
Make a list of everyone you know that you have a connection with.  You know what I mean, your friend who manages a restaurant in town,  your sister who works for a big corporation, your best friends hubby who works for a big box retailer.  Talk to those folks, and see if they can do anything to help you out, even if it is not monetary help!

I made the most wonderful connection this year with Jodie Kyle, the owner of Simplistic Style  an awesome boutique in our town that sells my line of Boho Couture.  Not only did I learn that Jodie is a Cervical Cancer survivor, she also decided to join our team!  Jodie let me put all of the items I had been selling for Relay at the front and center of the store, and even added her own items to fund raise!  So every time someone goes into her store, they see our items!  It has been a great success.

That's it for now!  Stay tuned for more ideas, and if you want to hear about team fund raisers, let me know by leaving a comment below!

Remember, we are all in this fight together- the more we share, the better we can fundraise and end the fight!

XO
Cass

How to help your little one make a BIG difference!

It's RELAY SEASON!  In our house, Relay Season falls from January 1st, through mid April- and we literally celebrate it like it is a holiday.  Except, Relay season is better than a holiday, because instead of GETTING- we spend it giving, and raising money to make other people's lives better!  The best part about this time of year for me is seeing how passionate Wes (who is 6) gets about fighting back against cancer.  Being a parent of a little philanthropist takes a lot of creativity.  Mainly, because it is important to teach them that they can do SO MUCH, with the skills and the tools that they have available!  Teaching kids to do good things like volunteering and paying it forward at a young age (and making it fun!) will help them learn that doing good as an adult is NOT a chore, but something that makes you feel wonderful!

Now, not to toot my own horn or anything- but I like to consider myself the guru of teaching kids to have fun while fundraising and giving. Today, I want to share my best tips and ideas for  making fundraising for any event or charity a fun thing for kids!

But first- let me tell you about the amazing benefits of having a child that learns to give at a young age.  Did you know that children who are taught to help others at a young age become more resilient adults?  Why?  Because, they learn that they are not the only ones with problems, and they can bounce back easier from whatever is thrown their way! Volunteering teaches children about passion, and responsibility, and helps them learn to be thankful for what they have.  And, according to a recent study by World Volunteer Web “youth who volunteer are less likely to engage in risky behavior, are more likely to feel connected to their communities, and tend to do better in school.”

Now, in my opinion- leading by example is the key to success.  So, find something that you can all get excited and passionate about.  It makes the experience that much more amazing!  If you are not already volunteering or fundraising- here are a few reasons why YOU should do it from The John Tesh Blog!

• First: You’ll live longer. Researchers at the University of Michigan tracked over 1,200 seniors for a decade. The result: Those who volunteered on a regular basis were 40-percent more likely to be alive at the end of the study. That’s because volunteering increases the levels of hormones that help cells repair themselves. 

• The next benefit of volunteering: The “helper’s high.” Dr. Stephen Post is the author of The Hidden Gifts of Helping. And he says just thinking about doing a good deed causes your brain to release the feel-good chemical dopamine. And helping others releases so much mood-boosting serotonin that it’s just as effective as some medications at treating depression.

• Another good reason to volunteer: You’ll feel better about yourself! In one study, people with multiple sclerosis were trained to provide compassionate support over the phone to fellow MS sufferers. The result? The helpers were more self-confident and reported higher levels of self-esteem.
•  Finally: Helping others improves relationships. Dr. Stephanie Brown specializes in preventive medicine. And points to research on people who take care of a spouse suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. No matter how challenging things get, if there was love and caring in the relationship to begin with, the caregiver develops even stronger feelings of love and compassion for their ailing mate.

 

Are you pumped yet?  You should be!  Let's get on to the fun part! 

When working with kids, it is important to include them in every aspect of the fundraising or volunteering.  For us, American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is the perfect fit.  Since Wesley's Poppy died from cancer, and we know NUMEROUS survivors (and even other kids who are fighting cancer!) it is something we can do to feel like we are fighting back!  You want you child to understand WHY they are doing what they are doing- which may seem hard to do with a 5 or 6 year old.  But fear not- as a parent, you know the best way to communicate things with your kids!  Here is a GREAT example from my best friend (who's daughter, Kenzy, is my sons BFF, girlfriend- and in his mind- future wife)

 

Kenzy - " Momma you mean even kids could have caner"

Mel - "Yes baby even kids can have cancer"

Kenzy - "So we can give our money to all of the kids who are sick and then they will be all better"

Mel - "Do you want to do Relay for Life for kids who have cancer"

Kenzy - " UUmm I think so because kids should not have cancer"

After you talk to your child about what they want to do- get their ideas on how they want to do it!  You will be amazed at the ideas they have!  Kids love to see their ideas come to fruition, and it shows them that they truly CAN do this.

Now, if you are doing an event like Relay for Life- it is time to rally the troops, and ask your friends (and your kids friends) if they would like to join you!  Why?  Volunteering is more fun when you are doing it with the people you love!  Luckily for me, Mel, my best friend, is equally passionate about making a difference for others, and we fuel each others fires when it comes to brainstorming, and fundraising!  We joke that we should have T-shirts that should say "Warning: this momma is in RELAY mode!"  The best thing about this is our passion transfers to the kids, and they start getting REALLY excited about what we are doing together!

 

Wes and Kenzy working on a Relay poster together

Now, you have a plan- you are excited, and ready to make a difference!  Here are our favorite ways to raise money!

Letter Writing

Sit down with your kiddo, and have them write a letter to potential donors.  It doesn't have to be long or eloquent- just your child's words on why they want to make a difference, and how they are doing it.  Remember to be flexible, and let them have fun with it!  Draw pictures, use stickers- you name it!  Here is the mommy works smarter not harder part- make color copies of the letters, and mail them to every person you send a Christmas card to.  If you are doing Relay For Life- take the letters to your local chair, and they will send them to ACS for mailing- they will cover the postage! 

Here is an alternative method that will help with writing skills!  Mel has Kenzy write one letter a day as "homework"  (she is in kindergarten) which helps her work on sentences, spelling, and letter placement :)

If you are on facebook, instagram, or pinterest- share the letter!  You should be proud of what you are doing- and there is no shame in showing your child's amazing work off! 

It is important to me to make sure Wes properly thanks all of the donors who send him a donation online, or in the mail.  So after school each day, we have a special time where he sends thank you emails, and letters to all of the people who have helped him! 

HUGS FOR SALE!

This is by far Wesley's favorite fundraiser!  Why?  He gets to tell people about what he is doing, hug people all day, and spend time with his friends!  The great thing about selling hugs, is it is something kids can do with the resources they have- their big hearts!  Contact a local store, and find out if they would be willing to let you stand outside of their business to sell hugs.  Chad Nabors of Nabors Shoe Center is always generous about letting us do this, and even posts about it on his stores facebook page to help us get extra attention!  Tell everyone you know what you are doing- you will be amazed at how many people show up for hugs!  Let your child color a poster to hold- after all, this is THEIR big  event! 

A little something we learned doing this in previous years was that a lot of people don't carry cash.  To help this problem, I made the kids cards up on 4 by 6 photo's (which I then cut in half) so that they could hand them out to people who wanted more information, couldn't donate right then, or didn't have any cash on them.  The kids also learn a lot of great lessons while selling their hugs.  How to be polite and respectful when asking for something, saying thank you when given something, and how to deal with rejection when someone doesn't donate. 

A Date With....

Now, I have to say that I can not take credit for this next idea, but it is genius!  My friend Cheryl Smith is a Community Development Director for The American Cancer Society (or as Wes calls her- The BIG Boss of Relay).  After seeing the letter Wes wrote on facebook, she emailed me and said she would donate to Wes if he would go on a breakfast date with her!  He jumped at the idea!  Not only did he get to raise money for his goal, but he got to spend some very valuable time with someone who wanted to hear all of his ideas about raising money, and why he wanted to do it.  His date ended up lasting two hours, and he enjoyed every single minute of it!

Well friends, I just realized that I have written what is the start of a novel! HAHA!  I have so many more exciting ideas to share with you!  Stay tuned for my next post coming soon!  Remember- little kids can make a HUGE difference!  Happy fundraising! 

To find a Relay For Life event near you, please visit http://www.relayforlife.org !

XO

Cassi 

PS- if you enjoyed this post and would like to help Wes reach his goal of raising $1000 for Relay for Life, please visit Wesley's Relay page!

or to help me reach mine check out my Relay page!