Relay For Life team captains- the business of Relay

Ahhh- September is here and that means dedicated Relay For Life team captains are registering online, hitting up Pinterest, dreaming up fundraisers, and making sure everything is in order to make 2014 the best year yet!  As we start jumping into meetings and kick offs, I want to share my “business approach” to Relay For Life.

Now, if this is your first time viewing my blog, let me give you a little background.  I am a successful small business owner, run a small team that raised a little over $7,000 last year, and most importantly, I am Cancer Man’s mom.   If you don’t know who Cancer Man is, you are in for a treat- just check out my little guy here. 

I know what you are thinking- Relay is not a business!  And you are right.  But, like anything worthwhile, you put in a lot of hours, you manage people, you advertise, and you are in charge of large projects.  Sure, you don’t get paid- but to tell you the truth, helping people through Relay is worth more to me than any job could pay me.  If you approach this year’s Relay like a small business owner approaches business, you are going to have a more profitable, successful and organized team this year.  And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that!?

Recruiting your team

When looking for new team members (or captains for you committee members); think of the hiring process a small business owner would use to look for staff.  Would you want someone unreliable?  Would you want someone you had to beg to come to work?  Or would you want someone self-motivated, passionate, and willing to contribute?  If my bread and butter were on the line, I would pick the latter!  We all know that there is nothing worse than having to beg team members to participate.  You want someone on your team that feels the same fire YOU feel about making a difference, and ending cancer!  I personally prefer a team on 10 people who are going to work hard over a team of 20 where I have to pull all of the weight.

Profits and Profitability

To run a successful business, you have to be aware of your profits at all times.  Is your product or service worth the amount of time you are putting in?  The same thing goes with Relay.  The more profit you make during a fundraiser, the more you have going towards your goal!  There is nothing better than a fundraiser that makes 100% profit.  So, write letters, post on Facebook, and get as many businesses to donate to you as you can.  If you are running a fundraiser that is not 100% profit, make sure you are getting the best possible deal on the item you are selling.  For example, if you are getting T-shirts printed, check around to make sure you are getting the biggest bang for your buck.  If Relay was your business, saving a dollar shirt would mean an extra $100 in your pocket if you sold 100 shirts in your store.   An extra $100 towards you Relay goal is a HUGE deal, so be sure you are price conscious.  Don’t be afraid to ask for a better price.  Explain that you are fundraising for Relay for Life, and WHY Relay is so important to you.  After all, it is likely that the person you are dealing with has known or knows someone with cancer, and will support your cause.  This works online as well.  I was pleasantly surprised last year to save $40 on a pop up tent for my team to use just by emailing the company and explaining that I was purchasing it for a Relay For Life event. 

Social Media

Any small business owner will tell you that social media is a life saver.  Why?  You can connect to thousands of people instantly for FREE.  So, whether you use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube or Instagram- take advantage of those platforms, and encourage your team to use them as well.  You never know where your next donation will come from.  Be sure any time you post to one of these sites about Relay that you link to your fundraising page.  Working on a Relay project?  Snap a picture and put it on Instagram!  Have an awesome fundraising idea?  Post it on Pinterest!  Do you have a team member performing in a Relay talent show?  Take a video, and post it on YouTube (side note- YouTube is one of Wes’ favorite platforms- his Honey Boo Boo Relay impersonation has over 8,000 hits!) Did you hit a fundraising milestone?   Celebrate with a Facebook post!  

Connect with others that have a common goal.

Speaking of social media- take the opportunity to connect and like Facebook pages for your event, and division.  Small business owners frequently support each other, and help each other with ideas.  The same thing goes with Relay!  Some of the best ideas I have seen (and used!) have come from reading Facebook posts from other Relayers.  It is also wonderful to be able to reach out to others that can relate to you for advice and support when you hit a rough patch (hey, we have all been there.)  When I hit a road block with my business, or need a fresh idea, the first thing I do is Facebook one of my friends who also owns a small business (you know who you are!).   Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective. 

Another new and exciting way to connect with other Relayers is Relay Nation!  If you haven’t used it yet, you are missing out.  Relay Nation is essentially an online chat board that connects Relay For Lifers from all over the US.  Relay Nation is my go to place when I need input on a new fundraising idea, or a new idea all together!   Want to throw an adult prom, but worry about the kinks?  Relay Nation, my friends.  More than likely, you will be able to connect with someone who has done one before, and can offer advice. 

Learn from your mistakes, and use them to grow.

Mistakes happen.  Successful business owners know that mistakes are inevitable, and use them as a learning tool.  One time, I had this GENIUS idea to make up a ton of baby shower gift baskets to sell.  I rushed out and ordered a ton of supplies, made them all up, and eagerly posted them online.  Six months later I had sold ZERO.  What I learned from that process was that people wanted to custom choose sizes, colors, and products instead of buying a prepackaged deal.  Sure, my pride was hurt.  But learning that lesson was a valuable asset to me!  The same thing goes with fundraisers.  They are not all going to be smash hits.   Take what you learn from those mishaps, and apply those lessons to future fundraisers or events. 

Schedule and Organize

Have you ever been at a fundraising event that is a hot mess?  No one knows what they are supposed to be doing, what time they are needed, what to bring, or how to help.  A small business owner would never schedule the biggest sale of the year without some careful planning and scheduling!  So, delegate tasks (I know this is a hard one!  But, you can’t do it all on your own!), and let people know when they are needed.   It seems like a no brainer, but just asking everyone to show up and winging it is like asking for a disaster.   Remember, your team members want to enjoy the experience of making a difference.  They are more likely to volunteer to come help at fundraisers when they know they can count on you to make everything to run smoothly.

Treat each donor like a valued customer

Have you ever noticed the difference between the customer service you get at a small business vs. a big box store?  The difference is small business owners KNOW, without a doubt, that their customers are their bread and butter.  If you get treated like crap at a store, are you going to go back there and shop again?  Heck no!  Donors who don’t feel appreciated or acknowledge won’t donate to again when the time comes around.  Spend the time it takes to send thank you notes to donors, and let them know how much you appreciate them.   After all, if you are reading this, you are probably what my son and I call a Relay for Lifer (someone who makes Relay a part of their life year after year).  Those yearly donations and connections can make a huge difference in your success. 

I hope this post has helped you look at your team in a new way!  Remember- entrepreneurs and successful team captains also have another very important thing in common.  They FEEL passion about what they are doing deep in their hearts.    I am so glad you are in this fight with me- together, we can do more than any of us can do alone!

For the cause! <3
Cassi

What are your top Relay tips?  Share them in a comment below!  If this post helped you, be sure to subscribe.  Or hey, you can always show your appreciation with a donation at my Relay page! 

Chad's Story

This blog post is a very special, and personal one.  My husband sat down and worked on his Relay For Life page tonight, and to my surprise, he shared his story on WHY Relay for Life is important to him.  It was so inspiring to me, that I had to share it with you here. 
As always- for the cure!
Cassi

Hello Everyone,

I have decided after two years to join another Relay for Life Team.  I have been active in Relay helping my wife and son’s teams, but I haven’t joined.   Honestly, the memories are still very hard for me deal with. What I have enjoyed over the years is sitting back, and watching everyone fight to end cancer.  Everyone always had a common goal.  Last year at Relay they had a fight back activity where you made a pledge for the year of how you were going to fight for the cause. This took me back, because I have always been hiding while my family fights.  So, my pledge for the year was that I would share my story of my family’s battle with cancer, and be more involved.  I would hopefully let people who are out there that feel the same way know that is ok to hurt for the ones they have lost.  Also, hopefully it will show them that it is right to fight for the cause, and stand with all the people that are willing to do it.

At age 7 I had my first experience with cancer.  My mother had stage 4 ovarian cancer. This was a time when Chemo wasn’t really around. Through my mother’s strong will and stubbornness, she became one of a very few that survived this disease.  She didn’t make it out of the fight without scars, to this day she has a wide list of health problems that she has been fighting with for the past 25 years of her life.  At seven, I was very unsure of what would happen.  I can remember walking down a lot of hospital hall ways, and being in the hospital room with a lot of families in them. Still having my mother here to this day is amazing.

 My mom today.

The next experience with cancer was with my father five years ago.  My father was the rock for my family. He was the one that we all turned to whenever there was a problem.  One day, while working In Oklahoma City, I received a phone call from my mother saying that my father was in the hospital.  My heart dropped to floor.  I got to Arkansas as soon as I could.  Once there I found that many test had been ran on my father, and they had found that he had stomach cancer that had grown to a 90% blockage of his esophagus.

This struck me very hard.  I was torn, because my father was in pain, and my life was in a completely different state over five hours away.   Once we got the plan from the same doctor that had treated my mother seventeen years before, I returned home. Over the course of a month I spoke to my family every day for updates, and tried to return to my life. One day, I called and talked to my father.  He was very down, and told me his one fear was that if it did come time for his fight to be over, he would be in a strange place that he didn’t call home.  This caused me to hurt for my father, so I made a decision that was difficult for me to make, even though I knew that I had go and be with him.  My wife and I had just really started dating, and it is amazing that she stuck with me during this time, because I was so distant from everything in my life.  I had to have a conversation with Cassi, and tell her I had to leave Oklahoma and return home.  She was so supportive, and said that she understood. So a week later I left Oklahoma to help my mother take care of my father. 

 Cassi and I when we first started dating.

Once returning home we began our battle.  By then chemo had completely broke my once strong father.  He had gone from 195ibs to 90 lbs, and I think he lost weight every day after that. He was on a feeding tube because he couldn’t swallow any food.  Just thinking about that is enough to kill me.  My father didn’t taste food for the last year of his life. We tried a wide variety of treatments, he had chemo while hospitalized, chemo from home, radiation, and surgeries. None of these were successful. The time I knew that the outlook wasn’t going to be good we were at the doctor’s office getting him a chemo treatment , and he got up to go to the bathroom.  After five steps,  he went straight down into my arms. It was a downward spiral after that. 

 The family after dad started chemo.

My hope was gone, and I was a beaten man.  The only thing that kept me going was that Cassi had decided that I shouldn’t go through this alone.  She decided to make a huge leap in her and her two year old son’s life.  She left her job, and moved to Arkansas.  She helped give me strength, and became another care giver for my father during his last year.  My mother, Cassi , and I worked in shifts taking care of my father .  

                           Wes and I in a rare moment of play time after moving to Arkansas.

 He didn’t do a lot of walking the final three months of his life. I remember him falling, and my mother calling me at work, and me coming home to check on him. Once I got there I knew he was really bad, and close to the end. I told him that I was going to call an ambulance and I remember him being so mad at me- like I had betrayed him, because his wish was to pass away at home. I was crying when I told him these words, “I am not willing to give up on you yet , dad,  and I am not willing to let you give up either.  I give you my word, once they tell us it’s over; I will break you out of the hospital if I have to, and bring you home.  I am just not willing stop fighting.” His response to this was, “Well fine at least shave me,  I am not going to go anywhere looking like a mountain man that can’t even take care of himself.” He was always worried about being proper, and how he didn’t want people to see him as weak.  So, I shaved his face, combed his hair, and we took him to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, the doctors didn’t want us to lose hope, so they kept up with the treatments and the other things for quality of life that they could do. We were in the hospital for almost a month until they finally said he would be lucky to survive a couple more days.  I was the one that had to lean over while he was in the hospital bed, and inform him of what we had been told.  In the edited words of my father he said “Stuff happens.” Than he looked me dead in my eyes, and said, “Son, I know I said I never wanted you to put life on hold for me, but I am glad you are here.”  At that moment,  I knew what we had to do, which was grant his wish and take him home.

Getting him home was not an easy task. We had hospice (which is a life saver please don’t miss read what I am writing- they help so many families, and I can’t thank them enough) but, hospice can only be there so much.  There are so many people that need them throughout the city they work in, they came in for around an hour a day, and the rest of the time it is up to caregiver’s.   I will spare you the details of all of the health care that my mother, Cassi and I had to do, but I would like to say that as a father myself,  I will do anything that I can never to have my son do the things for me that I had to do for my father.  Every day I close my eyes, and I can only remember the bad times while my father was sick.  I struggle to remember all of the great things he had done. Every once in a while when I get ready for work,  I hear my father’s voice saying “Make sure your shirt lines up with your zipper boy.” Or, “Slow down while you are shaving your missing to many spots.” and I smile.

My father survived for three weeks which was a lot longer than the two days they thought while he was in the hospital. During that time Cassi did a lot of reading for me about how to cope and deal with losing a loved one.   She also researched things we could do to help make things easier for my father.  The main thing she found was you always needed to make sure you said goodbyes, and let them know you loved them. This was hard for me and my father, because we were both non affectionate type people.  But, two days before he passed I took the opportunity to tell him how much I loved him and that I promised I would watch over the family. He looked at me and said “I love you to, now stop this.  I am having enough trouble right now without all this boo hooing.” I know this sounds harsh, but no sweeter of words could have been said by Jack Selby.

The last night was horrible.  We had to hold my father down, and it was like watching World War Three was going on in his body.  The only thing I really remember was telling Cassi to take Wes out of the house, because he shouldn’t see this.  Then, I remember sitting next to the bed and feeling peace go through the house.   I looked up, and my father, after a year of fighting, had passed.

My father passing away was not a total loss to me.  First, it gave me my wife, Cassi.  We got married on October 10^th, 2010 (or 10-10-10, so I can always remember it.) She took the experience, and channeled her love for my father to Relay for Life.  And, if I do say for myself, she is one of the biggest fighters for the cause I have ever met in my life.  Her passion in turn, has rubbed off on our now seven year old son. His name is Wes, but you might know him as “Cancer Man.”  Last year my son decided he didn’t want to just tag along with Cassi, and do Relay stuff.   He wanted to do things to make money for himself.  He came out of the end of the year as the top fundraiser in our area- at the age of seven.  I will tell you, he could be a high school quarter back and throw the winning touchdown in the championship game, and I wouldn’t be as proud of him as I am for his fight against cancer.

 I hope this encourages you all to donate to the great cause, and stand with us.  Whether it to me, or someone you know, a dollar can help save someone’s life.

A balloon release at our wedding reception to honor my dad.  Cassi and Wes wanted to send him a message to heaven.

Turning Why into THANK YOU

Have you ever had one of those days where the stars align, and things just happen in a way that you just can't deny that it was meant to be?  Today has been one of those days - a life changing day.

Wes and I started our day by making plans to go to our favorite spot in town to meet some friends.  The Sweetness Factory is an amazing bakery that specializes in cupcakes, but also has inspirational gifts, and gourmet candy.  Basically, it's heaven on Earth.  What makes The Sweetness Factory even more special, is the owner.  She donates her profits to the regional Food for Kids program.  Deb is also a cancer survivor, and just an all around inspirational person.  If you need to be uplifted- she is the person you need to go see.  Now you know, the combination of those wonderful things is just not something I can't resist.  Amazing treats, giving- inspiration... yeah, we spend a lot of time there.

We walk in the doors and see our friends who are there to meet us, but get a bonus treat, because Wesley's Relay sugar momma, Cheryl, happens to be there to!  Cheryl is a former big boss (as Wes tells it) for The American Cancer Society, and was the person who orchestrated Wesley's birthday surprise at the offices in Oklahoma City.  She is like the big sister I always wished I had, because she and I are right on the same page when it comes to giving, parenting, and general craziness.

Cheryl gives us some AMAZING news.  Since I was a slacker this morning and slept in, I had not checked my email before leaving for Sweetness.  An article that Heidi Mercer (The Director of Youth Engagement in the High Plains Div of ACS) wrote about Wes has been chosen to be featured in 100 stories, 100 days - a special project that The American Cancer Society is doing to celebrate it's 100th birthday!  This is such a big honor, that I almost can't wrap my head around it.  Wes, of course, thinks it is just another day in the life of Cancer Man  :) You will be able to see the story LIVE here on Monday! 100 Stories - Wes Washburn

                                          (Wes and Cheryl holding hands during RFL 2013)

We take a seat with our friends (by the way- my poor friends- I am so all over the place all of the time that it is a miracle they ever want to hang out with me in public) and Deb comes by our table.  She asks Wes to tell her what is going on with the 100 Stories, and he tells her all about it.

She says, "Well, I just want to tell you thank you, and tell you how much it means to me, because I just found out that I have cancer again.  Come give me a hug."

My eyes immediately burn with tears.  Not just from seeing the hope that Wes gives people, but in ANGER.  HOW is it possible that this amazing woman, a survivor- who does so much for others, gives selflessly, and inspires us all, has to face this again?  HOW?

Deb is smiling, and I am a mess.  I tearfully say, "You are such a good person, it kills me that you have to go through this again."  And then, we had a conversation that I will never forget.

She said, I always turn my whys into thank yous.  Instead of complaining in traffic- WHY am I behind this person going so slow, making me late?  Thank you, God, I have a car, I have a job, and I have a place to be going.  WHY do I have to go through this again?  Thank you, God- I survived, I created this place, I can help others, and I can inspire.

Thank you.

I stood up and hugged her, thanked her and told her how much she inspired me.  Wes told her he was going to fight for her- fight in her honor this year. 

I took what she said to heart.  So often, I get caught up in the rush of things, that I get frustrated and ask WHY.  WHY can't I have that bigger house I want?  WHY is business slow?  WHY isn't my husband getting promoted as fast as we want?  

The truth is, if I turn those into thank you's, and realize how fortunate I REALLY am, my whole perspective changes.  This weekend I challenge you all to try it- just once, for me.  When you are upset or frustrated, think about what you do have- think about your thank yous.  It's so easy to go through life and forget.  We are truly blessed, and life feels better when we realize it.

 Wes and Deb

For the CURE-
Cassi

Relay For Life campsite ideas!

We just finished Relaying BIG at RFL Custer County this weekend, and I wanted to take some time to share some of the awesome campsite ideas I saw, including my own, and a few others that I have seen online!

 This year our theme was Colors For The Cause, and each campsite represented a different type of cancer.  Our color was pink, for breast cancer, because Wesley's principal is a cancer survivor! I wanted to do something that had never been seen before- so rolled up my sleeves and put my artist thinking cap on :)  I wanted to show support for breast cancer without using some of the puns that are usually associated with it like "save the hooters".  I wanted this for two reasons- the first was because our team is an elementary school, and I don't think it is a good idea to teach kids to call breasts hooters.  And second, I read a blog that a survivor wrote saying how offensive those things felt to her, and how she thought it minimized the seriousness of the disease.  Here is what I came up with!

 I started by hand painting the top of our canopy with acrylic paints.  I am not sure how well this would translate into an outdoor event (if it rained) but our event is inside, so it worked great!  The canopy was set up in the middle of our living room for about two weeks while I did this (working on it for about an hour every evening when I had free time) so I have to give major props to my son and hubby for putting up with that!  Under each word I out a quote that pertained to the word that was painted above it. 

 We decorated the top and the supporting poles with deco mesh.  It was really easy to put on, and we just attached it with pipe cleaners!  The best part about this part of the project is we now have tons of deco mesh to turn into wreaths to sell for next years fundraising!  We also tied big ribbons onto the poles, and added pink monarch butterfly wings (which are a symbol for breast cancer).  I bought the wings on Ebay for about $6 each, and they actually started as the kind little girls wear for a costume.  I just cut off the elastic!

 

I love making balloon sculptures, because it is an inexpensive project that makes a HUGE impact.  When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew we had to do it at our campsite!  You can find great instructions for a basic balloon arch here .  The only difference is I use clusters of three instead of four.  To create the ribbon effect, simply bend your arch into a ribbon shape!  People were stopping here to take pictures all night!  

 

I also wanted to do something besides just fund raise at our site.  So, I decided it would be a great way to "fight back" by signing people up for a free mammogram reminder.  I found a free reminder service on the American Cancer Society's website, and created a form for people to fill out based on that.  Then we simply entered the information they filled out into the site! Feel free to use my form!

 Here is another amazing idea we saw that night from my friends over at The Etc Shop!  This is a great idea for those of you who have tents that are already decorated, or a different color than you want them to be (I am totally stealing this idea next year!)

They took those cheap $1 table cloths, and attached them to a piece of round cardboard (just a box they cut with a box knife into a donut shape!)with clear packing tape, and used it to cover their canopy- the result was an awesome big top look that amazing!

 

The thing I love most about this, is it could be changed to virtually any color based on your theme!  It will definitely make your site stand out of the crowd!  Way to go Team Etc! 

Here are a few more awesome site ideas!

This Naples RFL team's tent depicts 32 actors and actresses who had cancer during the 15th annual Relay for Life of Naples.  What a great idea for a Hollywood theme!  You could even include a walk of stars with survivors names!

Relaying outside at night?  Glow sticks make great decorations with a big impact!  Check out amazon- they are a great place to buy in bulk!

Lidy went wild with the Fishing For A Cure theme, and I love it!  You can check out her blog post on how she did it here.

Last, but not least- Put Cancer on Ice!  How cool (hehe no pun intended) is this one?  They used recycled milk gallon bottles to make the ice cubes! 

What does your site look like?  Do you have any fun ideas for next year?  Share below, and subscribe!

For the cause!
Cassi

PS- Like what you see?  Follow my Relay board on Pinterest!

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! Part 2!

In my last post, I shared ways that kids can make a big difference by fundraising- but I had so much to share that I am having to split it up over a few posts :) So let's continue!

The key for kids is to make fundraising fun and easy for them- and make it something they can do with what resources they have.  Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having kids participate in traditional fundraisers where you purchase something and then sell it- but it is important for me to show Wes that you don't have to have a lot of money to fund raise and make a difference.  Do you hear that grown ups?  Because it applies to you to!  The reason it is important to me to teach him to do this with what he has, is that I want him to look back on this experience, and feel proud, because he knows that HE did it on his own.  That is not going to work if he feels like mom did everything for him and he is just taking the credit for it. 

Talk Talk Talk ASK ASK ASK
One thing is for sure, people are not going to help you out if they don't know you are fundraising.  The same thing applies with our kids!  Encourage your child to tell people what they are doing, and why.  I don't just mean friends and family either!  When we go into a local business, you can bet Wes is going to talk to everyone and tell his story.  This opens up the conversation for their business to become a corporate sponsor for him.  Now, corporate sponsor sounds all scary and expensive, but the truth is, it isn't!  In Custer County, our sponsorships start at just $150 (and they are a tax deduction for the business!).  I think you will be pleasantly surprised about how willing businesses are to help, even if it is not in a financial way.  You might find a new place to sell hugs (or have a bake sale, etc) or they may be able to donate a small item for you to use in a silent auction/basket auction.

When I talk to people about asking businesses face to face for help or donations, they always seem reluctant.  Here is what I tell them-  the worst thing you are going to hear is no.  Even if you hear NO- think about it in a positive way.  You have just shared information about an amazing local event that fights back against cancer, and your excitement may have just created the next team, or participant!  They may decide to come see what the event is all about for the first time, or- they may know someone who is battling cancer who could use help from The American Cancer Society.  After all, we are all fighting for the same cause, so the word NO doesn't mean you aren't making a difference. 

Helping Hands
A great way for kids to raise money is by offering to help friends, family, and neighbors in exchange for fundraising money.  Your child could help neighbors by taking out trash, or pulling trash cans to the curb for busy neighbors on trash day.  It sounds easy and simple, right?  Well it is- let me do the math for you...  You have four neighbors that will pay your kiddo $5 a week to take trash to the curb on trash day.  If you start 8 weeks before your event, that is $160!

If your child is older, another great option is lawn mowing.  I will be totally truthful here and say I would WAAAAY rather pay someone else to mow my lawn.  Just ask my neighbor, Chuckie- who doubles as my lawn boy!

Give adults a run for their money!
Is your event having a Talent Show, or a Mr. Relay event?  Break the mold and ask your kiddo if they would like to participate!  By far, this is Wesley's favorite thing to do.  After seeing a Mr. Relay competition in 2011, he asked me why there weren't any kids participating (for those of you that don't know, Mr. Relay is when men dress up as women, perform a talent, and raise money!) When he asked, I realized he was right.  In fact, I had never even asked him if he WANTED to do it.  Welp, turns out he did.  He had his eye on beating the long-running winner of Mr. Relay, a local celebrity named John Liddle.  This created a really fun, friendly competition between the two of them.  After a VERY close race, Wes was crowned Mr. Relay 2012.  He raised a little over $500 in thirty minutes!

 Wes and John (below) these boys are class acts!

This year, our event hosted a talent show where the top three participants would go on to perform on Relay night.  The top three got voted in by donations- the great thing about this, is it gives him a chance to raise money not once, but twice! Now, I am not going to say this was an EASY fundraiser for us, because it has taken hours and hours of planning and practice- but if you ask me, it has been totally worth it so far!  Wes decided to take two big pop culture things (Honey Boo Boo and Gundam Style), and "smash them together and add some relay stuff" for his act.  Last night was the first talent show, and of course- I have pictures and video to share!  I don't know his total yet, but I know I saw at least one $100 bill in his jar last night :)

You know what I really loved about this as a parent?  The amount of encouragement and support Wes has gotten from everyone around him!  Last night we had friends, survivors, and even teachers come out to watch him in the prelims!  He has truly become a part of our Relay community, and loves to spend time talking with the "grown ups" about Relay and about making a big difference! 

Set realistic goals- then raise them!

Everyone loves to achieve and reach the goals they set for themselves!  This goes for kids to!  Set a realistic goal with them, and work towards it.  When you reach that first goal, celebrate- but don't stop!  Challenge your kiddo to set a new goal when you hit the first one.  As Wes told Cheryl last night, "Now that I am at $1,000 I am going to go by halves, or 5's- $1,500, $2,000- all the way until I reach a MILLION dollars!  And after that, I will go to infinity"  Now that, my friends- is a heart warming statement for anyone who has ever been touched by cancer.  Wes is in your corner fighting for a cure- to infinity! 

Stay tuned!  In my next post, I will share my favorite fundraisers for the rest of us- GROWN UPS!  After all, we have some amazing kids to keep up with! 

For The Cause! 

Cassi