For Pete’s Sake, Walk! Secrets to Fundraising Success

 

For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation expects hundreds of patients, their caregivers and their kids to travel this year on a break from cancer.  When you support For Pete’s Sake, Walk! you are impacting the lives of these families TODAY.  You’re helping a mom exhale and revel in precious moments with her child. You’re helping a dad leave his chemo behind and hug his babies. You’re helping a young couple re-connect and spend a late night laughing on a balcony, overlooking the ocean. You’re helping old friends look cancer in the face and recognize that it can’t take away the years of fun they have had together.

For Pete’s Sake, Walk! is a fun day for friends and family to enjoy together. We like to think of it as a mini-break from the norm, a chance to escape the daily grind and remember that your relationships are what make your life beautiful—and For Pete’s Sake, Walk! is a way to celebrate those relationships and create memories!

The real purpose of the day, though, is to show your support for FPS Travelers...and the best way to do that is to raise funds that will help them take a break from cancer! We encourage you to set a fundraising goal—$2,500 is a great place to start. Within this guide, we provide you with some tips for success and ways to share the good news that you’re helping to give families a break from cancer! Good luck! 

PERSONALIZATION IS KEY!

Send Personal Emails 

Experienced participants and teams have learned that the best way to raise money is by using email. In fact, they raise two and a half times more than those who don't send emails. Send an email to everyone you know telling them about your personal experience and connection with FPS and ask for their support. While you may find it difficult at first to tell your personal story and ask for donations, you may be surprised at the responses you receive! 

Tip: ask for specific donation amounts that mean something to you! For example, if you are a cancer patient, ask for the number of treatments you receive in a week, month or year, the number of months or years it took you to be diagnosed, the number of doctor visits during your cancer journey, just to share a few ideas. If you are not a cancer patient, ask for the number of people you know that have been diagnosed with cancer, etc. 

Sample Email:

Hi there!

On April 26, 2020, I need your help to ensure families facing cancer never walk alone. 

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation (FPS) unites adult cancer patients and their loved ones affected by a cancer crisis by gifting respites to over 160 families annually that strengthen bonds and refresh outlooks on life and cancer. 

Beyond the respite, the FPS community of staff and volunteers continues to provide emotional and psycho-social support and access to other resources, including the chance for families to take mini breaks at events each month. Imagine lives disrupted by a devastating diagnosis, pieced together again by the love and care of a generous community. We can create precious moments that will impact families forever!

INSERT YOUR OWN PERSONAL STORY HERE. If you are a recipient of an FPS respite vacation, feel free to share why you wanted to travel on a trip, and what your break from cancer meant to you. If you are a donor, tell why you donate to our mission. If you are a volunteer, share what led you to our mission and how you help. If you have a loved one with cancer, explain how you felt watching them navigate the diagnosis.

I hope you will consider making a donation in support of For Pete's Sake, Walk! through my personal fundraising page.

I'm sure that you receive solicitations from many people and for many worthy causes, but I can personally vouch for the impact that For Pete's  Sake makes in the lives of young adult cancer patients and their loved ones. I truly would appreciate to be able to add your support to my own.

Thank you for your consideration in helping other families rediscover who they were before cancer!



Share your story on Social Media

Post about the walk regularly! Let people know why you are raising money for your team. On Facebook and LinkedIn, you can share posts from the FPS page, but be sure to include your own personal fundraising page link and messaging. Let people how about your experience with FPS. Tell stories, share information and let everyone know why fundraising for the walk is important to you!

Here are our links, be sure to follow and tag, we might repost some of our favorite content: 

Facebook.com/takeabreakfromcancer

LinkedIn.com/company/5348602/

Twitter: @Breakfromcancer

Instagram: Takeabreakfromcancer


Tip:Thank your donors publicly by tagging them on social media. It gives them recognition for their support and is a great reminder to those who haven't donated yet! 

Sample Social Media Posts

Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn

• I'm only $100 away from my For Pete's Sake, Walk! team goal. Help me reach and beat my goal by donating today! <link to personal page>
• FPS strengthens bonds and supports families facing cancer! They need our help to ensure that families facing cancer never walk alone. Please click the link to help or learn more. <link to personal page>
• For Pete's Sake has a team of retired nurses that provide support to young adult cancer patients and their caregivers through their cancer journey. Donate today to support For Pete's Sake and help families navigate a cancer diagnosis. <link to personal page>
• For Pete's Sake, Walk! is a day filled with fun at Citizens Bank Park. I will walk for hope, Walk for joy and walk in honor of the hundreds of cancer patients, caregivers and kids FPS serves each year. Join my team or donate to ensure that families facing cancer never walk alone! <link to personal page> 

Tip: Posts that include photos/video do better than those that do not include images. Use a photo from a past walk, a family vacation, our website or snap a quick selfie!

Twitter

• FPS aims to make love greater than a cancer diagnosis. Pay it forward by helping FPS give families a break! <link to personal page>.
• I'm only $100 away from my #FPSWALK goal. Help me reach and beat it by donating today! <link to personal page>
• The For Pete's Sake, Walk! is <insert how many weeks away!> Join my team to ensure that families facing cancer never walk alone. <link to personal page>.

Questions? Contact Our Event Coordinator, Ellen Vind at Ellen@takeabreakfromcancer.org