Walkathon Blog

A walkathon can be a great way to raise money for your organization or special project. Yes, a walkathon is a fundraiser. However, it is much more.

Walkathons are used to let others know about your organization’s mission. These charity events can be used to engage and promote local businesses. They also can be used as a way to identify new volunteers and advocates.

With so many potential benefits coming from one of these walk events, it is no surprise that many organizations are now hosting walkathon fundraising events. There are at least three major items to consider before deciding to get started:

1. Successful walkathons require significant planning and preparation. You may have attended a walk event in the past that appeared easy. The easier it looks, the more planning and preparation was probably given to it that made it appear easy. Make sure you have several committed volunteers before getting started.
2. Successful walkathons usually require some money before the fundraising begins and always requires insurance that covers the event. if your organization does not have an adequate insurance that will cover the walkathon, this is an additional cost that must be considered before getting started. Enlisting sponsors to your event can be a great way to raise the startup capital required.
3. Successful walkathons require something that allows it to stand out above all of the other walkathons and other charity events that are taking place in the same time frame.  This something could be some twist to the event itself or it could be something unique about the organization’s mission or project the money is being raised for.

If you still want to hold a walkathon after considering these items, good for you! The purpose of the Walkathon Blog is to provide ideas, tips, resources and stories that will help you in your endeavor.

Enjoy!

Image by rogercarr via Flickr

Share and Enjoy:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Technorati Tags: Charities, Charity, fundraiser, fundraising, walkathon, walkathons

American Cancer Society relay for Life. Third year at Lady Lake, FL Photos by: Byron Faudie, eSportsphoto.net.

Duration : 0:4:37

Read More…

Technorati Tags: ACS, american, cancer, Charity, cure, Florida, for, fundraising, hope, Lady, Lake, life, relay, research, RFL, Society, walk-a-thon

Support our efforts to raise money for colon cancer screening and education. Colon cancer is preventable through screening.

We are doing a 4 mile walk on October 4. Please donate here:
http://www.active.com/donate/rearingearsf09/DinaAndSam

Duration : 0:1:0

Read More…

Technorati Tags: colon cancer, colon cancer prevention, cute kid, FlipShare, fundraising, walkathon, walking

Gazette head of content James Millar went on 150-mile trek around the paper’s circulation area — a walk which has taken him through Mid Devon, North Devon and Somerset.

James had been walking around the area for eight days to raise money for the Gazette’s 150 anniversary campaign, which stands to benefit Devon Air Ambulance Trust and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

A number of people turned up at the canal to watch James arrive back to the spot where he started from eight days previously.

Completing the hike James said: “I am absolutely exhausted but feel great.

“I completely under- estimated the magnitude of walking 150 miles in eight days. It’s been really tough and there were a few occasions when I thought I should give up.

“But having made it to the end, I feel a real sense of achievement and relief.”

James’s fiancee, Natalie Partridge, said: “It’s nice to have him back. I thought the whole thing was a bit random at first, but he has done really well and it’s great he has raised so much for charity.”

James said he was bowled over by the kindness and generosity of the people he encountered on his way.

He is hoping to reach a target of £1,000 for the walk and, with all the pledges of support along the way, James is confident that he can achieve this figure.

“If I can get £1,000 then I will be over the moon and it will have exceeded my early expectations,” he said.

The walk started at the Marie Curie Day Hospice in Tiverton, where supporters turned out to see him off.

James then continued along the length of the Grand Western Canal towpath and then across to beautiful Culmstock Beacon, where he camped.

He continued to Bickleigh, camping next to the incredible maize maze and from there he trudged to Witheridge, pausing at Nomansland, where he received a great reception at the Mount Pleasant Inn, and finally stopping for a lovely meal and a bed courtesy of the Thelbridge Cross Inn.

The next day, James walked to Sandford, where he was shown great hospitality by the Lamb Inn, then on to Lapford and South Molton.

He spent his last night in Dulverton, where the Lion Inn kindly offered him board for the night, before heading along the Exe Valley Way to Tiverton.

James said: “Camping was great fun but, after walking 18-20 miles, a bath and bed is very welcome indeed.

“People have been incredibly generous over the trip and I have stayed in some lovely places.

“My performance on a couple of the days may have been slightly impaired by indulging in local cider the night before — particularly at the Lamb in Sandford.”

James has passed through some of the most beautiful countryside in the area and said he was surprised by how the scenery changes within relatively short distances.

He used Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale maps to navigate his way around the area and tried where possible to follow green lanes, paths and bridleways.

But, he added: “Unfortunately, I quite often found myself pounding the roads. Paths marked on the OS maps would suddenly disappear, leaving me having to go cross-country to the nearest road.

“We do have some fantastic countryside and it struck me that if the paths were better marked it could encourage people off the beaten track.”

So is he planning any more walking adventures in the future?

“My knees feel like they are about to give way and I have blisters on my blisters, so I’ll be giving walking a rest for a couple of weeks I think,” said James.

Duration : 0:10:0

Read More…

Technorati Tags: 150, Air, Ambulance, Black, Boots, cancer, care, Charity, Countryside, Crediton, Culm, curie, Devon, Dog, fundraising, Gazette, Hike, James, marie, Mid, mile, Millar, News, Newspaper, North, SOMERSET, Tiverton, Trek, Valley, Walk, walking

I have Multiple Sclerosis. This is my story.
The story of a 24 year old woman’s journey with MS through the voices of her team members for the Supercities Walk for MS

http://buttonsandbeaus.blogspot.com

Duration : 0:4:31

Read More…

Technorati Tags: dealing, fundraising, Multiple, Sclerosis, Team