Fundraiser Friday - Yard Sale

Recently, our own Liver Life Walk Colorado School of Mines Foundation Team raised a few hundred dollars simply by pooling all their unwanted items and holding a yard sale. I have held a yard sale for a fundraiser too and found it to be an easy way to turn your "spring cleaning” at home and raise funds for a great cause at the same time! One fundraiser on Scoutorama.com made $1,500 during a yard sale!

Prior to my yard sale, I made sure to promote the yard sale among my personal contacts. This was doubly effective since many of my friends and family donated items to sell and also came by and purchased items too. DIY Fundraising also recommends promoting the yard sale to the general public, “Place flyers in public places such as grocery stores, libraries, bookstores, schools, and churches”

You can easily add little things to pull in extra donations too. Profit Quests Fundraising suggests to “offer cookies, cupcakes, cakes, finger foods and cold drinks.”

DIY Fundraising reminds us to be sure your shoppers know that you are raising money for a cause. Often people at my yard sale were willing to pay more or make an additional donation when they realized that it was supporting a worthy cause, such as the American Liver Foundation.

Tips Tuesday - Send a Reminder Request

Kim Klein and the Grassroots Fundraising Journal remind us that the number one reason that a person donates to an organization is because they were asked! So, get to work making the ask and remember, if you don't ask, you are only preventing someone from potentially helping you reach your Liver Life Walk fundraising goal! Overcoming the fear of asking is always the hardest step. For me, I came to understand that my job was only to ask for the donation – and the rest was up to them to decide! According to Kim Klein, “you need to be comfortable with people saying "No."” in order to get a “yes”.

Follow up is important. How often has someone sent you an e-mail or a letter asking for a donation and you think to yourself, "I'll be sure to send that later" only forgetting to do so? I have found that sending a friendly reminder has helped to increase both the amount of donations and team members joining my team. It’s easy – just send a status update on your progress and remind everyone they can still contribute and be sure to include a link to your fundraising webpage!

Fundraiser Friday - Restaurant Percent of Sales Night

Chances are you’re probably going to go out to dinner with friends and family at some point in the next week or so, right? Why not make it a fundraising opportunity for the Liver Life Walk?! Many restaurants will host a “Percent of Sales Night” and donate a portion of their proceeds from a designated evening to your cause. All you have to do is invite everyone in your network to come out for dinner and support your cause!

The Fundraising for Small Groups Newsletter notes that his type of event appeals to restaurants because

• It makes the restaurant look good. Giving back to the community enhances their corporate image.
• It fills the restaurant on a slow night.
• It introduces people to the restaurant that might not visit otherwise

Here are just a few of the many restaurants in the Denver area that participate in this type of program. Don’t feel restricted by this list – reach out to your favorite local restaurant too!

• CiCi’s – “Simply put - unlimited pizza, pasta, salad and dessert, plus money donated towards your nonprofit organization.”
• Noodles – “fundraising efforts through percentage of sales benefits”
• Pasquini’s – Usually give 20% of attributed sales on a Monday night to a specific organization
• Fish City Grill – “Each store chooses a charity in their area and on the First Tuesday of every month that charity will receive fifteen percent of the entire days sales.”
• Fundraising for Small Groups Newsletter includes a larger list of restaurants too.

What other restaurants do you know of that also participate? Leave a comment and share your success stories with us!

Weekly Wellness – Updates on Hepatitis C Scare in Two Colorado Hospitals

The Hepatitis C investigation continues to develop as more patients are being notified and getting tested. The American Liver Foundation offers information, support and physician referrals.

• Fox News: Hundreds Tested for Hep C as Surgery Tech Heads to Court "State health officials say 10 hepatitis C cases in former Rose patients may be linked to Parker."
• CNN: Hospital Worker May Have Exposed Patients to Hepatitis "In a statement to police, Parker said, "I can't take back what I did, but I will have to live with it for the rest of my life, and so does everyone else."
• Associated Press: 10th Suspected Case Tied To Surgery Tech. "If convicted of all charges, Parker faces a maximum of 34 years in prison."

Weekly Wellness – Hepatitis C Scare in Two Colorado Hospitals

Shocking and frightening news was recently released about a potential transmission of Hepatitis C at two Colorado hospitals, Rose Medical Center in Denver and Audubon Surgery Center in Colorado Springs. The Denver Post notes that a former employee admitted to stealing injectible pain medications and replacing the syringes with placebos to be reused on patients. To me, it is unthinkable that things like this are happening in health care facilities today.

Rose Medical Center is reaching out to 4,700 patients who may have been exposed advising them to seek Hepatitis C testing. Audubon Surgery Center has mailed out 1,200 letters to patients and has recently blogged about their involvement in the situation.

Rose Medical Center News Release states “It is impossible to adequately express how deeply sorry and angry we are that the unconscionable acts of this terminated employee may have put some of our patients at risk.”

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment FAQ for Colorado Hep C Investigation

The American Liver Foundation has information on Hepatitis C and testing centers available. Contact 800-GO-LIVER or the website for more information.

Tips Tuesday – Set A Goal

Typically Liver Life Walk participants each raise about $150 and each participant that raises at least $100 will receive an official Liver Life Walk t-shirt. These numbers help you get an idea of where to start, but have you considered if they are the right goals for you? As Team Firstgiving notes, it is very important to set a fundraising goal.

So, I bet you're wondering how to set your team fundraising goal and your personal goal, right? Begin by making two lists.

• Team Goal: List everyone you can invite to join your team. Considering that each participant raises an average of $150, then...
  
  • 10 people x $150 each = $1,500
    
  • 15 people x $150 each = $2,250
• Personal Goal: List everyone you can invite to donate – friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, church members, etc.
  
  • 6 donors x $25 = $150 - the fundraising average!
    
  • 10 donors x $25 = $250
  • 25 donors x $25 = $625

My team, Team Misfritz, is walking in honor of my brother who was born in 1972 - we have used this number and set the team goal at $1,972. We are already a quarter of the way there! Now that you've crunched the numbers, set your goal! Think you can exceed the average? Go for it! What goal have you set for your own Liver Life Walk team??

Great Fundraising Plan & Goal Example from the MS Society

Fundraiser Friday - Car Wash

A car wash can be a fun and easy way to raise money for the Liver Life Walk! Check with centrally-located retailers, grocers and superstores for permission to hold a car wash in their parking lot – or hold one in your office parking lot. Typically, the best days to hold a car wash are on busy weekends when there will naturally be a lot of traffic increasing your ability to reach more people. You can either charge a set price or make it donation-based where the donor decides how much to pay for the car wash. Display sings promoting the car wash and promote it in advance as much as you can through your own personal network.

A church group “ended up washing eight cars and earning just about $50 each toward our goal” according to Travel Pod.

Car Wash How-To Help
Fundraiser Help
The Car Wash Guys
Step By Step Fundraising
Automobile Car Blog

Now grab a half a dozen of your friends, some hoses, sponges and soap and start scrubbing!