Walk MS: GEORGIA 2013 Participant & Team Captain Guide walk to create a world free of MS
Walk to create a world free of mS WalkMSgeorgia.org or 1.800.344.4867
LeClaire Lions 2012 Walk MS (Marietta)
Table of contents Be inspired. Get connected. Walk MS. Welcome to Walk MS: 2013.. ................................................................................................................................... 2 A World Free of Multiple Sclerosis.......................................................................................................................... 3 Where Does the Money Go?.. ................................................................................................................................. 4 Why We Participate in Walk MS.............................................................................................................................. 5 Join the Movement速 & Team Up........................................................................................................................................................................5 Moving Together: Three Simple Steps to Starting a Team........................................................................................................................6 Celebrate Success at Your Team Tent..............................................................................................................................................................6 Goal Setting: Who has the Most Team Spirit.................................................................................................................................................. 7 Top TeamS from Walk MS: Georgia 2012.........................................................................................................................................................8 Team Awards.............................................................................................................................................................................................................8 Walk MS Fundraising Recognition......................................................................................................................................................................9 2013 Top 100 Club Members.............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Online Tools: Making Fundraising Fast & Simple...........................................................................................................................................11 Fundraising Tips & Ideas.......................................................................................................................................................................................12 Social Media..............................................................................................................................................................................................................13 Commonly Asked Questions.............................................................................................................................................................................. 14
1 | Participant & Team Captain Guide
Welcome to Walk MS: 2013 As a walk ms participant or team captain, you are joining hundreds of thousands of people across the country It is an experience like no other. This guide will provide some great tips for fundraising, help you stay motivated, and get your team organized.
Walk with Us — Walk MS: GEORGIA 2013 March 16, 2013
April 20, 2013
Registration begins at 9am/Walk begins at 10am
Registration begins at 8am/Walk begins at 10am
Albany - TBD
Marietta - Marietta Square
Augusta - Lake Olmstead Rome - Berry College
Registrstion begins at 9am/Walk begins at 10am Savannah - Daffin Park
March 23, 2013 Registrstion begins at 9am/Walk begins at 10am Athens - Oconee Veterans Park Columbus - Golden Park
April 27, 2013 Registration begins at 9am/Walk begins at 10am Macon - GEICO Campus
April 13, 2013 Registration begins at 8am/Walk begins at 10am Atlanta - Piedmont Park
For more information, visit walkMSgeorgia.org or call 678-672-1000. walkMSgeorgia.org | 2
a world free of multiple sclerosis About MS Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and over 2.1 million worldwide.
About the National MS Society MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. The Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organizations around the world, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move forward with their lives. In 2010 alone, through its national office and 50-state network of chapters, the Society devoted $159 million to programs and services that assisted more than one million people. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested $37 million to support 325 new and ongoing research projects around the world. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at nationalMSsociety.org or 1.800.FIGHT.MS (1.800.344.4867).
3 | Participant & Team Captain Guide
Where does the money go? Chapter program & Research highlights For over 50 years, the Georgia Chapter has been providing hope to over 9,000 individuals and families affected by multiple sclerosis in Georgia. The Georgia Chapter provides outstanding comprehensive programs and support services designed to help people with MS and their families better address the challenges of living with this unpredictable disease. We strive to provide knowledge and assistance to help people with MS to maintain the highest possible quality of life. Offering much needed services and funding top-rated research, our staff and volunteers are dedicated to achieving a world free of MS.
Chapter Financial Information Seventy-eight cents of every dollar raised in the Georgia Chapter is spent towards addressing the challenges of multiple sclerosis. The Georgia Chapter depends on community support to fund local programs and accelerate national research projects to identify the cause and cure of MS. We are thankful to our members and their friends, event participants, corporate partners and the general public who help us raise the money to help create a world free of MS.
78% Programs/Education/Research
22% Fundraising/Administration
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Why we participate in Walk MS “The most fun part of the event is being surrounded by my friends and family. Being able to see and feel their support.”
“It is all about being with my friends, family and supporting a great cause. It is a chance for us to get together and do good as a family.”
“The walk is a celebration for me every year. I celebrate what I can do physically but also for the community as a whole. I look forward to spending time with friends and family on this day and seeing my other friends with MS.”
“I just love being there and seeing all the love and support from everyone! It’s a good feeling to see that people really do care, and that with their help, we will find a cure!”
Join the Movement® & Team Up Over 80 percent of walkers in Walk MS: Georgia participate as part of a team.
Why form a team? Because joining the movement is more fun with others around! It’s a great opportunity to gather friends, family and co-workers together to make an impact on the MS community. Having a team increases the funds you are able to raise and the fun you’ll have by participating.
Forming a team is easy Designate a team captain, make up a fun team name, and when you register online for Walk MS, choose the option to “create a new team.” Already registered, but want to start a team? Contact Laurie Palmer at 678-501-6631 or laurie.palmer@ nmss.org.
5 | Participant & Team Captain Guide
Moving together: Three simple steps to starting a team You and your team are committed to a world free of MS. We’re committed to you and the success of your team.
Recruiting Team members can be anybody — friends, family, co-workers, or neighbors — and they can all easily register as walkers online at walkMSgeorgia.org. Whether you’re a corporate team or a team of family and friends, just be sure to ask everyone you know. You’ll be surprised at how many people want to become a part of your team.
Raising Money Fundraising comes more naturally when you make it personal. If your team is walking for someone with MS, ask them if they would be willing to tell their story. Be sure to follow that with a statement about how much progress we’ve made in treating the disease. Don’t forget to ask everyone who sponsors you if their employer offers matching gifts!
have fun Being a team captain is an opportunity to share a great experience with friends and family members, or coworkers — a community coming together for a common goal and the accomplishment of a unique personal challenge! As a leader, it’s up to you to remind your teammates of why they registered. Walk MS can be more than a fundraising event — it can be a joyous celebration of how far we’ve come together!
Celebrate success at your team tent You’ve recruited them and raised money with them. Now celebrate with them! Join your team at your very own tent at the walk MS team village. The team village is available at Walk MS in Atlanta this year for teams raising $10,000 or more in the prior year. They are fundraising prizes only and will not be available for sale. You will be notified if you are receiving a team tent by February 1, 2013. Find more information on the team village on our website or by contacting Laurie Palmer at laurie.palmer@ nmss.org or 678-501-6631.
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Goal Setting: Who has the most team spirit? Establishing a goal is an easy way to maintain motivation as well as give you and your team a benchmark for success. We encourage team captains to set goals for themselves and their teams.
Keep these tips in mind: o Goals should be realistic, but significant — If it requires hard work to attain, it will be a source of more pride for your team. o Set a goal with input from the team — Having them believe in the goal from the start will make your job as team captain that much easier. o Set both personal and team fundraising goals — Lead by example. Share your personal fundraising goal with your team. o Set a goal for team size as well as collective fundraising — Recruiting more team members can mean more substantial fundraising! o Share your goal! Use e-mail, team pages, and even internal company intranets and newsetters to communicate goals — and how close your team is to attaining them. o If you are part of a large corporate team, have departments set their own goals to create some fun internal competition. If you would like more suggestions and guidelines for goal setting, or would like to request goal setting worksheets, please contact Laurie Palmer at 678-501-6631 or laurie.palmer@nmss.org.
7 | Participant & Team Captain Guide
Top Walk MS: Georgia 2012 Teams The National Multiple Sclerosis Society would not be able to fund cutting-edge research, provide services, host programs, or educate health care professionals and the public if it were not for the extraordinary fundraising efforts of those who support Walk MS. Once again, we’d like to thank the top teams of 2012.
top fundraising teams for Walk MS: georgia 2012 1.
STEP It Out Against MS - Eric Stepowany, $21,256
6. Wearing Red Shoes - Caroline Kulinski, $12,300
2. Team Combs - Michael Combs, $19,007
7. MS Warriors - Natalie Ward, $11,104
3. Kelly’s Heroes - Kelly Freeman, $17,482
8. Walking WInos - Natalie Prescott, $8,934
4. Amy’s Armor - Amy Nash, $17,287
9. BFFs Against MS - Fay Gibson, $8,532
5. A Closer Look, Inc. - Chuck Paul, $16,845
10. Team Peanut - Sarah Coles, $7,643
Team Awards A little friendly competition among teams can build camaraderie and increase results. The difference teams make in the lives of people living with MS is nothing short of amazing. So who has the most team spirit? Who has the biggest team? And, most importantly, who will make the biggest impact to create a world free of MS? Here are the top team titles up for grabs at Walk MS.
GEORGIA Honors and prizes •
TOP FUNDRAISING TEAM To qualify for the top fundriaisng team, all pledge monies must be received by the pledge deadline.
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BEST DRESSED TEAM Awarded to the team with the most creative/colorful/event specific attire.
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MOST SPIRITED TEAM The team that best exemplifies the traits of good sportsmanship and team camaraderie.
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LARGEST TEAM The number of team members will be decided by the number of registered walkers.
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Walk MS fundraising RECOGNITION Get moving and enjoy receognition for your hard work! The pride you will feel, knowing what a difference your efforts make in the lives of people with MS, will amaze you. The more money you raise, the more perks you receive!
top 100 club The Top 100 Club is an exclusive club available to fundraisers who achieve the highest fundraising pledges among all participants of Walk MS: Georgia. Ranking for the Top 100 Club is based on participants’ fundraising from the previous year. There is no fixed dollar amount that guarantees club membership. To find out more about this special club, and the exclusive benefits available to club members, visit the website at www.walkMSgeorgia.org.
mission possible club Participants who raise $1 for every person with MS we serve in Georgia are eligible to receive a beautiful Mission Possible plaque. The local chapter provides client programs to approximately 8,500 Georgians seeking services from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Set a goal for yourself to be a member of this prestigious club.
tour of champions The Tour of Champions award goes to the highest caliber of fundraisers. When you raise a minimum of $10,000, you will join other top fundraisers from around the southeast region for a weekend long get-away at a great destination. Travel and hotel accommodations are provided at no cost to the participant. You will get an opportunity to share your drive and passion for fundraising and success stories with others. For an additional $5,000 raised, you may invite a guest to the Tour of Champions.
Congratulations to our 2012 top fundraisers BY WALK ms LOCATION Albany: Gayle Palmer, $2,990
Macon: Heather Miller, $7,309
Athens: Donna Martin, $4,382
Marietta: Linda Agnello, $4,220
Atlanta: Michael Combs, $15,947
Rome: Amy Nash, $17,287
Augusta: Kelli Zaremba, $4,520
Savannah: Karen Boyd, $6,119
Columbus: Christie O’Neill, $2,103
9 | Participant & Team Captain Guide
2013 Top 100 Club members congratulations to our 2013 top 100 club* 1. Michael Combs - $15,947 2. Kelly Freeman - $14,122 3. Chuck Paul - $14,080 4. Therese Stepowany - $11,720 5. Amy Nash - $6,980 6. Brent Wilkes - $6,530 7. Amanda Fowler - $5,162 8. Abby Karsch - $4,636 9. Natalie Prescott - $4,369 10. Linda Agnello - $4,220 11. Heather Miller - $4,085 12. Fay Gibson - $4,000 13. Joseph Goscha - $3,852 14. Elizabeth Barfield - $3,770 15. Jane Branham - $3,737 16. Brian Defrates - $3,720 17. Linda Hilscher - $3,700 18. Cayce Carter - $3,550 19. Nancy Jo McDaniel - $3,525 20. Susan Walsh - $3,505 21. Janet Spivey - $3,500 22. Vanessa Angulo - $3,300 23. Caroline Kulinski - $3,255 24. Kelli Zaremba - $3,236 25. Katherine Davis - $3,055 26. Destiny Strider - $3,050 27. Cherryl Harris - $3,000 28. Millie Brune - $2,780 29. Linda Wiseman - $2,739 30. Mary Beth Ritthaler - $2,675 31. Jonathan Reiss - $2,638 32. Gayle Palmer - $2,620 33. Martina Flanagan - $2,564 34. Kathryn Youmans - $2,455 35. Stephanie Williford - $2,410 36. Lee Kordel - $2,410 37. Diane Wright - $2,400 38. Natalie Ward - $2,366 39. Melody O’Hare - $2,266 40. John Young - $2,156 41. Theresa McDaniel - $2,155 42. Jessica Javo - $2,102 43. Lynn Kaden - $2,028 44. Carol Fuller - $1,971 45. Gwendolyn Albrecht - $1,955 46. Brian Ozden - $1,906 47. Marsha Johnson - $1,905 48. Lisa Hecht - $1,883 49. Dawn Stone - $1,815 50. Tyrone Hunter - $1,782
51. Rachael Stepowany - $1,775 52. Billy Stejback - $1,767 53. Katie Kulinski - $1,760 54. Wanda Headrick - $1,741 55. Mario Muth - $1,730 56. Leeann Lanier - $1,720 57. Ingrid Brown - $1,700 58. Stephanie Holtz - $1,700 59. Jessica Leclaire - $1,695 60. Robert Udwin - $1,690 61. John O’Brien - $1,680 62. Cris Davis - $1,675 63. Christy Paolercio - $1,665 64. Ann Ethridge - $1,585 65. Karen Boyd - $1,578 66. Jodi Giles - $1,550 67. Charlotte Wilson - $1,519 68. Kimberly Hoellrich - $1,505 69. Jill Martin - $1,485 70. Ben Elstein - $1,450 71. Allison Smith - $1,450 72. Sheri Polk - $1,425 73. Martha Matthews - $1,390 74. Joy Mock - $1,375 75. Rick Stone - $1,367 76. David Hicks - $1,350 77. Andrea Andrews - $1,330 78. Lori Roland - $1,330 79. Jennifer Craven - $1,330 80. Natalie Walker - $1,309 81. Michele Northenor - $1,280 82. Ryan Moot - $1,280 83. Russ Johnson - $1,270 84. Ellen Davis - $1,270 85. Martin Smith - $1,265 86. Monique Weeks - $1,255 87. Mary Liptak - $1,231 88. Donna Martin - $1,201 89. Lissette Berdote-Barroso - $1,185 90. Graham Kuhn - $1,175 91. Sarah Neighbors - $1,165 92. Nicole Coutrier - $1,100 93. Kelly McMahon - $1,100 94. Rebecca Zager - $1,100 95. Sarah Stiver - $1,095 96. Tony Luca - $1,080 97. Kaitlin Taylor - $1,050 98. Valerie Hopper - $1,035 99. Amy Stiso - $1,030 100. Kristine White - $1,025
*Results based on 2012 fundraising walkMSgeorgia.org | 10
online tools: making fundraising fast & simple Everyone who registers for Walk MS gets a participant center, the online hub for managing online fundraising.
How it works From the Participant Center, you can edit your Personal Page, e-mail donors, manage your campaign and, for team captains, follow your team’s progress. To get to your Participant Center, log in to your Walk MS event, login to your account with your username and password and click on Participant Center where you will be prompted to: 1. Update your Personal Page — It’s easy to change the layout, story and upload pictures to your Personal Page. Make it about you and your friends and family will make generous donations! You can even keep a blog on your Personal Page. 2. Manage your Team — Email the entire team at once, track their progress, set your team goal so everyone can see and support it, download your team roster, encourage team members to use their online personal page and create incentives for them to fundraise online. 3. Send e-mails to friends and family asking for their support — You can easily import contacts into your Address Book from other e-mail applications such as Microsoft Outlook, AOL or Yahoo! Or add them manually. In just a few clicks select and send an appeal for support or a thank-you. Use a pre-written e-mail or write your own. 4. Fundraise online —
o Track your individual, ongoing fundraising progress.
o Update your fundraising goal.
o View reports on your team members’ contributions.
o Send follow-up messages and thank-you e-mails to your supporters.
5. Boundless Fundraising & Social Networking — Fundraise with Facebook through the new boundless fundraising tool available on your personal page. Create a Facebook fanpage for your team. You can also post tweets on Twitter for your group and videos on YouTube.
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Fundraising tips & Ideas Be creative! Be fun! Be enthusiastic...You are making a difference!
Getting started Here are a few ideas to get you started, but remember, there are hundreds of ways to raise money: o Set up your personal web page and fundraise online — It is free, easy and pays off. Online fundraisers raise double the money. o Set a goal — Make it lofty but attainable and then contribute yourself. This will help motivate your teammates and people who donate to you. o Download receipts, sample letters and find great fundraising tips online. Visit walkMSgeorgia.org, and click on the Downloads and Resources tab. o Visit www.walkMSgeorgia.org for lots of fundraising tips and tricks. Click on “Fundraising Ideas”. Remember: No one can say yes unless you ask!
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Social Media Using social media to fundraise, grow a team and to increase awareness.
Facebook facebook.com Facebook is the most popular social network in the world, helping people connect and communicate with people they know, and encouraging easy sharing of important news, events and pictures. Share the word about your upcoming Walk faster and easier than ever before! With the Walk MS Boundless Fundraising application, participants can now extend their fundraising efforts to their social networks on Facebook. Log in to your online Participant Center for more details.
LinkedIn LinkedIn.com This place for professionals has the potential to expose your team to folks who are capable of making donations. LinkedIn Groups can help you to connect with others of similar passions and interests who could potentially create or join a team.
Twitter twitter.com Twitter is one of the fastest growing social networks. It is a micro-blogging platform that allows you to send a 140-character (or less) about anything you want to anyone “following” you. Tweet about your Walk and team often!
YouTube YouTube.com YouTube brings your cause to life by giving friends, family and fans a place to view footage of events, inspirational videos and slideshows. Share your Walk experiences and invite others to join you or support you with a donation.
Your Personal Fundraising Web Page Access via www.walkMSgeorgia.org Create and customize your personal fundraising webpage after you register for a Walk event. You can accept donations online, send “thank you” emails, share your progress and, invite your friends to join your cause. The Society makes it quick and easy to get started with a simple login.
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Commonly asked questions How do i get help and set up my participant center?
Do I need to raise money? Isn’t my attendance enough support?
We at the National MS Society are here to help you reach your fundraising goals. Please give us a call and we will gladly help you with fundraising and recruitment ideas. In addition, we can set up your Participant Center so you can better raise funds online. Don’t wait, call us at 678-672-1000.
Walk MS is a fundraiser. Money raised supports people with MS and their families throughout Georgia. With the money raised at Walk MS last year the Georgia Chapter was able to fund wellness scholarships, emergency financial assistance to help with utilities, rent and mortgages, home modifications including ramps, durable medical equipment and vehicle modifications, home health care and resbite care to assist care providers, and educational programs. Every dollar raised through Walk MS makes an impact on the lives of those living with MS and brings hope to a future free of multiple sclerosis.
What do I need to bring to Walk MS? Bring a completed and signed walker waiver form or pledge envelope with contributions you’ve collected. To receive a pledge envelope, please contact Laurie Palmer at laurie.palmer@nmss.org or 678-501-6631. Envelopes will not be mailed in less than two weeks from your event date. Envelopes will also be available at each site the day of the event.
How do I turn in contributions? We recommend turning in contributions right away. The faster you turn in your contributions, the faster the Society can begin putting those contributions to good work. Don’t hold on to checks! Checks should be made to the National MS Society, and you can mail them to the Society/Walk MS at 1117 Perimeter Center W, Suite E101, Atlanta, GA 30338. Make sure your name is included in the “For” line of the check to get credit for the donation. Online contributions are automatically credited to your account. Include remaining contributions in your pledge envelope and bring it with you on your event date (Mar. 16- Albany, Augusta, ,Rome; Mar. 23 - Athens, Columbus, Savannah; Apr. 13 - Atlanta; Apr. 20 - Marietta; Apr. 27 - Macon). This envelope also serves as your waiver. The final date to turn in funds for Walk MS: Georgia 2013 will be June 30, 2013.
What if there is inclement weather? Like the effects of MS go on, so do we — rain or shine. Please dress accordingly.
How will the MS Society know how much I have in online contributions? Online contributions automatically are credited to your account. However, we will not have access to that information on the day of the event, so make sure to check your online total before the event and include the total on your walker pledge envelope.
how can i get a walk ms t-shirt? The commemorative 2013 Walk MS t-shirt will be available at the event for our outstanding fundraisers. Fundraisers of $100 or more will receive a t-shirt voucher at participant check-in. White t-shirts will be awarded to fundraisers of $100 to $349, and participants raising over $350 will receive green t-shirts. We will have multiple sizes available at your walk site. T-shirt sizes are on a first come-first serve basis. Walk MS t-shirts will not be available for sale.
What if I cannot finish the entire route? There will be transportation along the route to bring participants back to the start/finish site.
For more information, visit www.walkMSgeorgia.org. walkMSgeorgia.org | 14
Walk to create a world free of mS walkMSgeorgia.org or 1.800.344.4867
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