Fundraising Stars

Oscar Trimboli and Jennie Star

Together Oscar Trimboli and Jennie Star have raised nearly $100,000 for the Can Too Foundation. They’ve clocked up kilometres on land and in the sea from Palm Beach to the Great Ocean Road in 25 Can Too programs each. This was no mean feat as Oscar wasn’t a swimmer and Jennie had never run before Can Too. They even drive a car in the Foundation’s signature orange.

“People tell me I have orange blood,” says Jennie.

Their fundraising achievements may seem impossible to reach however the pair are adamant that fundraising is easy: the key, like that of a training program, is to be consistent.

“Some people think that fundraising is hard but it’s easy to achieve the required program amount: the rest is a bonus,” said Jennie.

“We help new members to fundraise and 9/10 times they don’t need it, fundraising is not the hardest part of a Can Too program. I’m the oldest person in our pod. If I can do it you CAN TOO.”

THEY SHARE THEIR FUNDRAISING TIPS:

Share your personal story

Oscar is driven to run and swim for Can Too – so his friend Ewan Hunt’s, children can live cancer free.

Ewan’s teenage daughter recovered from cancer, a brain tumour, when she was three years old, her father Ewan did not. He passed away from leukemia in 2015. During his treatment he contracted pneumonia and was connected to a breathing machine for the rest of his life.

“Ewan never ever complained during his treatment and always had a positive outlook for his wife, daughter and son – he taught me a very valuable lesson about what matters in life and why running is a privilege,” said Oscar.

When Oscar supported Lyndal Cole to finish the 2016 50km Ultra-Marathon in Canberra, a Scottish Highland band played the bagpipe song from Ewan’s funeral.

“While we ran past the bag pipes Lyndal said ‘Ewan is everywhere’.”

Jennie advises to share what it means to you to tackle the waves or pound the pavement, as Oscar does, to detail how far you’ve progressed and include photos. She posts on social media regularly including the night before each race which has yielded her $600 to $2,500.

“By sharing a very personal story most people can tap into it,” she says.

Tailor your message

“I don’t send a lot of emails but the ones I do send are tailored to the one person,” says Oscar.

“Tax and Christmas time are ideal times to send emails. ‘All I want for Christmas is a cure for cancer so can you help me’ and I ask for a specific amount to be donated to my page.”

Get creative

“Initially emails are a great way to connect and ask for donations, however when you have done as many Can Too programs as we have they become less so, then it’s time to get creative,” says Jennie.

She has hosted events for 20 people at home, from a chef demonstrating how to cook a lamb backstrap, to how to decorate cupcakes and fashion, make up and jewellery parties with afternoon tea. You can also sell raffle tickets and have a lucky door prize. Usually Jennie raises the required amount from one event.

Can Tooers have created merchandise such as a towelling beach robe, tea towels, swim bags and calendars. It’s about making the most of what you have available.

You never know who’s going to donate

Don’t be selective of who you share your story with. Some of Jennie’s benefactors were complete surprises.

When the owner of Armchair Collective café at Mona Vale, where the pod frequents after their Saturday swims, asked her about the group he donated $1,500 which completed her fundraising for that program. He went on to donate nearly $5,000 to the Foundation as his relative died of cancer.

“You don’t know what people’s story is and who they have lost.”

Oscar keeps his eyes and ears open for corporate benefactors. He brought Can Too together with IAG and AstraZeneca for corporate health programs.

One of his client’s staff members had a rare cancer of the biliary system, who sadly lost the fight within eight months. They were having a morning tea to celebrate the Executive Assistant’s life and Oscar explained how they could do even more with Can Too.

The IAG corporate pod had a great time running, learning more about each other and the company generously matched staff fundraising. They included a walk at Manly to honour the woman’s memory as a training session. And Can Too funded research at the Garvan Institute which researches rare cancers.

At your workplace you could approach your leadership team with a practical Can Too program which brings positive impacts to group dynamics, staff fitness and benefits the community.

Remember who you’ve done a favour for

After Oscar helped somebody get a job they offered him a bottle of wine, ‘don’t worry about buying wine I’d love you to donate $500 to my Can Too page’, said Oscar, which they did.

“Aim high, they can ignore you and if they do it doesn’t matter.”

They would both like to thank the founder of the Mac Pod Alana Bowles who aimed high, she left a legacy for her mother who died of breast cancer at a young age. Over the 10 years since, Can Too’s Mac Uni pod have trained over 500 people and raised $1.5 million for cancer research and prevention.

“Alana sparked the Can Too flame for us and we make sure to honour that and keep it going,” said Oscar.