Team Kings Ridge Fights MS Kings Ridge Christian School
WALK MS 2010
Team Captain MANUAL www.walkMSgeorgia.org
CONTACT US Roy A. Rangel Chapter President Roy.rangel@nmssga.org
Special Events Staff Ailena Gibby Parramore Director of Special Events Ailena.parramore@nmssga.org Jared Miley Walk MS Development Manager Jared.miley@nmssga.org Cara Misuraco Reeve Special Events Manager Cara.reeve@nmssga.org Amanda Karnik Moran Community Development Manager Amanda.moran@nmssga.org
Development Staff Rina Cook Director of Fund Development rina.cook@nmssga.org
Program Staff Hilary LaMotte Director of Clinical & Chapter Programs Hilary.lamotte@nmssga.org Kyle Pinion Director of Public Policy & Advocacy Kyle.pinion@nmssga.org Tammy Earnest Chapter Programs Manager Tammy.earnest@nmssga.org
Administrative Staff Nicole Hill Director of Finance & Administration Nicole.hill@nmssga.org
Table of Contents Welcome to Walk MS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 About MS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Where Does the Money Go?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Moving Together: Steps To Starting A Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Top 25 Teams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Getting Started: Team Captain Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Goal Setting: Who Has The Most Team Spirit?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Simple Steps To Online Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Team Captains Find Success Online!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Team Recruiting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Team Fundraising Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Double Your Pledges With Matching Gifts!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Team Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Opportunities For Team Involvement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Frequently Asked Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Bike MS Event Dates and Deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Melissa Polun Operations Manager Melissa.polun@nmssga.org Susie Collins Receptionist Susie.collins@nmssga.org Lynn Runsten Finance Associa te Lynn.runsten@nmssga.org Terri Cool Data Entry Associate Terri.cool@nmssga.org Team FUSiON
FoR more information and team resources, please go to: www.walkMSgeorgia.org
Welcome to Walk MS 2010 You’ll move. You’ll be moved. Joining the movement as a Walk MS team captain with hundreds of thousands of people across the country is an experience like no other. Taking the first step to register as a Walk MS team captain moves us all closer to a cure for multiple sclerosis. Moving forward, this Team Captain Guide will help you keep your team organized and motivated, as well as provide some great tips for having fun while fundraising. Walk with us Walk MS 2010 Start Time: Registration – 9:00am / Walk Start – 10:00am Sourthwest GA - March 20 Northeast GA - March 27 Chattahoochee Valley - March 27 Coastal Empire - April 17 Northwest GA - May 1 East Central GA - May 1 Start Time – Registration 8:00am / Walk Start – 10:00am Marietta - May 8 Atlanta – May 15 For more information, visit www.walkMSgeorgia.org or call 678.672.1000. National Multiple Sclerosis Society Georgia Chapter 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite E101 Atlanta, Georgia 30338 Phone: 678.672.1000 Fax: 678.672.1015 www.nationalMSsociety.org/gaa.
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We are people who want to do something about MS NOW About MS Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severityand 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 more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide.
About the National MS Society The National MS Society helps people affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. 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 www.nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867.
Where Does the Money Go? MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We do this through our home office and 50-state network of chapters by funding more MS research, providing more services to people with MS, offering more professional education and furthering more advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world. Just look at the difference it makes in your own community:
Chapter Program & Research Highlights For over 50 years, the Georgia Chapter has been providing hope to nearly 8,500 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, 40% Local 33% Research 12% Chapter 9%Fund Programs National Programs Reserves Raising our staff and volunteers are dedicated to achieving a world free of MS.
Chapter Financial Information 85 cents of every dollar raised in the Georgia Chapter is spent towards ending the devastating effects 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.
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5% Administration
Team Z
Moving TOGETHER: three simple steps to starting a team As a part of the MS movement, you and your team are committed to a world free of MS. We’re committed to you and the success of your team.
1. Recruiting Team members can be anybody— friends, family, co-workers, or neighbors — and they can all easily register as participants online at walkMSgeorgia.org. Whether you’re a corporate team or a team of family and friends, be sure to ask everyone you know. Just remember, a team consists of four or more members.
2. 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. Just 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!
3. ReALLY HAVING 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!
Benefits to Moving Together 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Teamwork and Team Building Corporate Pride and Employee Retention Fantastic Marketing Opportunity Strong Community Relationships Built Through Community Involvement Creates Health Conscious Employees and Community Team Fundraising Makes Asking for Donations Easy It’s More Fun at the Event!
We Are Here To Help We all can achieve more by pulling together for one central goal – ending the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. The National MS Society is happy to help you recruit, motivate and grow your team. Utilize their knowledge and expertise of team building activities and fundraising techniques to help you become more creative and innovative in your approach. To talk to the National MS Society about additional ideas, techniques and opportunities for your team, you can contact a member of our Special Events Team at 678.672.1000/800-FIGHTMS or walkms@nmssga.org.
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Top Walk MS 2009 Teams The National Multiple Sclerosis Society would not be able to fund cutting-edge research, provide services, host programs, or educate healthcare professionals and the public if it were not for the extraordinary fundraising efforts of those who support Walk MS Georgia. Once again, we’d like to show our appreciation to the Walk MS 2009 teams who made a difference — together:
Walk MS 2008 teams Team Name
Team Captain
Event Location
Total s
Lydia Fields
Rome
$26,023
Eric Stepowany
Atlanta
$20,100
Robert Stepowany
Atlanta
$16,318
Chuck Paul
Atlanta
$14,570
Caroline Kulinski
Marietta
$14,012
David Sirna
Atlanta
$9,946
Michael Combs
Atlanta
$9,795
Leslie Farmer
Athens
$8,990
Joy Webster
Atlanta
$8,620
Abby’s Team
Abby Bechler-Karsch
Atlanta
$7,722
Cure Raiders
Laura Luca
Marietta
$7,598
Susan Arndt
Atlanta
$6,850
Kelly Freeman
Atlanta
$6,092
Team Carter
Cayce Carter
Atlanta
$6,445
Ashford Advisors
Emily Purcell
Atlanta
$5,961
Elizabeth Barfield
Marietta
$5,680
Val’s Pals Valerie Hopper
Rome
$5,578
Toni Carlton-Salley
Athens
$5,486
Tawana Meeks
Athens
$5,277
Kelly Drumheller
Macon
$5,201
Tina Flanagan
Atlanta
$5,180
Susan Steinberg
Augusta
$5,05
Dawn Stone
Atlanta
$4,981
Val’s Pals Valerie Matthews
Atlanta
$4,825
Rome
$4,788
Gardner Girls FUSiON ImageRight and friends A Closer Look Wearing Red Shoes Team Dave Team Combs Apalachee Medical Supply & Mobility GTO
Team Travelers Kelly’s Heroes
Hatcher Hikers Team Jake Rowland Over MS Wilson Trackers Walk Technologies Walk and Roll The Stepping Stones Team Hope
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John Williams
GETTING STARTED: TEAM CAPTAIN TIMELINE First Steps ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ ∫
Register yourself as team captain. Share the work. Form a team committee or recruit a co-captain. Set goals for the number of walkers and total dollars to be raised by your team. Announce that you are forming a team at the next staff, club or faculty meeting. Send an email with the Team Website to colleagues and friends announcing the formation of the team. Secure support from top executives of your company or leaders in your community. Inquire with the HR department of your company regarding a matching gifts program. Have forms available when you approach co-workers.
Three Months Before Walk MS ∫ Request Posters/Flyers from the National MS Society, Georgia Chapter. Display everywhere. ∫ Get the word out! Place articles in your company/organizational newsletter, local paper, and website. Send emails to potential team members inviting them to join. ∫ Dress in style — Ask your company or local neighborhood business to provide t-shirts or hats for your team to wear. ∫ Plan a pre-walk event to promote team involvement. Have a meeting, party or prize giveaway. Invite the National MS Society staff to host a “lunch & learn”. ∫ Enlist those who prefer not to ride to volunteer for team support or for the Walk itself. ∫ Check your roster. By this month you should have at least half of the riders needed to reach your team goal. ∫ Keep track of team donations, current team totals and top fundraisers. ∫ Plan a team fundraising event.
Two Months Before Walk MS ∫ S tart sending a weekly email to team members counting down the days until the event. Provide updates on the current number of team members and how much has been raised so far. Include fundraising ideas from members, a listing of top members and their accomplishments for the team, and any challenges the members have for one another. ∫ Begin to reward your top team members. Get prizes for your top fundraisers from your company or local places of business (day off, good parking spot, ticket to local sporting or cultural event, gift card to retail store or restaurant). ∫ Hold team fundraising event.
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Above: Mike Combs (center) Team Captain, Team Combs
GETTING STARTED: TEAM CAPTAIN TIMELINE continued
One Month Before WALK MS ∫ Recognize and reward your top team members. ∫ Arrange last minute details with team members and check on fundraising goals.
One Week Before WALK MS ∫ S end a reminder e-mail with the Walk MS start time, team meeting place, time for team photo, directions to the location, and what they need to bring for check-in.
The Day of Walk MS ∫ Arrive at the Walk site early for easy check-in. Each individual team member must
check in at the Registration area with their signed and completed pledge envelope and any money collected to date. If the individual has at least $100, he/she will receive a Walk MS T-shirt. Even if no money is being turned in, a signed waiver must be completed. ∫ Set a meeting time and place for your team to have their picture taken prior to the Start. Have breakfast (available in some sites), warm up, and then get ready to take steps to end the devastating effects of MS!
After Walk MS ∫ Send a thank you note, memo, e-mail, or phone call to all team participants. ∫ Remind team members that fundraising does not have to stop because the Walk is
over. They have 30 days after the event date to continue collecting donations and turn them in. ∫ Follow up with the NMSS to find out which team members have not turned in their money yet so you can encourage them to do so.
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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, while keeping these tips in mind: ∫ Goals should be realistic, but significant; If it requires hard work to attain, it will be a source of more pride for your team. ∫ Don’t arbitrarily set a goal without input from the team. Having them believe in the goal from the word “go” will make your job as team captain that much easier. ∫ Don’t forget to set both personal and team fundraising goals. Lead by example. Share your fundraising goal with your team.
∫ Set a goal for team size as well as collective fundraising. Recruiting more team members can mean more substantial fundraising! ∫ Don’t keep your goal a secret! Use e-mail, team pages, and even internal company intranets and newsletters to communicate goals — and how close your team is to attaining them. ∫ If you are part of a large corporate team, have departments set their own goals to create some fun internal competition.
Overall Goals: #of Walkers: _______________ Dollars Raised: $ ____________________ Strategic Plan: 1. Set up team web page through the National MS Society website. Due Date __________________________ 2. Announcement through e-mail, company newsletter, or intranet. Due Date __________________________ 3. Form a team committee or appoint team co-captain(s) from separate departments/shifts/offices Due Date ___________ Suggested people to ask: ____________________________________________ 4. Check with company’s HR Dept. to learn if a matching gifts program is provided. If so, obtain a copy of the matching gifts form to provide to all team members. Due Date ____________________________________ 5. Obtain flyers & posters from the National MS Society to pass out and display. Post a progress chart with your fundraising & recruitment goals in a visible area. Due Date _______________________________________ 6. Recruitment activities: Activity Date Goal ________________________ _________ _________________ o o ________________________ _________ _________________ o ________________________ _________ _________________ 7. Team Fundraising activities: Activity Date Goal o ________________________ _________ _________________ o ________________________ _________ _________________ o ________________________ _________ _________________ 8. Send memo to all team members with team goals and activities. Due Date ___________________________ 9. Use online tools through National MS Society Website to communicate with team members weekly or bi-weekly. Due Date (i.e. every Monday, every other Tuesday, etc.) ________________________________ 10. Send a thank you to all team members. Due Date ______________________________________________
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SIMPLE STEPS TO ONLINE SUCCESS 1. Set up your Team Page – Your team page is your invitation to the world to become involved in the movement. By setting up a team page, you are setting up your team for success. Here are a few hints to help make your page one to remember: ∫ Make it personal – Put in a picture of you or your team. Write the story of your team and how you are moving together toward a world free of MS. While there is sample text available, nothing is more compelling than your own words. ∫ Change it often – Keep your page current to generate interest. Provide updates on how your training is going or how close you are to your goal. ∫ Create your team page URL shortcut – By doing this you will be able to easily direct people directly to your team page. Put a link to your fundraising page in the signature of your email. 2. Recruit members online – No need to collect paper or spend hours on the phone. Your team members can quickly and easily register themselves online. Have people join your team from your team page, or use the participant center tools to send a team registration link via e-mail. You can also download your personal email contact list into the tool. 3. Fundraise online – Now for the fun part! After you send your personalized e-mail to all your friends, family and colleagues, you can watch you and your team’s up-to-the-minute fundraising tracker. Our online tools make it simple for your supporters to donate online to keep you moving toward your fundraising goalsand a world free of MS. 4. Encourage team members to use their online personal pages – Once you see what the tools can do for you, encourage your team members to see what the tools can do for them. Make it fun by giving incentives to your team members to fundraise online — a pair of movie tickets to the team member that raises the most in a week, or a gift card to every team member who gets at least 5 gifts online. Be creative and ensure that your team not only reaches their goals, but has fun along the way.
Ten Great Things about our online Team Tools 1. Easily update your Team’s page and photo 2. Include your company’s logo 3. Set up a simple URL for your team page 4. Set a fundraising goal that everyone can see and support! 5. Download your team roster 6. E-mail your entire team at once 7. Track your team members’ fundraising progress 8. See your real time team fundraising total 9. Track and thank your team gifts 10. Post your team pictures online
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team captains find success online! The Walk MS website has a plethora of helpful information to assist you in your team efforts. The following items are available for download at www.walkMSgeorgia.org: ∫ Sample Team Recruitment Letter/Email ∫ Sample Team Newsletter Article ∫ Sample Executive Memo ∫ Team Goal Setting Form ∫ Event and Society Logos ∫ My Participant Center How-To Guide ∫ Registration and Pledge Forms
Melody’s Mobsters
Team Wearing Red Shoes
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Hatcher Hikers
Team Recruiting Tips The recruitment tips listed below are tried and true initiatives from other team captains. Brainstorm and see what creative ideas you can come up with! ∫ Get the Word Out: Email the team webpage to everyone you know. Drop a flyer on everyone’s desk and hang a poster in the break rooms. ∫ Create team business cards to pass out when someone shows interest in the team. You never know when you might meet someone that wants to participate! Be sure to include your contact information and the team webpage. ∫ Get Company Support: Ask the highest-ranking person in your company or group to send out an endorsement memo announcing support and asking others to join the team. Include a matching gift form if your company has a matching gift policy. Talk with Human Resources or Wellness and Community Relations for assistance as well. ∫ Display Walk MS Posters and Flyers in high-traffic areas at work. Include the team captain’s contact information on the posters if anyone has questions. ∫ Publicize the Team’s Efforts through a large display in a high-traffic area. Display a “sign-up list” to create positive peer pressure and encourage others. ∫ Newsletters: If your company or organization sends out newsletters, ask them to include an article about the team. Send your own regular newsletters through the National MS Society’s online tools. ∫ Host Sign-up Parties during breakfast, lunch or an ice cream social. Hold a new team member registration party and encourage team members to recruit one more person and bring them to the party. ∫ Ask the National MS Society: Schedule a visit for a staff member to give a presentation to potential team members, Human Resources, management and/or officers at your office, classroom or meeting place. ∫ Team Up With A Veteran Team Captain for advice and support. The National MS Society can assist with this. ∫ Make it Personal: Use your own “This is Why I Walk” story with potential team members. If other members have a particularly powerful story, ask them if you can share their story as you recruit. ∫ Make it Fun: Don’t underestimate the effect of team camaraderie and building a dynamic infrastructure to the success of your team. People like to belong to something and be a part of a community. If they see that you and your team have a real bond, they will be attracted to it.
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Team Fundraising tips Listed below are some ideas from other team captains, but you should feel free to add your own — and share them with other team captains! Go the extra mile with your team by getting creative and utilizing the resources of your own team members.
THE BASICS ∫ Have Enthusiasm! Excitement is highly contagious and it is important for your team members to feel how enthusiastic you are about fundraising. ∫ Make the First Pledge Yourself: When your team members (and potential donors) see your name and a contribution, they will see how serious you are. ∫ Share with the group! Share your personal fundraising methods with your team members. By sharing your mail and email campaigns and including team members in your personal fundraising events, team members will become more comfortable with fundraising for themselves. ∫ Set Goals! Set a team fundraising goal and regularly announce the team’s progress through email, on the team webpage, and in company email or newsletters. ∫ Ask Your Company/Organization to provide some type of financial help; i.e., pay for team member t-shirts, make a financial contribution to the team, host a fundraising day, etc. Don’t forget that their contribution is tax deductible. ∫ Ask For Help! Identify a team member to serve as co-captain, or a group of members to serve as a team committee. Ask for help in putting together one or more team fundraising events. Delegate responsibilities!
GOING THE EXTRA MILE ∫ Do Something Unusual! Offer to shave your head, sing karaoke, or wear a strange costume all day if your team reaches or exceeds its fundraising goal. To motivate company team members further, ask the company president or executives to do the same. ∫ Hold a Drawing! Set up a drawing for the team, with each $50 raised netting you another chance to win a prize (For friends: A special home-cooked meal for the winner and their family; For employees: A day off or lunch with the President.) ∫ Sell Something! Hold a team garage sale, bake sale, or silent auction. Provide breakfast or lunch at your office in exchange for a team donation. Have team members auction off services at a company-wide auction; services can be a home-cooked meal, four hours of yard work, or a day of house cleaning. ∫ Pin-Up Sales: If you work somewhere with lots of foot traffic, ask about Walk MS pin-up sales — an easy way to quickly raise money for your team. ∫ Recognize Top Performing Members by providing a free meal with company executives, or a reserved parking spot for a month. Be sure to include the name of those team members that are close to reaching the “Top Fundraiser” status in regular emails to your team as encouragement to reach the next level. ∫ Ask Businesses To Sponsor Your Team in exchange for some free publicity. Include sponsor logos on your team t-shirts and in a sponsor highlights section of your team emails and webpage. ∫ Ask Your Favorite Restaurant or bar to donate a percentage of one evening’s income to your team in return for sponsorship privileges. Ask a local band to play for free and sell raffle tickets for great prizes. ∫ For a Donation, Throw a Party! Have a denim & diamonds dinner, a pirate’s treasure hunt, or a holiday soirée.
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double your pledges with matching gifts! Many companies sponsor matching gift programs to encourage employees to support numerous charities and non-profit organizations. Most companies match dollar for dollar and some may even double or triple match a donor’s gift. By informing your team members of this opportunity, you could greatly increase your team’s fundraising total with little effort.
Helpful Tips for Matching Gifts ∫ Spread the Word About Matching Gifts: Encourage all of your team members and event donors to see if their company participates in a matching gift program. Please remind your donors to include information on whose event campaign they are supporting so the gift will be credited to the correct event participant’s account. ∫ Have Matching Gift Forms When You Approach Your Coworkers: If your company participates in a matching gift program, have the forms available when you approach your coworkers to walk or donate. When a coworker makes a contribution, you can hand them a form to complete. ∫ The Earlier the Better: Providing the matching gift forms on the weekend of the event or even before will ensure that your matching gift will be included with your current year’s total. To assist us in the process, please include a copy of your pledge form for the National MS Society to reference.
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Team Awards A little friendly competition among teams can build camaraderie and increase results. In fact, teams are the fastest growing group of fundraisers in the MS movement. The difference they are making in the lives of people with MS is nothing short of amazing. At each walk site, the following team award winners will be chosen for going above and beyond in their efforts. The Team Awards will be presented at the Awards and Volunteer Recognition Party in summer 2010. Here are the top team titles up for grabs.
Top Fundraising Team To qualify for the top fundraising team, all pledge monies must be received thirty days after the Walk takes place.
Best Dressed Team The team with the most creative/colorful/event specific attire will be awarded the best dressed team.
Most Spirited Team The team that best exemplifies the traits of good sportsmanship and team camaraderie will be awarded most spirited team.
Largest Team The number of team members will be decided by the number of registered walkers.
Opportunities for Team Involvement Champions Against MS This program allows participants to walk on behalf of someone with MS. Participate as a team in this rewarding program by encouraging your team members to sign up to walk for a Champion. Walk as a team for someone you know. If your team does not know someone with MS, the Champions Against MS program will pair your team members with one of our clients served by the National MS Society.
TOP 100 CLUB The National MS Society, Georgia Chapter has an exclusive club to recognize top walk fundraisers called the Top 100 Club. As Team Captain, you should recognize team members that may be a part of this club and encourage others to find out how they did it. Also, highlight team members that are currently in the running to be a Top 100 Club member in 2010. Friendly competition is a healthy way to encourage fundraising.
Mission Possible Award Walkers 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 8,500 Georgians seeking services from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Use membership into this club as a fundraising incentive with your team members. Set a goal to have at least one (or more) team members to earn a spot in this prestigious club.
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Frequently Asked Questions How do I register my team members? You may register your team online (www. walkMSgeorgia.org), fax in registrations (678-6721015) or mail your registration forms to our office (1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite E101, Atlanta, GA 30338). Make sure that the team name is included on the registration. Is a separate registration form needed for each team member? Yes. There is vital information for our records that the National MS Society needs for annual audit purposes. What is the financial commitment for a Walk participant? First and foremost, Walk MS: Georgia is a series of fundraising events to support the research, programs, and services provided by the National MS Society. The Georgia Chapter of the National MS Society does not currently charge a registration fee or require a minimum pledge amount to participate. However, each Walk participant is individually responsible for collecting and turning in money. NOTE: There is a cost to the National MS Society for every person who registers to walk. So the Society actually LOSES money when someone registers and does not raise money. Encourage your team members to set fundraising goals that they can reach. What will team members need to bring to the Walk? They will need to turn in their signed pledge envelope and any funds that they have collected. NOTE: Each participant must turn in a separate pledge envelope. When are pledge monies due? Monies are due by 5 p.m. on the closing date exactly one month after your Walk date. Pledges being mailed in must be postmarked by this date as well. Pledge forms can be downloaded from the website, mailed or faxed to you.
Will my team members receive correspondence prior to Walk MS? All participants that include an email in their registration will receive regular Walk MS E-Newsletters. However, it is important that you reiterate any information given to your team on the Walk MS or any additional information you may receive as a team captain, such as procedures for registering and turning in money, and what to expect during the event. As a team captain, you are the liaison between your team and the National MS Society. What time does my team need to be there? The Walk MS will officially start at 10am. For all community walks, registration begins one hour before the Walk officially starts. For the Atlanta and Marietta Walks, registration begins two hours prior to official start time. With the large number of walkers expected, we advise you and your team to get to the site early. Will there be team photos taken at the Walk? Depending on the walk site, photographers will be available to take team pictures. Will we walk if it rains? Yes. We walk even if it rains. In the event of serious weather (tornado, hurricane, etc.) please check the website or call 1-800-FIGHTMS for announcements relating to the cancellation of the walk. Where can I get Walk MS flyers and posters? Contact the National MS Society – Georgia Chapter Office for requests. They are sent out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. How can I participate in the Champions Against MS program? Contact the National MS Society - Georgia Chapter at 678-672-1000 or walkms@nmssga.org. continued
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Frequently Asked Questions continued
Will there be support along the route? Yes. We provide several rest stops with food and hydration, medical support, a Support and Gear vehicle, and a police presence along the route. Will food be served at the Walk? Depending on the walk site, we provide breakfast prior to the Walk, food and hydration along the route, and snacks after the Walk is completed. Contact the National MS office for a full disclosure of your specific Walk site. Can a NMSS staff member come and talk to my team? Yes. We are always happy to visit with our teams
and assist them with fundraising, team building and answer any questions team members may have. Staff members can even host a “lunch & learn” for your co-workers. Contact us at 678.672.1000 for more information. Will I receive updates about the status of my team? Yes. Our new and improved online tools allow you to maintain an up-to-date team roster and track each team member’s fundraising efforts. Detailed information on using the online tools can be downloaded from the website. For additional team status information, you may contact the National MS Society – Georgia Chapter office at 678.672.1000.
Team Walking With Faith
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2010 Walk MS Event Dates & Deadline March 20
Walk MS: SOUTHWEST GEORGIA TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/ Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Albany, GA - Darton College (www.darton.edu)
March 27
Walk MS: NORTHEAST GEORGIA TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/ Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Athens, GA - Oconee Veterans Park (www.ocprd.com)
Walk MS: CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/ Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Columbus, GA - Golden Park (Next To Civic Center)
April 17
Walk MS: Coastal empire TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Pooler, GA (Savannah) - Tom Tripplet Community Park
Walk MS: MIDDLE GEORGIA TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/ Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Macon, GA - Geico Corporate Campus
May 1
Walk MS: Northwest Georgia TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Rome, GA - Berry College (www.berry.edu/)
Walk MS: EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA TIME: Registration begins at 9:00 am/ Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Augusta, GA - Lake Olmstead (Next to Stadium)
May 8
Walk MS: MARIETTA TIME: Registration begins at 8:00 am/Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Marietta Square (www.mariettasquare.com)
May 15
Walk MS: Atlanta TIME: Registration begins at 8:00 am/Walk begins at 10:00 am LOCATION: Piedmont Park (www.piedmontpark.org)
June tbd
Walk MS Awards and Volunteer Recognition Party
Pledge Deadline All pledge monies are due one month after the Walk takes place. Top 100 Club Pledge monies will be accepted towards Club ranking through Sept. 30, 2010 (close of fiscal year).
15 | Walk MS Team Captain Guide
1-800-FIGHTMS | www.walkMSgeorgia.org