TEAM CAPTAIN
GUIDEBOOK
FAMILY
Parts of this toolkit
contain questions for
you to answer and
brainstorming prompts.
We encourage you
to follow those steps
and type your answers
directly in this document.
Table Of
Contents
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1 Welcome
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2 Meet the Staff
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3 About Make-A-Wish®
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4 About Walk For Wishes®
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5 Personal Inspiration
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6 I’m a Team Captain – Now What?
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7 Fundraising Tips
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8 Take it to the Next Level
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9 Team Goal Setting and Planning
Helping change
the lives of
Make-A-Wish® kids
is as easy as lacing
up your shoes.
Welcome
Walk For Wishes –
Thank you for agreeing to serve as a team captain! You have
joined an incredible group of people committed to granting the
wishes of children facing life-threatening medical conditions. This
year’s Walk For Wishes event is going to be an inspirational event
with families and community supporters coming together to support
their local Make-A-Wish chapters.
Make-A-Wish is committed to providing you with tools and
resources to make sure your experience is memorable and
meaningful. This guidebook is full of helpful information, but
don’t miss our favorite sections:
Taliyah, 8
hematological disorder
I wish to go to a Florida theme park
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Why Walk – Check out the short wish story
video to help motivate you to get started
Steps to Success – Being a team captain
doesn’t have to take a lot of time
How to Raise $200 in Less than a Week– follow these steps and then enjoy watching as
people show their love for you through
their generosity
The entire team at Make-A-Wish will be cheering you on towards
your personal and team goals, and we are available to help
you every step of the way. We will be in touch soon to introduce
ourselves and to see how we can help ensure your success as a
team captain.
Thank you for walking hand-in-hand with us to make wishes come
true. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Meet The Staff
Stephanie Bediee'
Director of Corporate Partnerships
[email protected]
Melanie Underhill
Manager, Corporate Alliances
[email protected]
Special Events
[email protected]
Lainie Strouse- Event Producer- [email protected]
Support with
Confidence
Financial support for
Make-A-Wish comes
from individual,
corporate and foundation
donors. Additionally,
more than 25,000
individuals volunteer
their time and talents.
Make-A-Wish consistently
dedicates 78 percent or
more of dollars received
to granting wishes.
About
Make-A-Wish
Mission
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with lifethreatening medical conditions to enrich the human
experience with hope, strength and joy.
History
Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona, when a small
group of people helped a seven-year-old boy named Chris Greicius
achieve his wish – to be a state trooper for a day. Since that time,
Make-A-Wish has grown into a Top 10 charity.
Wish Impact*
A Make-A-Wish experience truly helps children feel stronger, more energetic,
more willing and able to battle their life-threatening medical conditions.
For many, it marks a turning point in their fight against their illnesses.
• 97% of adult former wish kids say they experienced improved mental and emotional health
• 81% of parents observed an increased willingness by their wish kids to comply with treatment protocols.
• 87% of adult former wish kids say their wish experience gave them the courage to pursue opportunities that were difficult or impossible before they received their wish.
• 74% saw the wish experience as a positive turning point in
the wish kids’ battle against their illnesses.
A wish improves children’s state of mind, replacing fear with happiness
and helping them to feel like normal kids again.
•
99% of parents reported that the wish experience gave their
children increased feelings of happiness, and 91 percent observed that the wish experience decreased their children’s depression or sadness.
• 97% of parents said the wish experience strengthened
their families.
* Make-A-Wish America. “Wish Impact Study Results – Initial Phases: Jan – Dec 2010.” March 2011.
EVENT DETAILS
Powered by wish families, volunteers,
donors and friends, the Walk For
Wishes event is a nationwide MakeA-Wish fundraiser that celebrates the
thousands of wishes that have already
been granted, while raising funds for
future wishes.
By participating in one of the 86 walks taking
place throughout the country, you can help bring
the life-changing impact of a wish to a child
battling a life-threatening medical condition.
Families, friends, businesses, clubs, schools
and community members are invited to enjoy
a family-friendly 5k walk with festivities, food
and fun. It enables people like you to be a
part of something truly life-changing.
Date:
Location:
Registration Begins:
Walk Begins:
Distance:
Notes:
A Make-A-Wish
experience empowers
children to fight harder
against their illness.
For many, it marks
a turning point in
their fight.
Walk For Wishes eventmay last only a few
hours, but the funds you and your team raise
provide memories that will last a lifetime.
Personal
Inspiration
Know your story
Regardless of how you ask for support – in person, through email or on
Facebook – sharing your personal reasons for supporting Make-A-Wish
is essential. Do you have a personal connection to Make-A-Wish?
Which of the above statistics and facts resonate with you?
Take a minute now to write your story
in two or three sentences:
Need Inspiration?
If you don’t have a personal connection to Make-A-Wish, get
inspired by watching the wish kid story below. Feel free to use
this story as your personal inspiration when asking others to
support your fundraising efforts.
I’m a Team CaptainNow What?
1
2
3
Team CaptainsMultiply for the
mission
1) Recruit 10 people who are committed to raising at least
$200 for Make-A-Wish.
2) Lead the Way: Execute the top three fundraising strategies (give
yourself a donation, personalize your fundraising page and
send emails to family and friends) so that you can ask team members to do the same.
3) Encourage, motivate and thank your team
members regularly.
Q: What Does
it Take to Be a
Team Captain?
A: NOT Much!
We know you are busy so we have made it possible to make being
a team captain simple and easy. Once you have committed to this
role you can count on us for all of the tools and resources you
need, including:
Team Captain
Resources
Marketing Materials
and Supplies
Contact your local Make-A-Wish
chapter to order these tools:
_____
GOAL: __
ME
TEAM NA
N
CATIO
WALK LO
DATE
tion:
e informa
For mor
ain
Team Capt
Phone
Email
We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening
medical conditions to enrich the human experience
with hope, strength and joy.
[chapter
Turn Yo
ur Steps
INTO
WISHES
KIDS FOR
url here]
We know you care about the mission of Make-A-Wish or you wouldn’t
be reading this guidebook. As a team captain, you can increase your
impact for our cause. Team captains:
• Introduce people to the mission of Make-A-Wish by inviting
them to join the Walk For Wishes event.
• Raise more funds for the mission of Make-A-Wish. Based on
our experience, we are confident that every member on your
team should be able to raise a minimum of $200. Recruiting 10
friends multiplies that impact and will raise a minimum of $2000!
√ Save the Date Postcards
√ Brochure
√ Poster
√ Pocket Folder
√ Thermometer Poster
√ Team Captain Business Cards
√ Walk For Wishes Flyers
√ Paper Make-A-Wish Stars
√ Star Sales Poster
Use our sample email
templates in your online
headquarters to reach out
to family and friends:
Spread the word about
your involvement with Walk
For Wishes event.
Staff Contact
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Reach out anytime. We mean
it when we say it is our job to
make sure you are successful.
Team Captain
Step by Step Guide
Step 1: Register
Step 2: Set a Goal
Remember, the average walker raises $200. How many
people can you recruit?
Step 3: Go First
Make a donation to your personal fundraising page.
The size doesn’t matter, but your willingness to donate
confirms for friends and family that you are committed to
our mission.
Step 4: Personalize Your Team Page
and Personal Fundraising Page
Share your personal story about why Make-A-Wish is
important to you. Don’t forget to include a photo!
Step 5: Recruit Walkers
Invite family and friends to join you in this important
cause. Use all of the communication methods at
your disposal including email, social media, text
and old fashioned (but highly effective) face to face
conversations.
Step 6: Ask Family and Friends to Donate
Sending emails is the single most important action you
can take to raise money! Send requests for donations
to family and friends and enjoy watching how they
respond. Don’t forget to follow-up.
Step 7: Encourage and Motive Your Team
Touch base with team members regularly to keep them
excited about the Walk For Wishes event. Provide
fundraising tips, host contests to create enthusiasm and
say thank you often.
Fundraising Tips
How to Raise Funds
Ask Everyone
The number one reason why
people give is simply because they
were asked. Don’t be shy – ask
everyone you know.
1
Ask Confidently
Close friends and family are the obvious
choice, but don’t forget co-workers,
church members, your child’s baseball
coach and businesses you frequent.
2
Make it Personal
3
Share your own story. Did your child
(or another family member or friend)
benefit from a wish? What is their story?
Maybe your story is about gratitude for your healthy
children. Whatever your reasons for participation with
Make-A-Wish, share them.
You are not asking for money for
yourself: you are asking for
support of Make-A-Wish because
wishes change lives.
4
5
Use Online Tools
The online tools are designed to make fundraising simple
for you and for your donors. In addition, it is the most
effective way to raise money. Online gifts average $50
per gift and participants who send emails generally find
that they receive a three-to-four times higher response rate
than those that ask for check or cash donations.
Social Fundraising
Facebook
Update your status at least once a week
with information about why you are walking
and what they can do to support you!
Always include the link to your Walk For
Wishes Personal Fundraising Page to
make donating simple!
Consider creating a Facebook Group Page
for your Walk For Wishes Team. Facebook
groups are easy to create and a simply way to
communicate with team members.
Twitter
Follow Make-A-Wish on Twitter
at @MakeAWish
Tweet about your fundraising progress, let
followers know you are seeking donations.
Always include the link to your Walk For
Wishes Personal Fundraising Page
in tweets.
Update your profile to include your Walk For
Wishes Personal Fundraising Page link.
Did you know that fundraisers who connect their personal fundraising page to Facebook
raise 40 percent more than those who don’t? Add Twitter, Instagram, You Tube,
Google+ and more to the conversation and you can see the potential.
Incentive Program
Make-A-Wish depends on Walk For Wishes participants to make our
mission a reality. Your fundraising efforts are greatly appreciated and you
deserve to be recognized. You and your team members can earn all of the
following prizes by raising funds for Make A Wish:
Get Creative
Sending emails and writing letters is, by far, the easiest and
most effective way to raise money for your local Walk For Wishes
event. But if you want to take it to the next level, try one of these
creative FUNdraising event ideas.
• Auctions
• Bake Sale
• Birthday Gifts
• Carwashes
• Challenge by the Boss
• Dog Walkers
• Dress-Down Days
• Fish Fry
• Flower Sales
• Garage Sales
• Golf Tournament
• Lawn Service
• Money Jars
• Raffles
• Sell Make-A-Wish Paper Stars
Employer Matching Gift Information
Double your donation! Many companies will match tax-deductible
donations made to charitable organizations. Contact your
company’s Human Resources department and ask if they match
your donation to Make-A-Wish and encourage all of your
team members and donors to do the same.
Come together!
Remember,
you shouldn’t
be the only one
raising funds on
your team!
Team Captains:
Take It To The Next Level
Team T-Shirts
Generate some team spirit by designing and printing team t-shirts.
Come up with a design yourself or have a contest among team
members. Consider asking a local print shop to donate the cost of
printing the shirts or ask your boss to make your company the t-shirt
sponsor. Wear your t-shirts on walk day to show the crowd you
care about the mission of Make-A-Wish.
Team Fundraisers
In addition to asking for support from friends and family, team
fundraisers can be a fun and exciting way to support the mission of
Make-A-Wish. You can band together as a team to host a garage
sale, have a penny war competition at work or sell flowers in the
company lobby and to your neighbors. You shouldn’t be the only
one raising funds on your team!
Team Incentives
As team captain, it is fun and encouraging to offer your own
fundraising incentives to team members who help raise funds.
Consider giving gift cards to those members who fundraise or a
special prize to your top fundraiser. It can be simple enough as
cooking dinner for them or buying the next movie you see together.
Use this space below to brainstorm
team fundraising ideas and incentives:
Team Goal Setting &
Planning Worksheet
Team Name
Team Captain Name
Co-Captain Name
(if applicable)
TEAM FUNDRAISING GOAL
How many walkers do I want on my team?
#
Average $ Raised Per Walker
$200 or
$
$
Avg. $ raised per walker
=
# of walkers
x
0.00
$
Team fundraising goal
PERSONAL FUNDRAISING GOAL
My Personal Donation
$
Email Campaign Donations
$
Team FUNdraising Events
$
Social Media Fundraising
$
Other
$
TOTAL
$ 0.00
Action Plan
LAUNCH TASKS
✓
Tasks
Due Date
Register as a team captain
Recruit a co-captain
Personalized team and individual fundraising pages
Order materials from Make-A-Wish office (brochures, posters, etc.)
RECRUITMENT TASKS
✓
Tasks
Due Date
Create a list of people to ask to be on your team
Send email invitation to friends and family
Ask team members to recruit at least one additional walker
FUNDRAISING TASKS
✓
Tasks
Make a personal donation
Send donation request email to friends and family
Send follow-up emails to friends and family who have not
donated
Post donation requests on all social media sites
Plan at least one team FUNdraising event
Due Date
Make-A-Wish Chapter Staff,
You’ll need to customize a few areas of this Family Team Captain
Guidebook BEFORE sending it out to Team Captains or posting it onto
your walk website. Please find the customizable boxes to write your
chapter specific information in on pages 3, 4, 6, 9, 11. The specifics
are below:
Page 3: A
t the top of the page, enter the date and city where your
location will be taking place. AND your personal name at the
bottom of the page.
Page 4: L ist your Name, Title, Contact info and a Quote about the
walk for all walk staff in your office (there are 3 staff spaces
available)
Page 6: L ist your Date, Location, Registration Time, Walk Start Time,
Length of Walk and any other notes about walk day
Page 9: List the URL for your walk website
Page 11: List your fundraising incentive program for teams and/or
individuals here.
Once you are done customizing your Family Team
Captain Guidebook, follow the directions below to flatten
the PDF and send it out to your Family Team Captains.
FINALIZE
Pressing the button below will finalize your guidebook, making several of the pages
you have customized no longer be editable but areas for the team members to
complete, as well as the worksheet pages will remain editable.
You will be prompted to Save a copy of this file so you will retain the original, fully
editable document.
Using this process requires having Adobe Acrobat Pro and have you JavaScript
enabled in your Preferences.