TEAM CAPTAIN GUIDE
May 1, 2016
Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex
INSPIRE
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
WELCOME
Why We Race
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One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
Every minute, somewhere in the world, someone dies from breast cancer.
Because, breast cancer knows no boundaries- be it age, gender, socio-economic status or geographic location.
At the current rate, 13 million breast cancer deaths around the world will occur in the next 25 years.
When you participate and fundraise for Race for the Cure, you fight these statistics with us. Komen has played a
critical role in almost every major advancement in the fight against breast cancer and is the largest nonprofit
funder of breast cancer research and with your help, we can reach our vision of a world without breast cancer.
Team Captain Role
A team captain’s role is to recruit, inspire and motivate people to register and fundraise for Komen North Jersey
Race for the Cure. Since teams make up the vast majority of Race participants, your role as Team Captain will
make a huge difference in the fight against breast cancer.
Everything you will need to recruit, fundraise and communicate with team members can be found at the online
Participant Center. You can send your team members reminders to raise funds, use our tips on fundraising
(located at the FAQs and FORMS button on our website) and share information on team packet pick-up and
meeting arrangements at Race. Komen North Jersey also offers fun incentives (Pink Perks) to motivate our participants to raise money for the cure!
Race for the Cure
WHERE
WHEN
PINK PERKS
Essex County South Mountain Recreation Area
560 Northfield Ave, West Orange
Parking available at the Livingston Mall
Team and Individuals Incentive Program
Team Perks
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Sunday, May 1, 2016
7AM—Noon
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REGISTER KomenNorthJersey.org/Race
FEES
Runners - $40 | Walkers - $35 | Under 17 - $20
Registered participants receive an official Race for
the Cure t-shirt and bib
Fees increase by $5 on Race Day
Participant Perks
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INSPIRE
Team with all members fundraising (minimum
$10 per person) will receive a team banner
Team raising over $2,500 and get a team tent
for you teammates to meet and relax
Teams raising over $5,000 and get your own
team tent and private port-a-potty
Make a self donation and be entered to win
TWO 25,000 AAdvantage Miles Certificates,
courtesy of American Airlines
Raise $250 and choose a gift of your choice
The more you raise, the better the prize!
Raise over $1,000 and join the Pink Honor Roll
or over $1,500 and join the VIP Pink Honor Roll
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
GETTING STARTED. AS EASY AS 1 … 2 … 3
1 REGISTER
There are a few ways you can register for Race for the Cure! To get started, pick a team name and team
captains. You can have as many team captains as you would like and each can have a goal for how many
participants they recruit and how much money they raise. Next, register your team in one of the following ways:
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Visit KomeNorthJersey.org/Race to register. Don’t forget to set a goal!
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Call 908-277-2904 to register via phone
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Complete and mail, fax or email the paper registration form available on the Participant Center
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Once you’re registered, don’t forget to make a self-donation! Participants who make a self-donation
are entered into a drawing to win 25,000 AA miles!
2 RECRUIT
The next step is recruit, recruit, recruit. Anyone can be on your team … family members, friends, coworkers or neighbors. Teams can have a few as two people or more than 100! Company, families,
schools and communities can form teams to Race for the Cure.
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Send emails from your Participant Center asking people to join for in racing for a cure. In just a few
steps, you can let other know that you created a team and need them to sign up as well.
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Use social media! Use the online Participant Center to post your team webpage link to Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn so you friends know that you up for Race for the Cure and are asking them to join
too.
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Don’t forget to personalize your Race web page with photos and messages! By doing this you are connecting with your team and explaining why supporting Komen North Jersey is important to you.
Find additional ideas to recruit team members in the Recruiting Ideas section.
Remember, your registration gets you to the start line, but your fundraising gets us closer to the cures!
INSPIRE
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
GETTING STARTED. AS EASY AS 1 … 2 … 3
3 FUNDRAISE
Once you are signed up for Race, Komen makes it fun and easy to fundraise. Our online Participant Center makes it easy for you to track your fundraising progress and your donors, send emails asking your personal relationships for support, and personalizing your web page. Participants who personalize their web
page with stories and photos tend to raise more money by creating a more emotional/personal connection with friends, families, colleagues and even people you may not know very well as they decide to join
your team!
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Send emails to friends, family and co-workers from your Participant Center
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Post your webpage on social media to ask friends and family to make a donation
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Ask! Ask! Ask! Ask your neighbor, dry cleaner, hair dresser, co-worker...everyone and anyone can donate
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Hold a fundraiser at home or in your office. See our Fundraising Tools section for some ideas!
8 Great Things about our Online Participant Center
1
Easily
personalize
your page with stories and
photos
4 Email your
7 Track your
entire address book
all at once
donations and send thank
you emails to donors
5
2 Create your own URL
Easily connect to
social
media
8 Quickly track your
3 Log in through your
6 Email your entire team
reminders and
updates
mobile
device
fundraising progress
to see how close you are to
your goal
$
Remember, your registration gets you to the start line, but your fundraising gets us closer to the cures!
INSPIRE
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
RECRUITING IDEAS
Looking for ideas on who to recruit for your team? Teams can have a few as two people or more than 100!
It’s up to you! Company, families, schools and communities can form teams to Race for the Cure. Below are
some ideas of key people to recruit for your team.
Some of the most successful teams recruit Executive Champions, Co-Captains and Ambassador for their
team. By recruiting team members for these roles, you are setting yourself up for a very successful Race for
the Cure!
Executive Champion
Executive Champions are CEO or executive level members who can motivate other employees and departments to join the company Race team. Executive Champions can help get things done and put company
support behind your efforts. Your Executive Champion can send company wide emails with your Race team
registration information, encourage others to participate, maybe even challenge their peers to a fundraising
competition! Samples emails are provided in the Fundraising Tools & Ideas section.
Co-Captains
Teams can have more than one captain. Recruit a few other captains to help with recruiting and fundraising
efforts. If you have a company or school team, co-captains can spearhead recruitment and fundraising within their own departments, grades or classes.
Ambassadors
An ambassador is someone who has been personally touched by breast cancer. They can be a survivor or a
co-survivor who is willing to share their story. They are passionate about Komen’s promise to end breast
cancer forever and can rally their friends, family and co-workers to register and fundraise for Race for the
Cure.
Ambassadors can share their story through email, social media or at team events. They can thank team
members for registering and fundraising. They can lead your team on Race Day. They can motivate others
to help us get closer to the cures.
INSPIRE
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
FUNDRAISING TOOLS & IDEAS
Online Fundraising
Last year, participants who raised money online raised 90% more than those who didn’t. Online fundraising is fast,
easy and secure. Here are some ideas to maximize your online fundraising.
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Set a goal! Setting goals for the team and each participant motivates everyone and lets others know what you
want to raise for Race for the Cure. Goals can be personally significant such as $5,000 in honor of a five year
survivor. A goal poster is provided in the Team Captain Handbook.
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Personalize your online fundraising pages to include photos and personal messages.
personalize their fundraising pages typically receive more support.
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Send out emails. Lots of emails! Did you know that on average, donors need up to six reminders before they
make a donation. So keep asking! Use the Participant Center to easily send emails to the contacts in your address
book. Sample emails are available at the Participant Center and in the Fundraising Tools & Ideas section.
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Finally, don’t forget to make a self-donation. This will kick start your fundraising and show your donors that you
are also investing in the cause you are asking them to donate to.
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Remember to ask donors if they have a matching gifts program at work. Matching gifts can double or even triple
their donation!
Participants who
Social Media
You are connected to hundreds of friends (and potential donors) through social media. Post your team or personal
link on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets to let friends know you are participating in Race for the
Cure and need their support. Here are a few suggestions for how you can raise money on social media:
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Post a personal story about why you are running or walking in Race for the Cure.
Invite friends to join your at Race for the Cure.
Ask friends to repost your donation request to their networks.
Tag friends who have donated in thank you messages.
Post your fundraising process and what you need to raise to reach your goal.
The more posts you make, the more likely you are to receive donations. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and
Instagram at KomenNorthJersey and on Twitter at @komennja.
Other Fundraising Ideas
Looking for fundraisers you can do at your office or school? Here are a few ideas:
 Plan a Jeans Day! Co-workers make a donations to wear jeans to work to raise awareness for breast cancer.
 In lieu of presents for a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion, ask friends and family to make a
donation to your Race for the Cure team.
 Host a bake sale at your school or office. Ask friends to bake or purchase items to sell.
 Provide incentives! For company teams reward top fundraisers with a premium parking spot or lunch with the
president. For friends, offer a home cooked meal or baked good to your top fundraisers. Friendly competition
provides great motivation.
INSPIRE
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
FUNDRAISING TOOLS & IDEAS
Sample Recruiting Letter:
Dear
The Susan G. Komen North Jersey Race for the Cure® is taking place on May 1, 2016 at the Essex County South
Mountain Recreation Complex and I would like you to join [TEAM NAME].
I started [TEAM NAME] [IN MEMORY/HONOR/CELEBRATION OF _____]. We hope to raise $______________
for Race for the Cure.
By joining [TEAM NAME] you are helping to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research, education,
screening and treatment that could save lives and end breast cancer forever.
Please register at [TEAM LINK]. [INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEAM AND/OR UPCOMING TEAM EVENTS].
Thank you for joining [TEAM NAME] for Race for the Cure!
Sincerely,
[TEAM CAPTAIN NAME]
Sample Fundraising Letter:
Dear
I’m taking and amazing journey and I’d like you to support me. Thousands of men and women are going to
participate in the Susan G. Komen North Jersey Race for the Cure® on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Area to raise money for breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment.
I’ve formed [TEAM NAME] in [MEMORY, HONOR, CELEBRATION OF_____]. I’ve set a lofty goal of ________ to
raise money for Susan G. Komen’s fight against breast cancer. I know you understand why this is so important to me and why I’m asking for your financial support. Walking is easy for me but asking for dollars is
not. But if we are ever going to find answers to incredibly difficult problems like breast cancer, I have to ask.
Please take a moment to make a donation at [TEAM/PERSONAL PAGE LINK].
Thank you for your support and contribution.
Sincerely,
NAME
PS Don’t forget to ask your company if they have a matching gifts program. You can double or even triple
your donation!
INSPIRE
HOPE. CELEBRATE LIFE. RACE FOR THE CURE.
Why do you RACE? I RACE …
Help us start a MOVEMENT!
All of our supporters RACE for a reason. Either a family member, friend, colleague or even just someone you
know may have battled Breast Cancer, is a Survivor or even a Forever Fighter. We all support RACE for the
CURE and have ONE thing in common:
WE WANT TO HELP SAVE LIVES AND END BREAST CANCER FOREVER!
Help us build a movement to show all of the different reasons of why you participate in RACE
for the CURE. Why do you support Susan G. Komen North Jersey? Let us better understand
how each and every one of you Inspire Hope, Celebrate Life and Race for the Cure!
“Why I race? I Race for Breast
cancer Awareness and that it
puts us one step closer to a cure.”
~ Sharon Daughtry-Simon
“I race to give back, to celebrate and to inspire other
people to do the same. “
~ Maureen Dyer
“I run because I can. I run for those who no longer can.
I run for awareness. I run for a cure. “
~ Mark A. Futterweit, ESQ.
“I race to join hands with other survivors– you are
not alone. I race and will continue to race until we
find a cure. I race so all men and women will
have access to the best care possible.”
~ Kristin Wenger
WHY DO YOU RACE? Share your stories with the North Jersey Communities, inspire hope and start a movement to
work together so one day all women will have access to quality care and one day we will be a part of the CURE!
Please share your story because with out you Komen North Jersey would not be where it is today!
CONTACT US! : [email protected] or (908) 277-2904.
OUR GOAL
$ ______
HELP US SAVE LIVES AND
END BRESAT CANCER FOREVER
SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2016
ESSEX COUNTY SOUTH
MOUNTAIN RECREATION
KOMENNORTHJERSEY.ORG/RACE
Susan G. Komen’s mission is to save lives and end breast cancer forever
by empowering others, ensuring quality care for all and energizing
science to find the cures.
Join Race for the Cure at KomenNorthJersey.org/Race