Welcome VisionWalkers!
We are delighted that you are joining us for VisionWalk. Thank you for taking the first step
towards making our event a great success. This packet is designed to provide you with the tools
you need to make your experience fun, successful & rewarding.
A team is a group of people who come together to support VisionWalk. It can be made up of
family, friends, neighbors, classmates, co-workers, or members of your book club, place of
worship, sewing club, etc. Your job is to motivate and encourage others to support your efforts
by joining your team and promote VisionWalk.
Forming a team is a fun way to raise money for VisionWalk. And, it’s easy to do!
1. Register your team online. Go to www.VisionWalk.org. Find the walk you want to join,
choose a name for your team, and register.
2. Set a personal fundraising goal. As a Team Captain, you should lead by example –
set a high fundraising goal.
3. Ask your friends and family to join you as team members. Ask them to register
online under your team and start raising money.
4. Tell your personal story – Part I. Design your own fundraising page online. Tell
everyone why you are participating in VisionWalk. You can even post photos!
5. Tell your personal story – Part II. Write letters or send emails to friends and family
asking them to support your efforts. Tell them how easy it is to donate online or send
you a check.
6. Create your team identity. Create a team T-shirt, buttons, or hats for your team to
wear on walk day.
7. Attend the Kick Off Event. You’ll get all the instructions, inspiration, and materials you
need to organize your walkers.
8. Stay in touch with your walkers. Stress the importance of fundraising to further the
mission of FFB: finding the treatments and cures for people with retinal degenerative
diseases!
9. Stay in touch with FFB staff. Let them know your fundraising challenges and
successes. They can give you ideas that have worked for other teams and send you
materials.
10. Attend VisionWalk. Make sure your team makes a big impact with colorful shirts or
accessories. Don’t forget to bring all donations to the walk.
Team Captain Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure that you have completed all of the steps necessary to
have a successful VisionWalk team this year!
___ Register your team online at www.VisionWalk.org.
___ Set a fundraising goal.
___ Sponsor yourself!
___ Ensure that all team members have registered themselves online.
___ Conduct a letter-writing campaign and set up your personal fundraising page
on www.VisionWalk.org.
___ Involve your company/employer.
Did you email your co-workers to join the team?
Did you involve your boss to rally your company team?
Does your company have a matching gift program?
___ Put a VisionWalk message on your voicemail, email & Facebook page.
___ “Rally your team”! Conduct an internal kick off at your company or invite your
family/friend team members to a barbeque or picnic.
___ Encourage all team members to be active fundraisers for retinal degenerative
disease research. Have each walker set an individual fundraising goal.
___ Email or call team members regularly to let them know the details of Walk Day.
___ Create team T-shirts, buttons or a banner to increase your visibility on Walk
day.
___ Collect donations/matching gift forms to bring to the Walk.
___ Attend VisionWalk!
Register for VisionWalk
To register online:
1. Go to www.VisionWalk.org.
2. Click on the blue Register button on the left hand side.
3. Choose the Walk you would like to participate in.
4. You can register in one of 3 ways:
a. Start a New Team
 If you will be the Team Captain of a new team, choose this option. Name
your team and start recruiting walkers!
b. Join a Team
 If you’ve been invited to join a team, choose this option. You’ll need to know
the name of your team to sign up with your teammates. Simply search the
team name in the box on the screen, and then select “join” on the right hand
side of the team name you are looking to join.
c. Participate as an Individual
 If you’ll be walking by yourself, choose this option.
To register by mail or by phone:
1. Fill out this registration the registration form on the back and mail it to your local FFB
office.
Foundation Fighting Blindness
977 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 140
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
2. Call your local FFB Office at 847-680-0100.
Form on back
TEAM COMMITMENT / VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM
Here is my contact information:
Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone #: __________________
Email Address: _________________________________
Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________
City: _________________________________ State: _________ Zip Code: ___________
___ I will be a Team Captain
___ I will be a Team Member
Our team name will be (complete if known): _______________________________________
Our team goals are: # of Walkers: ________ Dollars: ________ (Ex: Number of walkers x $100)
If you would like to support the Walk in other ways, please complete the form below.
____ Yes, I am interested in supporting VisionWalk the following ways:
____ Join the VisionWalk Fundraising Committee
____ Help to get other people and businesses that I know or have connections with
involved.
____ Help to promote the Walk by scheduling a presentation by an FFB staff member at
my workplace or to a group or organization that I belong to.
____ Help to recruit companies or businesses in the community to sponsor the Walk by
making a cash donation or donating good or services in support of the event.
____ Volunteer to work the day of the Walk.
____ Help in some other way. Please explain: _____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
VisionWalk Fundraising - Have Fun and Raise Money!
VisionWalk is a fundraising event and we need your help to reach our goal! Get started
using the ideas below. Make fundraising a whole team activity – work hard and have fun!

Ask, ask, and ask again! Remember, you are asking for their support of the Foundation
Fighting Blindness! People will donate to you because of your enthusiasm for the VisionWalk!

Start a letter writing or email campaign. Tell your family, friends, coworkers and
everyone you know why VisionWalk is important to you!

Lead by example and be your own first sponsor. Then, ask at least one person
a day to sponsor you in the VisionWalk!

Bring VisionWalk brochures & flyers everywhere you go. Be ready to talk the Walk!

Ask your friends to support VisionWalk by making a donation instead of purchasing a gift
for your birthday, anniversary, or any occasion!
 Sell POP Eyes. Have a local store sell them at the register or sell them in your
office.
 Encourage Virtual Walkers – ask someone who cannot walk with you to help
you collect donations.

Put a VisionWalk message on your voicemail, email signature, and Facebook, etc. Take
advantage of all the ways you can reach people.

Find out if your company has a matching gifts program. Matching gifts can double your
money!

Suggest friendly competition between team members. Give your teammates a weekly
challenge; 1st to $100, 1st to recruit 2 new walkers, etc. Be sure to recognize the winners!

Hold a personal fundraising event. Host a bake sale, car wash, yard sale, chili cook off,
sports tournament, or an at home Dining in the Dark to support your team’s fundraising.

Sell sponsorships on your team t-shirts. When asking for donations, offer to put their name
on your teams t-shirt if they donate $50 or more.

Partner with a local restaurant to hold a VisionWalk Community Night where a
percentage of the proceeds go to your fundraising. Buffalo Wild Wings, Culvers, and Noodles
& Co are just a few of the many restaurants that offer these programs.

Get your employer involved! Bring Casual for a Cause to your workplace or
auction off the boss’s parking spot – just check with him or her first!
 Get your kids involved! Have your kids do a penny drive at school or
run a cookie or lemonade stand.
Every day, set a fundraising goal for yourself and beat it!
If you have question or want to talk about your fundraising ideas, contact your local Events Manager
Your Personal Story: The Key to Fundraising Success
Telling your personal story, either through a letter or an email, is the best way to raise money
for VisionWalk. Why? Because asking is the key to fundraising and people give to people.
Telling your story puts a face on your fundraising efforts.
Steps to Telling Your Story:
Your letter should be about 5 paragraphs and include the following elements.
1. Share your personal story to let people know why you are walking
2. Share information about the Foundation Fighting Blindness and VisionWalk
3. Ask them to support your fundraising efforts with a donation. State your personal
fundraising goal.
4. Let people know how to donate
5. Thank people for their support (and send them a thank you note after the walk!).
A sample letter is included in this packet to help you get started writing your personal story!
How to Tell Your Story:
Send a letter to family and friends. Try using your holiday card mailing list!
 Include a self-addressed envelope to make it easy for people to respond.
 To make it even easier, you could pre-stamp the envelope.
Send an email to everyone in your email address book.
 Register for the Walk.
 Click “Participant Center” to get started. Or, from the main walk page, login and click
“My Participant Center.”
 Click Address Book
 Upload your address book or enter addresses individually.
 Click Email and choose the type of letter you’d like to send. A sample will be
provided, but please add your personal touch.
o Click preview to see what your email will look like.
o Click send to deliver your email to friends and family.
With your Support, a Cure is in Sight!
Sample Fundraising Letter/Email
Dear Friends and Family,
(insert your personal story here) As many of you know, I am affected with retinitis
pigmentosa (RP), a hereditary retinal degenerative eye disease which causes vision loss and
eventually may lead to total blindness. I was diagnosed at the age of 41. My initial symptoms
were the inability to see at night, especially while driving, and I had trouble seeing where the
ball went while playing golf. Over time I have lost all of my peripheral vision, my below eye level
vision and a certain amount of my central vision as well. Vision loss makes everyday tasks very
difficult for me. At this time there is no treatment or cure and all hope lies in the hands of
research.
Retinal degenerative diseases have adverse effects on everyone they touch. In my case, I had
to stop driving. With my limited vision, I was potentially a danger to myself and everyone else on
the road. Since being diagnosed with RP, my vision has deteriorated to the point that I need
assistance maneuvering around obstacles on the ground, the floor or furniture below eye level. I
am almost totally blind when I enter a building after being outside in the daylight. I know many
of you who go out in public with me have become quite adept at steering me out of harm’s way
and I do appreciate your help very much.
This is where I really need your help. Research for all these retinal diseases is being made
possible through the hard work and dedication of the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). The
Foundation Fighting Blindness drives the research that will provide preventions, treatments, and
cures for people affected by retinal degenerative diseases. Foundation-funded scientists are
innovative leaders in the development of highly promising genetic, pharmaceutical, cell-based,
and nutritional therapies. Recently FFB has initiated and funded the first EVER human clinical
trials for LCA, a disease that causes blindness from birth, RP, my particular disease, and
Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 55. In the short
time that I have been involved with FFB, I can honestly tell you that this wonderful research
gives me real hope that a cure is truly possible and hopefully with your help, not too far away.
This is why I am asking you to support our team, (Your Team Name), by walking with us at the
(Walk City) VisionWalk at (Walk Location), on (Walk Date). Our team goal is to raise (insert
goal here) for the walk. Please consider donating to this wonderful cause online at
www.FightBlindness.org/goto/YourPersonalURL. Or you can mail a check made payable to the
Foundation Fighting Blindness to 977 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 140, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.
Remember, no donation is too small or too large. Every little bit gets us one step closer to a
cure. I sincerely hope that you can find it in your heart to help all of us who fight this battle every
day.
Thank you in advance for your friendship and support. I believe that with friends, relatives and
colleagues like you, a cure is truly in sight.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Example
VisionWalk Personal Fundraising Page
This is a great example of a personal fundraising page! Jim uploaded a photo, added
his personal story, changed the color scheme and gave directions on how to donate.
Check out our ‘how to’ sheet in your packet.
VisionWalk Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
Q: If I am part of a family, school, organization or company that is interested in
organizing a team to participate in VisionWalk, who should be our team captain?
A: The team captain should be the logical leader of the effort and the person who is willing to
give the most time to the project. Often, the captain is the person affected by a retinal
degenerative disease or their close friend/family member.
Q: Can a team have more than one team captain?
A: Yes, a team can have co-captains, however the team list at www.VisionWalk.org will list the
first person as the team captain.
Q: What kind of support and instruction will a team captain receive from FFB?
A: Team captains will receive all the support necessary to be successful! Your event managers
are the best people to help field your questions, concerns and brainstorm for fundraising ideas.
Team captains will receive a series of pre-Walk progress reports that include team building and
fundraising tips and other important information about the Walk.
Don’t forget to join us at your local Kick Off Celebration too! This is a “must attend" for all
interested walkers to learn more about VisionWalk and how you can make a difference. It’s
free, so bring everyone on your Team. We’ve got lots of info for you to become successful
Team Captains and well-informed Walk Ambassadors ready to "talk the walk." And don’t forget
to take home posters & brochures to paint the town VisionWalk yellow!
Q: Does a team have to have a minimum number of walkers?
A: No. There is no minimum size for a team. Some family based teams are as small as 2 or 3
walkers and others as large as 200 walkers. The same is true for business-based teams. Some
may be as small as 3 or 4 walkers and the largest can be over 1,000 members.
Q: How do I name my team?
A: Many teams just use their family name (The Smith Family Team) or their business name
(Merrill Lynch). Others are more creative (The Blind Man Group, The Optic Nerds, or Unite 4
Sight). Others simply name the team after the individual for whom they are walking, like Team
Angie.
Q: Can I walk if I don't form a team or not walk at all?
A: Individual walkers are terrific. We think you will have more fun if you come as part of a team,
but many, many walkers come as individuals. It's perfectly fine. Attendees are under no
obligation to walk the route. VisionWalk a free event and everyone is welcome to join in our
festivities whether they walk or donate. Typically our routes are 5K or 3 miles. Feel free to do
all, part, or none of the walk.
Q: How does this raise money?
A: The Walk Registration Brochure includes a sign-up sheet where a walker can gather
supporters. We recommend that every walker write his or her own name on the first line and list
their own donation, but this can be as modest or as generous as the individual can manage.
There is no mandatory registration fee to walk, but we recommend each walker set a
fundraising goal of at least $250. Check with your local event manager for tips on how to raise
$250 in just 10 days!
Online fundraising is our fastest and most effective method raising money for research.
Statistics show that people donate 3 times as much using their credit card as they do writing a
check. So turn what could have been a $25 check into a $75 online donation by registering
today and customizing your personal fundraising page. Upon completion of registration, you
will be directed to an area called “My Participant Center”. This is where you can customize your
page, upload your address book of contacts, create and send email, and track your team’s
progress. If you have any questions at all about the online process, just call your local event
manager for assistance.
Q: Can a friend or I volunteer for the Walk?
A: Absolutely! We will need lots of extra hands to help us in a variety of areas such as
Registration, Refreshments, Water Booth, Walk Route Assistance/Crossing Guards, and more.
If you are feeling ambitious, join us for Set-Up at 6:00 AM or Clean-Up at 12:30 PM. If you or
someone you know would like to volunteer please contact your local event manager – and keep
in mind there are many areas to volunteer that will still allow you to walk with your family.
Q: Is there any way to support the Walk besides fundraising?
A: Yes! We can always use help with in-kind donations like snacks, bagels, and fruit for the
Refreshment Area, paper goods like cups, napkins, paper towels, helium or party balloon kits,
and gift certificates from your local grocers or Sam's Clubs.
Q: How can I double my donation?
A: Take advantage of your company's Matching Gift Program! Simply pick up this 1 page form
from your HR Dept, fill it out, and send it to the FFB Office.
Q: What happens if it rains?
A: Bite your tongue! It's not going to rain! But even if it does, we'll still be at the walk site rain or
shine. Stop by to pick up your t-shirt and hand in your donations, or mail them to your local
event manager.
Q: My friend is afraid to register as a Walker because he is worried about getting on
mailing lists.
A: During the registration process there is an option to receive or not to receive FFB mailings,
both emails and postal mailings. Additionally, each email sent out through our system contains
an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom.