Katy Aquatics Goal
Raise $100,000
100% Team Participation
Community Fundraising Packet
[email protected]
Swim-A-Thon FAQ’s
What is Swim-A-Thon?
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Katy Aquatics’ annual Swim-A-Thon is our single largest fundraiser each year. The
funds raised will help us reach our future goal of building our own pool.
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Swim-A-Thon is a fundraiser in which participants earn money for their team by
swimming lengths of the pool. Swimmers have a 2-hour period to swim a maximum of
200 laps. (That’s 2.84 miles in case you were wondering!)
•
Swimmers get pledges per lap or flat donations from family, friends, neighbors,
businesses, etc. prior to swimming.
When and where is Swim-A-Thon?
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Saturday, April 14th
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Specific times and locations will be announced.
What will we do at Swim-A-Thon?
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Swimmers will swim and eat! We will have a Pancake Breakfast to fill you up after
you swim 200 laps!
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Parents will cheer and work! Many opportunities to earn volunteer hours will be posted.
We will need lap counters, pancake cooks, food donations, set-up crew, clean-up crew,
etc.
How do I raise money?
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Active Giving – Set up your own personal website and send the link to family and friends
via email, Facebook, & Twitter and watch the donations roll in! (See directions on page
5.)
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Sponsor Letters – Send out sponsor letters to everyone you know! Grab your address
book and go for it! Remember businesses, doctors, and dentists. People in our community
are excited for the opportunity to support local athletes! (See directions on page 6.)
•
Envelope Pledges – Use your blue and white USA Swimming Swim-A-Thon envelope
and ask everyone you know - neighbors, friends at school, co-workers of Mom and Dad,
grandparents – to sponsor you. You can get pledges per lap or ask for flat donations.
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Are there other ways besides helping on Swim-A-Thon day to earn service hours?
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Watch for jobs as they are posted and sign up.
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Get started early on fundraising and earn up to 3 service hours per family.
Each of the following could be worth ½ service hour IF completed by March 24th AND
IF by the end of Swimathon the swimmer has raised $100 over the family minimum:
o Receive 1 service hour for setting up your Active Giving website.
o Receive ½ service hour for every 5 addressed and stamped letters turned in to
your parent rep.
o Receive ½ service hour for every $50 in pledges on your USAS envelope. Turn
in your envelope to your parent rep and receive a new envelope to be used for the
remainder of the Swim-A-Thon.
NOTE: Service hours offered as incentives will ONLY be credited AFTER final Swim-AThon accounting is complete.
How do I win prizes?
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Once the family minimum of $100 is met, then prizes are awarded at different levels
starting at $100 above the requirement.
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Families with multiple swimmers must fulfill the $100 family minimum requirement.
Then each swimmer will seek donations individually to earn prizes.
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See Swim-A-Thon Prizes on page 4 in this packet for more information on our fabulous
prizes! You could win an iPad!
What is the deadline for turning in donations to win prizes?
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Midnight on April 28th.
NOTE: If you are watching donations online, remember offline donations from letters
and envelope pledges will not be instantaneously updated. These must be hand entered.
When will winners be announced?
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Tuesday, May 15th
What if I have a question?
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Email [email protected]
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Swim-A-Thon Prizes
Top Achiever Awards
(Must collect at least $801 over the family minimum to be eligible for top achiever awards.)
1st Place
iPad, Speedo Water Toy, & KATY Beach Bag
2nd Place
Xbox Game System, controller and 2 games, Speedo Water Toy, &
KATY Beach Bag
3rd Place
Kindle Fire & Speedo gear package
Top Fundraising Team Awards
(Fundraising Teams will be posted on February 27 and will remain the same throughout Swim-A-Thon.)
Most Money Collected per Swimmer
1st Place Team
2nd Place Team
Fun Festival
Mini-Fun Festival
Team with Highest % Participation
Fun Festival
Individual Awards
Level
Prizes
Meeting Minimum Family Fundraising
Requirement of $100 AND Swimming Laps
Splash Into Spring Swim Cap
Swim-A-Thon Certificate & Pin
$100—$300 over min. requirement
ALL of the above AND Splash Into Spring T-Shirt
$301—$500 over min. requirement
ALL of the above AND Speedo Vanquisher Goggles
$501—$800 over min. requirement
ALL of the above AND Speedo Deluxe Mesh Equipment Bag
$801—$999 over min. requirement
ALL of the above AND Speedo Pro Backpack
$1000+ over min. requirement
ALL of the above AND Speedo Warm-up Suit
USA Swimming Prizes
Earned $500 - $749.99
USA Swimming T-Shirt
Earned $750 - $999.99
USA Swimming Towel
Earned $1000 +
USA Swimming Bag
Special thanks for sponsoring our 2012 Swim-A-Thon:
AUT Solutions, LLC
LCG Discovery Experts
Wipro Technologies
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How to Set Up Your Personal Active Giving Website
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Set up an account for each swimmer. You will need to use different email addresses for
each account. (You can set up free email addresses on websites like hotmail or Gmail if
you need one.)
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Locate the email Katy Aquatics sent you with your fundraising team link in it. Click on
the link and then simply follow the directions to create your personal fundraising page.
•
Active Giving requires participants to be 14 years or older, so please keep in mind that
the parents will need to set up and monitor their underage swimmer’s fundraising page.
However, your swimmer should be encouraged to help design the page and send out
emails.
•
Enter YOUR name, address and birth date for underage swimmers and use your
CHILD’S name for the DISPLAY name.
•
After your account is set up, log on and click on the Campaign Center to get started
creating your webpage. You will be guided through a step-by-step process on how to be
successful using Active Giving.
•
Remember to send the link for your Active Giving website to your friends on Facebook,
Twitter, and email!
•
The default goal for each swimmer is $250. However, you can adjust that amount higher
or lower to fit your family’s goals. Simply go to the fundraising page setup and change
the amount.
Thanks! Please feel free to email [email protected] if you have questions or
concerns.
5
How to Fill Out and Mail Sponsor Letters
•
Make copies of the sponsor letter attached at the end of this packet or go to
katyaquatics.org, click on “Fundraising” on the top bar, and then click on “Swim-A-Thon
2012” to find the file and print all the copies you need.
•
Be sure to copy and complete BOTH sides of the letter including a stamp
•
Enter the sponsor’s name at the top of the letter, sign your name at the bottom, and add a
personal note.
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Fill in your fundraising goal and add your account name for your Active Giving Online
Donation Account.
•
Fill in your name on your Pledge Coupon.
•
Fill in the address of sponsor on the back. The return address will be the KATY Aquatics
office.
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Fold letter in thirds so that the address is on the outside.
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Tape the letter closed. NO STAPLES, PLEASE!
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Place postage on the letter.
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Return to Parent Rep by March 24th for service hours credit.
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Otherwise just drop them in the mail!
Your donations will be received at the KATY Aquatics office and entered into each swimmer’s
Swim-A-Thon account. You will be notified as donations roll in! The KA office will send thank
you letters to each donor.
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Dear __________________________________________,
I am helping my swim club, Katy Aquatics, build a stronger club, and I’m
asking for your support.
Katy Aquatics has made a huge difference in my life. Through swimming, I
have learned the power of discipline, teamwork, and setting goals. I
especially enjoy the fun that comes when all three of those are encouraged
by great coaches. We have great coaches at Katy Aquatics, and they make
swimming more than just exercise. They make it an activity that builds
character for life.
It also helps that Katy Aquatics is a premier swim club with 25 years of history in Katy; nationally ranked as one of
the top 100 swim teams in the USA; and Katy’s community leader in teaching kids to swim through Swim America.
Katy Aquatics is a club I’m proud to belong to.
That’s why I’m swimming in the Splash Into Spring Swim-A-Thon on April 14th. In 2 hours I will try to swim 200
laps (2.84 miles!!!). That’s a lot of swimming. But it goes to a great cause: building a strong swim club and
building our own pool.
Your pledge will help me meet my goal of $____________ and help Katy Aquatics raise $100,000 towards a
stronger future.
The easiest way for you to donate is online at http://www.active.com/donate/katyaquatics/_________________. It is
a secure website where you can give $25, $50, or more. Whatever amount you desire.
If you would rather give by check or based on the number of laps I swim, simply use the form below and mail it to
the Katy Aquatics address shown. Whichever way you give, know you are giving to an organization that has made a
huge difference in my life. All contributions are tax deductible – Tax ID# 75-2124074.
Thank you for helping me reach my goal!
(Cut on dotted line and return form below)
PLEDGE FORM
Due April 28th!
Dear ___________________________________________________ (swimmer’s name),
YES! I will sponsor you for:
_____ $.10 per lap _____ $.20 per lap
_____ $.50 per lap
_____$1.00 per lap
OR… I have enclosed a check for a fixed donation in the amount of:
_____ $25
_____ $50 _____$100
Other Amount: $__________
$__________ per lap
CHECK # __________
Sponsor’s Name: __________________________________________________________________________
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Katy Aquatics
722 Pin Oak Rd., Ste. 205
Katy, TX 77494
Postage
Stamp
To: _____________________________________________________
(Sponsor’s Name)
_________________________________________________________
(Sponsor’s Address)
_________________________________________________________
(City)
(State)
(Zip)