Hello Everyone!
Sorry for the delay in sending this newsletter. We were hoping to finalize more things, but it just hasn't worked out that way.
***Please click on this link
http://www.internationalvoting.com/i...cgi?pid=33-327 to answer our poll question. We are trying to gage the interest in each event so that we can be prepared and things will run smoothly. Thanks!***
Sign-ups: This year we will be running sign-ups and payments through a website called First Giving. The sign up form will be similar to past years' forms, but payment will have to be made at the time of signing up. You will basically be purchasing your ticket to attend at that time. There will be a link from our BAT (short for bowl-a-thon) sign up page to the site where you can register for either or both events (the BAT and the Brunch).
Once you register you can create a personal fundraising page. You basically just fill in the blanks and can even add pictures. Once your page is created, the site will generate an e-mail for you, detailing your fundraising efforts, that you can send to as many people as you like. There is a link in it that takes people directly to your fundraising page where they can sponsor you online.
All of the money raised via this method will go directly to FSMA and count in our contests. Your page will keep a running total for you and you can also add funds you have raised offline to the total. A thank you e-mail will automatically be sent to each of your sponsors. FSMA used this site last year for their national Walk-n-Roll events and are using it again this year. It was a big success for them. The site owners have found that people tend to donate more via this method, and as participants you can reach a wider number of potential sponsors. We are hoping that this helps us all raise more money for FSMA.
If you would like to see a sample event page and fundraising pages please visit
www.firstgiving.com/curesma . This is the Walk-n-Roll event landing page. From there you can click on any of the top fundraisers pages in the right column to see how they work.
Team Pictures: This year we will have the official photographer take the pictures. No personal cameras will be used. The film will be taken and developed at a one hour lab. This way we can bring the prints back to everyone while they are still on their lanes bowling. This will speed up the process of taking the pictures and ensure that everyone gets a high quality picture.
We also decided that when a whole team has arrived, they can get a number for the team pic line. This way they can look around at the auction/raffle stuff and get settled rather than waiting in line the whole time. We will then call numbers to report to the line when we are ready to start the pics. :o)
Check-in: Check in will run in the same manner, since it was much better this past year. If we use drink and food tickets again, we will make them bigger this year to ensure they do not get lost in the packets.
Guest Tickets: When participants order their guest tickets, they will not need to provide us with names. The day of the event, the correct number of tickets will be in their participant file. At that time the participants will take the tickets to the will call table. There the guests names will be put on the wristbands and they can be picked up at any time by the guest.
The Brunch was also discussed, but some details need to be ironed out before announcing the specifics.
Look for one of last year's celebrities, Sam Sarpong on his new show "Yo Mamma". It's on 5 nights a week on MTV. Sam is one of the hosts along with Wilmer Valderamma from "That 70's Show".
Later,