I am thrilled to be one of the blog ambassadors for this year’s Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run For The Cure. My daughter and I will be running the 1K in Toronto on October 5, but first we have to fundraise!
I know, I know, I know. You really believe in the cause. You totally get why the CIBC Run For the Cure is so super important. You’d even be game to get your run on and finally have a reason to start exercising again. But fundraising? Ugh.
That was me too. But, you know what? We’re just psyching ourselves out. It’s not that big a deal. The minimum fundraising commitment for the CIBC Run for the Cure is only $150 per participant. That’s like asking 15 people for ten bucks. Easy.
A few more easy ways to raise some cash money for breast cancer research, education and advocacy.
1. Baby and kids sale
Wait. Don’t sell your actual kids. Do sell all their old stuff. Declutter your house and fundraise all at the same time. I know. I’m a genius. And if you still have some get-up-and-go left over after dusting off the bouncy chair and boxes of wee sleepers, you could even organize a community sale. Open it up to donations of gently used baby and kid stuff from friends and neighbours and spread the word at local moms groups and drop-in centres.
2. 50/50 raffle
Raffles are a great way to raise money. Raffles can also be a crazy-making amount of work. Instead of sourcing a bunch of different prizes, simply offer up half of the collection as a grand prize. So, if you sell $300 worth of tickets, the winner gets $150. That’s better than any gift basket I’ve ever gotten.
3. Get the kids involved.
I’m running with my daughter and I think it’s always a great idea to get the kids to pitch in so they feel like they’ve really contributed. A lemonade stand is a classic, no-fail way to make easy money. I’m not even kidding. We’ve had people run across four lanes of traffic to give my kids money for lemonade. The cuteness is irresistible. A family bake sale would also be pretty sweet. The kids can help with both the baking and the selling.
4. Throw a party
You don’t have to throw a gala dinner with dancing and entertainment to raise money. (Although you can go right ahead and do that if it’s your thing.) Throw whatever kind of party or get together you like to host. You can even turn your annual end-of-summer BBQ or monthly card game into a fundraiser. Just sell tickets or ask for a donation at the door. Voila, money in the bank — er, donated to the CIBC Run for the Cure.
5. Just ask already.
Most of the people you know probably don’t need used baby gear or can’t make it out to your fundraising events. Don’t forget to send a thoughtful email asking for donations to friends, family members and colleagues. Be careful when sending it out, though. Do ask your old college roommate. Don’t ask your mortgage broker. And this is a good time to use the old bcc function. Facebook, twitter and other social media pleas are also totally legit.
If you do one or two of these things, you’ll meet your fundraising goals in no time. So what was that excuse again?
It’s not too late to REGISTER! Your participation fee is waived if you commit to raising as little as $150 which you know you can do.
Or simply DONATE to support our team. Every little bit helps.