By: Tracy Draper
Do you want to inspire your future donors to give to your campaign? Then be the first one to donate to your newly set up fundraising site. Give as much to your campaign as you realistically hope others will contribute. It could be $25 or $50 – or $100. Set the bar and watch others follow suit. Positive peer pressure could work on your behalf!
By: Tracy Draper
Counting: as easy as 1-2-3. We learn it as young children by constant prodding from people. Think: “How many doggies do you see?”, or at the supermarket, “How many pink gumballs are there?”, or on family vacation, “Let’s have a contest to see who can count the most blue cars between here and Albuquerque!”
Our math teachers ask us to count numbers, add to them, take away and multiply. By middle school we are doing square roots, finding the missing “x” and even having leftovers that we call “remainders”. In high school it gets worse (or better if you love numbers). Not only is the “x” unsolved, but add to it “a = b, b = c therefore a = c.” Signs, cosigns, constants, formulas, equations, axis, symmetry, calculus…
For those of you who are blessed with a brain that enjoys such mental gymnastics there is a place for you in this world for sure. We would be lost without you. As for those others, like myself, who are very happy to have pulled a strong “C” in Algebra II, the numbers listed below are delightful to count, track and report. They are the numbers of registrations thus far in 2010 as compared with the same time in 2009. They are happy numbers, helpful numbers and numbers worth celebrating. These are numbers that show your effort as Team Captains; numbers that you can be proud of counting.
REGISTRATIONS from January 1 – May 18th (2009 vs. 2010)
January 1 – May 18, 2010 – total registrations 766
January 1 – May 18, 2009 – total registrations 646
We had a fantastic April as you can see. May is pretty much equal so far.
April 1 – 30, 2010 – 212 registrations
April 1 – 30, 2009 – 124 registrations
2010 – Jan. 1 – April 30 $329,335
2009 – Jan. 1- April 30: $296,765
Isn’t that exciting? For you number crunchers the next part is already done for you and is worth sharing also.
• Registrations are up by almost 20 percent since 2009 (120 more registrations)
• Our total fundraising is up by $32,570 over this time last year!
Thank you specifically to our TC’s for the first four months of this year, whose figures we have received this good news from: Kim Norman (Disney co-captain and Disney Princess), Lesley Oslica (New Orleans Rock ‘n Roll and Little Rock), Steve Kendra (Antarctica), Cathie Leyes and Angela Earle (Dallas Rock ‘n Roll), Angie Bourne, Karen Trommer and Joe Ahrens (GA ING Marathon), Stefanie Granberg (Go! St. Louis Marathon), John and Florence McCarthy (Jersey Shore Relay), Melissa Blake (Kentucky Derby Marathon), Murray McCartan (Minnesota Iron Man Bike), Krissy Diaz & Anne Shigley (Long Island Marathon), Chaun Stenier (Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon), Andy & Amy Schafer and Sharon Pfeifer (Lincoln Marathon), Joe Gunn (Indy Mini Half Marathon), Elaine Keating (Cleveland Marathon), Lisa Quinn (Poconos Run for the Red Marathon).
What a great start for 2010. LET THE COUNTING CONTINUE!
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by: Tracy Draper
photo by WikiPedia
Science has always been one of my favorite subjects in school. Learning about animals, plants and the whole ecosystem is very interesting, but my favorite topic is the human body.
Many things about science astound me. The fact that we have more than 100 trillion (1014) cells in our bodies. The ways that cells duplicate, transfer information, provide energy and function. How our bodies have red blood cells, leukocytes, skin cells, kidney cells, brain cells (OK, some have more and some have less), and muscle cells. How cell groups form tissues and tissues form organs, and how each organ function depends on another. The matter in which cells seem to know what other cells to hang out with, and how the stomach lining is vastly different than the muscular tissue that surrounds the intestines, fascinates me.
Have you ever thought of how a group of muscles might say, “Hey, why don’t we get together with some tendon cells and surround the bones of the arm and make a bicep / tricep combination?” Or, what if the pancreas says, “Let’s help this person control their sugar levels by putting some insulin into his blood stream?” What if the little toe told the big toe, “Let’s help this lady balance herself so she won’t fall down?”
It is amazing that even the smallest parts of the human body work together so intricately.
However, what about when things go wrong? Suppose the left hand is not quite as strong as the right. The left hand isn’t used as much, and it begins to tremble a little when pushed to its limit. The lefty then decides it doesn’t want to work with the right hand anymore. What if the heart says to the lungs, “I don’t like the way you are not giving me enough oxygen. Get your act together or I’m going to stop pumping.”? What happens when the legs decide they are tired and want to give up (something all endurance athletes feel at one time)?
Our NF Neon Nation is one huge body comprised of thousands of ‘cells.’ Each one is vital to the growth and well-being of the body. Each one of us has a special role in the NF Endurance program. We are all essential and equally important to the overall mission of NF Endurance and the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Our roles are crafted for each of us to be as effective as possible. Your role is crucial and unique: you are our team captains, chapter and affiliate members, our researchers, our clinic coordinators, our staff members, our hosts and our participants. Occasionally, we might lose some of our balance and waver, but most of the time when we do our part, it all works together.
Our Heroes are our inspiration – our lungs. They are the reasons that we are able to take another breath when we are exhausted. The volunteers are our hands who do the majority of the work to hold an event together. The runners, swimmers, cyclists and walkers are our muscles who keep NFE moving forward. The clinics, doctors and researchers are the feet that move us closer and closer to the ultimate finish line – the cure for NF.
The staff is our brain who leads the rest of us along in this wonderful venture.
Together, we are the HEART of the Neon Nation. By being unified the following is true:
- We will never experience organ failure.
- We will not only live but thrive!
- The cure will be unable to hide from us any longer.
- We will prevail over NF.
We are in this for the long haul. Let us remember to encourage each other, take good care of ourselves, avoid anything that may cause harm to the Body, and look out for each other.
First, I flew longer than I have ever flown before, changing two time zones. In Seattle, we boarded a shuttle, which later pulled onto a huge ferry, bucking 50 mph plus winds preventing us from stepping onto the deck, to arrive on Whidbey Island.
We rode the shuttle to the far end of the island, to the city of Oak Harbor and Deception Pass State Park. Whidbey Island is one of the longest islands in the continental
Notice the tree that is growing sideways because of the incredible wind on the island. Our NF Endurance team (from left to right) was Roxanne/Half (Hayward, Wis.), Carissa/Marathon (Houston, Texas), AJ/Half (Marine Officer), Beth/Marathon (Navy Officer), and their daughters, Lilly and Izzy. No wind on race day! No elevation map available, as they said, “This is an island between two mountain ranges, you’re going to run on hills!”
Look at the joy in the finish line picture of Beth and Lilly after Beth ran 26.2 miles; this is truly “Run Happy.” This is what it is all about. And, then it was all over and time to go home.
by: Tracy Draper
Those of you who are fighting NF can probably relate a bit to ‘falling out of the boat’ when you first received your loved one’s diagnosis. Perhaps you don’t have a direct NF touch – then there has been some sort of experience, no doubt, where we feel as if we caught a crab, got slapped in the face and lost our balance too. All of us have had a moment in time where the odds were against us in some way. Each of us have also climbed back in the boat and poured our hearts into something. Perhaps it’s a relationship, a career or going back to school. Whatever it may be, we still have the finish line ahead of us. There may be other boats in our way and we want to overtake them, to prove that we can overcome adversity. Perhaps we feel a bit more like the boats that were passed – we could feel as if we are losing the race. No matter what it is that we can relate to in this true story, it is worthy of a few minutes of your time to think about. How can we keep on keeping on when our ‘muscles’ are screaming out in pain? What is it that made Hunter press on? No matter what his motivation was, it was undoubtedly intrinsic. He could not hear his coach. He was too far from shore to really hear the crowd or announcer. He heard himself. He heard what was in his heart and in his mind. He had resolve. He was determined. We have that same resolve to win – to find the cure, to heal our loved ones, to defeat NF. Let us now set our hearts on the finish line — to end NF!
“Congratulations to the Flying Pig Team!!! We did it!! For our month long contest commencing at 12:00 noon today, we raised $5155. Indy came in a very close second (they were leading at 10:00 a.m. today) with $4579. Louisville and Cleveland did great as well with $1575 and $1440 respectively.
Thanks to everyone who helped raise the money for all these teams and to all you other captains (you are great!) for the great motivation and efforts! I’m grateful I will not be receiving a pie in the face, but more importantly Joe’s great pie contest idea really pushed everyone and the end result is a great win for NFET and CTF!!! Our four combined teams raised $12,749 in 30 days!! Thanks again for all the help and support and fun!”
Elaine Keating (Cleveland), Missy Blake (Kentucky Derby) and Joe Gunn (Mini Indy & who came up with the playful idea) all will receive a pie in the face either prior to or post-race by an NF Hero. Such “pieings” will be filmed, photographed and shared on the NF Endurance Facebook page and blog. Get ready!
One of your primary tasks is to motivate your team. This may come naturally to you — or perhaps it doesn’t. This is one aspect of ‘team captaining,’ however, that is contagious. What is that really gets you excited about the race? Is it about this terrible, progressive disorder? How can you translate your emotion into action? Find what works for you and share it with your team. Your ability to motivate others is crucial to the success of your team. Success isn’t merely defined by fundraising either — it is ultimately seen when all is said and done, when the race is over and the medals are on the finisher’s necks. How do you feel about the event? Would you do it again? Are you happy that you were part of the team? If the answers are affirmative and positive, you have done your part. You have met one fourth of the role of the team captains.INSPIRE
*photo courtesy of melisa callison
It has been said that a “smile is the easiest gift to give.” A kind word, a pat on the back, a sincere compliment — all are among the easiest forms of encouragement. As team captain, one of your most important roles is to encourage your team. Almost everywhere we look, bad news and negativity abounds. Is it easy or difficult for you to overcome that with a smile? What good news do you hvae to share with your team? Can you send them the fundraising link and give kudos to the highest individual fundraiser and team? Sure you can! One of my favorite acronyms is, “YCDT = You Can Do This!” Encourage someone today. I know you can!At the most recent examination, Chaun’s team was slightly edging out Cleveland. The Derby team has finally gotten out of the gates and is making a move on Elaine’s bunch, but Joe’s team is a bit slow in waking up and getting things moving. However, Captain Joe told Tracy, “We have some tricks up our sleeves….” With 10 days of the competition behind us, and 20 more ahead, anything can change.
Photo by istockphoto.com
eep up with the friendly competition right here on the Team Captain Challenger!Our Long Island Marathon team captains, Krissy Diaz and Anne Shigley, are following suit and adding a bit of a twist to their fight for the pie: sharing a roster, the girls will split team members by ‘evens’ and ‘odds’ and pit their own team against itself. Can the friendships and family relationships survive such division? No doubt they can!
- Go! St. Louis – with Stefanie Granberg as first time Team Captain (she’s doing an outstanding job too!)
- Jersey Shore Relay – with John and Florence McCarthy at the helm, it’s going to be yet another incredible race weekend with fun to be enjoyed by all!
- Boston Marathon – a team of seven being held together by Emily Brown who is staffing the event for us
- Country Music Marathon – led by yet another new Team Captain, Jennifer Johnson – a 2010 Disney team member. What spunk she has!
- Kentucky Derby – returning as Team Captain, the delightfully sweet Missy Blake who can put some serious miles under her feet.
While fundraising isn’t ‘everything’, it is vital to our mission. This is why we run, build teams, and promote our cause. As Director, Steve Kendra, says, “The road to the cure will be paved with neon.”
Thanks for all the hard work you Team Captains do! Now, who is up for some pie?
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Copyright © 2010 The Active Network, Inc.
Let’s ACTIVATE those Active Pages
Undoubtedly marketing has changed with the Internet revolution. NFE online giving makes up for approximately 80 percent of our team contributions because it is convenient and we have been able to assure our contributors that it is a safe way to give. With the majority of our fundraising coming from online (Active.com) donations, it would make good sense that we team captains enable our team members to utilize this fantastic tool in order to capitalize on its effects.
Will you please help me out in a bit of a ‘reader’s survey’? Look and see if these pages are engaging to you. Do they tell a story? Are they compelling? Are you moved to donate? After reviewing these pages, please let me hear from you in the comment section at the end of this blog.
2. http://www.active.com/donate/nfsanfran2009/KBeltrone (some additions)
3. http://www.active.com/donate/nfbikenation (more specialty work by Bob Skold)
4. http://www.active.com/donate/nflr2010/petetanguay (NEW technology that you can tap into)
As soon as someone registers on our website, they are automatically given an Active page. Bob Skold receives the downloads from Active and immediately sends out his famous “Welcome to the Team” letter in which he offers to help build a website. It is up to the individual, of course, to make the changes. The next big “?” is ‘How do we get the team members to set up their pages?”
First of all, set your own up so that when they wish to see an example, you have one ready to share. Your team will follow your lead. If you are short on time (as many of us are) let Bob do it for you.
Next, be sure to mention it in your communication to the team. A simple line asking “Do you have your webpage set up yet?” will suffice. If you wish to use examples of good pages, then by all means do so!
Keep the team fundraising link in all of your e-mails to the team also – this will generate excitement as you all work together to build towards the goal. There is power in numbers. One other idea is to offer an award for the team member who has the best website. We can help you with this.
Bob has given some answers to the following questions:
What is the most compelling portion of the Active page? The goal bar because it creates donor ownership to the fundraising campaign.
What else is important to consider when setting up one’s page?
- Use color schemes to make more readable; use html links to CaringBridge pages or news article if available
How to write a short, engaging story: Make it personal, share hopes and dreams, use specifics – be concrete and descriptive, touch on the personal challenge, share your heart
How do you enlist Bob’s help? Just ask! ((Enable Javascript to see the email address))
There you have it: the need, the why, the how- to. I believe we can see a sharp increase in online giving if we can get this message out to our teams!
You Captains are so wonderful to give of yourselves, your time, and your energy, to help find treatments and eventually a cure for NF. Thank you for your leadership and your passion. You continually amaze us!
Working together for the cure,
Tracy Draper
(Enable Javascript to see the email address)
Often times when things don’t go our way, we can get mad about it. Sometimes we can channel our anger for good. This may not be exactly what the NCAA intended their annual “March Madness” to be about, but it can be what we make it into. For those two million people who are affected by NF, many have family members who have said “Enough NF!” They are fighting back. The tool of choice? The almighty dollar. One of the most creative fundraising tools that has been shared with me is the one below. It incorporates fun, friends and moolah. The premise? To bet on your favorite college basketball team to make it into the Final Four.Read on to see how you can put your ‘madness’ about a loved one being affected by NF into a healthy form of fury! You can join in this or start your own… either way, let’s find the cure! You are invited to participate in the fifth annual 2010 March Madness in honor of Carly Nancy McKay. Each year we put on two March Madness pools to help raise money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF.org) and to have fun.
Bob Skold and Carly McKay at the Carlsbad Marathon.
Entry Fee: $20.00 per pool; $40.00 for BOTH pools.
For more information, please contact Amanda at (Enable Javascript to see the email address) or visit http://carlysteam.com.
Second Pool: Sweet Sixteen until the final Champion (Thursday, March 25 – Monday, April 5, 2010)
Round 2: 3 points for each correct pick
2nd Pool Scoring:
Sweet 16: 4 points for each correct pick
Final 8: 8 points for each correct pick
Final 4: 16 points for each correct pick
Championship: 32 points for the correct pick
Winner(s): Whoever has the most points wins the pool.
Payout: Half of the Pot
Each round will have one winner who will win half the pot; the other half is donated to the Children’s Tumor Foundation for research. We want to have a $300/round pot this year!
Tiebreakers:
Pool 2: Total points in final game.
1st Round Deadline: We must receive your picks by midnight on Wednesday, March 17, 2010. A bracket will be sent out on Monday, March 15th via e-mail.
2nd Round Deadline: We must receive your picks by midnight on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. A bracket will be sent out on Monday, March 22nd, via e-mail.
There are two easy ways to submit your picks…
2. Print the Round1_2009_Print.pdf (printable pdf document). Write in your picks. Fax to 800-930-6225
*photo by brogan.com
CONSTANT CRAVING
Is there something that you feel that you just cannot go on without?
Whether or not k.d.lang meant this song to be about a deep, inner longing or simply wanted a Hershey bar, I was taken by the simplicity of the lyrics and the passion with which she sings about the “something” that is missing. At some point in our lives we will feel that emptiness.
Voids can be filled in many ways; some permanent while others are temporary. May I suggest that being involved with NF Endurance as a volunteer team captain can fulfill a craving? It certainly has for me.
As a teenager through my college days, I spent hours at the gym, constantly badgering my gymnastics coaches with “How can I get better?” I had found a passion that totally consumed me. In my mid 20’s I had my first child, and the fervor was shifted from ‘self’ to daughter. Three years later, a son arrived and my total focus became being the best wife and mother possible. Fast-forward 15 years. Dealing with teenagers created a need for an outlet for stress. I started training for triathlons, and my zeal for sports returned, filling the “constant craving” for the need to feel successful. This worked until nagging injuries began to threaten this 40-plus-year-old body. Could it be that my enthusiasm was forcing me to train like I was in my 20’s rather than my 40’s? I needed something more.
The Disney Half Marathon was at full capacity in 2007; the only way to register was through a charity. I read through the list. My eyes fell on the words Children’s Tumor Foundation and my heart was pierced. I said, “The words ‘children’ and ‘tumor’ just don’t belong in the same sentence.” After doing some research, I decided to join the CTF / NF (then) Marathon Team. I learned that NF doesn’t affect just children – but adults too. The more I read, and learned, the more I knew I could make a difference. I ran with the team in 2007, and in 2008 I coaxed my short-distance-running husband to do the full marathon with me.
That wasn’t enough, however. I volunteered to be the team captain for the NFE Disney Team in 2009, and my passion grew vehemently! Here we are in 2010 and I am honored to be able to work with more than 40 talented and zealous leaders from across the United States.
Do you feel that ‘something’ is missing in your daily life? Do you have the desire to help encourage, lead and build up others for the cause of NF? Do you think, “I could be a volunteer team captain with the right support.” If so, write to me. Let’s put our cravings to the test and make a difference in the fight against NF! E-mail me at (Enable Javascript to see the email address).