Relay For Life Kickoff in a Box

Relay For Life Kickoff in a Box

Kickoff in a Box is designed to be a networking experience between committee members and
returning Team Captains/Participants. There is a very short program with a fundraising expo activity
to gear teams up for the upcoming Relay season. Attendees should be given passports for the expo
at the end of your program, completed passports are turned in for a small thank you token for their
attendance.

Relay Community Kickoff is intended to be a very upbeat, celebratory production. Party-like
decorations, noise makers, etc are suggested.

The intended audience for a Relay Kickoff is those that have participated in a Relay For Life in some
capacity – team captain, team member, survivor, volunteers. We have a separate “Relay Rally”
suggested content built to focus on people who are new to Relay or may want to get involved for the
first time.

The Kickoff in a Box program script is short as a kickoff should focus on renewing relationships with
past team captains and participants. Committee members should be ‘working the room’ welcoming
attendees as they arrive, engaging in conversation about Relay and team goals for the year ahead,
etc.

What you’ll need:

   □   Tables and chairs for Fundraising Expo and other stations
   □   Sign in sheet for your registration table (template available)
   □   Printed Passports for fundraising expo (template available – customize for your stations)
   □   Thank You gifts for expo activity (or if that is not possible enter all completed passports into a
       raffle for a prize)
   □   Light Snacks/Refreshments
   □   Team Captain Packets and any other necessary materials for Team Captains
   □   Luminaria Bags to pre-sell at a Luminaria table
   □   Survivor forms to pre-register them at a Survivor table
   □   Fight Back and Advocacy materials for a Fight Back Info Table
   □   Materials for selected fundraising expo displays
   □   Inspiring Quotes for walls or tables (template available)
   □   A schedule of upcoming Team Captain Meetings and events to provide all attendees
   □   A Survivor Speaker – the Hero of Hope program can be a great resource to find a trained,
       powerful speaker. Information can be found on relayforlife.org/California. Two documents are
       available to assist with selection and preparation of a speaker.

Timeline:

Immediately
     Work with your Team Development Committee to determine date for your Relay For Life
     Kickoff

6 weeks out
      Work to get in-kind donations of a location, raffle prizes and light refreshments.
      Request location contracts to be signed and insurance requirements through your staff partner.
      Request a list of previous teams and invitations from your Staff partners and hold an invitation
      stuffing party.

4 weeks out
      Take a look at the supply list and discuss and delegate “assignments” with your committee for
      the Kickoff. Ask your staff partner to gather the ACS materials.
      Ensure a survivor or caregiver speaker has been asked and provide him/her with the
      “Speaking at a Relay Ceremony” document.

1 week out
      Confirm location and other details (food if provided, tables, etc).

2-3 Days Before Event
      Make reminder phone calls to your invitees
      Confirm supplies that will be brought to the event with committee members and staff partner.
      Ensure committee members know what time to meet at location to begin setting up.
      Confirm with survivor speaker; ensure he/she knows to honor cancer survivors at the end of
      his/her story.

1-2 Days After the Event:
      Send thank you letters to attendees (included).
      Send thank you letters to any in kind donors (included)
      Send thank you notes to committee members and speakers

1 week after event:
      Make phone calls to attendees to thank them for attending and encourage them to attend
      Team Captain Meetings

Optional Activities:

   •   Include in your invitations instructions for each attendee to bring a photo from the previous
       year’s Relay For Life event, and on the back of that photo write a special memory from that
       event. Attendees turn these in at the registration table at Kickoff. Ask crafty committee
       members to create a display to hang these photos on - bring to Team Captain meetings, pre-
       event activities, your Relay event, etc. This can become a visual reminder of the inspiration
       and fun of Relay. Add to this display year after year for a special keepsake of your
       communities Relay events.

   •   When attendees arrive, ask them to pull a scrap of paper from the “Tip Jar” and provide a tip to
       the committee of what they’d like to see regarding that segment of the Relay event (on the
       scrap of paper) turning their tip in by the end of the evening. To encourage attendees to

participate you might want to use these ‘tips’ as a raffle and provide a small prize for the tip
       drawn at the end of the night/next Team Captain meeting. A template is available for this
       activity, personalize the tip requests to suit your needs – you’ll print multiple copies of the tip
       worksheet, cutting them into the sections indicated in order to have a ’full jar’.

   •   Since the program is short, there is time allotted for a video if you chose to do so. “History of
       the American Cancer Society” is a DVD available from your Staff partner, although somewhat
       long (13 minutes) it provides great detail and inspiration about the difference the Society is
       making in the fight against cancer. Your Staff Partner can provide a list of other DVD’s
       available for your choosing just be sure to make the ask early in case they need to order the
       disc.

Script:

Emcee: ARE YOU READY TO RELAY? Welcome everyone; thank you all for coming today to
celebrate the official Kickoff of the Relay For Life season in (community name). Emcee introduces
him/herself and tells their :30 second American Cancer Society story.

Your commitment to the fight against cancer is honorable and I can feel the excitement in the air as
we prepare to kick off our Relay For Life event for (year)!! Thanks to the dedication of community
volunteers like all of us, Relay For Life has grown from a single event in a single community in 1985
to a world-wide commitment to the fight against cancer, introducing the American Cancer Society to
the citizens countless communities.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization
dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and
diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. With
volunteers like all of you, the American Cancer Society is making a difference in the fight against
cancer.

(You may want to have several committee members reading these interchangeably)

       It was the American Cancer Society who led a study that discovered a link between smoking
       and cancer.

       It was the American Cancer Society who funded research that lead to the development of the
       Pap and PSA cancer screening test.

       It was the American Cancer Society that offered cancer patients hundreds of thousands of
       rides to treatment and medical appointments each year.

       It was the American Cancer Society who successfully fought against efforts to decrease or
       eliminate funding for programs helping underserved women have access to life-saving breast
       and cervical cancer screening.

       It is the American Cancer Society who has made resolve that by the year 2015 we will…
       Decrease the morality rate for cancer by 50%
       Decrease cancer diagnoses by 25%
       And greatly increase the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.

You are the American Cancer Society, this progress and the life-saving services we offer everyday
are thanks to your commitment and passion.

Here to remind us, of one of many reasons why we Relay is a special Cancer Survivor to share their
story. Please welcome (name).

At the end of their story, ask your Speaker to have all Survivors in the room stand and ask the
audience to show their support with a round of applause.

Emcee:
Thank you, (Survivor’s Name) for that inspiring story. You truly do signify hope to anyone facing
cancer and the spirit of Relay.
The fight against cancer is not one that's fought alone. Cancer Patients will tell you that just as
important as the care and support of a physician, is the care and support of that patient's family and
friends. As a Survivor, I am sure that (Survivor Speaker’s name) would attest that love, is truly one of
the best medicines that can be offered.

The American Cancer Society defines a Caregiver as a family member, friend or loved one who lends
physical, emotional or other support to someone throughout the cancer journey. We like to ask that
anyone in the audience tonight that is, or even has been a Cancer Caregiver please stand to be
honored with a round of applause.

Dim Lighting Here

Each of us in the room is part of the Relay Nation. A driving force in the American Cancer Society
dedicated to Fighting Back against Cancer and by being here tonight you are renewing your
commitment to our cause. I’d like us all to take out the glow sticks we were given we arrived tonight
participate in a statement of our commitment, and the reason we Relay.

      If you are a caregiver of someone lost to cancer, please remember them by lighting your glow
      stick.

      Let us pause for a moment of reflection as we celebrate and remember the memory of the
      lives of those we have lost. (Pause for 20 – 30 seconds)

      If you are a caregiver whose loved one is still with us, please honor them by lighting your glow
      stick. (pause)

      If you are a survivor, please celebrate by lighting your glow stick. (pause)

      If you are a friend or a family member who has battled cancer, please honor their battle by
      lighting your glow stick. (pause)

      If you are someone who has not personally affected by cancer but wants to make a difference,
      please light your glow stick and signify hope. (pause)

These lights symbolize treasured friendships, memories, love and hope. Please take a moment to
quietly celebrate, honor and remember everyone affected by cancer. Thank you.

We Relay to fight cancer, to end the suffering this disease brings. For our efforts we get the pleasure
of knowing we have done something to Fight Back. The more we raise, the more joy we will feel.

The spirit of Relay began many years ago by asking our Team Members to personally commit to take
action against cancer and raise at least $100 per person, for which they receive a commemorative t-
shirt. Some find motivation in the prize; some find it in simply knowing they’ve done what they can to
support a worthy cause. Either way, a special sense of pride and unity is created by being part of a
movement of people who all have made the resolve to actively Fight Back against cancer by making
this fundraising commitment.

As teams, we make a commitment to a 24 hour event. Have you ever truly thought about why our
Relay For Life events are 24 hours? If you are like me, it’s probably one of those questions you can
answer in auto-pilot – “because cancer doesn’t sleep, so neither should we”.

Dr. Gordy Klatt founded Relay For Life in 1985. He was a colorectal surgeon who had seen far too
much suffering from the disease of cancer. When asked why he ran for 24 hours, Dr. Klatt replied
that he wanted to symbolize just one day in the life of a cancer patient. The lack of sleep, heat, pain
and cold that he felt over the course of that first Relay were really nothing in comparison to the pain of
his patients, but Dr. Klatt wanted to let them know that he was fighting for them…not just in his role as
their doctor but also in his heart. Stop for a moment and really think about that….to honor the fight of
cancer patients with a true commitment in your heart that one day, 24 hours.

Have you ever thought of just how special that make us, as Relayers? In over 5,500 communities in
all over the world this year, volunteers like you and I will camp out under the stars in a strong
statement of our commitment to this fight. We are all apart, an important part of an incredible
movement.

At Relay For Life participants commit to help save a life. Maybe it is their own; maybe the life of a
family member, friend or co-worker; or the life of someone they don’t even know. However they
choice to do it, who-ever it is that their actions help save, just think of the extraordinary feeling to
know that you…helped save a life. Is there really anything more powerful than that? Is there anything
more powerful than looking back at an effort made by you and your local community that lead to
funds for research to treat this disease? Funds that provided transportation for a cancer patient to
their life-saving treatment. Funds that educated a child to know that they should never pickup that
cigarette as it could cost them their life. The American Cancer Society needs our help to save lives.

Dollars raised by the participants of Relay For Life make a difference in the fight against cancer.
American Cancer Society funds have lead research efforts that have found life-saving treatment
options such as Tomoxifin for Breast Cancer and Geevec for Leukemia. American Cancer Society
funds have educated for newly diagnosed patients and their families to enable them to enter their
battle against cancer well informed and prepared. Those same fund have lead advocacy efforts
urging our lawmakers to fund early detection programs such as Every Woman Counts to ensure all
women in the State of California have access to affordable life-saving mammography testing. And
finally American Cancer Society funds have provided patient services that provide support to those
facing cancer in the form of rides to treatment, cosmetic advice to women dealing with the side effects
of cancer and friendship based mentoring programs for men facing prostate cancer. All of these
services, make a difference in the fight of cancer patients locally and around the globe because Relay
For Life participants made the commitment to Fight Back and help save a life.

So let’s hear it (community name) are you ready to join the fight !?!?! (applause)

Thank you for the commitment you are making to another year of Relay For Life. We are a
community who’s taken up the fight and I cannot wait to walk that track with you at our Relay For Life
event.

Thank you for your time tonight, this concludes our formal program for the night, but we aren’t quite
done! To assist you with the fundraising efforts you have ahead of you we’ve assembled a
“Fundraising Expo”. Tables are setup with ideas for fundraising activities and committee members
eager to chat and answer questions. We are making our way around the room now with a ‘passport’
for this activity. At each station you’ll receive a signature from the committee member hosting that
area, when your passport is complete turn it in at the registration table for a Relay prize as a thank
you for attending tonight. Around the room we also have information about registering Survivors,
Fight Back materials and pre-sale Luminaria’s, so please take your time to look around!

Thanks so much for coming!

Fundraising Expo Activity:
Setup tables with posted information or demonstrations on potential fundraising activities. Ideas are
listed below but we encourage you to explore new ideas with your committee, via relayforlife.org, etc.
Be sure to include at least one activity for each type of fundraising type – Individual, Team, Online,
Onsite, Sponsorship and Post-Event.

It is important to have committee members working these tables to spark conversation, help with
ideas, answer questions, etc as the real value is not so much in the displays themselves but in this
but the conversation and education that is sparked from them.

Individual:

   •   Find (or prepare) examples of an effective personal fundraising letter. If a member of your
       committee is an especially talented writer you might even have that person at your station
       available to talk with attendees about elements of their cancer experience to include in a letter
       and how to do that.
   •   Make poster boards with examples of some out of the box ideas approaches to personal
       fundraising. Some of these might include:
          o A “no-show” dinner party. The invitation instructs the attendee to consider what dish
              they’d bring to a dinner party and then make a donation for the cost of the ingredients
              and enjoy an evening of comfort in their home.
          o A donation in honor of a birthday or anniversary. Finding the right gift can be hard to
              do, family and friends just might appreciate the opportunity to donate in a team
              members name in lieu of buying a gift.
          o Collecting the family recycling or spare change as a donation to Relay.

Team:
   • “For Life” events can be fun and profitable fundraisers for teams. Bark For Life has become
      increasing popular and information can be found at relayforlife.org. Also have examples of
      how nearly any hobby or interest can be created into a “For Life” fundraiser. Ride For Life,
      Swim For Life, Knit For Life, Bunco For Life, etc.
   • Have information available about local restaurants who are willing to do ‘percentage night’
      fundraisers. If you do a little research as to who to contact and provide that to teams they are
      more likely to follow-thru.
   • Car Washes, Yard Sales and other team fundraisers can also be great exposure to your
      community. Encourage teams to communicate with you about their planned events so you
      can provide them marketing materials to give to their customers.

Online:
    • Search Relay websites to find examples of creative fundraising pages and print pictures of
        those for a display board.
    • Have your online chair available to answer questions. Maybe even organize an online
        fundraising challenge that starts at kickoff - recognition of teams/individuals who meet a set
        goal (i.e. 15 team members within 15 days, individuals with $300 in 30 days, etc).
    • If possible setup a station to register teams at kickoff.

Onsite:
  • Setup examples of games/activities that are easy to host at a campsite. You will want to do a
      little research on relayforlife.org in order to get new ideas that your Relayers haven’t seen
      before.
  • Start an advertisement board for teams to post a flyer about the onsite activity they’ll be having
      at Relay. Its likely earlier for all teams to know what their activity will be so have some
      examples of what an ‘ad’ might look like. Bring this to all your team captain meetings and
      Relay functions. Not only will it drum up excitement about event day but it might spark ideas in
      teams that are still thinking.

Sponsorship:
  • Teams can receive credit for sponsorship dollars they bring in. Provide sponsorship materials
     so they have the tools necessary to make the ask.
  • Ask your Sponsorship Chair to develop a ‘sponsorship recruitment plan’ of all the businesses
     that they plan to approach and have teams add the companies that they will be reaching out
     to. This will help you avoid ‘over asking’ a company or wasting time by asking a company
     who’s already been approached.

Post Event:
   • Begin to build a culture of fundraising success by displaying your events fundraising goals and
      a ‘meter’ of progress so far. Set the tone that the community has made a commitment to
      success!
   • Get everyone on your team to put in $2 each week beginning the week after this year’s Relay.
      In 50 weeks each team member will have his or her $100.
   • Solicit ideas from attendees for post-event fundraising ideas. Get them thinking about this now
      and you’ll get some motivation to keep fundraising going year-round.

Additional Documents:

 C:\Documents and C:\Documents and
Settings\alangley\Desktop\SEARCHING
                     Settings\alangley\Desktop\For
                                       FOR YOUR RELAY
                                                   a Relay
                                                         FOR
                                                           Speaker.doc
                                                             LIFE SPEAKER.doc