Participants getting started with their walk at the 2010 Richmond Arthritis Walk
It rained on the morning of the Richmond Arthritis Walk, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the many who turned out to support the fight against arthritis.
The charity walk event was held on April 24, 2010 at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center at Stony Point in Richmond, Virginia. The Arthritis Walk is the signature fundraising event for the Arthritis Foundation.
The area was filled with music, food and fun. Just seeing the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile put a smile on my face as I arrived at the charity event. The participants were led in a Tai Chi warm up exercise routine just before walking the three-mile or optional one-mile course.
One thing I found very interesting and exciting is that the Arthritis Foundation is now accepting donations via text messaging. This event was the first one to offer the service to participants. I wrote about the importance of this donation technology a couple of years ago at http://www.everydaygivingblog.com/2008/05/mobile-giving.html.
I enjoyed being a part of the Richmond Arthritis Walk. If you were not able to be there, watch the slide show below to view some of the pictures I captured at the event. Consider getting involved in an Arthritis Walk near you.
The Arthritis Foundation is addressing the needs of some 46 million Americans living with arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability. To learn more about how to get involved in an Arthritis Walk in your area, go to http://LetsMoveTogether.org.
The charity walk was scheduled to start in about an hour and a half. I was in my car and about five minutes away from the event. That’s when it hit my windshield…RAIN!
I was attending the Richmond Arthritis Walk in Richmond, Virginia. It was my first time participating in this event so I didn’t know what to expect. I did know the event was taking place rain or shine.
When I arrived, I was directed to park my car on the second level of the parking deck. The staff and volunteers were already moving tables out of the rain to the first level of the parking deck. That was the location most of the morning activities took place.
I was surprised by how many people arrived with their raincoats and umbrellas to take part in the charity walk. The rainy weather wasn’t going to stop them from supporting a cause that was important to them. Fortunately, most of the rain subsided during the walk portion of the event. But on that morning, the participants were already prepared to walk in the rain.
We can’t control the weather. The Richmond Arthritis Walk could have been a disaster because of the rain. Instead, it was a tremendous success despite the bad weather. The success didn’t happen by accident. Here are some tips that should be considered for all charity walks, because this could happen at any outdoor event:
Decide very early in the planning process whether you are going to hold the charity walk event “rain or shine” or have an alternate date scheduled in case of bad weather.
Communicate your intentions to all participants so they are not wondering on the day of the event whether or not to attend.
If you decide to hold your event if it rains, make sure the needed details are covered in all of your planning and preparation right up to the date of the charity walk.
Maintain safety as a #1 priority throughout the event.
None of us want bad weather on the day of our charity walks. However, when it does happen you’ll be glad that you prepared for it ahead of time.
Participants of all ages had a fun time at the 2010 Walk MS charity walk event in Fredericksburg, Virginia
I attended the Walk MS charity walk event in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was held at James Monroe High School on April 10, 2010.
Over 400 walkers participated and $36,000 was raised through this event (with several more weeks of fundraising to go) to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Participants of all ages were in attendance.
The event was fun! It had some great elements that I am sure required a significant amount of planning by the staff and volunteers. Some of those elements included:
Music
Raffle
Sponsor booths
Food (including pizza at the end of the walk)
Tattoos (temporary of course)
Banner signing
Dog contest
Decorations
Safety was not forgotten. There was a first aid station at the event, stations along the route and a local motorcycle group monitored the walkers as they walked the scenic route through historic Fredericksburg.
Virginia Senator Edd Houck was one of the VIPs in attendance. Two things surprised me about his participation. First, his speech was motivational and had nothing to do with politics. Second, he participated in the walk in support of his daughter who was diagnosed with MS a few years ago. He was an excellent “celebrity” for this charity walk.
Check out the photos below that I captured at the event. Go to http://www.IWalkforMS.org to learn more about the MS Walk.
The use of software can help make many aspects of planning and conducting a charity walk easier and more effective.
A member of the Charity Walks Network asked for other member experiences using registration software for charity walks. It turned out to be a hot topic. Several members chimed in with information. Several representatives of the software developers shared in the conversation. You can read and participate in the discussion at http://charitywalks.ning.com/forum/topics/registration-software.
Software can be helpful for better organizing, promoting and fundraising for your charity walk. There are many software packages to choose from. Some are general purpose that can be adapted to your needs and others are written specifically to support pledge-based events, such as charity walks. Some support a specialized purpose and others provide an integrated capability. Some are online while others are hosted on your own computers.
The following table contains the names of software mentioned or referenced in the discussion on the Charity Walks Network:
To evaluate the needs and potential products to support charity walks, I have used criteria described in the book by Ken Laudon and Jane Laudon called Management Information Systems. They define three factors that must be understood when considering information systems. They are organization, management, and technology.
Organization
The definition of organization is much larger than is reflected on an organizational chart. Laudon and Laudon define the key elements of an organization as “its people, structure, business processes, politics, and culture.” All of these need to be considered when implementing an information system. This will help avoid a potential resistance to change as the new software is introduced and it will also help ensure hidden costs for things like training are addressed when choosing the software solution.
Management
Strategic and tactical decision making are both required for the management of charity walk events. There are several strategic decisions that can be made which will have a significant impact on the amount of funding and participation that is received in the future. There is also the need to plan and monitor the progress on a day-to-day basis. If the software needs to support these areas, make sure it monitors and reports on the appropriate information that is needed at all levels of the organization.
Technology
Technology is much more than just the hardware and software of the information system. It also includes items such as the methods of communication and collaboration, and the types of devices that will access the information. For example, are there plans to use mobile technology for communication or fundraising? Privacy and security are also a part of the considerations under the technology category.
Selecting the appropriate software to support charity walks is not an easy task. However, understanding your needs before making a selection is critical to making an appropriate choice.
Be sure to sign up for your free membership at the Charity Walks Network (http://www.CharityWalks.ning.com). Ask a question about selecting software or any other charity walk topic you need help with. There is a growing community there interested in helping you succeed.
If you are about to plan a charity walk, you need this e-book. The Walkathon Guide will help you navigate through the steps to a successful fundraising event.
. They define three factors that must be understood when considering information systems. They are organization, management, and technology.
