Charity Walks Blog

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.

Thanks,

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, arthritis foundation, arthritis walk, Charity Event, charity walks, Fundraising Event, Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Richmond, Richmond Virginia, Stony Point, Tai Chi, Text Messaging, Virginia Commonwealth University

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.

Thanks,

p.s. You can view some of the photos I took at the Richmond Arthritis Walk at http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogercarr/sets/72157623803852501/.

Photo credit: John Evans

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, arthritis walk, Bad Weather, Charity Event, charity walk, charity walks, Rain Or Shine, Rainy Weather, Richmond, Richmond Virginia, Umbrellas, virginia, Volunteers

Lorraine's Little Angels host a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

There are unlimited ways for teams to raise money for charity walks. This morning I attended a charity event that was hosted by a charity walk team made up of young people. The event was a pancake breakfast.

Applebee’s in Fredericksburg, Virginia opened their doors on a Saturday morning and made plates of pancakes and sausage for the hungry people showing up to show their support. The team, Lorraine’s Little Angels, served the food with a smile.

People showed up who had some involvement with the Arthritis Walks. Some people showed up because they wanted to support a great cause. Others even showed up from the hotel across the street because they were hungry. Regardless of the reason, everyone had a great time and contributed to an important cause.

What are some ways you have used to raise money for charity walks? Let me know by leaving a comment.

Thanks,

p.s. Go to http://llakids.com to learn more about this team and their fundraising activities. Go to http://LetsMoveTogether.org to find an Arthritis Walk in your area.

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, arthritis walks, Charity Event, charity walks, Fredericksburg Virginia, Little Angels, Lorraine, Pancakes, Raise Money, Saturday Morning, Young People

Proud "graduate" of the 2009 Arthritis College

Training for your charity walks does not have to be boring. A little creativity can have your participants wanting more, rather than wanting it to end quickly. This is important because people are more open to learning new ideas when they’re having a good time.

I recently had the privilege of attending the training event Arthritis College. The event was put on by the Arthritis Foundation, Virginia Chapter and the students included board members, staff , and volunteers from across the state of Virginia.

Class topics included arthritis research, charity events, and leadership. house education on these topics turn from drab to dynamic? Here are some of my observations:

• A college theme was used throughout the day.  We entered as freshmen and progressed to sophomores, etc. after participating in each class. The decorations and dialog used throughout the event stayed consistent with the theme.  At the end of the day, there was a graduation ceremony.
• Dr. Loren Erickson discussed his research at a level everyone could understand. He also showed how the research has already made great strides in the fight against arthritis.
• In the middle of the day, Christine Walters led a session of improvisation that had all of us laughing while we created funny dance routines and pictures with crayons.
• The instructional classes each used props and student participation throughout. Some even sprinkled contests with simple prizes to increase the fun and participation.

What are you going to do that is fun and different to help motivate and train your charity walk participants? A little applied creativity can make a big difference.

Thanks,

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, arthritis foundation, charity walks, training, virginia, Volunteer, Volunteers, walk events

If you were not able to attend the Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk this year, check out the below slideshow. Walking events can be fun and provide support to your favorite cause.

If you are not involved in a charity walk, go to http://www.LetsMoveTogether.org to find an Arthritis Walk in your area or contact your favorite nonprofit organizations to discover if they host charity walks you can join.

Thanks,

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, charity walks, Fredericksburg, Nonprofit Organizations, walk events, Walkathon