Sholom Community Alliance

1. Sholom Community Alliance Annual Oy Vey 5K Run/Walk

2. Purpose A 5K Run/Walk created as a fundraiser to attract both competitive runners and amateurs from the general public – along with the families, residents, tenants, staff and friends of all Alliance facilities to join the fun – and walk or run to show their support for Sholom! *Please note our walk/run fundraiser’s name is not an original! The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington was the first to sponsor an Oy Vay 5 & 10K!

3. The 4th Annual Oy Vey 5Kis scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 2008!We were seeking an alternative to a golf tournament – which we had sponsored for many years – and a means to attract a different segment of supporters – both from within our organization & the general public

4. On your mark… • Lay chairs and a committee work with staff • Hire a race director (optional) • Set date well in advance • Determine course length/certification • Establish fees/registration procedure • Secure sponsorships • Publicize • Reserve (registration) tent, tables, etc. • Order t-shirts, awards • Create signs • Request refreshments from vendors, supporters • Enlist volunteers

5. Date, Place & Time…..can and do make a difference between your success or failure to attract participants/supporters! • Consider the weather • Research where and when other local races are being held • Put your event on a community calendar • Decide on a locale – make it “official!” • Determine time frame – e.g. early morning?

6. Fees and Registration …price it so they will come! • Who do you want to attract? Your organization’s supporters? Local race community? Families? • Don’t charge more than other local races do • Encourage early sign-ups (discounted) or charge a late fee after a certain date and/or for on-site registration

7. Make sure registration form records information you need! • Contact info, including email address • Gender & age • T-shirt size • Run or Walk preference • Injury waiver statement • Due dates & fees

8. Sponsorships…bottom line is how much money did you raise? • Determine various levels of “giving” and what they “get” for their sponsorship • Approach organization’s vendors for sponsorships or in-kind donations (food) • Publicize need for sponsors through newsletters, website, board meetings, special mailings

9. Sample Sponsor Levels Goldlevel ($5,000): • Large size logo on the back of the t-shirt • Signage at the main registration tent • Recognition on posters and website • First option to be the Gold sponsor in the next race Silverlevel ($2500): • Medium size logo on the t-shirt • Signage at the main registration tent • Recognition on posters and website Bronzelevel ($1000): • Small size logo on the t-shirt • Recognition on posters and website

10. Publicize • Send out a race brochure • Use Active.com and/or local race website to promote • Highlight on your website • Send press releases to area newspapers • Place posters in synagogues, sports/race stores, JCC, etc. • Send a race e-newsletter to VIPs

11. Get set… • Rent necessary equipment – tents, chairs and tables – for registration site • Order t-shirts with race logo • Order trophies or medallions for winners • Create signs – directing to race site, acknowledging vendors, registration, one & two-mile marks, etc. • Provide water bottles, coffee, fruit or high protein snack • Line up enough volunteers for set up, registration, crowd control, race marking and timing, clean-up

12. Go…..

13. What’s worked.... • Enthusiastic response to a new type of fundraiser • Attracted new supporters not previously associated/familiar with our organization • Enhanced awareness of the services our organization offers • Slowly but surely attracting that younger crowd • More families participate each year – from babies in strollers to grandparents • We’re raising much-needed funds for recreational programming • Monies raised over the past three years has ranged from $15,000 to $20,000

14. ….and what hasn’t • Grandiose expectations for raising fundsImplemented first event just as we were kicking off a major Capital Campaign – “you can only go to the well so many times!” • Collecting sponsorship pledgesThe first year two major donors ignored repeated pleas for payment • Difficulty enlisted volunteers to solicit financial supporters Not appropriate for staff to approach vendors or others for sponsorships • Timing is everything Year three’s date conflicted with too many other community events and attendance was down

15. The Voice of Experience! • Advance planning is a necessity! • A certified race course will attract more participants • Hire a race director – unless you have someone with that experience on staff • Utilize an on-line registration service • Pre-pack registration “packets” for those who pre-registered • Take advantage of freebies

17. For more information, visit www.sholom.com, call Connie Sandler at 952-939-1646 or write csandler@sholom.com