Our school will be using Kathryn and Walk-A-thon Services for our 1st walkathon in September. We have a playground to fund and this was a great way to do it...my sister's school raised over $10,000 with 400 kids. We have about the same amount of kids and we're hoping for at least that much money.
The company takes 25% because they do all the work. They send out 2 notices. The first is the most critical to your success, because if they have to send out the 2nd reminder notice to get the pledge $$'s in, then all you're doing is eating up more postage, mail pieces, etc. So, I encourage you to get the word out that once the walkathon is over, the donator should expect to see something in the mail from W-A-thon Services and pay immediately!
They also give you a computer listing showing the percentage that came in, sorted in various ways. This way, if you're going to have "contests", you can easily find out the winner by using these reports.
While I know you can do this independently, it is a lot of work...I don't think we'd have enough volunteers to actually handle this type of fundraiser. This is why we chose Walk-A-Thon.
Kathryn started the company and is wonderful to work with. I wish your school the best if you decide to do this.
In our now, old school, we did a jog-a-thon. My son has been a high earner every year he's done it winning the highest for the school or at least his grade. He did all the walking and the talking. I just did the walking with him. (I called it my yearly excercise:) )
We collected the money (most of it anyway) up front with flat pledges. He collected $1016 this last year.
We did the walk-a-thons when I was a kid too and the flat rate was the way to go.
You can have a DJ donate their time. The PTA/PTO holds an assembly to get them pumped up and they get the prizes together. Most of our prizes were donated.
I don't know, I guess if you don't have anyone to do the work than paying someone to do it is the way to go. It just seems like such a waste of PTA money. And before you all tell me that we do that with cookie dough or wrapping paper, I don't like those either. Pure cash fundraisers are the way to go. jog-a-thon, read-a-thon, any-thon! [img]smile.gif[/img]
Years ago when I worked in an office, we were encouraged to participate in Walk America. I found it MUCH easier to ask for a flat donation than a pledge. I found as long as my sponsors got a reciept, they were more than happy to write a check for $20 or more right then, then for me to come back!
The walkathons I have been in had the participants collect the money. I wonder if you don't get your money's worth from professionals doing the follow up rather than 10 year olds.
An option I have seen is to make it a Fun Run/Walk. Each person gets sponsors before the event and brings the money in right before it starts. All you have to do is collect the donations and hold the "race". You get it all finished in a day. I don't know how that compares in the bottom line, but it seems easier. I hated hitting people up twice - once for the pledge and a second time to collect it.
How do you do a walk-a-thon??? It is a new idea to me. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. :cool: I appreciate any information Thanks JoAnna
