Welcome! Thank you for supporting the 2015 Walk for

Wildwood by becoming a team captain. By taking this

additional step you are supporting our mission to

emopwer people of all ages living with learning

disabilites to lead independent, productive and

fulfilling lives.

Being a team captain is a fun, rewarding and

easy experience! This guide was developed to

help answer questions and maybe even provide

a few helpful hints to make your team

fundraising efforts even more successful!

Thank you!

A Note From the Director:

Dear Team Captians,

I would first like to thank you for taking on a leadership role in our effort to raise

funds for Wildwood Programs during our annual Walk for Wildwood. It’s because of

dedicated participants like you that we will be able to better accomplish the

Wildwood misison and continue to make an impact on those individuals and their

families who receive support from Wildwood Programs.

Whether this is your first year as a team captain for the Walk for Wildwood or you

have been participating for years, you are an important part of our success. By

inviting your friends and family to participate and/or make donations you are

helping us expand our reach and strive towards higher goals. You are a powerful

resource for your team members and Wildwood Programs and you have the ability

to make a difference in this years Walk.

Thank you again fo your continued support and our team in the Wildwood

Foundation office is here to help you with anything you need to make your team

captian experience a success!

Sincerely,

Lauren S. Roecker

Director

Wildwood Foundation

Registering Your Team

1 *Insert step-by-step instructions

here*

2

3

Your Personal and Team Pages Once you have registered by following the steps on the previous pages, you are ready to personalize your pages!

[SAMPLE HERE] Set a goal! Every donation, regardless of the size, helps further the mission of Wildwood Programs. Challenge yourself and your supporters to increase your goal this year! Asking a donor to support you with a gift of $5, the cost of a fancy cup of coffee, can help get you that much closer to your goal!

Why do you walk? What’s your message? By personalizing your page you give potential donors or team members better insight to why they should support this important cause! In your messaging try to include why you participate in the Walk for Wildwood or what inspired you to become a team leader!

Add Photos and Video! You can take your page to the next level by adding different types of media. Include photos of you enjoying the Walk for Wildwood in years past or photos of you and family and friends. To find out how to upload media visit the step-by-step instructions in this packet!

What’s Next? Sending emails or sharing on social media is an conveinent and effective way to increase your fundraising totals. Most of us use these mediums everyday and getting your message out there is just a click away! Not sure what to say? We’re here to help!

Did You Know? Walk fundraisers who created a personalized page and sent

emails raised two times more than those who only registered online and fundraised by personally collected

donations.

Other Fundraising Ideas: Matching Gifts- Find out if your employer or any of your supporters’

employers are a matching gift company. Some companies have established

programs to match all charitable donations dollar for dollar! Don’t work for a

matching gift company? Challenge your company or office to match your

personal contribution towards your fundraising goal!

Ask your Community- Reach out to potential supporters through the clubs

or organizations you’re involved in. Ask if you can share information about the

2015 Walk for Wildwood in your organizations newsletter or your church bulletin.

Share in your Signature- Putting the link to your team or personal

fundraising page with a sentence or two about the walk in your email signature

is an easy way to reach your social network!

Sample Email: Dear {Insert Name},

My team, {insert team name}, is participating in the 2015 Walk for Wildwood on Saturday,

October 17th. This year's 2 mile walk will take place on the beautiful Siena College Campus

in Loundonville, NY. I am hoping you will join our efforts to raise funds for Wildwood

Programs by joining us as a team member or supporter,

Supporting the 2015 Walk for Wildwood is easy! Click on this link: {Insert link for your team

page} and select *JOIN TEAM* Once you are registered, you can start fundraising

immediately and even invite more people to join our team. If you can’t join us this year,

please click *DONATE* to make a secure online donation towards our overall team goal. It

only takes a few minutes!

I truly hope you will consider supporting {team name} with a tax-deductible gift or by walking

with us on October 17th. The event promises to be a great time with lots of fun for the whole

family!

If you have any questions or would like more information about this year’s Walk for

Wildwood or how you can contribute, please contact me by replying to this e-mail.

Thanks for your support!

{Your Name}

Sample Social Media Post: On October 17th I will be participating in the 2015 Walk for Wildwood. I have set a personal

fundraising goal of XXX and would appreciate any support! Please follow this link to learn

more about the walk and why Wildwood Programs is so important to me! {Insert link for your

team page}

Team Success Starts With YOU! We know that you are dedicated to being a team captain and passionate about supporting Wildood Programs, here are a few tips to help your team maximize its potential!

Start Fundrasing Early and Keep Going! The best time to start

fundraising is right after you have registered and are most enthusiastic

about reaching you goal.

Build your Team! Building a team with enthusiastic individuals is

incredbily rewarding! Ask friends, family, and co-workers to spend a

few hours supporting Wildwood by telling them about the Walk and

what Wildwood Programs is all about.

Be a Shining Example! By starting your fundraising early you will

begin to get closer to reaching your goal. This will show your team

members that they too can reach their goals through continued

fundraising efforts. Post on social media often or provide them with

sample emails that have worked well for you.

Wildwood Programs will continue to inspire and motivate your team

members as they continue to fundraise.

Keep in Touch! Set time aside each week to review your team

members pages. You can offer to help personalize their page and be

sure to recoginize your team members as they reach fundraising

thresholds. The effort you put into personal notes, phone calls and

emails does not go unnoticed!

Create your team by registering for the 2015 Walk for Wildwood! Visit www.firstgiving.com/wildwood.

Set a fundraising and/or team member goal for your team.

Personalize your team and personal fundraising page.

Start building your team! Ask friends, family, neighbors or co-workers to join!

Ask each of them to set a fundraising goal and help them personalize their page.

A team of 5 can easily raise $1,000 if each walker raises $200!

Start fundraising! (Refer to our “Simple Steps” page for some creative ideas to boost your total!)

Did someone commit to donate, but you haven’t received it yet? Follw up! Encourage your team members to do the same!

Two Months before walk

One Month before walk

One Week before walk

Team Captain Checklist: Use the suggestions on this checklist to assist you in having an even more successful team fundraising experience!

Desgin your team t-shirt! Maybe get your team together to create them and kick-off the Walk for Wildwood early!

Send out a last chance appeal via email or social media with our team page link!

Enjoy the 2015 Walk for Wildwood!

Team T-shirts & Signs

Each walker that registers will receive a 2015 Walk for Wildwood with their registration fee, but many teams decide to show their spirit by creating unique t-shirts and signs to highlight their team members.

For the first time this year your team can enter our Team Spirit Contest, where your team’s t-shirts, signs, and overall creativity will be judged!

Here are some tips!

Be Creative! The more unique your

shirt or team theme is the more you

will stand out.

Tell your story! What is the meaning

behind your team name? Where does

your inspiration come from?

Are you a loyal walker? Don’t have

time to create a team t-shirt? Wear a

“throwback” Walk for Wildwood t-shirt

from past years to demonstrate your

commitment!

Looking for the 2015 Walk for

Wildwood Logo to incorporate into

8 Simple Steps to Raise $500 Online You may want to share these steps with your team members!

1. Register online at www.firstgiving/wildwood and create a

personalized fundraising page with a $500 goal.

2. Sponsor yourself for $25 with your registration fee!

3. Send out emails to family and friends asking for support!

4. Ask 5 friends to support you with a $25 donation.

5. Ask 5 co-workers to support you with a $20 donation.

6. Ask people in your community, like your doctor, hair

dresser, mechanic, dentist, and accountant for a $25 donation.

7. Get 10 family members to each support you with a $10

donation.

8. Celebrate! You just raised

$500 for Walk for Wildwood! Enjoy your sweatshirt!

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Is there a registration fee? A: Yes, in an effort to increase our overall fundraising totals there will be a registration fee this year that includes a 2015 Walk for Wildwood t-shirt. Early Bird Registration: If you register online, via mail or phone by October 2nd we are offering a reduced registration fee of $15, which includes a 2015 Walk for Wildwood t-shirt. Registration: If you register after October 2nd including at the door the registration fee is $25 for Adults and $15 for Children under 12 years of age. This fee includes a 2015 Walk for Wildwood t-shirt (if available) Q: Do I have to send in my donations? Can I bring them with me to the Walk? A: Yes, you can bring your donations with you to the Walk or you can mail them as soon as you get them with your name and the donor’s information for each gift to:

Wildwood Foundation 2995C Curry Road Extension

Schenectady, NY 12303 Q: Who should checks be made payable to? A: Checks for registration fees and outright donations should be made payable to Wildwood Programs. Q: Do I have to register online? A: No, but it’s highly encouraged. By registering online you will have the ability to create a personalized fundraising page which will allow you to maximize your fundraising abilities by sending the link out to family and friends. However, if you are not interested simply fill out the registration brochure and send it back or call Jenn at (518)836-2318. Q: I am having a problem with the firstgiving website, who can help? A: Feel free to call Jenn at (518)836-2318 for assistance!

Q: What happens if it rains the day of the Walk? A: The 2015 Walk for Wildwood is scheduled “rain or shine”! Don’t see the answer to your question here? Contact Jenn Cooper, Wildwood Foundation Events Coordinator at (518)836-2318 or via email at jcooper@wildwoodprograms.org