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Team Captain Guide
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
Welcome and Thank You!
Welcome to CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For
Cystic Fibrosis Canada! This is Cystic Fibrosis
Canada’s largest event dedicated to raising
awareness and funds in support of cystic fibrosis
research and patient care. Each spring, thousands
of families, friends, coworkers and neighbors lace
up their sneakers at nearly 70 walks across the
country to help find a cure or effective control for
cystic fibrosis. Since 2005, our participants and
volunteers have raised an incredible $21 million!
Thank you for registering as a Captain. You are
going to be a powerful force in the fight against
cystic fibrosis! Together Everyone Achieves More!
This Team Captain Guide will provide you with the
information necessary to help you in your new
role including recruitment, fundraising and
engagement. You can also find great resources
under the Fundraising tab found online at
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides.
This success can only be achieved with team
captains, like you, who make it happen. Thank
you for helping us take great strides in the fight
against cystic fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis Canada staff and volunteers will be
in touch throughout the next few months with
additional information, tips and encouragement to
help you along the way.
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
1 in 25
Canadians carry the
gene responsible for
cystic fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis Canada
When Cystic Fibrosis Canada began in 1960, children born with CF were not
expected to live long enough to attend kindergarten. Now, many people with
cystic fibrosis are living into their 40’s, 50’s and beyond.
We've made incredible progress in the fight against cystic fibrosis, but we still
have a long way to go. Far too many lives are being cut short by this
devastating disease.
In just two generations, donors, researchers and clinicians have changed the
face of this disease from one of despair to one of hope.
Join us now as we close in on a cure.
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is the most common, fatal genetic disease affecting
young Canadians. There is no cure.
A defective gene and its protein product cause people living with cystic fibrosis
to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to lifethreatening infections. This mucus also obstructs the pancreas and stops
natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.
Great progress has been made in the fight against cystic fibrosis, but there is
still so much more to be done. That’s why your participation as a CF
Champion is so important.
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
The Role of a Team Captain
1. Team Captains are incredibly important to the Walk’s success! Your role is to:
2. Create a team name and assemble a team of walkers
3. Create a team fundraising page with a story and a picture of your team
4. Encourage team members to set up their own personal profiles online to make it
easy for family, friends, and co-workers to give their support
5. Set a team fundraising goal and encourage your team to reach that goal
6. Work with your team to develop fun fundraising ideas that you can do together
7. Thank, reward and celebrate with your teammates as your goals are met!
Getting Started!
Here are a few tips to help you build your team:
 Build your team’s online walk page. Complete your page with pictures, stories
and videos before asking others to join your team. This will help build excitement
and enthusiasm among your future team members. It will also inspire them to
complete their personal fundraising page
 Visit the Fundraising Tips and Tools page, under Fundraise>Fundraising Tips
and Tools: visit www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides to find helpful information
 Call and email your friends, family and coworkers to support you and your
team. Ask each team member to recruit three other team members. Even if they
say no, odds are they may donate
 Get social. If you are active on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), use
them to get the word out about your team. Tweet or post with a message about the
walk and why you are participating. Provide a link to your team page so that people
can easily register online
 Forward your message. Ask your network to forward your recruitment email to
their friends and family. This will expand your team beyond your original circle
 Follow up. Sometimes people are too busy to register when your first invite arrives.
A personal phone call to let everyone know how important it is to register for the
walk is a great reminder
 Organize a kick-off meeting. Use this meeting to recruit members, set
fundraising goals and plan some fun fundraising events! Most importantly, tell
people you are participating & why!
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
Sample Email To Recruit Members
Dear [Name],
My team and I are participating in the CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk for Cystic
Fibrosis Canada, and we would love you to join our team! The walk takes place on
Sunday, May 31, 2015 in <location>. This event unites communities in supporting the
nearly 4,000 Canadians living with cystic fibrosis and helps to fund research and
awareness to find a cure for this devastating disease.
I would like to invite you to join my team and together we can raise funds for this very
important cause. To join my team visit www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides and search
for our team <team name>.
We look forward to working together to make a difference in our community!
Thank you!
[Insert Your Name]
Team Fundraising Steps
Fundraising as a team can be fun and easy. Together you can think about what you
can do together
Here are a few steps to get you started:
Who to ask
Individual Goal: $100
Ask a parent or your significant other
Individual Goal $250
$25
$25
$25
$75
for a pledge
As a friend to pledge
(3 friends @ $25 each)
Ask a relative to pledge you
$25
$50
(2 relatives @ $25 each)
Ask a co-worker to pledge you
$25
$100
(4 co-workers @ $25 each)
Total: Individual Goal
Total: Team Goal
$100
$250
$1,000
$2,500
(team of 10)
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
 Set a team goal. Decide on a team fundraising goal, and what you expect each
team member to contribute to reach this goal. The importance of goals simply
cannot be understated; teams who set goals are far more likely to raise funds.
When your teammates help to decide on the goal, they’ll feel more pride in the
outcome. As a group, discuss fundraising ideas and strategy.
 Be the first person to donate. Walkers who start their fundraising with a selfdonation typically raise double the amount compared to those who don’t, so be
the first to support your team, build momentum and excitement. Your gift will
also show other donors and your teammates that you are dedicated to the
cause, and excited to raise funds.
 Use the print and online tools. Each team member can build a personal
fundraising page complete with pictures and stories. Sample fundraising e-mails
are available to your team, and there is a Facebook fundraising application to
help you promote, engage, and fundraise straight from your profile. You will also
have access to posters, pledge forms, fundraising tips and ideas and much more
on the Fundraising Resource section on the website.
 Reach out to your community & workplace. Ask family, friends, co-workers,
neighbors and other community members to donate to your team.
 Connect with your local Cystic Fibrosis Canada chapter. Our volunteers
and staff have a wealth of information, tools and ideas that can help you and
your team get started. Call your local chapter to share fundraising tactics and/or
to ask their opinion about how to best reach your goal.
Corporate Involvement
Some of your best relationships are at the workplace so why not get your co-workers
involved! Ask your company to provide hats, t-shirts or jerseys to those who join your
team. Keep your company informed – ask to speak at company departmental
meetings about your team. Look beyond your workplace – ask vendors, suppliers,
family and friends to help represent the company.
Corporate Matching
Many companies will match the funds raised by their employees in order to support
and encourage their charitable activities. Please check with your employer to find out
whether your company has a Matching Gift Program and don’t forget to ask your
donors to ask about the program at their companies. Your employers can provide a
cheque for their matching contribution or they can make a donation on the Great
StridesTM walk website. Please ensure that the name of the individual or team that
the donation is supporting is on the cheque or accompanying letter.
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
Event Day
Cystic Fibrosis Canada is excited to meet the incredible members of your team
who worked hard to raise funds in support of cystic fibrosis research and
patient care.
Here are a few tips to ensure that your team’s big day is a great success:
1. Stay in regular communication. As event day approaches, email your
team with inspirational quotes, stories and videos.
2. Host a team meeting. Arrange for a final team meeting to collect
donations and pledge forms, and to establish event day logistics. Be sure
to check the weather and pack accordingly.
3. Create a rally point. Pick a location to meet your team before opening
ceremonies.
4. Take pictures. Capture your team’s spirit in pictures that you can share
with your teammates and company post-event.
5. Bring a company banner. This will help build brand awareness and
showcase Siemens Canada’s commitment to your community.
6. Dress with pride. In addition to your walk t-shirt, your team may want to
wear fun costumes, hats or buttons to express team pride.
7. Celebrate. Join in the festivities at your walk location. You should be
proud of your accomplishments in the fight against cystic fibrosis.
Infection Control Policy
Please note that persons with CF
should refer to Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s
Infection Control Policy regarding
attendance at Cystic Fibrosis Canadasponsored events. Please visit
www.cysticfibrosis.ca for more
information.
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
Post Event
Post-event wrap up can be just as important as planning
for the walk!
Here are a few ideas to recognize your team and
donors:
1. Collect outstanding donations. Mail any post
event donations to your local Cystic Fibrosis
Canada chapter.
2. Send a thank you note. Be sure to thank your
team members and donors, let them know how
much you rose and why their donation is so
important.
3. Celebrate. Recognize your team in internal
communications. Celebrate the top fundraisers,
and highlight employee and friends success
stories.
4. Execute company-wide messaging thanking
employees for their participation. These messages
should include top-down communication so that
employees feel a commitment from your
organizations leaders.
Thank you for taking on this very important leadership
role as a CF Champion for the 2015 walk. Your
commitment is critical as we work together to find a
cure or effective control for cystic fibrosis.
We are here to help you every step of the way. If you
any questions, please contact your local Cystic Fibrosis
Canada chapter, or contact our national office at 1-800378-2233 or great.strides@cysticfibrosis.ca
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides
CARSTAR’s Great Strides™ Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Canada Team Captain
Team Recognition
Recognizing your team members, their contributions and hard
work is very important. There are many ways to do this but you
might consider the following:
• When major milestones are reached (i.e. your team reaches its
fundraising goal) – celebrate! Send an email to let people know,
congratulate each of your teammates, host a team lunch –
whatever you do, recognize team accomplishments.
• Create unique awards for your team and hand them out after
walk day (e.g. most creative fundraiser).
• The top twenty fundraising teams in the country are listed on
the walk fundraising website – make sure everyone knows
when your team is on it.
• Create a thermometer to track your team fundraising efforts
and post it in a common area (e.g. on your fridge at home or in
your lunch room) – both your supporters and your teammates
will be able to follow your progress and celebrate as your total
increases.
Thank You!
www.cysticfibrosis.ca/greatstrides