Getting started

[KatieValasek]

My family and I are wanting to do a walk for CDH in our town sometime in the fall. No one has a clue as to where you begin to set something like this up. I'm sure there are people here who can help, so any advice is appreciated. We would alos love it if you could come as well. It will be in the Owosso, MI area.
Thanks! :)

[AmyMiles]

Hmm I am not sure, but I know my aunt started a cancer walk in our home town in memory of my Grandpa. I will ask her. I would love to come to it!

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

I haven't ever done a walk, but I know several here have and hopefully they will chime in with some advice. :)

[Corin Nava]

I don't have any advice.... but just wanted to say it sounds like a great idea! Keep us updated!

[KimberlySwitzer]

I love the idea!! I haven't done it but I have been thinking about it so let me know how it goes!

[sarah.deskins]

I would start with some flyers, and of course get your family involved.
A sunday would be a good day to do it on, and plan in advance, its amazing how time consuming charity work can be! :)

[PennyCampsey]

good luck, i have never done one either :(

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Hi Katie, how is planning going? Feel free to download our CDH brochures or any other literature you might need! :)

It is VERY time consuming planning an event so do give yourself plenty of time to plan!

I'm thinking maybe at our future conferences we should try to do walks and balloon releases so I'm really interested in how you're doing this!!! Please keep us updated and whatever help we can give, we'll do it! :)

[Barbara and KevinWagner]

Hi Katie! I am in Flint (near Flushing) and would love to know how far you have gotten on this?! I will help in any way that I can also!! Have you found a spot to hold the event? How exciting!

I can not believe that I missed this post!! Katie and I are almost neighbors! LOL

Barb

[KatieValasek]

We're doing the walk from Owosso to Corunna. There is a path about 2 or 3 miloes long that runs along the Shiawassee River that woul dbe perfect. We have the YMCA interested in sponsoring the event, they just wanted some information on CHERUBS. We would like to have shirts made for all the participants, and it would be great to find a place to make them cheap (if anyone knows of someone let me know). I would like the proceeds to go to CHERUBS, so Dawn, I need to know how to have that set up. DO we just send the money after the event, or do you need to do anything in advance?

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Hi Katie! You can just send the money after the event. If anyone wants a tax-deduction then I need their full information and the amount they donated.

For shirts, we use Cafepress. If you want me to set up a section there for you, let me know. Do you have a special logo?

Do you have a date set yet?

[KateC]

Katie that is so wonderful! I am glad to hear you got YMCA to help! A walk sounds like a wonderful annual event if all pans out well. I really like that idea, I'll have to keep it in the back of my mind for next summer/fall!

[Bethany Gillham]

We started a non-profit in memory of our son Jack so I do know a little about planning events, but we've never had a walk. As far as the t-shirts go, there are places (Of course, I'm not from Michigan, but I assume it's the same there.) that will either donate the t-shirts or give them to you at a very discounted rate (like not charging a design or printing fee) if the proceeds are going to benefit a charity or non-profit. Cherubs happens to be both. :) So anyway, just a suggestion.

Good luck with planning the walk. I wish I could attend, but I live faaaaaarrrr away!! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help from over here.

Love,
Bethany

[AmyMiles]

KAtie its great to hear that you have an interested sponsor. I know we will be interested in coming!

[KatieValasek]

We don't have the date set yet but we're thinking the begining of October. It depended on if the YMCA was willing to sponsor it, then we would have to see when is OK with them. As for the Logo we want to have the CHERUBS name on the shirt, along with Jayden's name and our sponsors. We were hoping to find a local company who would help design and print them for a good price. We just have to start looking and asking locally I guess.
Dawn, The YMCA has asked what exactly the money would go towards. They wanted to know if it was all going toward the up keep of CHERUBS website and events, or does it also go toward any kind of research. I wasn't exactly sure where it would all go, so I said I would check and get back with her. Whta would be the best answer to that?

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Well, Katie, you can decide where you want it to go. We need funds for all the above so you can decide. But we especially need Information Packets for new families so if you want to help with that we post Jayden's name on the as a sponsor. :)

[KatieValasek]

Alright sounds good. When the time comes We will just want it to go to whatever is needed the most.