If you're planning an awareness or fundraising event, please remember a few things....
1. Let us know so I can add it to the site / newsletter / calendar, etc.
2. Let us know so we can attend if we're nearby!
3. Post, ask questions.... many of us have experience and can help!
4. Make sure no one else is doing the same / similar fundraiser in your area.
We're having some trouble with #4. 2 blood drives to raise awareness are awesome... even in the same town - as long as they aren't at the same time. That would be a bit competitive and not about the point - awareness and helping people.
2 unique events in the same area by different groups as competition.... kind of tacky. If you know another group is holding an event in your area - don't try to hold the same type of event. Just common courtesy.
For example, Bethany's organization, The Jack Ryan Gillham Foundation, holds a golf tournament in her state. CHERUBS holds golf tournaments. Would we ever hold golf tournaments in Arkansas, where the JRGF is? No because that would competition and rude and well, just plain tacky. And Bethany wouldn't hold one in NC because she has more class than that. If Bethany (sorry, Bethany - you're a great example because you have so much class!)... wanted to hold a hot air balloon race... something so different and original - would we start one? No, again, that would be tacky. (but ohhhh I kind of like that idea as I just came up with it tryng to find an example no one has done. Hmmmm).
The same with the CDH Awareness Day stuff - BoH started that, we respect it and wouldn't do the same thing because we have class. (if you're a member of BoH and are participating in that - that's great, not what we mean - I mean we wouldn't compete with them). We started the formal ball idea and the NC golf tournaments, international conference, research surveys, new member packets... a long list of things... we're creative without stepping on toes or being rude. Sarah's doing a car show in Ohio... she shouldn't have to worry about someone else doing a car show in the same area (I don't think there is, just an example!).
Now, some well known fundraisers and events like blood drives, raffles, picnics, walks, ribbons, tournaments, etc - basic charity events. We're not talking about those. We're talking about original ideas and respecting them. We're talking about not planning the same events for the same areas and competing with other organizations. There are a lot of CDH organizations now and I just want it to be known that CHERUBS and our members mind our manners and we're about raising awareness and helping families and not competition.
So if you have an idea or event you're planning.... post it here! This particular awareness forum is PUBLIC - all other groups can and do read what goes on so hopefully since they know what events we are doing, they will be respectful as well and we can all work together in raising awareness for CDH and fundraising for our organizations in a polite, dignified way with class.
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