The online auction opens on May 16....please spread the word for this very important part of our Relay for Life.  We have made good money with this, money towards a cure....but we have to spread the word!!!  Another thing important to do - check out the fund raisers listed on the main page and support your fellow Relay"ers"!  And, last but not least....ask....Ask people for a donation.  I have said it before....people may not donate if they are not asked.  You know to use your email, Facebook, Twitter....pick up the phone and ask...mail a letter and ask.  You should be PROUD of what you are doing...this is not a time to be shy.  People who have cancer are not given a choice - they have to be brave.  As a Relay participant, we need to try and be brave and ask for donations.  Ask your teachers if you can do a "Coin Challenge"...ask your boss if you can do a Silent Auction for a half or full day off.....do the "old school" Friday jeans/hat/flip flop day if people make a donation.  Have a bake sale at work!!!  Good luck...and pat yourself on the back - every single dollar raised, every bit of awareness you raise makes a difference.

I know this is about the one millionth time I have mentioned this.....Please send out emails with your Relay information.  It is the easiest way to let people know what you are doing.  And...if you are shy about asking, put it in words and send it via email.  I have also said before, the number one reason given that people do not donate, is they were not asked.  Over the years of doing Relay, I have been moved by the people who have said "thank you for letting me honor a loved one with a donation".  Ten dollars....a hundred dollars....it does not matter.  People mention they are too busy to have a tag sale, a fund raiser, etc....but really I think everyone has a few minutes to send out emails.  Personalize your page, say why you Relay....and send it out!!!

It is very, very fun to decorate your tent site!  Be creative and remember the theme - BIRTHDAYS!!!  You can't find an easier theme.  You do not need to spend very much money decorating your tent.  Las Mamacitas has used paper plates every year since their second year to decorate in some way.  Balloons are easy and pretty inexpensive.  Another sure bet - the Dollar Store....especially for birthday stuff.  Be creative...make yourself a poster or banner with your team name and display it proudly!  Be sure and check out the previous post to see what fun awards will be given out!

Look at all the fun awards that will be given out the night of Relay!!!  As the mentor team, Las Mamacitas will not be participating in the contests, but we will be doing the judging and recruiting some "celebrity" judges as well!!!  Use your imagination and have fun.  Most awards will have an award for teams made up of mostly youths, as well as the adult teams!  It is going to be a fun night!

If you take a minute and go through the archives in this blog, you will find EIGHTY FOUR fund raising ideas that have been posted!  One of them might just be your ticket to a great way to fund raise!  There is everything from selling homemade dog biscuits to ideas of things to sell the night of Relay! 

Support each other whenever possible......no doubt it is fund raising "season".  If you have the chance and can do it,  remember to support other teams!  We are all fighting the same fight!  And....it is sure a chance to have some GREAT fun for a GREAT cause and to do some GREAT shopping for a GREAT cause.  Be sure and check out the Fund Raising section on the Relay home page to see what is going on!!!
 

I know that a tag sale....yard sale...garage sale....whatever you like to call it is nothing new.  And....I know I have mentioned it more than one time on this blog.  There is a reason!  They are a great way to make money for your Relay team.  They take a little planning....find a location.....put up fliers around town, create an event on facebook, get it listed on the Newtown Patch.  All inexpensive or free ways to advertise your sale.  Location is important.  Who on your team has the best area with decent parking?  Select a time, round up your tables, and then show up with your items at least an hour before your time starts and set up.  We did a tag sale in September on a Saturday from 9am - 2pm.  We all showed up with our junk priced and set it up and off we went.....all the way to $500 in a few hours.  And...we got rid of stuff!  Anything left over we donated to the Goodwill.  We also had a very fun day.  You can take it one step further and have a bake sale at the same time....you can set up a Luminaria and sell those as well.  You just can't find a better way to earn money without spending money!  Yes, it is a little work, but it is worth it!

A wonderful way to raise money.....email and even the old fashioned way.....mail!  The Relay web site makes it very, very easy to send out emails asking for donations.  And....they make it very easy to send thank you emails, which is so very important.  Can't think of who to ask?  Here is a list that we found and a quick way to get FORTY NAMES FAST.....   Here you go....

Come up with five names from each of these categories & you will have forty people!
1.  Family Friends
2.  Neighbors
3.  Dentists/Doctors/Barber/Hair Dresser
4.  Former Teachers/Church Members/Coaches
5.  Immediate Family
6.  Extended Family
7.  Friends
8.  Co-Workers/Fellow Students

You may not know five from each category, but you get the general idea.  We read an article one time that said "the number one reason that people do not donate to a cause is they were never asked".  And, the best part is.....you do not need to ask for a lot of money - just what they can and would like to give.  It all matters and it all makes a difference.  If they are unable to donate, that is fine too - maybe they will come to Relay or at least just be happy to know about what you are doing and why!

It seemed a little silly for just one person to be the team mentor - after all, one person does not make up a team!!!  Las Mamactias is happy to be the Mentor Team!  We have been doing Relay for a long time and we love it!  We want to help anyone that has any questions, and we want to share our ideas and our tips.  NO team has to fund raise as much as we do....or as often as we do.  We are not here to compete against each other.  We are all here to compete against cancer.  


We have done so many different things....tag sales, bunco games, wine tastings, sold cookie dough...you name it!  And...let me tell you - the number one way we raise money is to send out emails and to just ask.  We tell people why we Relay and we ask for donations.  That is something that anyone and everyone can do.  And....you have to understand - that $10 makes a difference - it all adds up.  That could be the $10 that caused the advancement in a cure - YOUR $10....everyone's contribution matters.  Just your time.....come to Relay....see what it is all about.....you can do what you are comfortable with.  But....if you have a question or want some ideas, find a Mamacita and ask away!

There is a reason that fundraisers like Car Washes still exist!  When done right, they make money!  It may seem like a long time until we get warm weather, but it is Spring and warm weather will come and stick around.  Start now planning your Car Wash.  There are a lot of groups in town that do these, so talk to your team, pick a date and most importantly.....find a location.  You are going to find the usual spots around town already booked if you wait to late.  Then, get the word out!  Send the information to the Relay website and have your fund raiser listed.  Make up some fliers and put them around town....create an event on Facebook and send it to people in town!   Find a spot, get the word out.....and wash some cars to help find a cure!!!

Fund raising opportunity....The Newtown Woman's Club is holding a "Clear the Clutter Tailgate Tag Sale".  For $25 your team can purchase a spot and you can sell your clutter and raise money for your team.  It is a win-win situation!  The Woman's Club has done all the work of securing the location and advertising the event....they make money for their good cause and your team makes money for a good cause!  The sale is happening on Saturday, April 30 from 8am - 4pm at the Newtown Middle School parking lot.  You need to make a reservation for your parking spot, where you can set up a table and SELL!!!  For reservations and any questions, give Anna Wiedemann a call at 203-426-1035.

Fund Raising Tip.......If you are having an event and sending out invitations, do not overlook sending an invitation via the mail!  They do not have to be fancy, but it can be a standout to get an invitation in the mail, instead of online via Evite or email.  This gives people an actual piece of paper to "put on the fridge" and may be a good reminder.  Follow up via email or Evite if you want to.....just a tip you may want to try!

It is time to tell your story.....and you all have one.  Every single person who participates in Relay for Life has a story.  They have a reason why they Relay.  You need to share your story.  Even if your story is a simple one....you want to help find a cure.  I am dedicating my Relay to three very important loved ones.  You can read all about it on my page.  There is something very important about letting people know....you are asking them to donate money to you.  If you are asking them to take the time to do this....you need to take the time to make your Relay page personal.  It only takes a few minutes and makes a world of difference.  Follow the directions when you sign in and tell your story.  Please put on a special picture.  It can be of anything important to you.  A lot of people put a picture of their children on - they want Cancer cured in their kids lifetime....put a picture of yourself up....just make it personal.  There are special sizes that a picture must be to put it on your site.  Shrink Pictures will help you - follow the directions on the page, download your picture, and choose 350 pixels and better quality.  Make it YOUR page!!!  Click here to go to Shrink Pictures.  

With this post I want everyone to stop and take a minute to remember why we all Relay....we may have different reasons, but they are all good reasons.  My husband and I lost a dear friend to cancer today - my husband dedicated his Relay to this friend last year.  So, while we are all busy forming teams, going to meetings, raising money.....and sometimes it all seems a little hectic....take a minute and remember why we all do this and why it is one of the most important things you can ever do.

What a great and fun fund raising idea!!!  The Oscars are going to be televised on February 27th.  Invite a few or a lot of friends over and host a fun Oscar party.  There are many ways you can do this to raise money for Relay.  You can charge each person "admission"....you provide as much or as little food as you like.  Popcorn and sodas will do, or you can have more!  Ask your team members to each make one appetizer to spread out the cost and the time involved.  Click here for a link to a party planning page from the Academy of Arts and Sciences.  This will give you so many great ideas and also a form you can download and print that is an Oscar Ballot.  You can have people pay to participate and the winner takes home half the money and half goes to Relay (or who knows, they might be generous and donate their half, too).  There are forms for Oscar Bingo too - they are really fun.  Again, you could charge money to play Bingo....a lot of good party ideas on this link.  Just a thought....since the Oscars are on a Sunday night and go quite late, you could record the show and have the party on another night!  That way you can set the time and fast forward through the commercials. You might not be able to do the Oscar ballots, but you could sure still play Bingo.  If you did the party later, send out a ballot as an invitation and ask people, before the awards are televised to pick their winners!  Announce who won the contest at your party!  And the Oscar goes to..........!!!

The kick off meeting for Relay is just around the corner!  Now is a perfect time to start forming your team.  You need a minimum of eight people to form a team.  I have had a team with as many as 21 people....too many!  Find a number that works for you and a group that you can get together to decide what you are going to do for Relay.  Do not be afraid to ask people to join your team.....the worst that can happen?  They say no and you look elsewhere.  Ask your friends...co-workers....neighbors.....friends at church.....people you are in class with...  Are you in a club?  See if your club would like to have a team.  Then...formulate your plan on how you are going to raise your money for Relay.  The first time I ever went to a Relay meeting it was in March.  The meetings started in January and I wandered into a March meeting seven years ago and fell in love with Relay.  You can do as much or as little as you want.....it is all about working together to find a cure!  Good luck, happy fund raising and Let's Get Ready to RELAY!!!!

I know that Newtown is pretty "over" the snow....but it is January and there may be more to come!  How about shoveling for donations?  You never know if you don't ask.  Make up some fliers and put them in your neighbor's mailboxes...or send out emails.....just be sure that you are letting them know what you are doing.  Also, remember one of my favorite "good ideas"....the use of the words minimum donation.  You can say you will shovel a sidewalk for a minimum donation of $15, but they can certainly donate more!  Remember, too that a person does not have to give you cash or even write you a check, they can go directly online to your personal web page and put on a tax deductible donation on their credit card.  Happy shoveling!

There are 152 days left until Relay....if you save $1.00 a day from now until then.....well, you would have $150.00 towards a CURE!!!  If you can't do a dollar a day, remember to just throw all of your change in a bank or a can and you will be surprised at how much you will have when it comes time to count it and put it on your site.  Challenge your family members or co-workers and see who can come up with the most change...this change could make a BIG change in someone's life!  Happy New Year!!!