Fundraising Ideas

by Jill Jones

Fundraising is an important part of Challenge Walk MS. My advice to anyone who participates in the Challenge Walk is to ask people to help you, either your Challenge Walk teammates or other friends, family and community organizations. Working with other people makes fundraising so much more fun. It requires someone to take the first step, to initiate the idea, and when you see that idea flourish, it becomes something very special. 

I am part of the “Survivors-Out Move, Out Last” team and every year our team has a goal to get everyone to the Celebration Club, which is to raise at least $2,500. This year, in my second year of the Challenge Walk MS, I personally set a goal to double that. 

As mentioned in my last blog post, our team started the Milton Mud Challenge three years ago in hopes of raising enough money for every member of the team to participate in the Challenge Walk MS. (More about that later.) Our team also holds other fundraisers during the year to increase the awareness of MS and to raise as much money as possible. These are ideas that might work for you too!    

·         Pin Up sales. You can get these from the National MS Society and ask a business to put them up. This is an easy fundraiser and creates a lot of awareness for MS.

·         Make and sell decorative flower hair pins. Some of our team members are hair and color specialists so they sell these at their salon. 

·         Collection jar. These same team members also have a jar at their salon that they collect money in for our team.

·         Sell T-shirts.  A local organization sold T-shirts and donated the money to our team.

·         Send letters. Don’t be afraid to ask people in a good old-fashioned letter. People like a personal touch and if you take time to send a letter to them, they might be happy to help you out by donating to your cause.

·         Hold a fun run/walk. One team member and the Evansville Health Club hosted “Huffin for a Stuffin” on Thanksgiving morning, and the 4-H club I am part of hosted the “Shamrock Shuffle” in March in Cambria.  

We have also held roller skating parties and bake sales.  

This Saturday, August 24^th, embarks the 3^rd annual Milton Mud Challenge. Our “Survivors- Out Move, Out Last” team started this fundraiser as a way to gain funds for the Challenge Walk MS three years ago. This year our goal is to raise $40,000. We have over 650 people registered and although the event is a lot of work to host, it is worth it. Our team really works together on this event and makes it a lot of fun. The reason for the event is what makes it work so well: to find a cure for MS! 

Jill and her sister Heidi