She’s the Queen of Volunteers and Transporter of Socks

Diane Hackbarth (right) sparkles in her tiara with Challenge Walk MS
participant Cindy LeBlanc at the 2015 event.

Diane Hackbarth has been a familiar face at Challenge WalkMS since 2010. A long-time Walk MS participant, she added the three-day, 50-mile event to her annual schedule out of dedication to her daughter, who was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago.

Hackbarth was unofficially crowned as the “Queen of Volunteers and Transporter of Socks” at this year’s Challenge Walk in recognition of the amount of volunteer work she does for the National MS Society. In addition to leading the Walk MS: Sheboygan committee and helping throughout the weekend at Challenge Walk each year, she crosses state lines to participate in Bike MS: Twin Cities. 

At Challenge Walk itself, Hackbarth helps out in a number of ways, including transporting the walkers’ half-day bags (which often contain a fresh pair of socks) to and from the lunch stop each day.

What is it about Challenge Walk that keeps her coming back?

“It’s all about the people,” Hackbarth said. “I’ve met so many wonderful people from all over the state, all over the country. It’s a vacation to come here and spend time with them again.

“I do this because 10 years ago my daughter was diagnosed with MS and I found out that MS is stronger than a mom’s kiss – I couldn’t kiss it and make it better,” she added. “So I volunteer to raise money for the people who can [make it better], and they’re doing wonderful work. As long as they’re making progress, I’ll keep volunteering.”

Ask the NP

Challenge Walk MS 2015 participant Jay Saunders recently shared his story about being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis through the Ask the NP blog.

Thanks, Jay, for raising MS awareness!

They Kept Me Going

See that hat in the middle? It has seen close to 500 miles, touring with its owner, Heather Schuster, for a ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 2006 and accompanying her as she trained for Challenge Walk MS throughout 2015.

“That was the original hat that started it all,” explained Michelle Evans, who joined Schuster’s team, Not Fast – Just Furious.

Schuster’s sister, Summer Mark, joined too.

And so did their matching hats.

“I bought a new one for the walk and it ended up being a tiny bit too big. I thought, I’m putting the original back on,” said Schuster, who proudly showed off a hole forming near the brim – a sure sign of good use.

“I was diagnosed with MS in 2012 and I’m turning 50 this year and so it seemed like I should walk 50 miles,” Schuster explained. “Summer and Michelle, one sister by blood and one sister by choice, were willing to come along. I don’t think I would have done it without them to train with. It’s one thing to do it this weekend but it’s another thing to train every weekend. They kept me going.”

Summer Mark, Heather Schuster and Michelle Evans were three of 50
first-time participants at Challenge Walk MS 2015. They joined in honor of
Heather’s 50th birthday and, together, raised nearly $5,500.

Scare Up Some Ideas

Themed rest stops are part of the fun at Challenge Walk MS – and post-Halloween sales are a great time to get ideas for next year and stock up on supplies! Can you volunteer to host a rest stop in 2016? Contact Kristin at kristin.raeber@nmss.org for details.

Registration Fee Increases Saturday

The 9th Anniversary Challenge Walk MS Special Offer expires today. Don't miss this last chance to sign up for next year's Challenge Walk MS for just $99. The fee returns to its regular price of $125 on Saturday.

Save $26! Sign up now.

Last Chance for a Tech Tee

There are a few days left to purchase one of those stylish tech tees everyone was wearing during Challenge Walk MS weekend. They're lightweight, comfortable, and (in the ladies' version) come complete with those cozy thumb holes! 

Get one (or another one) for yourself, or pick one up for the person who showed you the most support in your Challenge Walk fundraising and training this year. The shirts are $25 each, plus $5 for shipping. 

Orders close on Sunday, so get yours in by October 31.

Click here to place your order. 

Because Mom Said So

“My daughter and I decided we wanted to have some sort of an adventure. I saw this and thought, ‘All right, this is it.’” That’s how Laura Chastain explained how she and her daughter Anna became two of this year’s Challenge Walk MS rookie participants. They named their team “because Mom Said so”.

Anna carried her mom piggy-back style
when walking got to be too much.

To help raise the $1,500 fundraising minimum each needed to reach, Laura invited people to sign her shirt from Walk MS for $2 a signature. Most people gave more. “It was a hoot! Neighbors and relatives and people at the coffee shop donated, people at the neighborhood festival. Most people gave more than $2, and one person had a very emotional reaction so it became a bonding thing,” Laura said. She also used an online participant page to collect donations.

Laura trained for a year prior to
Challenge Walk MS weekend. She
said leg strengthening exercises
made a huge difference.

Laura, who used to participate in Bike MS: TOYOTA Best Dam Bike Tour but hasn’t been able to since 2011 as her MS advanced, also knew she needed to build up her stamina for the other challenge of Challenge Walk MS – covering 30-50 miles across Door County in three days. “I challenged myself to see if I could gain some leg strength and walk further. Over a year I went from walking ¾ of a mile to walking two to three miles at a time several times a week; twice, I walked five miles! I asked my trainer for leg strengthening ideas and that made a huge difference.”

The training helped Laura cover approximately seven miles each of the three days, and when walking became too much, 19-year-old Anna stepped in, literally carrying her mom piggy-back style during some portions of the route. For their tenacity and tenderness, the mom-and-daughter duo was selected from among the 50 first-time event participants to be recognized as the Challenge Walk MS 2015 Rookies of the Year.

Thank Yous, Tech Tees and Photos Galore

Thank You,
Challenge Walkers!
You took up the fight and accepted the challenge … going from “I Can Do This” to “I Did It!” by covering up to 50 miles and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. Already you’ve pushed the eight-year total past the $2.5 million mark. Keep at it!

Sign Up for 2016
Next year’s Challenge Walk MS will be September 16-18. Take advantage of the 9th anniversary special offer: register for $99 (a $26 savings) when you sign up by October 30, 2015. Click here to register NOW.
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Your Opinion Matters
Click here to take the Challenge Walk MS 2015 survey and let us know what you liked the most and what can be improved. And remember, planning for the 10th anniversary event in 2017 is beginning. Contact Nichole Shaffer at the Chapter (nichole.shaffer@nmss.org or 262-369-4416) if you would like to help or have ideas to share.


Send Us Your Selfies
Cameras were clicking throughout Challenge Walk weekend. Find those photos on the Wisconsin Chapter’s Flickr page (you can download them for free). Have some pictures to share? Email them to info.wisMS@nmss.org and we’ll post them for you. Sharing on your own Facebook page? Use #ChallengeWalkMSWI. Extra special thanks to volunteer photographers John Kalson, Bettina Heller, and Daryl, Dan and Casandra Holen for keeping everyone smiling throughout the weekend and capturing some fantastic shots.


And, Yes, Tech Tees Are Still Available!
Wish you would have ordered one of those stylish long-sleeve gray tech tees that everyone was wearing during Challenge Walk MS weekend -- or have you received so many compliments on yours that you want to order one for a friend or family member? You still can! Click here to place your order. The shirts are $25 each, plus $5 for shipping. Hurry though -- they'll only be available for a limited time. 

The (Orange) Fashion Guy

by Jackie Piper

My husband isn’t exactly known for being dapper. By that I mean he isn’t really a fashion conscious guy. To be blunt ... some mornings when he comes down to breakfast and I see what he’s wearing, I spit out my toast. Bless his heart. He also, very endearingly, gets attached to certain pieces of clothing. If he loves a shirt, no effort on my part to discourage him from wearing it DAILY (like hiding it at the bottom of the pile) makes any difference. Over the 41 years of our marriage, his style deficit and addiction to a particular shirt has made for some interesting commentary ... as in, “Are you wearing that gold tank top with the little whales on it AGAIN??”.

However, I am happy to report that my husband’s latest shirt addiction is none other than an awesome orange polo shirt with the Challenge Walk logo on the front that I bought last year at the Challenge Walk Silent Auction. I’m not sure who donated it (Pat Heller, maybe?) but I need to track down the donor and give that person a big hug!

If you are a first time walker, you are in for a treat on Challenge Walk weekend. You not only get to walk 50 miles, fight MS, and hang out with the greatest folks you’ll ever meet ... you get to shop! Right now dozens of participants and volunteers are working on amazing donations for the Silent Auction held during the weekend. You’ll get to pick from gift certificates, decor, handmade items, themed baskets, and (if you’re lucky!) really sweet MS apparel. So bring your checkbook and get ready to bid on some very cool stuff. All the proceeds will go to the National MS Society, of course.

On the orange shirt front, I’m happy to report that the Orange Shirt goes with everything, whether it really does or not. The quality is amazing too. The color hasn’t faded one bit even after laundering every third day! And, if there is another orange shirt in the auction this year in the right size, I WILL be the high bidder. Then, the Fashion Guy can wear a bright orange MS Challenge Walk shirt every day!

Important Deadlines and Details for This Year's Challenge Walk

It all comes together next weekend as more than 200 walkers, Super Crew and Crew members gather for the 8th annual Challenge Walk MS, September 18-20. If you’re already registered to be one of them, read on for important details and deadlines below.

Get a Challenge Walk Tech Tee
A special wearable item is sold in conjunction with each year’s Challenge Walk MS. This year’s item is a long sleeve tech tee – perfect for mid-season wear with 100% polyester fabric with micro-mélange body, moisture management, decorative top stitching and thumbholes (on women’s version only). Features the Challenge Walk MS logo. Available in sizes XS-3X for women and S-3X for men. Cost: $25. Hurry – the item is only available thru TOMORROW (September 9). Click here to order. 

Rookie Call
What should you pack? What should you expect? Find out how to get the most from the experience by being part of the conference call for first-time participants TOMORROW -- Wednesday, September 9 -- at 6 p.m. CDT. Dial 888-279-3775 and use code 4804#.

Room Payments are Due
Lodging payments are due by Friday, September 11 to secure your rooming reservations. Contact Jamie Baker at jamie.baker@nmss.org or 262-369-4435 to make your payment.







Last Call for Photos and Statements
Photos and quotes describing why you’ve joined Challenge Walk MS 2015 were due last month. If you missed the deadline but want to be included in the weekend displays, email your photo and one or two short sentences describing why you’ve joined Challenge Walk MS to Nichole Shaffer at nichole.shaffer@nmss.org no later than Friday, September 11. (Photo must be 1 MB or larger, headshot preferred. Email them to Nichole Shaffer.)

Turn in Your Silent Auction Items
Planning to contribute items for the Silent Auction? Send your item descriptions (including retail value and who should receive credit) to Jamie Baker at jamie.baker@nmss.org by Friday, September 11, then drop off the items at Alpine Resort when you check in on September 17. 

Treat Yourself to a Massage
Register by noon on Wednesday, September 16 for a $30, 30-minute post-walk performance massage at Alpine Resort on Friday or Saturday (or both).

Plan to Shop the Silent Auction and Cash & Carry Boutique
Come prepared to bid on art, crafts, gift baskets and more donated by fellow participants during the weekend. A “cash and carry” section will also be available for items under $50 that can be purchased outright. Proceeds benefit the National MS Society, and the final sale amounts are applied toward the donor’s Challenge Walk fundraising total. 


Rookie Meeting
First-time participants, you’re not alone. There will be nearly 50 other rookies at this year’s event. Meet them and get all your last minute questions answered during a special meeting for first-time participants at Alpine Lodge on Thursday evening (September 17). Meet at 7 p.m. near the check-in area.


Donation Due Date
The Promise to Pay form extends your fundraising deadline to September 25. All forms should have been submitted already but if you haven’t turned yours in, call the Wisconsin Chapter office at 262-369-4400 (toll free 800-242-3358 from inside Wisconsin) this week. All donations must be turned in by September 25.


Know Where You're Going ... and What You're Doing 
The Friday, Saturday and Sunday route maps and weekend itinerary are available online now. (Routes and itinerary subject to change.) 

Submitting Your Photo and Quote for Challenge Walk MS

Photos and quotes describing why you've joined Challenge Walk MS 2015 in Door County were due Friday. 

If you missed the deadline and want to be included in the weekend displays and special event keepsake, please submit a photo of yourself along with one or two short sentences describing why you’ve joined Challenge Walk MS to Nichole Shaffer at nichole.shaffer@nmss.org this week. (Photo must be 1 MB or larger, headshot preferred.)

If you already sent in your photo and quote but didn’t hear back from the Wisconsin Chapter, please resubmit your photo and quote to Nichole at nichole.shaffer@nmss.org.

Is it a Yard Sale or a Really Inexpensive Department Store? Come See For Yourself.

by Jackie Piper

There are so many ways to raise money for the fight against MS. If you need ideas to help you toward your fundraising goal, checkout this link. 

My team, the MS WARRIORS, has used a yard sale to help us raise money for Challenge Walk every year.  I'd like to share some "Hot Tips" for a successful and easy yard sale that we've learned over the years. Here are some things that work for us:

 #1  Have an awesome sign.  The title of this post is one idea for a sign I saw on Pinterest. However, we like customers to know the WHY of our yard sale, so make sure people know you are raising money for a great cause.

#2  Have an awesome organizer in charge.  This is my daughter, Annie.  Trust me, "Organized" is her middle name.

#3  Try to collect some larger items from family and friends. Furniture sells! BIG ITEMS = BIG BUCKS.

#4  Organize (there's that word again!) and price stuff by table, not by item. Whew!! This saves you a ton of work and customers really like it. Also, don't haggle. We gently remind the cheapskates...er bargainers...that the money is for charity!

#5  Highlight your really awesome junk items.  I mean who can resist a "Gone With The Wind" ornament??? (It sold, by the way!)

 

#6  Have a "Fill the Bag" deal at the end of your sale. Our community has a Garage Sale Facebook page that lets us communicate in the moment with customers. We used the fill-the-bag-for-a-dollar approach for the last hour of our yard sale. You really don't want that stuff back, right?! And guess what? Because it's for a great cause, people will sometimes give you more than a buck!

#7 Pray for no rain. Okay, it's out of your hands, but have a contingency plan. Like an adorable child with a bright orange umbrella to show people that rain won't close you down!

Have a great sale!!

Color My World

by Jackie Piper

Only 45 days until we step off for the 2015 Challenge Walk MS in Door County. 

I’m thinking that there are not enough training days left. I’m thinking it’s time to immerse myself in the fundraising. I’m thinking I need to go get a new pair of walking shoes. I’m thinking lots of Challenge Walk-related thoughts.

But, mostly I’m thinking about orange.

As I train for the Challenge Walk and trek all over my smallish city, I try to always wear an orange shirt. I am participating in my 6th Challenge Walk, so I have many options when it comes to orange shirts. But, does color really matter? Ask the people involved in the breast cancer movement, who took the color pink and raised awareness around the world and rallied people to their cause. That sort of awareness translated into funding for research that has been instrumental in changing the outcomes for people with breast cancer.

I’d love to make “orange” the new “pink”.

I’d love to have the world identify the color orange with the movement to end MS forever. It can happen.  It starts with a t-shirt, a hat, a backpack, or ....an umbrella.

Last fall, while vacationing in Europe for my 40th anniversary, I pulled out my orange Challenge Walk MS umbrella to walk the rainy streets of a small Austrian town. The next day, I offered my arm to another woman from America as we walked down the steps of our tour boat. She asked, “Are you the lady with the orange umbrella?”  I said, “Yes, I am.”  She replied very simply, “You walk for me.” 

So let’s color our world.

Get your “orange” on.

“I feel this is something I should be doing for myself…”

Jay Saunders is taking the term milestone literally in marking the five year anniversary of his MS diagnosis by taking on the 50-mile Challenge Walk MS.

Jay Saunders took this selfie at Walk MS: Milwaukee.
He has decided to commit to Challenge Walk MS this 
year, in honor of the five-year anniversary of his MS 
diagnosis. 

A Walk MS participant since his diagnosis in 2010, he decided to make 2015 his year for Challenge Walk after talking to his colleague Fran Mclaughlin, who had done it before.

“She told me how great of an event it was and she eased any fears I had about taking this on,” he said.

“One of the big reasons I’m doing this walk is because I can. I feel blessed by the fact that, since my diagnosis, I have been relatively symptom-free. There are days I can tell I’m not my old self, but I feel this is something I should be doing for myself and for the many others impacted by this mystery disease.”

Jay was 32 when he was diagnosed. The Omaha native thought maybe it was carpal tunnel he was experiencing, but when the tingling sensation spread from his wrist up his arm and then down the side of his right leg, he knew it was time to have it checked out. He and his wife were expecting their first child at the time.

Now that baby is a “wonderful, healthy and rambunctious four-year-old girl” who will be cheering her daddy across the Challenge Walk MS finish line come September.

Asked what he’s most anxious about  … whether it’s the 50 miles of walking, the minimum $1,500 commitment, or something else … Jay said “no question, it’s the 50 miles in three days,” but that he’s doing his best to get himself in shape for it. He’s also willing to forego the big Husker game taking place that weekend – something of a major sacrifice given that he’s the founder of a University of Nebraska football/alumni group in Milwaukee.

Visit Jay’s Challenge Walk MS participant page to learn more about Challenge Walk MS, Jay’s motivation or to make a donation.

Thanks, Gus!

Did you know Alpine Resort, home to Challenge Walk MS again in 2015, is featuring Challenge Walk MS in its spring newsletter? Comments from a few of last year's participants are included! Read it here. 

Sister's Struggle Inspires Fundraiser to Fight MS

Challenge Walk MS veterans know the team name "K.O.'s Trio" well, and now so do readers of the Coulee News! Click here to read more about the trio, "K.O.", and the fundraiser the team is holding this month.

(Want to raise similar awareness of an event you're hosting? Check out the Challenge Walk MS publicity kit here.)

Train in Style

The design for the 2015 Training T-shirt has been revealed! This year’s look is all about what participants have said they love best about Wisconsin’s annual three-day, 50-mile, destination fundraiser for MS. 

Want yours? It’s easy. Sign up today. The shirt is free to everyone who registers for Challenge Walk MS as a walker or Super Crew member, 

Already registered? Your shirt will be delivered this month, just in time for all your outdoor spring training activities.

Timing is Everything

by Patty Thorpe

Did you know that many businesses make their sponsorship decisions for the year during the first quarter? Now is the time to hit the ground running, not with your feet, but by getting your sponsorship request out in front of potential sponsors.

I know it's hard to ask for money, but corporate sponsorship is completely different from asking your Aunt Hazel for a donation. Corporate sponsorship is a business arrangement where you offer benefits that a potential sponsor will see as valuable. It is a tool that companies use to build their brand. You can help them do that by inviting them to support one or more of your fundraising events.

Here are a few simple steps to help you get started:

1. Understand what you have to offer. What is the target audience of your event? A golf tournament audience will be different than an ‘80s themed fundraising dance. It is important to know who your audience is and how that audience will overlap with your sponsor's target audience. Businesses like statistical information, so when reaching out to potential sponsors, include as much demographic information about your planned event as possible: projected number of attendees, age, gender, etc.
2. Understand what sponsors are looking for and offer benefits and value that meet their needs. Benefits for sponsors include:

• Raising a company's profile by association with Challenge Walk MS
• Improve corporate image
• Meet corporate responsibility by supporting a good cause
• Hospitality opportunities by inviting clients to events
• Improve employee morale and engagement by inviting employees to events
• Increased exposure to desired target audience
• Alternative marketing channels
• Social media mentions and potential press coverage
• Event site signage
• Category exclusivity
• Presence at the event
• Logo on all collateral material

You get the idea. There are a number of benefits associated with supporting an event that helps the National MS Society. The key is pitching the sponsorship opportunity appropriately.

3. Research potential sponsors. It's not enough to get a list from the local Chamber of Commerce website. You should research the companies you are going to approach and solicit them individually. While a broad request letter can have some success, it is much more likely you will hook a major sponsor by tailoring your request to the company's needs. It has been helpful for my team members to approach businesses in three different ways:
   
   a. Companies that have an association with you, personally. Think about the people you do business with: your dentist, dry cleaner, the restaurant you go to every Friday night. They already know you and are more likely to support someone they see doing business at their establishments.
   b. Local businesses that could benefit from an association with your event. These are companies you may not do business with, but who could benefit from the exposure they'll receive by being affiliated with your event.
   c. National companies who sponsor similar events.
4. Craft a proposal letter. The letter should include details about you. Why are you doing Challenge Walk MS? What is Challenge Walk MS? Include the purpose of the fundraising event and the benefits to the sponsor.
   
   Be specific about what you're looking for: sponsorship to cover event costs? Discounted goods or services? Straight cash donations? In your proposal letter, it is vital to include the cost per sponsorship. As the former VP of marketing for a community bank, I used to receive numerous sponsorship requests without a specific financial request. When I received a letter without a dollar amount, I'd usually approve a $100 donation. While a $100 donation is a nice gift, the charity seeking funding may have been looking for $1,000. Bottom line: if you don't tell the company how much you want, you won't get what you need.
   
   For a larger event, such as a golf tournament or a dinner cruise, it may be helpful to "tier" the sponsorship levels. For example, as the "Gold Sponsor" the company would receive X; for a "Silver Sponsor," the company would receive Y in benefits.
5. Identify the person who can say yes. Send your request directly to the person who will approve it. It is absolutely worth it to take the time to call a company and ask who handles corporate donations. That task can fall to the marketing department, community relations, or even the company president.
6. And finally, the business relationship with a sponsor doesn't end when you receive the check. You have to ensure that the sponsor receives the benefits you offered. Follow up with a thank you letter, detailing specifically how the event reached the goals you set.
   
   

Diagnosed with MS in 1994, Patty responded the way many do: she refused to discuss it. It took her ten years to realize that silence isn't the answer. She, her friends and family formed the Blister Buddies for their first Challenge Walk in Cape Cod in 2004. Patty is now on the Challenge Walk Steering Committee and chairs the PR Subcommittee for the National MS Society’s Greater New England Chapter. In November 2008, she became a member of that Chapter's Board of Trustees.

Want to know more about asking for paid or in-kind sponsorships? Contact Pat Rudolph, National MS Society-Wisconsin Chapter corporate development manager, at patricia.rudolph@nmss.org or 262-369-7168.