Elementary School Walk-A-Thons

BLEND
Walk-A-Thons
For Elementary Schools
Healthy. Active. Fundraising.
SPONSORDED BY:
Elementary School
Walk-A-Thons
Pre-K to 5th Grade
Walk-A-Thons
A Walk and Play Event
BLEND Walk-A-Thons are a healthy fundraising model that asks
students to seek donations to participate in a day of celebration
and physical activity
BLEND Walk-A-Thons are mostly about walking, but many schools
create a variety of physical activity stations to add to the fun
Why are Walk-A-Thons a Great
Choice for Elementary Schools?
BLEND Walk-A-Thons:
Are ALL-inclusive
Promote health and wellness
Builds school spirit
Increases student engagement and participation
Why are Walk-A-Thons a Great
Choice for Elementary Schools?
BLEND Walk-A-Thons:
Require no contracts
Are hassle-free! No more fulfilling product orders
Do not ask students to sell products for manufacturers
Walk-A-Thons
Promote Health
BLEND Walk-A-Thons:
Supports school wellness activities
Eliminates the sale of “competitive foods” from fundraising practices
Are compliant with the new Smart Snack in School standards
Walk-A-Thons
Promote Health
BLEND Walk-A-Thons:
Provide more opportunities for physical activity
Send a positive message about wellness and reinforces physical activity is fun
Get Started
Planning a Walk-A-Thon Event.
Title
Blurb
Seal the Deal
Get approval to host a Walk-A-Thon.
The Most Important Step...
Establish Buy-In
To host a successful and sustainable Walk-A-Thon
you must gain school-wide support from:
School administrators
Educators and staff
PTO/PTA
Form a Walk-A-Thon Committee
School administrators
School educators and staff
- A representative from each department is optimal
PTO/PTA
Student leaders and organizations
Don’t turn anyone away! Create sub-committees and delegate tasks as needed.
Formulate a Master Plan
An essential element in fundraising is to HAVE A PLAN!
Start by:
Selecting a date
Choosing a location
Setting a fundraising goal
Determining event details
Start planning at least THREE MONTHS prior to the event date.
Set a Date
Plan an early fall or late spring event
Check for conflicts
Get on the school calendar right away
Announce to school community
Hosting a Walk-A-Thon during the school day maximizes participation.
Select a Location
The best Walk-A-Thons provide children of all abilities the opportunity
to participate. Choose a track or walking path.
Don’t have one?
Designate an open space
Multiple surfaces offers a place
to walk and a place for games
Being outside of the classroom is part of the appeal!
What if it rains...or snows
A “bad weather” back-up plan is critical.
Plan to move indoors, or
Plan with a different date
Establish a Fundraising Goal
Determine how much is needed to support school needs.
1. Review past fundraisers
2. Do the math
On average, 60% of students participate in BLEND Walk-A-Thons
Students bring in $20-$60 — averaging $40 per student
Let’s calculate:
300 students x 60% participation = 180 students
180 students x $40 donation = $7,200 fundraising goal
Tell Us...
Why are you fundraising?
Are you raising money for field trips, technology, supplies, etc?
What do you hope to accomplish?
Meet fundraising goal
Build school spirit and excitement
Increase participation
Offer healthy fundraising
Eliminate product sale fundraisers
So, tell them!
Transparency is KEY
Be clear and upfront with everyone in the school community.
The most profitable Walk-A-Thons share…
Fundraising goal
Where the funds will go
Incentive and prize opportunities
It’s ALL in the Details
Customizing a Walk-A-Thon!
Brand the Walk-A-Thon
Come up with a dynamic overall theme.
Brainstorm names
Create a memorable slogan
Design a logo
Determine Event Details
Budget
Timeline for Walk-A-Thon
Physical activity stations
and games
Promotions
Incentives
Donations
Volunteers
Walk-A-Thon Budget
It’s important to discuss and
establish a budget.
Budget Talk
Walk-A-Thons are low-cost, but
some expenses to consider:
Incentives
Printing costs
Promotions
Rentals
Professional fees
Brainstorm money saving opportunities!
A Fun-Filled
Walk-A-Thon
Plan a fundraiser to remember!
Kick-Off the Day
with Excitement
Start the Walk-A-Thon day with an assembly.
Announce:
Activities planned
Funds raised
Incentive winners
Walk-A-Thon Timeline
Elementary Walk-A-Thons most often allow students to walk and play
during their 50 minutes Specials Time (Art, Music, Phy Ed & Health).
It’s better to keep grades and age groups together
Consider extending the
time for older elementary
students.
Walk the WALK…
then PLAY
Begin the Walk-A-Thon with walking!
Identify how long or how far students walk before participating in
physical activity stations.
Example: Walk 2 laps around the track or walk for 10 minutes
Then, encourage students to pick a station, get active and have fun!
Physical Activity
Stations
Get students moving!
Make it Fun
Add structured and unstructured physical activity stations to boost the fun!
Include activities for students with disabilities
Physical Activity Stations
Plan fun, age-appropriate activities.
Hula hoops
Catch and throw
Jump rope
Kickball
Bean bag toss
Soccer
Pool noodle games
Ring toss
Invite community champions, mascots and older students to lead the activities.
Hydration Station
Provide opportunities for students to
hydrate throughout the Walk-A-Thon.
Promote, Promote,
Promote
A good communication plan will enhance the
success of the Walk-A-Thon.
School Promotions
Make sure everyone in the school knows about
the Walk-A-Thon…including visitors!
Make large posters and hang on hall walls
Ask art students to create them
Promote in:
Parent and student communication pieces
School website and social media
Community Promotions
Announce the Walk-A-Thon to the public.
Add to:
Local newspapers
Community calendars and digital billboards
Faith bulletins
Local businesses and organizations
Radio and T.V.
Don’t forget to mention event sponsors!
Material for Students
Give students:
A hand-out to show their potential donors what the Walk-A-Thon
event is all about
A money envelope for safe keeping and to track donations
Keep it simple!
High Volume,
Short Turnaround
Send home hand-outs and money envelopes one week before the event.
Encourage students to start bringing in donations as soon as they
get them
Material for Staff
Provide school staff with details about the Walk-A-Thon.
Draft a memo
Post information in the staff lounge
Inform during staff development days
Send email updates
The Power of School Staff
School Staff plays a significant role in building excitement for the
Walk-A-Thon and encouraging students to actively seek donations.
The Power of School Staff
Continuous reminders, countdown to the event, updates on total funds and
parent communication pieces are essential.
Create a thermometer poster and other images
to hang in classroom or hallways
Elementary-aged students love
friendly teacher contests, classroom
battles and principle challenges
Hi, my name is…
Enlist staff in preparing a script to help students ask family, friends
and neighbors to support the Walk-A-Thon.
Make it a classroom activity
Hi, my name is _______ and I am a __ grader at ________
school. My school is having a Walk-A-Thon to raise money for
________________ , would you like to donate? 100% of the
money raised will stay at my school!
Create Excitement
with Incentives!
Increase student participation and
help meet fundraising goals.
Boost Participation
Incentives are a sure way to get students involved.
Incentives can include:
Prizes
Experiences (FREE)
Exclusive event activities
Don’t forget to budget for incentives!
Prizes for Top Earners
Individuals:
iPod
Kindle
Bikes
School apparel, etc.
Classroom:
Dance party
Healthy lunch party, etc.
On-The-House Incentives
Individuals:
Principle for the day
Line leader
School DJ
Recognition, etc.
Classroom
Additional hour of play
Recognition in local paper
Principle promise, etc.
Exclusive Event Activities
Offer activities during the Walk-A-Thon for students who raise a targeted
amount of money.
If the goal for each student is to raise $40, plan special activities and
prize drawings for those who reach the goal.
– Activities: dunk tank, Minute to Win it, duct tape principle to wall, etc.
– Prizes: gift cards, water bottles, book markers, etc.
Example:
Raise $60: unlimited play in bounce house
Raise $75: unlimited play on portable bungee trampoline
Fairness in Fundraising
Include ALL students in Walk-A-Thon activities.
When offering incentives, create opportunities so every student has
a chance to win or experience something special.
Every Penny Counts
100% of the money raised stays at the school.
Collect and Track Donations
Devise a system to collect donations:
Designate a drop site – home room, main office, or assign an area
Create a spreadsheet or ledger to track individual and classroom
donations – this will help identify and reward top earners
Recruit staff and volunteers to pick-up, tally and track
Event Volunteers
Volunteers are Key to Success!
Volunteer Recruitment
The number one reason people don’t volunteer is that they weren’t asked
Recruit parents, community partners and civic groups
Ask college and middle/high school students to lead games and activities
Volunteers Responsibilities
Collect donations
Walk with students
Oversee games
Supervise bathroom break
Photograph event
Recognition activities
Make it Memorable
Take photos! Record Walk-A-Thon!
Take a Lot of Photos
Gather photos and add to:
Yearbook and other school publications
School website and social media
Thank you cards for donors and sponsors
Future marketing and promotional material
Don’t forget to send photos to the local newspaper!
Capture the Moments
on Video
Create a video of the best Walk-A-Thon moments
Post on website and social media
Share with school community - parents, staff and donors
Post Walk-A-Thon Plans
No plan is complete without a little follow-up!
It’s Time to Celebrate
Announce funds raised
Send out thank you cards
Publish photos and videos
Leave NO Stone Unturned
Identify lessons learned and make note for the next Walk-A-Thon.
Ask…”what worked and what didn’t work?”
Bundle it Up!
Gather all planning materials and create
a binder for future use.
Save the Date
Start planning the next Walk-A-Thon.
Schedule the next Walk-A-Thon and get it on the school calendar right away!
Make an announcement to “Save the Date”
Walk-A-Thon Resources
For more information and to download
sample letters and templates, go to:
www.blendcentralmn.org
(320) 251-2700 ext 77524
SPONSORED BY: