Walkathon Maven

Another great debate regarding charitable contributions.

Some think that eliminating the deduction will deter future gifts.

Some think that the deduction is not a motivating factor in making a gift.

What do you think?

I read a good article today in the WSJ about two viewpoints regarding the possible elimination of the charitable contribution deduction.   Why do people make charitable contributions?

My opinion is two-pronged:

1. People give because they were asked and

2. People give because they support the mission of the cause.

My opinion is mostly based on the fact that I do not know anyone in my social circle that makes big-honkin’ charitable contributions simply for the tax deduction.

If you receive an invitation to a black-tie fundraising gala in Palm Beach in February, or have recently had a building named after you – then you probably have allotta money to share.   I think they are the folks that care about the tax deduction.

So, I ask my readers:

Why do YOU make a charitable contribution?

I quote my fave song from C&C Music Factory – “Things that make you go Hmmmmm”

How does a walkathon come to decide what the event goal should be?

Do they play the coulda-shoulda-woulda game while sitting around a table?

Do they look at what they MUST raise financially to keep the organization afloat?

Do they just jack-up the numbers from last year by a small percentage?

Hopefully the answer is NO to all of the above.

An event goal should be determined by deciding on the number of walkers first.  If you bring the people and they bring a team, the money will follow.  People first.

A good, solid event goal should start by first looking around the table at all the decision-makers attending this meeting.  They are sitting there for a reason.  How many teams will they be able to bring to the event?  Whoa – What?  Yep, everyone must pitch-in by recruiting teams for the event.  Top-down.  Board members, three-letter executives, all the six-figure salaries, all the way down to the person answering the phones.  Everyone should have a team recruitment goal.

If you hire an event manager and think they will be the sole recruiter of teams, then you are missing out on the potential of a larger event.  One person has a finite amount of time that they can be on the phones or at a meeting cultivating relationships.  Adding more human resources to the team recruiting efforts exponentially increases the goal possibility.

It really does take a village to have a successful walkathon!

Why do organizations have a walkathon?

Several reasons, but foremost is the opportunity to be part of a community that wants to raise awareness and money for an important cause.

The “cause” may be a research fund, a disease, a building or a school.  Anything important to you.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a walkathon for a parent at our elementary school. A member of our community that needs help.

Her name is Kris Burke and her family needed some emotional, motivational and financial support.  You can read about the Birthday Friendraiser Walk here.  We walked around the backyard of our school on a snowy course created with borrowed orange cones.  Not a 5K or a 5-mile route.  Maybe 500 yards total.

The focus of the walk was not for any of the traditional “causes” listed above, but to celebrate her birthday.  We wanted to take the focus off of her Stage 4 cancer for a few hours last Saturday to celebrate her life.   We also raised some much needed money to help pay for the upcoming medical bills that forced her into bankruptcy earlier this year.

This walk was not a huge, logistical operation.   It was the work of a few mommies that pieced together some publicity, supplies and activities to make it a fun few hours for about 50 parents and their kids.   We had snow.  We had birthday cake. We had hot cocoa.  We had a busted CD player that kept shredding the song Gangnam Style. (The kids still danced to it anyway!) Kris and her family had smiles and memories that allowed them to hopefully forget their troubles and enjoy a birthday party in the snow.

This is why we walk.

If you would like to learn more about Kris and possibly help out her family, please visit KeepingKrisStrong.org