Should I complain to Susan G. Komen??

Hey Megan,

I an very surprised that you have to raise a certain amount. I just walked in the Komen walk and everybody on my team had a "recommended amount of $ 125.00 to raise, none of us did. It was just a recommendation. We all walked! You might need to check into it...I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado you should mention my information if you contact them.

Hi Megan,

I just finished the 3 day walk in Seattle this past weekend and though the 2300.00 is difficult I think it is necessary.  It takes a huge amount of money, time and people to put on this event and in order for them to have money left over for research, they have to have the minimum as 2300.00.  Here is how I thought about it.  If fighting cancer was like fighting a cold, then we wouldn't be so passionate about finding a cure-if the fight is not easy, neither should the fundraising be.

I agree with Linda.  There are loads of ways to fundraise and you will be surprised how many people will step up to the plate.  Remind people that companies match their funds sometimes.  Send out reminder letters, drop letters in the mailboxes in your neighborhood, put a widget on your facebook page or blog if you have one, put a link to your personal page on your email signature, buy some of the pink silicone bracelets from Oriental Trading and sell them for 1.00/each.  If you belong to a gym, ask one of the instructors if they would donate their time to do one class and do the class as a fundraiser asking people for donations to participate.  If you belong to a bunco group or book club, ask them if you could do one evening as a fundraiser, get someone to donate items and raffle them off at the bunco night.  Ask your friends to donate items they want to get rid of and have a garage sale-sell cookies and sodas at the garage sale to make a little bit extra.

We even had a party at someone's house when the weather was good, charged people 15 bucks to get in which included their food, 2 drink tickets and some games.  We had someone donate jello shots (yes jello shots!) and charge 2.00 for them and we made 900.00 on jello shots!!!

I think when you get there, you will appreciate how much effort is put into the event and why the 2300.00 is necessary.

Good luck with the fundraising.  If you need help with other ideas, send me a PM.  Our team raised over $137,000.00 so they are very good at fundraising and we have lots of ideas!

Tracy

Another great fund raiser:  Try to get donations of scratch off lottery tickets from friends and family.  I put $100 worth of a variety of tickets on a wreath (you could make one out of Styrofoam or use one of those grapevine wreaths decorated of course).  We raised over $800 raffling off tickets for a drawing for this wreath.  People love the scratch off tickets!!

Billiegirl,

We have three family members walking so we register early and start fund raising early. My sister saves and recycles plastic bottles and aluminum cans, plus all her change. Every year she gets $600.00 and donates it in memory of her 6 "Angel Girls" who have died. I agree that it is difficult to raise funds when the economy is so bad, but we tell people that breast cancer doesn't slow down when the economy does. When I turned 50 in May, I asked that donations be made to The 3-Day instead of gifts. Christmas, Mother's Day, Anniversaries, etc., are a great way to get donations.

I've done the shorter, less expensive walks and The 3-Day is my favorite. The whole experience is just incredible. I walk all three days with ribbons on my survivor hat. Some of the names are survivors and some are in memory of those who have died. It's another fund raiser we do at our cookie sales. Send me a PM with your name and I will proudly walk in your honor. Do you plan to go cheer the walkers on? The people who support are so important to the walkers.

Linda

Megan,

I received your PM and I will proudly wear your mom's name on my hat during The San Francisco 3-Day. If we could use this forum for donation requests, I would be begging people to donate to you. You so deserve to be at that walk.

Believe me, I know how difficult it is to raise funds. Last year I asked my employer for a donation and could it be split between two walkers. I was told no and that only one check would be issued. The check was issued, then got lost in our company mail, only days before the walk. We scrambled to get donations and were able to get everyone to their goal, except one person. She told us that her company would match donations so I donated the $800.00 company check to her. At the last minute, her company came through with a $1,000.00 donation and she put that in her 2009 walk fund. She told us that this year, once she received her goal, that she would help us get to ours. You guessed it, she's not walking this year. We were able to move her money into our team but not to one particular person. Komen is very strict with their rules.

Keep asking for donations from any and everyone. Best of luck..

Linda

I find it apalling that there are groups that insist on a minimun $ number or no walking! It is arrogant and insulting. If it were me, I would register a complaint w/Komen and then find another oganization to donate the money to...one w/heart, realistic view of the world (and economy)

Megan, you certainly do not need to apologize for your rant/vent. There are many ways you can honor your Mom. Some of these groups are becoming a bit big for their britches and forgetting what this is all about, the reason, the people, faces, goals. Remeber that its your money (donations) and you can send it to whom ever YOU choose and feel comfortable with.

Best wishes.

Sorry, but I feel the need to say this.  A 3 day walking event takes lots of time, planning, permits, and so on, these things cost money.  So by them setting a minimum it is assuring they are not going into the negative.  If the amount is too much than I would suggest finding another way to contribute what you have to offer.

What wouldn't be fair is if they allowed people to walk that actually caused the cause money rather make money to help.

I am not trying to sound mean, but imho it wouldn't be fair for you to cost the organization money. 

There are many ways to honor your mother.  Ones that wont decrease funds for the cause.  Remember it is a BIG cause, and that is what it is all about. 

I have to agree with cherneski.  There are plenty of opportunities to raise funds for breast cancer.  Everyone has to find the one that works for them.  There are lots of walks/runs/triathalons etc that dont' cost as much to participate.  Having just finished the Seattle 3 day, I am in awe of the amount of work that it takes to put on this event.  Remember for 3 days that they are basically taking over a city, it's roads and it's parks.  They provide accomodations, food, medical supplies and staff for 3 full days.  As much as it is an emotional journey and very moving to be with other survivors and supporters, it actually IS about the money.  They don't put on the event just to give people the opportunity to get together.  They put on the event to raise funds.  The fact that they make it so meaningful to all the participants is a bonus.

Do what feels right to you.  I'm sure your mom would appreciate any efforts that you make at fundraising for breast cancer.  It doesn't have to be the 3 day.  It is kind of the cadillac of breast cancer fundraisers.  If you don't feel comfortable with a cadillac, there is nothing wrong with going the volkswagen route!  Every dollar counts whether it is 100.00 or 2300.00.

Tracy

Are you allowed to post the Donation links for you and your friend so that any of us can donate? Did'nt know if that is allowed, if not can you PM me a link?

I am becoming less and less impressed by Komen. Seem to be more and more exclusive & glossy. At least once that I can recall I stopped into a Komen office. The "greeter"/volunteer supervisor could not tell me what the mission for Komen was, what they did.....good use of those hard raised $. I hope it is just my experince and that they really do good things with what they raise.

WOW Thanks for the insite on Komen.  There are so many organizations that shyster people and it sounds like this is one of them.  $300,000. per year is obscene!

Megan, it sounds like you are so full of passion!  I think having an article in the paper is a great idea!  Honor your mother in a way that will "help" BC not make someones pockets full (as it seems like that is what Komen might be doing).  Go girl!  Start something new or join a foundation that will be more suitable for you.  Passion goes a long way.  I wouldnt even waste my time on Komen if this info is true.  Put your energy towards something that will really help.  We need more people like you.

Sorry I didnt realize how little of the money went to research from Komen.  So I take my statement about running in the red back.

Screw them, help somewhere else.

I've made flyers and gone to strip malls and passed them out with the web address. 

You can make flyers and pass them out at work, post it on the bulletin board, tell your church leader to announce it, and I've passed them out in front of my kids school. Make sure every teacher gets one in her box.

Go door to door in your neighborhood and mail some flyers to friends far away.  If they see the effort you are doing before the walk even starts, they may decide to help.

One lady was allowed in the grocery store near my house .. she purchased the ice cream and root beer from the store and sold root beer floats for $1.00 each. She did it two weekends in a row!

cherneski, I went to the Charity Navigator web site and was totally shocked at the amount that CEOs of the big charities are being paid! They listed SGKs at currently $450,000.000+!!!!!!! BC.orgs wasn't bad either, by the way! Guess this shows that the "craftiest" people get things done and can get paid for using other peoples' money, sacrafice and generosity. Happens all the time. Would be curious to know how much each of these rich people DONATE back to worthy causes? I have such mixed feelings as I do appreciate all the GOOD these organizations do and accomplish and I have not been able to have that kind of impact myself...but good grief. It still blows my mind! According to the website I visited, well over 85% of funds collected by SGK are used in its programs.  I think participating in a 3Day or other fundraising is probably like forgiveness, which helps the forgiver as much if not more than the person who has committed the transgression. For people like me, who are already living below the poverty level, it means  wearing a sweater or coat in the house in winter and turning off the heat for a week to have some spare change. Being a part of one of these events IS an enriching and life changing experience. So, it is not just the money raised but also the opportunity for personal growth and raising the level of group consciousness. These organizations may be our biggest HOPE for a cure, but seeing these salaries still "boils my blood" too and I would be ashamed to accept such amounts for anything, much less charity work (that is probably why I am poor). I just have never personally been an End justifys the Means type of person and knowing about these big salaries coming from HARD earned and HARD sacraficing donations was a shock. That's my 2 cents for today. Not quite as bad as the banking scandal but still shocking!