Information For Team Captains
So, what do you do now that you're a team captain? Fighting cancer is a team effort. The strength of people coming together for a common cause is greater than the strength of one. Here's what you can do to build a successful team to fight cancer.
Team Captains Meetings
Form Your Team
Coordinate Your Team
Motivate Your Team
Have Fun and Thank Your Team Members!
Team Captains Meetings
Anyone considering forming a team should come to one of these informational sessions to learn the details and pickup a packet to help you get a team together.
Form Your Team
It's easier than you think to form a team. Here's how:
- Learn about Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society. People will be much more willing to listen if you believe in what you're asking them to help with.
- Make a presentation. Invite at least eight people - friends, family, co-workers - whomever you want. Use flyers to help get the word out. Serve refreshments and include a motivational speaker or the Relay video.
- Get your workplace involved. Invite management to form or sponsor a team.
- Ask people you know and people you don't know. You'll get more of a response by asking 20 people than by posting 100 flyers.
- Contact the American Cancer Society at 207-989-0332 or e-mail to request a team captain's packet.
- Fill out and return your team registration form and registration fees ($125 for a team of 8-12 people, or contact us if your team will be larger than that) as soon as possible.
- Choose a team theme. It can be walking-related, like Stride with Pride; cancer-related, such as Run for Life; or humorous, like Beanie babies or Hawaiian Luau.
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Coordinate Your Team
Attention to a few nitty-gritty details will get you through the Relay with ease!
- Attend all team captain meetings!
- Set income goals for both individuals and your team. Encourage them to try some of these fund-raising tips to help them reach their goals.
- Encourage your team members to collect contributions for luminarias (candle lanterns). Include luminaria sponsor forms with each contribution, so the candle can be properly dedicated.
- Schedule your team members to walk at different times during the event, so that at least one person is on the track during the entire Relay.
- Try to collect all team member envelopes a few days before the Relay so contributions can be counted. Each team member's envelope should contain at least $100 in contributions, and should include the member's name, team name, and signature.
- Ask team members to volunteer for jobs during the Relay: setting up campsites, taking pictures, and cleaning up at the end of the Relay, for example
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Motivate Your Team
Do you want to have fun while working to eliminate cancer? Well, so will your team, especially if they are kept informed and motivated. Some of the most successful Relay teams have used one or more of the following ideas:
- Hold regular team meetings to build spirit and keep everyone informed. Invite a Relay committee person or cancer survivor to speak, or show the Relay video at a meeting.
- Dedicate your team to someone - a cancer survivor, or someone who has passed away from cancer. Tell that person's story and yours.
- Share Relay news and updates with every team member.
- Encourage team fund-raising events
- You can also hold events during the Relay to help everyone have a great time. You could even use these events to help your team raise additional money for the Relay, if you like!
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Have Fun, and be Sure to Thank Your Team Members!
Thank your team members for their commitment to participate, and make sure everyone knows where to meet you at the event. Give each team member a warm welcome when he or she arrives!
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