All Team Captains Packet Thank you for taking on the responsibility of being a Team Captain for the 2018 Relay For Life of Farmington Valley. A team captain is an integral contributor to a Relay For Life. By agreeing to be a captain of your team you have agreed to accept the responsibility of leading your team in the effort to raise money to support the work of the American Cancer Society. The Farmington Valley Relay Event Leadership Team appreciates your efforts. Celebrate our success- - 17 years and counting! *we raised $498,000 in 2017! *Our success was recognized by the American Cancer Society. *Of the over 3,000 Relays in the United States we were 12 th in the amount of money raised and 1 st in New England! The work of the Team Captains was essential and appreciated in this huge success! *New for 2018* *This year s theme is Decades of Dedication *Unlimited team size *Chaperone ratio change *Chaperone agreement submission available electronically *Sponsor benefit one-pager updated *Elementary and Middle School must leave time change - 1 -
This packet and other packets in the folder, the 2018 Team Captain Kit and Team Captain s meetings are all prepared to help you and your team have a fun and successful Relay team! Team Captain Folder and 2018 Team Captain Kit The 2018 Team Captain Guide supplied to you after you registered by The American Cancer Society, has excellent general and background information. It has valuable information on fundraising, team and individual recognitions and links to other resources. Be sure to take time to familiarize yourself with the contents. The packets in this Team Captain Folder have the purpose of taking the materials in the 2018 Team Captain Guide and applying them to the Relay For Life of Farmington Valley. The packets will help you with the important tasks and timelines necessary to be an effective Team Captain. Packets included are: Registration, Banking, and Sponsors. Additionally for student teams: Chaperones and Student Packet. All items in this Team Captain Folder and all forms will be available at all Team Captain Meetings and on the bottom of the website at www.relayforlife.org/farmingtonvalleyct under forms and documents. Important Contacts Committee members are available to help you with your team captain responsibilities. If you have a problem, concern, a need or want to make a supportive comment please feel free to contact the appropriate committee member. Linda Kime Tri-Chair: Funds & Fun lmk318@aol.com Pat LeBouthillier Tri-Chair: Logistics unionville@sbc.global.net Harvey Dutil Tri-Chair: Team Recruitment dutilrelay@gmail.com Alicia Cleveland ACS Community Manager alicia.cleveland@cancer.org Jessica Burnat Registration Chair farmingtonrelayforlife@gmail.com Wendy Alena Chaperone Chair walena@comcast.net Isabel Tellerine Sponsorship Chair itellerine@comcast.net Michael Scheidel Bank Chair amscheidel@sbcglobal.net Cyndi Vallario Website Manager relayforlifeoffarmingtonvalley@gmail.com - 2 -
2018 Relay For Life of Farmington Valley Team Captain Meeting Schedule Mon. Mar. 19 or Tues. Mar. 20 7:30pm-8:30pm Team Captain Meeting; Registration, Chaperone, Sponsors, Luminaria & Bank open - Avon High School Cafeteria Mon. April 2 or Tues. April 3 7:30-8:30pm Team Captain Meeting; Registration, Chaperone, Sponsors, Luminaria & Bank open - Avon High School Cafeteria Fri April 20 All team members need to register online by this date to be guaranteed a t-shirt provided they meet minimum $100 each fundraised by May 15th. Tues. Apr. 24 6:30-8pm Drop-in Night at Avon High School Cafeteria - Registration, Bank, Chaperone, Sponsors, Luminaria open NO TEAM CAPTAIN MEETING turn in forms and donations. Questions answered. Mon. May 7 or Tues. May 8 FINAL FORMS, MANDATORY TEAM CAPTAIN AND A CHAPERONE MEETING, Avon High School Cafeteria 6:30-8:30 Registration, Chaperone, Sponsors, Luminaria & Bank open 7:30-8:30 Mandatory Team Captain and chaperone meeting Tues. May 15 T-shirt pick-up, Campsite selection, Bank, Sponsors and Luminaria open (No Registration or Chaperone forms) Avon High School Cafeteria 6:15-7:30 Elem and MS Teams 7:45-8:45 HS and Adults Teams Sat. May 19th 8:00am thru Sun. May 20th 8:00am 2018 RELAY FOR LIFE of FARMINGTON VALLEY at Farmington Polo Grounds, Town Farms Rd. Farmington Instructions for special meetings of team captains during Relay event will be listed on Event Schedule (provided in t-shirt bag, also emailed & available at Welcome Cen ter). We are going to have fun CELEBRATING! We will REMEMBER during lumi naria ceremony. We ll WALK! All join FIGHT BACK closing Sunday morning!! - 3 -
Tools for Your Success Forms All the forms you need to be a successful Team Captain are in the right hand side of the folder. All forms are available on the website and at all Team Captain meetings. How to add a Second Captain The first registered team captain can log into their website. On the top you will see Welcome YOUR NAME followed by my dashboard, my event, and my team. Click on My Team Pencil next to Team Captain Name Check off the other person to become a captain. Weekly Informative Communications Each weekend an informative email will be sent to all Team Captains on Sunday. The message will be designed to help you with your team duties. A Facebook message will be also be sent to all who have joined the RFLofFV Team Captains Facebook Group at http://tinyurl.com/captaingroup. Keep your team informed by attaching a note and forwarding the bottom part of the weekly email to your team members. Website Our website has been updated for The 2018 Relay For Life of Farmington Valley! The website (www.relayforlife.org/farmingtonvalleyct) is a useful tool to help you have a successful team. You can use your team and personal pages to promote your team and ask for donations. The Announcements page has valuable information for you and your teammates. There are links to all the documents in the Team Captain Toolkit, fundraising ideas, sponsorship information, details about our ceremonies, and much more. There is also a section for advertising your team fundraisers, so please email those details and/or any website related questions to relayforlifeoffarmingtonvalley@gmail.com. The page is updated frequently, so check often for helpful information. For tips and tricks visit www.relayforlife.org/whatsnew Mobile App The American Cancer Society FUNdraising App is a mobile payments app for Apple and Android devices that allows registered participants to accept credit, debit card, PayPal and check donations via their mobile device. The app also supports sending both mail and email receipts as well as displays the donations made towards your fundraising efforts in near real-time. Survivors Cancer survivors are recognized at the Relay through the 5 p.m. Celebrate Ceremony, a special lap of the track, and a dinner provided for the survivors and their caregivers. Survivors can register for the Relay by going to the website and clicking on JOIN THIS RELAY, found underneath the location and then completing the form. Survivors can register as WALK SURVIVOR LAP or by joining a team! Survivors can also register at the event between 12:00pm and 4:00pm at the survivor tent. Team Survivors Each team is encouraged to include a cancer survivor on the team or adopt a survivor to be with the team. The goal of including a survivor is to provide a direct link to the American Cancer Society s goal of creating survivors. All team survivors should register online as a survivor. The survivor is encouraged to walk in the survivor lap and with the team in the team lap with their team. See Survivor paragraph above. If a team adopts a survivor the survivor does not need to raise donations. The survivor, if 25 or older, can serve as a chaperone. It is hoped that the survivor will attend at least one team meetings to discuss with the team the trials and tribulations of being a survivor. - 4 -
Fundraising & the American Cancer Society Mission Fundraising to support the ACS mission is what Relay teams are all about. A Relay team is a fundraising team. Teams should be fundraising through the year. Even if people/businesses do not wish to financially donate, they can be told about the great mission of ACS (patient services, research, advocacy, education). The American Cancer Society 2018 Team Captain Guide contains excellent ideas and information on fundraising, setting fundraising goals, fundraising incentives for teams and individuals, and donation envelopes for each team member. Other fundraising ideas are available on the website and by searching Relay For Life fundraising. Where their Dollar Goes flyer is in the right hand pocket of this folder and is available on our website. Luminaria Luminaria honor cancer patients and/or memory of those who passed away from cancer line the track for the Remember Ceremony. They may be purchased for $5.00 each. This can be a fundraiser for you and your team. The money you raise from the donations goes towards both your personal fundraising goal and your team s fundraising goal. Copies of the form are in this folder. The form and the donation need to be turned in to the bank. Torches Torches in memory of those who passed away from cancer are lit during the Remember Ceremony. Torches are available for a $50.00 donation. This donation counts toward your fundraising goal. People who make the donation can pick up the torch the next morning. Copies of the form are in this folder. T-shirts-Hope Club Member T-shirts will be guaranteed for all participants who meet the following requirements: 1. are registered on-line by April 20 2. have raised $100 3. have it deposited with the bank by May 15. These T-shirts will be distributed on May 15. Extra shirts will be ordered for predicted registrants after April 20 and have raised $100 but the number/size of extra shirts will be an estimate so not guaranteed. Those who reach $100 after May 15 can get a t-shirt at Relay. There are two factors to be aware of: All team members including middle and elementary students need to raise $100. Each team member needs to raise $100 through individual fundraising or proceeds from a group fundraiser that is actually divided among the team s members. Team members cannot count their fundraising minimum as the average dollar amount of total team funds raised. Farmington Valley Individual Fundraising Recognition All team members who raise a minimum of $100 by May 15 th will be recognized during the Relay. - 5 -
Individual Fundraising Incentives Relay For Life has an incentive program that awards participants and teams who reach certain fundraising levels. The Relay For Life of Farmington Valley does not encourage participation in this program and prefers that the dollars designated to this program instead go to support the missions of the Society. The Event Leadership Team of the Relay For Life of Farmington Valley is designing a program that will recognize individual fundraisers and will be implemented at the Relay. More information will be available at Team Captain meetings. Team Fundraising Incentives Information is available in the 2018 Team Captain Guide. Starting at $2500 teams will be recognized with campsite signs during the Relay. Information will be presented at Team Captain meetings. EMERGENCY PROCEDURE An announcement will be made if there is a threat of severe weather directing all team members and chaperones to the second large tent. It is essential that all participants cooperate with the direction of the volunteer Safety and Security team. It is the responsibility of youth team chaperones to be aware of and account for all team members on the site. Details of these procedures and where to gather will be reviewed at an upcoming team meeting, at the final Team Captain meetings (May 7 & 8), and at the Team Captain Meeting to be held on Saturday morning, May 19. Please acquaint yourselves with these important procedures. Alcohol and Drug Policy Alcohol and drugs in any form are not permitted at the Relay. Participants using drugs or alcohol, in possession of drugs or alcohol, or are in a tent where alcohol or drugs are being stored or consumed will be asked to leave. The law requires the Farmington Police be involved and call parents of the students involved. GETTING READY TO RELAY MAY 19 & 20 WHAT TO BRING Canopies/tents Sleeping bags Lawn chairs Cash for food concessions Battery powered lights Insect Repellent Hats/Sun Visors Nerf balls, Frisbees, cards Rain gear just in case! Snacks Water Pillows Decorations Sunscreen Coolers Team Sign and/or Banner Extra cash to support other team s on-site fundraisers Family and friends to experience Relay with SOME ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR A FUN AND SAFE TIME! Wear comfortable, lightweight clothing layer Bring a change of clothes (shirt, shoes, socks, sweatpants, jackets, hats, gloves) Wear sturdy but comfortable shoes designed for walking If you have a medical condition that needs a physician s attention, please notify your team captain and chaperone and check with your physician before the Relay. - 6 -
GUIDELINES RULES AND REGULATIONS DO - Carry out all items that you and your team bring to the Relay, including garbage. - Only service dogs are permitted on any part of the site. - Enlist the help of several team members to help you set up. - Report to Registration Table to check in as soon as you arrive the day of event. Youth teams must have a chaperone present. The chaperone must register at the Chaperone tent. - Enter the Polo Grounds parking lot as directed. Unload your stuff quickly, and park your car immediately at the direction of the parking personnel. Do not leave the car unattended. - Report any injury or security issue to a Committee Member immediately. - Wear registration wristband at all times during event. - Have an item to pass or hand-off from person to person as their time comes to walk. - Make sure everyone is aware of the rules and regulations. - Turn additional monies raised into Bank. Bank hours will be posted at Registration tent - Bring strollers and wheel chairs as needed. - Play games in the designated activity areas only. - Bring children of all ages anyone under the age of 18 will be the responsibility of a parent or chaperone. - Attend special ceremonies as described on schedule of events. - Pick up your team s trash & recyclables and dispose of them in receptacles that are provided (at close of event, your area should be totally clean). - Have a GREAT time!!! BUT PLEASE. - DON T start any open fires. - DON T bring generators. Battery powered lights are great for safety and decorations. - DON T bring pets. Service dogs are permitted. - DON T bring roller blades, skates, skateboards or bicycles - DON T bring drugs or alcohol of any kind. The Farmington Police will be involved in any such situations - DON T use inappropriate or disrespectful language - DON T smoke or chew any type of tobacco on event grounds, in tents or in any surrounding areas - DON T leave valuables in your tent area. (lock them in your car or take them with you) - 7 -