PHI GAMMA DELTA Phi Gam Challenge WHAT IS PHI GAM CHALLENGE? Phi Gam Challenge is a great way for Phi Gamma Delta chapters to raise money to support our troops and their families. It involves teams competing in Olympic-style or wacky Olympic-style events. Each team raises money prior to the event that goes to support troops and their families. Awards can be given for individual contests in the Phi Gam Challenge as well as team awards for events won, fundraising and team spirit. This is a great way to: Team build Boost morale Foster good-hearted competition Get some exercise Relieve stress Teams can be formed from different campus groups or fraternities and sororities can form teams together! WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? Challenges can be sports oriented, crazy Olympic-style or somewhere in between. Basketball games like H.O.R.S.E Hockey/broomball Tug of war Putting contests Foot races Longest throw Long jump Pin the T ail on the mascot Three-legged race Badminton Simon Says Soccer Water balloon dodge ball Volleyball Crossword puzzle race/word search race. Giant puzzle/rubik s cube. Musical chairs Trash can basketball Egg relay race (where runner has egg on spoon and has to pass the spoon and egg to the next runner who will then run the next leg) 35
Dizzy race (where a runner starts by putting their head on the end of a baseball bat and spinning around 5 times before starting the race) CHECKLIST FOR ORGANIZING THE PHI GAM CHALLENGE Appoint a person in your chapter to take the lead on this project. Pick a location and date. Determine format. Are you going to pre-determine each event in the challenge and set them up yourselves? Are you going to ask each team to help set up and marshall/judge an event spreading the organizing over multiple groups? Are you going to do true sporting challenges or more fun/whacky style challenges or a combination of both? How many events/challenges are you going to have? It is recommended to have 1 challenge for every two teams you recruit so all teams are competing at one time in a round robin fashion. Recruit teams. This is the most important step in the success of your fundraiser. Other fraternities and sororities Other clubs on campus Dorm teams or teams from floors of dorms Find sponsors. Obtain donations, including food, drinks, prizes, etc. Advertise Phi Gam Challenge on campus banners, campus radio, newspaper, website, etc. Invite local celebrities and your favorite professors to attend. Host Phi Gam Challenge Day. Send thank you notes to all participants, donors and sponsors post event. Deposit money and send check(s) to USO. *This packet of information includes more details for each of these items. You will also find a sample budget and timeline to help you stay organized during the planning of your event. These additional items can be found in Chapter 3 Tools and Tips. 36
HOW MANY TEAMS SHOULD WE RECRUIT? It is recommended that you have a minimum of TEN teams participating. That way you have FIVE events going on at one time. HOW DO WE RECRUIT TEAMS? Call the presidents of other organizations on campus and ask to speak at their next meeting about forming a team. Work through your student activities department to make sure you invite all student groups to participate. Look at developing dorm teams a great way to market Phi Gamma Delta to potential recruits! Speak at the IFC and Pan-Hellenic meetings. It is important to speak to the entire group so you are able to reach as many people as possible to form a team. Bring a Team kit with you to leave with the president, so anyone in the group can get the information. Remind them that each team needs ten team members, including the team leader. Team Kits should include: Event overview one pager USO one pager Fundraising Ideas one pager How to Raise $300 in one week one pager Sample fundraising letters/emails Awards categories (individual events, top teams, highest fundraising teams, craziest t-shirts, most spirit, etc.) Teams can include: SGA Fraternities Sororities Honor clubs Dorms or dorm floors Athlete teams Spirit groups, etc. Each team will have a team leader; he or she will be your contact person to communicate information about the event. Fun prizes can be awarded to the teams with the best shirts, the team that raises the most money, the individual who raises the most money, individual events and the overall event winners. 37
TAKING POINTS WHEN RECRUITING TEAMS Phi Gam Challenge is a COMMUNITY SERVICE project for every organization involved. With the extended and multiple deployments, our military families need our support more than ever. Many of our troops are leaving behind children who have only seen them in pictures. Others serving in forward operating bases in war-torn Afghanistan are looking for any bit of normal life or piece of home. That s why Phi Gamma Delta has decided to join the USO in supporting our brave men in women in uniform. By participating in the Phi Gam Challenge, we are RAISING MONEY TO HELP THE USO support our troops and their families - $15 can provide one care package with the comforts of home - $50 can provide 140 phone calls to loved ones back home - $50 can help five deployed parents read their children a bedtime story - $100 can provide 40 troops with a warm meal and a place to rest in our centers on the frontlines Phi Gamma Delta is proud to be PARTNERED WITH A CHARITY that is so responsible with the funds it raises. Nearly 90% of resources and donations received goes directly to support the troops and their families. Phi Gam Challenge is a FUN WAY to get multiple groups on campus together. Remember to talk about rewarding teams for things such as the team with the craziest t-shirts. Encourage other members of the organization who are not going to participate in the challenges to come and cheer for their team. FUNDRAISING Ask EACH TEAM to raise a minimum of $1000. $1000 is easy that s just $100 raised per member on each team! If each team members asks 5 people for $20, they have hit their minimum! Make sure you COLLECT ALL THE MONEY by the night of the event. This allows you to announce how much money was raised at the event and recognize top fundraising teams/individuals It is much harder to collect money from volunteers after the event. And remind teams that this is the minimum to participate there will be prizes for top fundraising teams! Have a donation jar/jug at the event for spectators. You may want to set up a way for people/teams to improve their score by making a donation similar to what happens in a golf tournament with a golfer buying a mulligan to get another shot. Only those who had raised their minimum required would be allowed to buy in. 38
For example: $1: extra shot during H-O-R-S-E $25: extra person during tug of war $15: closer to the hole for a putting contest $15: extra jump in the long jump $10: start the three-legged race 3 feet ahead of the start line USO will recognize the top fundraising chapters at your FIJI Leadership Academy. DON T FORGET TO USE TEAM USO! By registering on TEAM USO (teamuso.org), your chapter will be able to set up a web page to promote the event and send out emails to your contacts asking them to sign up or to make a donation or give updates to them about the event. SAMPLE BUDGET 39
PLANNING EVENT DETAILS Be sure to plan thoroughly. Do your best to account for every possible scenario that could arise during the day and budget time accordingly. Keep the message of supporting the troops and their families fresh in people s minds all day long! FOOD AND BEVERAGE Assess what needs, if any, you have for food and beverages at your Phi Gam Challenge. Consider the following items (and see what you may be able to get donated) o Water, Gatorade/Powerade o Chips/pretzels, Bagels o Power Bars/Cliff Bars o Fruit o Sandwiches o Pizza FUN Encourage teams to come up with a unique team name and possibly even a logo. Challenge each team to represent a theme (around specific outside events like the Oscars, the Super Bowl, March Madness, Graduation, Dancing with the Stars, Amazing Race, etc.) Come up with several levels of success for both fundraising and the competition. Assign awards to each, such as added points in the competition for the top fundraising individuals or teams. o Top fundraisers (team and individual) o Top competitors (overall team and individual event) o Best team spirit (costumes, cheering sections etc) o Best individual spirit (see theme section above) Mission reminders/mission moments. Background music (will you use a CD player, ipod live music?) Take plenty of pictures/video before, during and after your event. Share them with all your volunteers and competitors on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or YouTube, or by sending some out in your thank you letters/emails. Also make sure to also share pictures from your event with the USO we want to brag about you! 40
SAMPLE TIMELINE 8-10 WEEKS OUT Set fundraising goal. Develop budget and plan. Recruit volunteers to help meet your budget and plan. Secure location. Host Kick Off meeting for Phi Gam Challenge Committee. Begin recruiting teams. Begin determining the challenge games and who is going to lead organizing each game. Begin getting event equipment secured as well as donated prizes. 6-7 WEEKS OUT Check on team recruitment. 75% of your teams should be recruited within 6 weeks out. Send out email to all of your volunteers giving them update on the event; recognize individuals who have had great success and keep their spirits high. Send out email to all Team Captains (TCs). Update them on the challenge games and how many teammates will be needed for each challenge. Recognize individual TCs for their recruiting efforts and fundraising to date, etc. Also, let them know that you still have team slots available and ask them to let you know if they have any ideas for other teams. Make sure any permits/city regulations are being secured and followed. 4-5 WEEKS OUT 100% of teams should be recruited by now. Send email to volunteers to give them an update on event logistics, teams, fundraising and to recognize individuals for their great efforts. Send email to all Team Leaders with an update on the event. o Recognize teams and individuals who have reached their fundraising goal or are close to reaching their goal. o You may want to set up a challenge to have teams stretch to a higher level for instance all teams who turn in $1500 or more 10 days prior to the event will be given one challenge advantage (an extra person in tug of war; an extra shot at horse, etc.) Or come up with another motivator o Remind them of the team spirit award and encourage them to wear team colors, etc. Let all volunteer helpers know where you are in your fundraising total and expenses vs. your goal and what specific things need to happen. 41
All hands on deck don t try to do it all by yourself! Review all set up and challenge game equipment and materials. What is still needed? What might you have to pay for? What can you still get donated? Visit venue with the logistics team and map out the layout for the event: o Check in/registration o Each challenge game o Staging Area for announcements and awards o Food and beverage areas. o Cheering sections, etc. 2-3 WEEKS OUT Really build momentum with volunteer helpers and Team Leaders. Have volunteer helpers call each Team Leader to give them an update and ask if they have any questions and get them excited and motivated there s still time to raise money and exceed your goal! Focus on Team Leaders who are having great success and create/encourage friendly competitive spirit on the fundraising side which team will raise the most money. Logistics should be finalized. Games should be finalized. 1-2 WEEKS OUT Make sure you have the names of each participant for each team. Each teammate needs to have raised some money in order to participate. Are teams at their $1000 minimum? Who may need a call to make sure they are still committed to getting to their minimum? Send TCs the final details on each challenge and agenda for the day. Include how many teammates will be needed for each challenge. Explain that each team is participating in one challenge at a time. Hold a logistics/games meeting. Make sure each game leader has all the support they need and are ready. Do you have enough day of volunteers for set up and breakdown. Is there enough food and beverage? Are awards and prizes secured and collected? Who is picking up equipment and supplies needed for day of? Go over timing of day and make sure everyone understands their role the day of the event 42
2-3 DAYS OUT Email to TCs with final details. Get them psyched. Recognize great fundraising. Remind them of the type of awards that will be given. Confirm with logistics volunteers that all equipment, supplies, food and beverage are taken care of and no last minute surprises. 1 DAY BEFORE EVENT Email to volunteers thanking them for their hard work. Include any last minute reminders and a list of who is doing what onsite the next day. POST EVENT Send thank you letters to participants, sponsors, auction donors, anyone who donated supplies and volunteers. Set up time for wrap up meeting/happy hour/lunch with volunteer helpers. Submit all checks to USO within two weeks of the event. SAMPLE DAY OF AGENDA 7:00 a.m. Set up volunteers arrive Review plans for set up Make sure everyone has specific assignment for set up 7:15 a.m. Set up begins for each game Registration/check-in area set up Food and Beverage stations set up Stage where announcements and awards will happen (where a/v will be if using any) Scoreboard Set up signage 8:30 a.m. Set up should be completed Make sure all volunteers are at their stations and ready to go Make sure that all game/challenge volunteers understand the rules of their game/challenge 9:00 a.m. Registration/check-in opens 43
Each team captain receives the order of their games/challenges 9:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Welcome Mission moment: American Legion honor guard, national anthem sung, etc Announce all competition locations Begin competitions (figure 20 minutes per competition including rotations) Encourage teams to grab a quick bite to eat at the food & beverage station 1:30-2:00 p.m. Competitions conclude Results tallied and prizes awarded 2:00 p.m. Congratulate and thank all participants Address Mission of USO again Announce how much money has been raised to support the troops and their families. 44