TEAM CAPTAIN S GUIDE NYC Southern NY 2010 Bike MS Southern NY Date: September 26, 2010 Bike MS begins: 7:15 a.m. SHARP Start/Finish: Kraft Foods, Tarrytown NY Bike MS NYC Date: October 3, 2010 Bike MS begins: 7:30 a.m. SHARP Start/Finish: Pier 94, West 54th Street, Manhattan
TABLE OF CONTENTS Responsibilities and Benefits of Being a Team...2 Recruiting and Fundraising Tips...4 Using the Online Fundraising System...8 Team Training...9 Team Rewards...10 Frequently Asked Questions...12 Top Teams of 2009...13 Important things to keep in mind and share with your team members: Teams must be made up of at least four members (including the team captain) to qualify for team benefits. Every participant must raise $150 or more in order to participate. Participants who reach the required $150 by September 15, 2010 will receive their rider materials in the mail. All others will have to attend a packet pick-up (locations to be announced closer to the ride). There is absolutely no check-in or packet pick-up the morning of the ride at either location. Children aged 12-17 are only allowed on the 20-mile route (Southern NY) or 30-mile route (NYC) and must register offline and submit a notarized waiver with registration form. All riders aged 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to ride. Please note that absolutely no tag-a-longs, bike seats, burleys or carriers will be allowed. Training rides start July 2010. For more information, see page 9. 1. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
BIKE MS NYC ROUTE UPDATE The 66 and 100 mile routes have changed; participants will not circle Manhattan. Riders participating in the 66 and 100 mile routes will not be able to circle Manhattan traffic free. Instead, they will begin Bike MS by traveling through the Lincoln Tunnel - one of the most exhilarating parts of Bike MS! The privilege to ride on open roadways and through the tunnel is dependent on extensive coordinated support from authorities such as the NYPD and Department of Transportation and, because we are required to ensure cyclists are through the tunnel by 10 a.m. (arriving at the NYC-side Tunnel entrance by 9:30 a.m.), we cannot allow the 66 and 100 milers to circle Manhattan. The chapter is extremely grateful to our NYC and transportation partners who have enabled us to continue providing Bike MS participants with the exciting experience of riding through the Lincoln Tunnel, a uniquely Bike MS NYC - Southern NY feature. We are in the process of developing new 66 and 100 mile routes that will take cyclists further into New York State. Route distances are subject to change. Stay tuned for complete details. RESPONSIBILITIES OF A TEAM CAPTAIN THANK YOU for registering to be a team captain for Bike MS 2010! As team captain, your role is to serve as an inspiration leader to your team members. The Bike MS staff will contact you with important information about recruitment and fundraising competitions, rewards and prizes, training rides and day-of details. It s your job to spread the word to team members. As their team leader and friend, they are more likely to read important information that comes from you, and it s very important that all Bike MS participants receive the most updated information about the event. Of all Bike MS participants, 68% are part of a team. We know that leading a team may seem like a difficult challenge, but this guide provides useful information and helpful tips that will equip you to be a great team captain! Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 2.
BENEFITS OF BEING ON A TEAM Enjoy riding together and sharing the experience of helping others with your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors or anyone who wants to be a part of the movement toward a world free of MS. Teams must have a minimum of four people, including the team captain. Other Benefits: > Team Web site > Opportunity to participate in team contests > Team meeting area at Bike MS > Team photo at Bike MS > Eligibility for Top Fundraising Team Rewards Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 50. 3. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
RECRUITING GET YOUR TEAM STARTED Start with people you know Make a list of friends and family and invite them to join your team. Once they join, encourage them to invite at least one other person. If you are a returning captain, request your roster from the Bike MS staff and recruit last year s team members first. Use the materials available to you Posters, rack cards and Join My Team business cards are available by request from the Bike MS staff. Display posters and rack cards at work and bring the cards to events to spread the word about your team. Be Aggressive Tell your neighbors, coworkers, neighborhood stores and delis about Bike MS and ask them to sponsor or join your team. Broadcast and publicize Use My Participant Center on bikemsnyc.org to its fullest potential by sending out Join My Team e-mails to broadcast your team. Make your goals public on your team page to encourage people to help you reach them. Party with your team Plan an informal team recruitment party to promote your team and to celebrate Bike MS. Hold it at a public place to spread the word. Invite Bike MS staff to do a Lunch and Learn at your office for colleagues to learn about multiple sclerosis and Bike MS. Be there for your team Remember that you are the main liaison between your team members and the Bike MS staff. Contact the Bike MS staff with any questions or requests on behalf of yourself and your team. In their first year participating in Bike MS, Blue Ribbon Naked Nuggets recruited 79 members. Team members spread the word and the team s recruiting efforts shot through the roof! Blue Ribbon Naked Nuggets raised nearly $30,000 and won the Rookie Team of the Year award. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 4.
RECRUITING GET YOUR COMPANY INVOLVED Announce your team Ask the president of your department and/or company to endorse your team in the company newsletter or intranet. Take it one step further by asking him/ her or her to join and ride too! Know the advantages Corporate teams and philanthropic involvement promotes and develops team spirit and boosts morale outside of the office while showing commitment to the community. Participation in athletic charitable events has prompted companies like Deloitte to offer programs that reduce health-care costs of their employees. Follow in the footsteps of veterans Companies like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Vitamin Shoppe and Microsoft all have large corporate teams for Bike MS. Use these as examples to encourage your employer. Socialize with your co-workers Plan a recruitment happy hour event after work to spread the word about Bike MS and your endeavors to increase your team size. Be sure to invite people from all departments to build camaraderie for a common cause. 5. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
FUNDRAISING ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM TO FUNDRAISE Remind your team of the minimum Remind your team members that each participant is required to raise a minimum of $150 to participate. All team members must raise the $150 by September 15, 2010 to receive their rider materials in the mail. Go online Become an expert on the fundraising kits and online tools, and make sure to keep your team members informed on how to use them. The sooner your members register, the sooner they ll receive fundraising kits in the mail, and the sooner they ll be able to fundraise online. Keep up the trend Last year, teams were responsible for nearly 75% of the total overall fundraising for Bike MS. Inform your team members that the Society relies on their fundraising efforts to make the event a success; show them how to effectively fundraise by setting and exceeding your personal fundraising goals. Challenge your team People respond well to challenges, so make your fundraising goal public. Let your team know what they are working toward. Keep your team informed on your progress by sending out update e-mails using My Participant Center. You can also write a team message that every team member will see when they login to their Participant Center. Once the goal is met, keep raising it. This will encourage people to continue donating. Get your community involved Ask local restaurants and stores to sponsor your team directly, or donate gift cards or raffle prizes as incentives. You can also try reaching out to your company vendors to secure prizes. Get creative Sell stickers at work that permit coworkers to dress down and use the proceeds as donations. Set up a collection jar at your desk, company cafeteria, or even a local convenience store. Ask people to contribute spare change or small bills. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 6.
PLAN TEAM FUNDRAISING EVENTS Host a happy hour or a dinner party for your team and guests to boost team morale and raise money doing it. Host a team BBQ or a beef n beer and encourage team members to bring guests and charge an entrance fee to raise money. Hold a team car wash with proceeds going to your team. Hold a bake sale or a candy sale at work or in your neighborhood to fundraise in a sweet way. Hold a team auction at work or in your neighborhood and sell fun perks like the boss s parking space, dinner with the CEO, movie passes, etc. Upgrade your fundraising events by asking local restaurants or stores to donate products or gift cards and raffle them off to guests and team members. Last year, New Leaf-Skae Power nearly tripled their fundraising efforts from Bike MS 2008 (from $5,000 to over $15,000) and won the Most Improved Veteran Fundraising Team award. 7. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
USING THE ONLINE FUNDRAISING SYSTEM It is proven that participants who fundraise online raise significantly more than those who do not. If you or your team members are having difficulties navigating the online fundraising tools, please contact us and we will provide you and/or your team with a hands-on tutorial. Keep track of your team members fundraising. Change your team fundraising goal and customize your team Web page with personal messaging and team photos! Enter a message that every team member will see when they log-in to their Participant Center. Create a personal URL for your team Web page by adding your team name to a shortcut URL. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 8.
TEAM TRAINING With different route options available at Bike MS, you will probably have a variety of riding skill levels on your team. All riders should be prepared to ride their preferred route by training before Bike MS. Riding as a team before the event is a great way to train! BikeMSnyc.org has a variety of training resources available to your team members, including training tips and links to local bike shops and bicycling clubs. Training rides will start in July 2010 and will be posted on bikemsnyc.org. Group riding etiquette Group riding takes practice, and requires courtesy and communication to ensure the safety of all participants. For new riders, group cycling may seem intimidating, however, with proper communication and effective safety precautions, the experience will be a rewarding one for all participants. Your responsibility in a pack is to: Be aware of others around you. Communicate well in advance. Use gestures in combination with verbal commands. Ride with your head up. Look down the road ahead of you; not at the person in front of you. Maintain control and speed of your bike, even going downhill. Know your limits. Accidents can occur when inexperienced riders do not have bike-handling skills to make quick decisions in a pack. If you are new to riding in a large group, start at the back of the line-up to make everyone more comfortable. Keep safety your top priority... Expect to stop at all red lights and stop signs it is the law! Each cyclist is responsible for ensuring that an intersection is clear. Adjust your safety zone to fit the conditions of the road, weather and traffic. Never overlap your wheels with another cyclist. Be aware of how weather will affect your bike. Riding in wet conditions requires slower speeds and greater breaking distances. Be respectful of other riders. Help others when needed. For training ride info: Visit the Web site today for updated training ride information and recommended rides in your area! 9. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
TEAM REWARDS STRIVE TO WIN TEAM AWARDS AND PRIZES! Relax at the Team Village Celebrate your team s success at an exclusive Team Village area at the finish line of Bike MS. Teams that commit to raise $10,000-$29,999 can reserve a private, seated area for their team members to meet after the ride. We provide the seating and you provide the atmosphere! Decorate, show team spirit and celebrate your team s achievements - make Team Village the most festive area of the event! Become a Top Tier Team Top Tier Teams are teams that raise $30,000 or more and they receive great benefits for their efforts. Top Tier Team members receive an exclusive, private area to meet and enjoy breakfast the morning of the event and are able to relax at the finish line. TTT members also have team photographs taken, acknowledgment of the team s accomplishments in Bike MS materials, bag check, and much more! Decorate, show team spirit and celebrate your team s achievements - make Top Tier Team Village the most festive area of the event! Win a team award Awards will be given to the following teams at the annual awards party: #1 Corporate Team #1 Friends and Family Team Top Fundraising Average Credit/Debit Challenge (top accounting firm team) Rookie Team of the year (first year team) Most Improved Veteran Fundraising Team Top Three NYC Fundraising Teams Top Three Southern NY Fundraising Teams Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 10.
Be at the top of your division In order to promote goodwill and fair competition, teams will also compete with each other based on their sizes: Division I (100+ members) Division II (51-99 members) Division III (26-50 members) Division IV (11-25 members) Division V (4-10 members) Team Prizes Teams can qualify for great prizes too! Raise $15,000 and earn a great team prize. Participate in online challenges Win great prizes for recruiting the most team members! Check your e-mail for communications on our recruitment and fundraising challenges. Save the dates! Win Great Prizes! June 14 18, 2010: Team Recruitment Week August 9 13, 2010: Team Recruitment Week For more information on any of the awards or prizes, contact teams@msnyc.org or 212-463-9791, option 3. 11. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
FAQS Can my team hand in our donations together with our team captain? No. All donations must be handed in individually. Every participant is required to raise a minimum of $150 in order to be able to ride in Bike MS 2010. How many people do I need to have on my team? Teams must consist of at least four members to receive any team recognition, awards, and prizes. What is a Top Tier Team? Teams that raise $30,000 or more qualify to be Top Tier Teams. Visit our Top Tier Team Section on page 10 to find out more. What is the Team Village? The Team Village is an area at the finish line for teams that raise $10,000 - $29,999 more. Teams will have reserved tables and chairs and are able to decorate their individual Team Village areas for the event. When will I get my team photo? Team photos will be available on the Bike MS Web site beginning two to three weeks after Bike MS. When are the online challenges? June 14-18, 2010: Team Recruitment Week August 9-13, 2010: Team Recruitment Week Check your e-mail for communication from Bike MS for more information about our upcoming recruitment and fundraising online challenges. Nearly 400,000 Americans are living with MS, and every week, nearly 200 people are diagnosed. World-wide, MS affects about 2.1 million people. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 12.
TOP TEAMS OF 2009 THEY DID IT AND SO CAN YOU 2009 Ranking Team Name Captain(s) Total Raised 1 Goldman Sachs Maya Sudhakaran, Winston $224,387 Crowley 2 Barclays Capital Paige Goodman, Temmy Lizarzabal $181,462 3 Credit Suisse Paul Singleton, Darryl Burke, Jeannette Varzandeh, Dennis Wan $137,202 4 Morgan Stanley Kate Matthews, Sean Murdoch $70,101 5 Team ING Edgar Bautista, Elaine Clark, $67,940 Patrick Kennedy 6 Riding for Richard Morris $60,018 Hootay 7 Team In Motion Becca Kornfeld, Michael Figliulo $55,719 NYC 8 MS Great 8 Michael Zimits, Catherine Tsigakos $34,600 9 Nizer s Riders Peter Smith $29,211 10 Blue Ribbon Naked Nuggets Bruce Bromberg, Eric Bromberg, Ken Bromberg $28,193 The New York City - Southern New York Chapter serves the 10,000 people living with MS in the five boroughs and Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Sullivan counties. 13. Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org
Top Friends & Family: Top Corporate Team: Top Fundraising Average: Rookie Team of the Year: Most Improved Veteran Fundraising Team: Credit/Debit Challenge: Riding for Hootay Goldman Sachs Nizer s Riders Blue Ribbon Naked Nuggets Team ING PricewaterhouseCoopers Division I (100+ members): Goldman Sachs Division II (51-99 members): Riding for Hootay Division III (26-50 members): Team ING Division IV (11-25 members): MS Great 8 Division V (4-10 members): Nizer s Riders Top Three NYC Fundraising Teams: #1 Goldman Sachs $224,387 #2 Barclays Capital $181,462 #3 Credit Suisse $137,202 Top Three Southern NY Fundraising Teams: #1 New Leaf Skae Power $15,463 #2 The Chain Gang $8,785 #3 Team Reckson $7,230 Visit: bikemsnyc.org Call: 212-463-9791 E-mail: teams@msnyc.org 14.
NYC Southern NY 2010 Important Dates to Keep in Mind: June 14 18: August 4: August 9 13: September 15: September 26: October 3: Team Recruitment Week Bike MS Kick Off party Team Recruitment Week Deadline to have $150 raised in order to receive your Rider Packet in the mail Bike MS Southern NY! Bike MS NYC! THANK YOU TO OUR OFFICIAL SPONSORS