Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Fundraising Emails and Thanking Your Donors!

Hey PETA Packers!

Now that you've joined the team and set up your personal fundraising page, I'm sure you can't wait to start fundraising! After all, the rush that you get when you receive donations on your page is one of the best feelings out there. Better yet, you'll be giving your friends, family and co-workers an opportunity to get the incredible feeling that comes with donating to a person and a cause they care about.

What are you waiting for? If you can't figure out what to say, here are some samples for ideas (below). Feel free to use them if you'd like. As long as you keep it personal and from the heart, people won't be able to resist donating!

Thank you for all of your efforts, and Good Luck!

Michelle Cehn :)
michellecehn@petaf.org


Sample Fundraising E-Mail:

Dear Friends,

As some of you may know, I'm training to run a half marathon [or full or 5k] in March. I can barely even imagine running 13+ miles [or 21+ or a 5k] right now, but I am committed to do this on behalf of the abused, neglected and lonely animals with no hope other than PETA coming to their aid. I donate to PETA whenever I can, but I am not able to make the big donations I'd like to by myself. With your help, we can reach more animals and make an even bigger difference than any one person can alone. That is why I decided to run this race. I hope that it will inspire you and many others to lend a hand, and that it will help build a network of supporters that the animals so desperately need.

Making a donation to the PETA Pack is a way to speak out against violence and support kindness to animals without having to do the work yourself. PETA employees and volunteers work very hard every day to investigate cruelty cases, spread awareness about animal exploitation, inspire a shift in attitude and lifestyle toward a more compassionate one, and to find animals who are suffering and lend them a loving hand. Every day PETA distributes literature to the public emails companies asking for more humane practices, speaks out for animals on street corners, in newspapers, online, on television, and anywhere the message of compassion can be shared.

Today I am asking for your support. I'll be doing the huffing and puffing for 3 months, struggling to run upwards of 20 miles a week, and it would mean the world to me if you would consider supporting me by making a donation to my fundraising page:

http://peta.teamraising.com/team/MichelleCehn

On behalf of the animals we are working for, thank you. This means a lot to me, and it means the world to them. With great appreciation,

[Your Name]


Sample Thank You Email

Dear [Donor],

Thank you so much for your incredibly generous donation of $[Amount Donated] to my PETA Pack page! Your support of the PETA Pack means the world to me, and I cannot thank you enough. It is really inspiring to receive donations from compassionate people like you, and I am going to train, run and fundraise even harder because of it!

This year, all the money raised by the PETA Pack is going to PETA's Investigations and Rescue Fund. This pays for everything from undercover investigations that expose behind-the-scenes cruelty, to providing dog houses for lonely backyard dogs that are often chained in freezing weather without shelter. I hope you will sleep well tonight, knowing that your donation will be going to help animals who would not have been helped otherwise.

Thank you so much for supporting me, the team, and the animals who rely on us.

With love and great appreciation,

[Your Name]

Monday, December 14, 2009

The PETA Pack is for EVERYONE (not just runners)!

Hola and Happy Holidays!

We've been hearing from a lot of people interested in joining the PETA Pack team, but convinced they won't be able to run the race. Let me set you all straight. :)
  1. You don't have to run a marathon. In fact, most people won't. The most popular distances are the 5k (3 miles) and the half marathon (13.1 miles). So forget about 26.2, OK? That's for the crazy people.
  2. YOU CAN WALK. In fact, the vast majority of people doing the race next March will walk at least part of the course. Even the speedy ones. Some runners walk 2 minutes for every 10 they run, or they run the first half of the race and then walk the second half, or they do 5 and 5 (run 5 minutes, walk 5 minutes, repeat). It's a fun way to get great exercise, enjoy the sights, and share the adrenaline and camaraderie of race day.
  3. YOU CAN RUN. Two years ago I signed up to train for a half marathon. I couldn't run more than a quarter mile without stopping, but the coach promised he could get me up to 13.1 miles in 12 weeks. I thought he was insane. He was right. I did it! Coach Darren's PETA Pack training works. It's all about gentle increases, rest days, cross training, tapering back. Before you know it you'll be running longer and longer distances and loving it. If you feel sore anywhere, Coach will talk to you one-on-one to work through it.

The PETA Pack is for everyone. We'll have some speed demons who plan to set a new personal record in the half marathon (Henry), we'll have mid-packers like me who will finish but not exactly at the speed of light, and we'll have lots of folks who have never run more than 1 mile when they signed up...cheering as they cross their first finnish line.

Life is short. You've wanted to learn how to run for years. You want to be in better shape. You want to help animals. Don't put this off. Join the team and start planning your race day celebration now! If you're still nervous about the running, contact me and we can talk about it.

Happy Monday!

Alex

AlexB@petaf.org

Monday, December 7, 2009

Team Meet & Greet!

Hey everyone! We wanted to get the word out that next Tuesday, December 15th, we are going to have a Meet & Greet party with the PETA Pack team and professional trainer, Coach Darren! Meet us between 6-8pm at Sports Basement in the Presidio and enjoy snacks, drinks and meeting other team members.

Also, Sports Basement will be giving each of us 10% off purchases and another 10% donated to PETA! So make a list of training items you need - shoes, clothes, water bottle, energy gels, Clif Bars and stock up next Tuesday. These are also great holiday presents ;)

If you plan to come, please RSVP to Jaci at jacik@petaf.org so that we make sure to have enough snacks on hand. And please, bring family or friends who haven't finished their holiday shopping or are looking to spoil themselves!