This is the third and final installment in a series of posts about fund-raising.

In the first two posts, we covered online and email fund-raising activity.

Of course, not everyone uses email and social media, so you’ll want to consider other fund-raising ideas that aren’t digital, such as snail mail letters and cards, in-person conversations and events like bake sales or dinner parties, etc. If you do something fun like a fund-raising dinner party, you want to be sure to promote it in your online and email efforts too.

The idea is to use all your social networks, whether online or in “real life,” to tell your Gilda’s Gang story and ask for support.

Every time you tell the story, you raise awareness of Gilda’s Club and the need for emotional and psychosocial support for cancer survivors, family and friends. That’s an important goal, too.

And even if someone can’t support you with a donation, they can support you by spreading the word through their own networks. Don’t be afraid to ask them to pass the message along.

So … what are you finding is working in your fund-raising? Tips to share that I’ve missed? Please share them in the comments below.

Today’s post is the second in a series of posts about fund-raising ideas and tips.

The best thing to happen to Gilda’s Gang fund-raising, after the adoption of online giving pages, is the explosion of social media.

If you participate in Facebook or other social networking sites, you have a wonderful platform to share your progress in the Gang and remind folks about the opportunity to support your training and Gilda’s Club.

For example:

• First Giving includes the ability to share from your page directly to social networking sites. Look for the familiar Facebook, Twitter and other icons.
• You can post status updates about your training — be sure to always include a link to your First Giving page as part of the update.
• If you are on Twitter, follow me @CynthiaManley and RT my tweets about the Gang, and tweet your own messages, which I will RT. Use #GildasGang on our posts so we can follow the conversation.
• You can include Gang-related status updates and link to your First Giving page on LinkedIn or other networks.

Another great way to use social media in your fund-raising is to get involved with this blog and our Flickr photostream.

Here are some ideas:

• Share links to new blog posts on your own Facebook page, on Twitter and in emails to friends, family.
• Comment on blog posts and photos that you find interesting.
• Write a guest blog posts about your own experience (which you’ll then share in your emails, your own Facebook page, etc). You can do that by clicking on the “Share Your Story” tab at the top.
• Share photos that our official photographer Anne Washburn has taken and uploaded to Flickr. There are icons to share directly to social networks or email, or you can grab the code directly to use on a blog.
• Upload your own photos to Flickr.
• “Like” the Gilda’s Club Nashville Facebook page and share your stories and experiences there.

This is the first of three posts on fund-raising tips.

I met a lot of first-timers at the Gilda’s Gang kick-off last month, and I suspect that many of you are like I was the first time out. The thought of doing 13.1 miles was daunting but the challenge of meeting my fund-raising goal was really scary.

Let me let you in on a little secret. Your fund-raising boils down to this one simple thing: You gotta ask. Whatever your reason for joining Gilda’s Gang, you’ve got a great story to tell. Just tell it and the folks who know you and love you will respond.

Over the next three days, I’m going to offer some fund-raising tips to help make your fund-raising easy, fun and – most importantly – successful.

It all starts with setting up your First Giving fund-raising page. The link to that page is the most valuable tool in your toolkit because it ties to everything else you do online. Make your page personal with a photo and your story about why you are doing this and why supporting Gilda’s is important to you.

The greatest advantage of an online giving page is that it is easy to share and convenient for donors to use. A donor is much more likely to give if they can click on a link while they are thinking about it, versus writing a check, addressing an envelope, finding a stamp and walking to the mailbox.

Consider:

• Writing a personal email to all your contacts about your participation in the Gang and include the link to your First Giving page.

• Adding a short message with the link to your First Giving page to your email signature.

• Sending emails at several points during training to update your email list about your progress, always including “an ask” for support with the link to the First Giving page.

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about leveraging social media platforms such as Facebook in your fund-raising efforts. In the meantime, if you have any questions about your fund-raising or setting up your First Giving page, give Deb a shout at the Clubhouse. She’ll be more than happy to help.

How did you spend World Cancer Day?

A little birdie named Deb told me that 76 of you braved the rain for group training. Here’s to you, my friends!

I had the honor of spending the day in New York City with a group of dear friends, including two cancer survivors (one of them our own Gilda’s Gang member Lynne Cargen) and a cancer researcher.

We travel together several times a year, and as always, this trip included great food, lots of laughter, some shopping and seeing the sights. (In this case, taking in the opera and a show — if you get to NYC any time soon, do yourself a favor and see Rock of Ages. So much fun, especially if you came of age in the 80s).

This trip, we also took a little time to raise a toast to survivors, caregivers, doctors and researchers — as well as each of my Gilda’s Gang teammates.

I also hear from Deb that you are doing great in the fund-raising department. We’re at $31,000. Remarkable.

If you — like me, I’m afraid — have yet to complete your First Giving page and send a link to everyone you know, let’s pledge to accomplish that this week. Watch for my next post, which will focus on fund-raising including tips on how to use social media in your favor.

In the meantime, pat yourselves on the back. We are off to a great start! And please check out the wonderful photostream by Anne Washburn, especially the shots from Saturday. They may have looked like drowned rats but you can’t help but loving those smiles!

Today’s guest blog comes from Kimberly Farmer.

I worked in the oncology field of nursing for almost 10 years. During this journey in my career, I lost my step-dad to metastatic lung cancer approximately 13 years ago. It seems like yesterday as I rekindle the memories and footprints that he left in my life.

Even more recently, I lost one of my best friends from high school to an unknown primary cancer at the young age of 37.

Through these losses, I feel that I have become a stronger nurse and a better caregiver overall.

Currently, my uncle is battling kidney cancer with his daily struggles of pain and facing surgery.

Needless to say, my heart strings are still “dug in deep” to cancer care despite leaving that specialty in nursing to go to Vanderbilt about four years ago.

So … that’s why I chose Gilda’s.

Thank you, Kimberly, for sharing your story. You can learn more about Kimberly and her motivation to get healthy and give back at her First Giving page.

Want to share your story and feature your First Giving page here? It’s simple. Click on the Share Your Story tab.

Are you struggling with your training? Feeling the burn in your shins? Feeling “heavy-footed?”

You might consider whether you’ve got the right shoes, worn correctly.

I experienced this first-hand on Saturday. During the first of our four miles, I was struggling a bit. My shins felt like they were on fire, and I just didn’t have that spring in my step that I should have had.

I’m not entirely happy with my shoes and plan a trip to Athlete’s House in the next week or so to get a pair that suits me better. But in the meantime, I discovered that one contributor to my struggle Saturday was that my shoes weren’t laced up tightly enough across the top of my foot. This was allowing my foot to wiggle a bit back and forth with each step and giving my shins a workout.

Thankfully, I figured this out, tightened the laces and completed the training without the burn and more importantly, without suffering an injury to my feet, ankles or legs.

What about you? Are you happy with your shoes? Our friends at Athlete’s House tell us that a good pair of shoes can make all the difference in your training and your success on marathon day.

For the perfect fit
- You should have about a thumbs’ width between the end of your longest toe and the front of the shoe. You may need to buy a larger size than usual.
- Look for a secure, comfortable fit through the midfoot. Imagine a hand gently holding your foot in place (this was where my shoe was failing me on Saturday).
- There should be little to no slipping at the heel.

When to buy new ones
- If you are consistent in your running/walking and suddenly feel sore.
- If you can’t remember when or where you bought those shoes.
- If there are compression wrinkles at the midsole.

A good rule of thumb is that running and walking shoes should last 350-500 miles. Heavier runners/walkers may need to replace shoes more often.

Don’t forget that we receive a 10 percent discount from Athlete’s House, which is located near Belmont University. Just mention Gilda’s Gang to your sales associate.

Anne Washburn

Check out the new header image, which includes everyone who was there Saturday EXCEPT our intrepid photographer, Anne Washburn. Please check our her photographs on our Flickr page and when you see her along the route with her trusty Nikon, give her a smile and a thank you.

Each of the folks in this photo have his or her reasons for participating in Gilda’s Gang. Some are cancer survivors or caregivers. Some have been touched by cancer in other ways. Some saw it as an opportunity to reach a goal to finish a half marathon and serve a good cause at the same time.

Gilda's Gang members finished strong on Saturday when we covered 4 miles. Photo by A. Washburn.

There are other charity training programs out there. We chose Gilda’s Gang for a reason. Mine includes a long list of people I love who have been hurt or lost to cancer and being witness to the love, compassion and healing that Gilda’s Club Nashville brings to families, friends and survivors who are hurting.

What’s yours?

What I remember most about Gilles Amsilli is his smile.

As he led me to the dance floor at a wedding five years ago, I was charmed by his accent;  I had minored in French in college and still love the language even though I can barely speak it now. But I was more enamored of his obvious joie de vivre — even in the face of a serious cancer diagnosis — and his love for Josette, his wife, and his girls, Kim and Lea.

I remembered this as Kim kicked off the seventh season of Gilda’s Gang with her “member minute” two weeks ago. I remembered his charm. His wit. His sense of humor. And his smile. Gilles really had a great smile.

Unfortunately, Kim says, they were unaware of Gilda’s Club when her father was in treatment. They found Gilda’s services after his death on Feb. 10 four years ago.

“This place has been a huge part of my journey through grief and a huge part of my healing,” Kim says. “There are girls from my support group who have become my sisters.

“Thank you for what you are doing. It is a huge accomplishment to do 13.1 miles, so congratulations on that. But you are doing something even greater for people you don’t even know. You are doing this for strangers and that is an awesome, awesome gift.”

Thank you, Kim, for sharing your story and inspiring our team as we train for the Country Music Marathon and raise funds that are so important to keep the red door open for everyone impacted by cancer, free of charge.

We will all be thinking of you and your family as Feb. 10 approaches. Anniversaries are never easy.

And I will be remembering your father’s smile. He would be so proud of you.

PS – Here is Kim’s FirstGiving page. Please consider supporting her training.

For someone like me, who lives to eat instead of the other way around, thinking of food in practical terms is new territory.

Neil Harrington demonstrates how to make a Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie.

Neil Harrington, a dietetic intern who joined us for the kick-off health fair a couple of weeks ago, told us that as we train, we have to think of food as fuel. You know it’s not wise to drive your car on fumes. Same is true for our bodies.

It’s a big mistake to take off on your morning training walk or run without breakfast, but for a lot of us, having to think about what to eat and prepare it is just one more obstacle to getting out of bed and hitting the pavement.

Neil shared this recipe for a smoothie that couldn’t be easier — or tastier.

• 10 oz. cold milk (skim, 2% or whole – your choice)
• 1 ripe banana
• A large spoonful of peanut butter (chunky or smooth, and how big a spoonful is up to you)
• Cinnamon or vanilla to taste

In a blender, blend the milk and banana together till smooth. Add the peanut butter and blend. Flavor to taste with cinnamon or vanilla.

Neil said that adding ice gives it a slightly different texture, as does freezing the banana before blending.

Give it a try, and let us know what you think.

What do you eat before training? Any recipes to share?

This post is going to be short.

Over the past 24 hours, I have learned of the deaths of three — count ‘em, three — acquaintances who have died of their cancers.

None was what I would classify as a close friend so my anger and grief at their passing is nothing compared to what their family and friends are feeling. But I am angry. Very angry. All three were in the prime of their lives. They had family and friends who loved them. They had more to contribute to this world.

Yes, this post is short. But it could have been even shorter.

I hate cancer.

Today, I am excited to feature our first guest blog post, submitted by Jacqueline DeSelms-Wolfe.

But first I want to wish everyone well for the first group training walk/run tomorrow starting at 8 a.m. at the Clubhouse (please arrive by 7:45 a.m. for announcements and a “member minute”). I will be doing my three miles Saturday afternoon in Washington, D.C., where I’ll be attending a meeting that includes a visit to the National Cancer Institute on Monday. 

And now … Chocolate? Or Pilates?

Day one of half-marathon training and I went for the chocolate cake. I did run, but I ran less than the recommended time telling myself that I would do pilates to make up the difference. And then the chocolate cake was staring me in the face. The pilates video was not.
So I am enjoying some cake while writing and resisting the urge to beat myself up for not doing the right thing (i.e. pilates – or running the full recommended amount). Yet, I am also thinking about what a wise teacher has told me: there are no right or wrong choices, just different consequences.

The consequence for not doing pilates: I will start out my training a little behind schedule. I will probably not sleep as good having so much chocolate.  I will also probably wish that I had exercised instead.

Tonight, though, I have decided to enjoy the consequences of eating some amazing chocolate cake baked by a friend. I’ve also decided that life is too short and that beating myself up gets me nowhere. It definitely won’t help me get to the finish line.

So Chocolate cake it is, and will be more often in the future. And so will pilates and running. The nice thing is that I can have both because if I stop taking the time to beat myself up over something that is meant to be enjoyed, I end up having more time for it all.

Granted, there will be no more exercise tonight, but since I’m not all sweaty in my workout clothes, I’ve given myself permission to sleep in them so that when I get up in the morning I just have to put on my running shoes and glasses. Thankfully, chocolate cake isn’t so appealing that early in the morning.

Read more about Jacqueline’s motivation to participate in Gilda’s Gang and consider supporting her fundraising at her First Giving page.

If you would like to submit a blog post, please click on the “Share Your Story” tab at the top of the page. And let’s all give Jacqueline a round of applause for going first.

I am excited to announce a new feature to the Gilda’s Gang blog, but first, there are a few acknowledgments to be made.

Thank you to everyone who came out for the kick-off and health fair last week — all 125 of you! Our team stands at 140 members so far and we’ve already raised $15,000.

That’s a fantastic start but let’s not stop here. We’d love to get the team up to 150, 175, even more, so invite your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to join us.

Thanks go to Scott Arnold at NewsChannel 5, too, for stories about the Gang at 5 and 10 o’clock. This is going to be a great partnership.

Thanks go to Kim Amsilli for sharing her “member minute.” More from Kim in a future post.

And thanks to the Athlete’s House’s Jason Carpenter, dietetic intern Neil Harrington, the coaches from the Dayani Center, physical therapists from Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Institute, all the Gilda’s Club staff and volunteers who made the kick-off such a success.  (If I’ve left anyone out, it was unintentional. Please accept my apologies. If you know of someone else who deserves a shout-out, please leave a comment).

Now to the new feature. At the top of the blog, you’ll see a tab called “share your story.” Click there and you’ll find a form you can use to submit your own guest blog post or to ask me to interview you for a post. I hope it will be a fun way to join the conversation on the blog and to jumpstart your fund-raising with a link that you can share with your donors.

I look forward to hearing and sharing your stories about what Gilda’s Club means to you.

Gilda’s Club Nashville is lucky to have had the support from Amy Marasalis, formerly of NewsChannel 5, as both a board member, Gilda’s Gang team member and former honorary team captain.

Now Amy is doing us another good turn. She’s brought along her friend and colleague, Scott Arnold, an anchor and political reporter at NewsChannel 5 as our team captain for the 2012 season.

At our kickoff celebration and health fair on Saturday, Scott shared his own experience as someone impacted by cancer and offered some inspirational advice. Apologies for the lighting on the video, but the message is wonderful.

More about the kickoff later this week. In the meantime, happy training!

The new season of Gilda’s Gang kicks off at 9 o’clock on Saturday morning Welcome with an open house and heath fair at Gilda’s Club.

We’ll meet the coaches from Vanderbilt Dayani Center, talk with folks from Athlete’s House about training apparel and proper footwear; hear from a nutritionist about what to eat for workouts; and learn from physical therapists about stretching and injury prevention.

Gilda’s Club Nashville is located at 1707 Division Street, with plenty of parking behind the clubhouse. Directional signage will be on Division Street at the alley (west of 17th St.) and at the designated lots.

The official 15-week training program for the Country Music Half Marathon starts on Monday with our first group run/walk next Saturday, Jan. 21 at 8 a.m.

If you are still undecided, here are the top 10 reasons you should join us:

10 – A $10 group discount on registration for the marathon.

9 – Personalized training program for all ages, all fitness levels, led by certified fitness specialists from the Dayani Center. (Thank you, Dayani Center!)

8 – Fun training walks/runs with the group every Saturday morning.

7 – Frothy Monkey coffee. ‘Nuff said.

6 – NEW start time for Saturday morning training — 8 a.m. instead of 7!

5 – $10 discount at Athlete’s House for shoes and fitness wear (thank you, Athlete’s House).

4 – STAR bagels. Yum.

3 – Free membership to the Dayani Center, now through race day.

2 – FirstGiving tool to make your fund-raising easy breezy. You can personalize your own webpage, track donations and link to Facebook and Twitter.

1 – Giving important gifts to yourself and to the men, women, teens and children impacted by cancer. For you, it’s improved fitness and the powerful experience of finishing a half-marathon. For cancer survivors, their family and friends, it’s helping make sure the support services behind the red door at Gilda’s Club remain available, without charge.

So don’t ask yourself why you should do Gilda’s Gang, ask yourself why not.

See you Saturday!

Being a teen-ager can unleash a storm of emotions, questions, and unexpected discoveries. So can an experience with cancer. Now just imagine the perfect storm when teen-agers are impacted by cancer — either themselves or someone they love.

One way to work through that storm is through storytelling. Thanks to the generosity of the Nashville Predators Foundation, teens in grades 9-12 who have been impacted by cancer have the chance to tell their story and compete for a $500 cash prize.

One winning essay will be chosen in each of two categories: stories told by teen-aged cancer survivors or stories told by teen-agers who have experienced a family member or close friend diagnosed with cancer.

If you know a high schooler who has been impacted by cancer, please encourage them to enter the contest.

• Essays should be at least 500 words and no more than 2,000 words long. (Really, no more than 2,000. Those that exceed 2,000 will not be considered).
• Essays must be typed and double spaced.
• A panel of judges will review the essays and narrow the group to the 10 best. Then a panel of celebrities (we’ll tell you more about them later) will score those 10 to determine the winner in each category.
• Essays and the completed contest entry form must be submitted by Feb.  1, 2012.

You may mail the form or submit your entry via email.

The mailing address is “It’s Always Something” Teen Essay Contest, Gilda’s Club Nashville, 1707 Division Street, Nashville, TN 37203.

If you have questions, email Megan Ingram or call (615) 329-1124.

When I was 3, my favorite song was Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking.” I had my own little white go-go boots and family folklore has it that I used to sing the chorus to my babysitter, especially when she wanted me to settle down for a nap.

As I was thinking about what to write today, the lyrics popped into my head for some reason, so I looked it up on YouTube. There she is, in all her teased-hair-and-long-leg glory, super short dress (or long shirt, depending on your point of view) and go-go boots. I think this video is the grandmother of Beyonce’s Single Ladies. Check it out:

I like this as a theme song for Gilda’s Gang. While we won’t be walking the Country Music Marathon in go-go boots, we will be walking all over cancer (at least figuratively) with that same sassy attitude.

What song would you nominate for a theme song?

PS – Please join us on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Gilda’s Club Nashville for the kick-off celebration to Gilda’s Gang, a 15-week training program for the Country Music Marathon. We’d love to have you as part of the team!

Christmas is over. Hanukkah ends this week. And New Year’s Eve is right around the corner.

That can mean only one thing. It’s almost Gang Time again! Gilda’s Gang, that is.

I am excited to report that this year, I’m not only returning to the training course myself but also bringing my daughter and a few friends and colleagues along for the fun.

What is Gilda’s Gang?

It’s a 15-week training program to walk or run the Country Music Half Marathon on April 28. It’s also a way to raise awareness about and funds to support the work of Gilda’s Club Nashville, a support community for folks impacted by cancer — survivors, family, and friends alike.

Inspired by Dr. Gail Addlestone, Gilda’s Gang is a great way to get fit and give back to the men, women, and children in our community who are living with cancer.

The program includes:

• Free access to Vanderbilt Dayani Center beginning Jan. 2
• Fitness specialists to lead group run/walks on Sat. at 8 a.m.
• Personalized program (run, walk, run/walk) with weekly workout schedule
• Discount code for CMM Half Marathon entry fee
• Personalized online fundraising page
• Official team technical shirt
• Post-race team awards celebration

Each team member is asked to raise a minimum of $750 to support the free programs at Gilda’s Club. The $25 registration fee will be credited to your fundraising total.

Information sessions will be 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on January 9 at the Gilda’s Clubhouse or Saturday, Jan. 14 at 9 a.m., which also kicks off our training.

Will you join us? What’s stopping you?