FORMING AN AIDS WALK LOS ANGELES TEAM BENEFITS YOUR ORGANIZATION

Walking as a team is not only fun, it’s also a powerful morale builder for all types of companies, schools, and organizations. It’s a time for meaningful fellowship outside the work or school environment, and it’s a great reason for friends and family groups to get together!

Forming an AIDS Walk team is a great way to reinforce the goals of every individual walker. An AIDS Walk team brings Team Members together to show support for loved ones who are fighting the disease, to walk in memory of those who have been lost, and to raise awareness that HIV/AIDS still threatens our community. Raising funds for those affected by HIV/AIDS is extremely important, and it’s easy to do as a group. As an AIDS Walk team, you will motivate each other (and challenge other AIDS Walk teams) to meet high fundraising goals.

By forming an AIDS Walk Los Angeles team, you are demonstrating your commitment to fight HIV/AIDS in our community, and your team will be listed in the official AIDS Walk Los Angeles Program Guide. Many teams wear T-shirts and carry banners with their names and logos proudly displayed at the event.

It’s Easy: Start a Team!

• Designate a Team Leader (or Co-Leaders) and Request A Team. Once approved by an AIDS Walk Los Angeles Team Coordinator, you will receive an e-mail with your username and password to set up your own Team Fundraising Web page. In addition, the AIDS Walk Los Angeles office will assign your team an exclusive team number and will send registration materials marked with that number that you can distribute to your employees, students, or members. Your team number allows us to accurately track the money raised by all walkers registered on your team.

• Set a recruitment and fundraising goal. For larger companies, consider the size of the organization. If your employer has 1,000 employees, set a goal to register 10% of them or 100 Team Walkers. Many teams invite their family and friends to join, too. In 2006, the average fundraising walker raised $282. If your team registers 100 walkers who raise $282 each, your team would raise $28,200, which could make your team a top team and a Gold Team!

• Register Team Members! Register 20 walkers or more by NOON on Wednesday, October 10, and your team will qualify for a Team Meeting Station at the AIDS Walk Los Angeles venue. Use your Team Web page to invite friends, coworkers, and family members to join the team. Use the AIDS Walk Los Angeles Team Fax Registration Form to register walkers in person. Once a form is filled out completely, fax it back to the AIDS Walk Los Angeles office using the number written at the top of the document. Remember to invite board members, vendors, customers, friends, and family members!

Keep the Momentum Going!

• Get the word out. Encourage the involvement of your team through newsletters, e-mail, incentives, and group activities. Put up posters, hand out flyers, send an e-mail, or update your voicemail message to notify everyone you are participating in AIDS Walk Los Angeles.

• Get your fundraising off on the right foot. The AIDS Walk Los Angeles office will mail each Team Member a Walker Kit with a Sponsor Form upon receiving their registration. In addition, all Team Members will have access to their own Fundraising Web page, from which they can send out e-mails and collect online credit card donations. In the meantime, motivate Team Members to start collecting donations offline as soon as they register! Download an AIDS Walk Los Angeles Sponsor Form and hand it to them immediately.

Raise Funds!

• Ask everyone to sponsor you. No amount is too small; sponsors can pledge $5, $10 or $100 – the sky’s the limit!

• Matching Gift Programs can double or even triple your donations. Ask friends and family members if their employer has a Matching Gift Program!

• Star Walkers rule! The Star Walkers Club is a group of dedicated individuals who set a goal of raising $1,000 or more. Star Walkers who reach the $1,000 mark will receive extra recognition and support. To learn more about the Star Walkers Club, contact the Star Walker Coordinator, Scott Hoeninger at scotth@aidswalk.net.

• We want you to be successful! The AIDS Walk Los Angeles Team Staff is always available to help with your team building and fundraising efforts. To get more team fundraising and recruiting ideas, contact a Team Coordinator, at awlateams@aidswalk.net.

Lace Up Your Sneakers!

On Sunday, October 21, join other caring and compassionate individuals in West Hollywood Park to raise urgently needed funds for people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles. There will be celebrities, great food, fun music, and most importantly,

Also, consider Volunteering or becoming a Corporate Sponsor!