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• Intrepid fundraisers complete Peace Hospice charity firewalk
  Intrepid volunteers overcame temperatures of more than 1,200 degrees last night as they completed a charity fire walk. The annual event, held at the Watermill Hotel, Bourne End, saw 69 people put mind over matter and walk bare foot over a fierce 20 foot track of hot coals. (11/14/2008) more...
• Atayne Collects Trash to Connect with Runners
  On Oct. 5, athletic brand Atayne activated its sponsorship at the Maine Marathon in Portland, ME, by… picking up trash. The one-and-a-half-year-old athletic apparel brand sent volunteer brand ambassadors out on the 26-mile course with baby jogging strollers to follow runners and pick up garbage and recyclables left behind. Atayne creates performance apparel made from recyclable materials like plastic bottles and coconut shells. The activation supports the brand’s environmentally conscious mantra: run hard, tread lightly. (11/12/2008) more...
• Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Gives $35 Million to the Jimmy Fund
  The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) raised a record-breaking $35 million for adult and pediatric cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its August cycling event, which is $2 million more than it raised last year. (11/6/2008) more...
• Thousands in Capital Region using sports to support a cause
  There are a lot of reasons to be on your feet in the Capital Region these days. Today, 13,000 people are expected to take part in the American Cancer Society's walkathon in Albany's Washington Park. Saturday, the American Heart Association was expected to attract more than 4,000 people to its own walk. (10/19/2008) more...
• Bay Area marathoners run for loved ones who cannot
  Robyn Froerer had seen the ghostly blur of faces that materialized at every race, the pictures pinned to runners' chests — the quick lined up with the dead. While training for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, one of the endurance races in the Bay Area that raises funds to fight deadly diseases, Froerer decided to put the source of her own inspiration to work for her fellow runners. (10/18/2008) more...
• Fila and Samaritan's Feet Partner for 300 Mile Barefoot Walk
  US based charity Samaritan's Feet is proud to announce that Fila, the Italian sportswear brand, will be the presenting sponsor of the World Walk, scheduled for October 11th - 25th, 2008. (10/7/2008) more...
• CIGNA Falmouth Road Race exceeds $1.3 million raised for charities
  The CIGNA Falmouth Road Race broke its fund-raising record by more than $300,000 at this year’s 36th running, raising $1.31 million for the 61 groups it supports with its “numbers-for-nonprofits” program. Each year the race directors provide guaranteed entries, exempt from the lottery and with an extended deadline and a discounted entry fee, to selected charities. The charities then offer the entries to runners, who solicit donations for the non-profit. More than 900 people participated in the program this year. Runners in the 2007 race raised $1.05 millions and the total for the past six years is more than $4.8 million. This year’s top fundraiser was Dana-Farber Cancer Institute of Boston, with $160,225, followed by Compassionate Care ALS of North Falmouth, which received over $134,000, and Lymphoma Research Foundation at $121,000. The individual leaders were Jerry and Renee Trupiano of Rockport, with $40,175 for Compassionate Care ALS, and Matthew and Lori Sidman of Boston, who raised more than $40,000 for Dana-Farber. Cape-based non-profits did very well at this year’s race. In addition to Compassionate Care, 17 other local groups participated in the program, raising more than $240,000, up from $175,000 in 2007. The following Cape non-profits were involved: 300 Committee of Falmouth, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Cape and Island Special Olympics, Cape Cod Center for Women, Compassion Fund of Cape Cod, Dream Day on Cape Cod, Falmouth Commodores, Falmouth Community Television, Falmouth Service Center, Falmouth Veterans Council, Gosnold on Cape Cod, Matthew Houlihan Foundation, Police Athletic League of Cape Cod, Recovery Without Walls, Run2Rhimember, Wampanoag Home Run and Wings for Falmouth Families. Harold Kiley of Mashpee led all Cape runners with $11,191 for Dana-Farber, followed by Ariana Kerrigan of Falmouth, with $6,000 for Children’s Tumor Foundation. East Falmouth’s Jay Canute, a stroke survivor, raised $2,380 for the American Stroke Association, and Christy Lynch of East Falmouth and Jon Ledwick, Falmouth, pitched in $2,000 and $1,560, respectively for Dana-Farber. Patricia McPherson of Pocasset raised $1,780 for Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and Warren Dalton added $1,385 for Falmouth Veterans Council. Almost 200 Cape runners ran for one of the charities. Other leading groups included Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, $95,000; Ronald McDonald House of Boston, $80,240; American Stroke Association/Teddy's Team, $76,000; Children's Hospital Boston, $72,523; and Joslin Diabetes Center, $42,139. In addition to the money raised by runners, the race made direct donations to more than 25 local non-profits and sports teams. Information about the nonprofit groups in the program is listed on the web at http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/guaranteed-entries. (10/2/2008) more...
• Expresso Fitness & ADA Create Virtual Ride-A-Thon
  Expresso Fitness will host a two-week virtual ride fundraising campaign from November 2 - 16, 2008 to support the American Diabetes Association. Prevention: Expresso's 2008 Virtual Ride-a-thon will leverage the company's interactive, web-enable cardio-fitness systems at select fitness facilities across the country. (9/30/2008) more...
• Audi Best Buddies Challenges Breaks Records in 2008
  This LA Times article describes Audi's sponsorship of Best Buddies International's cycling fundraisers with an emphasis on the many celebrities involved in the LA event. (9/25/2008) more...
• Hershey's Turns Pink to Honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  For the fourth year, The Hershey Company will turn pink in October to help raise awareness of breast cancer. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the iconic Hershey(R)'s Kisses(R) Brand Milk Chocolates, Hershey(R)'s Nuggets Chocolates, Hershey(R)'s Syrup, York(R) Peppermint Patties and Reese's(R) Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures will feature pink packaging to showcase the company's commitment to educating women, supporting research and finding a cure for breast cancer, a disease that will affect over 182,000 women in 2008. In addition, Hershey's is hosting a four-day charity bike ride and virtual online charity ride inviting everyone to get involved and support the Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the premier international non-profit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to addressing the concerns and issues unique to young women and breast cancer. (9/17/2008) more...
• Hyundai Hope on Wheels Backs LLS Light The Night
  The Hope on Wheels Tour were represented at all 240 of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2008 Light The Night Walks nationwide and will hold handprint ceremonies at 30 select events (9/1/2008) more...
• Independence Blue Cross Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of American Diabetes Association's Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes in Philadelphia
  Independence Blue Cross (IBC) today announced that it is the presenting sponsor of the American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes to be held in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 4, 2008. (8/18/2008) more...
• Finish Line Extends Sole Destination
  The Finish Line, Inc., one of the nation's leading athletic retailers, has announced that it will extend its partnership with Soles4Souls, the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to those in need, and will continue the national shoe trade-in program, "Sole Destination," at all 697 Finish Line store locations across the United States. (8/7/2008) more...
• Half Marathons Experience Big Growth: NY Times
  Increased popularity among new and veteran runners has made half marathons the fastest growing type of running event, according to Running USA. Athletic event fundraising professionals should consider adding this distance to their endurance training programs. (7/24/2008) more...
• Jockey Sponsors LA Underwear Affair: Event Marketer
  To raise awareness for the City of Hope cancer center’s The Underwear Affair 10K Run/ 5K Walk, presenting sponsor Jockey held a promotional event in June 2008. The brand donated underwear to hang on a clothesline spanning three blocks along the Third Street Promenade in L.A. Passersby could take a pair of underwear ornamented with a branded tag informing them about the race. (7/8/2008) more...
• Third Annual Kidney Disease Awareness Walks to Hit 20 Cities
  The 3rd annual national “Kidney Awareness Time” Walk-a-thon (KAT Walk) will kick off on June 29th in Virginia Beach. 13,000 walkers are expected to participate this year with a goal of raising money to fight chronic kidney disease (“CKD”) – a silent epidemic that affects 26 million adult Americans. The DaVita KAT Walks Across America™ will pass through 20 cities nationwide, ending on December 7 in Orlando, Florida. Virginia Beach will be the first city on the tour and the walk will kick-off with Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf and State Senator Yvonne Miller. (6/29/2008) more...
• Kanye West Announced As Grand Finale Performance For The Nike+ Human Race - The World's Largest One Day Running Event
  Music takes center stage on the heels of the official registration opening for the Nike+ Human Race, the world’s biggest one-day running event taking place on August 31, 2008. The race brings together the power of sport and music to inspire and connect runners from every corner of the planet. Participants in this unprecedented event will experience an exclusive music performance by some of today’s top artists in each of the 25 designated race cities. (6/18/2008) more...
• 26.2 WITH DONNA THE NATIONAL MARATHON TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER ANNOUNCES FUNDRAISING TOTALS TO BENEFIT THE DONNA HICKEN FOUNDATION AND MAYO CLINIC
  Representatives from The Donna Hicken Foundation and the Mayo Clinic will receive checks from the registration fees and monies raised from the 26.2 with Donna The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer on Tuesday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at the Mayo Clinic campus. (5/22/2008) more...
• Nike+ Human Race: The World’s Largest One Day Running Event
  Nike today announced the Nike+ Human Race, the world’s biggest one day running event ever, offering runners across the globe the chance to compete together on August 31, 2008. The 10k event will span multiple continents and cover 25 cities,including LA, New York,London, Madrid, Paris, Istanbul, Melbourne, Shanghai, São Paulo and Vancouver. Following races in each city, participants will be treated to an exclusive music concert featuring one of today’s top artists. (5/1/2008) more...
• Relays Bring in Bucks to Fight Cancer
  This Atlanta-Journal Constitution article examines the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and the field of athletic event fundraising (4/21/2008) more...
• Schwinn Signs First-ever National Bicycle Sponsorship of Team In Training
  Schwinn Bicycles, America’s most recognized bicycle brand, is pleased to announce the signing of a partnership with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT), the world’s largest endurance sports training and fundraising program, to become its first-ever national bicycle sponsor. (4/1/2008) more...
• Fuel Belt Named Official Product Partner of Team In Training
  Barrington, RI – March 21, 2008 - Fuel Belt, Inc. and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) have announced a multi year strategic partnership through LLS’s Team In Training, the world’s largest endurance sports training and fundraising program Fuel Belt, the leader in hydration belts and running accessories, is now an Official Product Partner of Team In Training (TNT). Fuel Belt will design a unique collection of products that will be made available to more than 2,500 retailers across the country. Ten percent of all sales from this collection will be donated directly to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). (3/21/2008) more...
• LLS and Nation's Triathlon Announce Partnership
  WHITE PLAINS, NY - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the Nation's Triathlon® today announced a new partnership that will leverage the surging number of triathletes and popularity of the sport to help raise money for blood cancer research. Utilizing LLS's world-famous Team In Training® (TNT) endurance sports training program - which has raised $850 million for cancer research and trained 360,000 people since its inception in 1988 - the newly branded Nation's Triathlon To Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the first triathlon in the nation dedicated to raising money to help cure blood cancers. (2/19/2008) more...
• First Step Up to Fight Diabetes Raises $600,000
  Combining a 10-mile walk with climbing 1,000 stairs, the American Diabetes Association held its first Step Up to Fight Diabetes event in Philadelphia in October 2007 and raised $600,000 (2/6/2008) more...
• Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Launches Team Challenge
  The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation today announced the kick-off of its winter recruitment season for Crohn’s & Colitis Team Challenge. This half marathon training program equips you with everything you need to cross the finish line at the Napa to Sonoma Half Country Half Marathon and raise critical research dollars for the 1.4 million Americans living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. (2/6/2008) more...
• March of Dimes Renames Its Biggest Fundraiser: NY Times
  The March of Dimes, one of the nation’s oldest nonprofit groups, is changing the name of Walk America, its biggest fund-raising event, to March for Babies as part of an effort to increase public awareness of its mission. (2/6/2008) more...
• Runners at the 2008 Disney World Marathon Raise over 400K!
  Magic is a word rarely used these days, and when it is, it’s hard not to be skeptical about what is being referred to as magic. But the 2008 Walt Disney World marathon and our Run For Our Sons team cannot be described any other way…Runners and spirit runners from all over the continent have raised over $400,000 and that number keeps growing! (2/4/2008) more...
• 2007 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Series Raise $47 million
  Building on the momentum of its 2007 walks, the Avon Foundation announced that it will add a 9th market -- Houston -- to its 2008 schedule. (1/20/2008) more...
• Pink Beard Barry Walks 1,680 Miles to Fight Breast Cancer
  Barry Blauer has raised $70,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure by walking in 30 Breast Cancer since 2002. He's an example of a highly valualbe megaparticipant. (1/9/2008) more...
• Barron Named Director of AIDS/LifeCycle
  San Francisco, December 5, 2007 -- The San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L. A. Gay and Lesbian Center announce the hiring of Michael Barron as the new Director of AIDS/LifeCycle. Barron, who previously directed Florida's Red Ribbon Ride and volunteered both as Road Manager and Assistant Logistics Coordinator for AIDS/LifeCycle, will begin his new role December 17th. Most recently Barron served as Chief Development Officer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Lauderdale. (1/8/2008) more...
• Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Gives $33 Million to the Jimmy Fund
  BOSTON (Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007, 8 p.m.) — The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) raised a record-breaking $33 million for cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute though its August cycling event – $7 million more than the organization raised last year. The total sum, which the organization announced tonight, is more than twice the amount ever raised for charity by any other athletic fundraising event. It is the single largest contribution made to the Jimmy Fund. (11/8/2007) more...
• Pan-Mass Challenge Participants Tell their Stories on Panraven
  Cyclists, friends and family use multimedia storytelling service to capture and share the "ride of their lives" online and in print (8/14/2007) more...
• Racing Blindfolded at Vision 5K
  To understand someone else’s perspective, the classic advice is to “put yourself in their shoes.” Medfield resident George Maley will take that advice literally when he puts himself in the running shoes of a blind athlete at the Vision 5K’s Blindfold Challenge June 2. Now in its seventh year, the Vision 5K is a run and walk at Boston’s Roberto Clemente Field to benefit five Boston-based organizations: the Carroll Center for the Blind, the Greater Boston Guild for the Blind, Perkins School for the Blind, the National Braille Press and MAB Community Services. Visually impaired runners navigate the Fenway neighborhood course with the help of a guide on a two-foot tether. As a show of solidarity, Maley and dozens of other sighted runners will do the same by tying a blindfold around their eyes and a string to a partner. (5/31/2007) more...
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Reports Record Success of Great Strides 2007
  In 2007 GREAT STRIDES will raise more than $34 million—a 10 percent increase from 2006. Much of the growth can be attributed to a phenomenal year in online fund-raising, which made it easy for walkers to raise money before GREAT STRIDES and quickly reach busy friends and colleagues through e-mail. In fact, the Foundation received an all-time high in online contributions on May 18 and received more than $2 million so far in May alone—proving the tremendous impact of online fund-raising in helping the Foundation achieve its mission. (5/18/2007) more...
• Charity Navigator Special Events Study
  In May 2007 Charity Navigator issued a study on the fundraising efficiency of special events -- everything from galas to endurance runs. Although it found that overall special events were fairly inefficient, it notes that some of the biggest players involved in athletic event fundraising produced some very efficient events. (5/3/2007) more...
• Reebok Renews Sponsorship of The Avon Walks for Breast Cancer
  (4/26/2007) more...
• Reebok Sponsors 2007 Avon Walks
  The Avon Foundation is proud to announce that Reebok will be the official footwear and apparel sponsor of the 2007 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Series for the second consecutive year. The Avon Walk is a series of weekend-long walking events that take place from May through October in eight cities across the country, attracting tens of thousands of participants who generate funds and awareness to help find a cure for breast cancer. (4/25/2007) more...
• Novartis Signs on as Great Strides Partner
  Expanding its commitment to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, an innovative healthcare products company, recently signed on as a National Corporate Partner for GREAT STRIDES 2007. (4/19/2007) more...
• Running Coast to Coast for Charity
  A Washington Post article on examples of people and teams who've traversed the country to raise funds for charity (7/23/2006) more...
• Parkinson's Unity Walk Official 2006 Post-Walk Press Release
  New York, April 29, 2006 - The press release describing highlights from the day's event, reactions from the crowed and speeches from influential individuals including Michael J. Fox. () more...
• CNN.com Article on Active.com
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• Bikeathlons and Other Athletic Events Are A Runaway Success for Fund-Raisers:Businessweek
  Bikeathons and other athletic events have been runaway success for fund-raisers in recent years. Twenty years ago, a surgeon in Tacoma, Wash., came up with the quixotic idea of running around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the fight against cancer. After collecting $27,000 in pledges, he realized he could multiply donations by forming teams to run a relay. From that humble start, the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life has mushroomed. () more...
• 2000 Washington Post on Events and Medical Risks
  During the Avon walk for breast cancer in May, more than 100 participants were treated by the event's medical staff and another 50 were hospitalized during the three-day trek after a heat wave caught many people unprepared. Last month, a 51-year-old man riding in a Boston AIDS bike event had a heart attack, swerved into the path of a motorcycle and was killed. () more...
• Newcomers to Running Generate More Than Half a Billion Dollars Each Year
  When Natasha Alam was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma last March, she wanted something more to look forward to than the end of chemotherapy. So the 28-year-old New Yorker decided to run a half-marathon in San Francisco. () more...
• Charity Fund-Raising Through Running Sees Marked Increase
  Road runners and walkers raised $656 million for charity in 2005, USA Track & Field (USATF) announced Tuesday. This represents one of the most significant sources of revenue growth for organizations in the past several years. The figure marks a 14 percent increase over 2005 and is the biggest single-year increase since USATF began its annual charity survey in 2002. () more...
• NonProfit Times Article on
  Online Fundraising Strategies
  The NonProfit Times explores the opportunities and challenges presented by online fundraising systems. () more...
• Embassy Suites Hotels® Empowers Guests to Aid in the Fight Against Cancer
  Hotel Brand Announces Alliance with LIVESTRONG™ Lance Armstrong Foundation MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Embassy Suites Hotels announces its relationship with the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) to help address the needs of more than 10 million cancer survivors living in the United States. In an effort to increase cancer awareness and action, Embassy Suites Hotels is mobilizing hotel team members and guests across the brand’s 185 hotels to help support the fight against cancer by raising awareness and providing monetary support. () more...
• 2007 AIDS/LifeCycle Raises $11 million
  LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2007 -- More than 2,300 riders and nearly 500 volunteer participants in AIDS/LifeCycle rolled into West Los Angeles Saturday and boisterously celebrated having raised more than $11 million for HIV services and prevention on their 545-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. () more...
• 2008 Komen Denver Race for the Cure
  Denver reclaimed the title of largest Race for the Cure event in 2008 with an estimated 62,000 participants and $2.5 million in fundraising. () more...
• 2008 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Breaks Record
  More than 4,500 participants raised a record-breaking $11.5 million plus in the 2008 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York, the biggest Avon Walk in history. () more...
• Arthritis Foundation Selects Merkle
  Merkle, a leading information-based database marketing agency, announced that it has won new business with The Arthritis Foundation, the national nonprofit voluntary health agency based in Atlanta, Georgia. With the contract, Merkle is managing and executing a direct marketing pilot program across several states designed to boost participation in The Arthritis Foundation’s 2005 Arthritis Walk(SM), a series of events held throughout the U.S. to increase funding and awareness of arthritis. () more...