Relay For Life of GU 2009 FAQ’s
1. What do I have to do if I sign up?
Upon signing up for Relay For Life of GU, we ask that you fundraise online and/or do team fundraisers in order to raise a suggested minimum of $200. The best resource for you once you’ve signed up is to login on the website (www.RelayGU.org) with your username and password and go to your participant center, where you can send emails, edit your personal page, and track your personal and team progress. You should be doing this until the event, Friday April 17-Saturday April 18, when you will hopefully join us for a night of celebration, remembrance, fighting back, and FUN!
SEE: How to dominate at Relay sheet, attached.
2. Are my fundraising dollars going towards blowups? / How much of my money goes to ACS? / What has the money actually done / where does the money go?
No, your fundraising dollars do not go toward blowups!! We get everything along those lines underwritten or donated.
SEE attached “Where does the money go” sheet for more details.
3. Why should I sign up now if the event is not until April? / What's the latest I can sign up?
There is not official deadline for signing up – you can sign up or show up the day of Relay, but you should sign up NOW because:
-We’re the defending college Relay champions of the nation and it makes Georgetown look better if we have more participants and more enthusiasm earlier!
-It gives you more time to fundraise. As we college students know, people procrastinate, so give your potential donors a chance to get to your email
-If you don’t sign up before March 13, we can’t guarantee that you get an event t-shirt, and as it gets later, we may not be able to guarantee you the campsite you want or a campsite at all.
4. I have an orgo [Organic Chemistry] exam on the next Monday, do I have to stay all night? / Do I have to be at the event at all if I sign up?
You don’t have to stay all night or even attend at all if you can’t make it, although we encourage you to stay as long as you can to get the most out of the event. The idea is that cancer never sleeps and neither will we, so it really adds to the experience to stay up all night! But you can do all your fundraising ahead of time so attendance at the event is not required.
5. How long is Relay?
Relay For Life is a 12 hour, overnight event. This year it will be held Friday, April
17- Saturday, April 18 from approximately 7:00 pm – 7:00 am.
6. Is it a race? / How athletic do I have to be? / Do I need running shoes? / Do I have to walk all night?
It’s not a race, so you don’t have to be athletic, and you don’t need running shoes, although you should wear comfortable shoes and clothes and bring layers! Since it is a “Relay” the idea is that at least one member of your team is walking at all times. So we recommend setting a walking schedule with pairs of team members walking for each hour or half hour time slot. This rule is not exactly enforced, but it is strongly encouraged!
7. How do I fundraise in this economy? I feel uncomfortable asking people for money if they are going to get laid off / What if I can’t raise enough money?
-We know that it’s not always super comfortable or easy to fundraise. But start by donating to yourself. By signing up, you are acknowledging that the fight against cancer is important to you, so give up a meal or two at Wisey’s and donate $20 (or more!) to your fundraising page.
-A team fundraiser, like a bake sale or selling tshirts, is also a great way to raise money without the awkwardness. Ask your Team Captain or Mentor for ideas and assistance with this!
-Our theme this year is to get MORE people doing LESS, so ask everyone you know for just small amount of money – anything they can give is appreciated!
-At the end of the day, we’re not going to bar you from attending Relay if you don’t raise the $200 suggested minimum. That said, last year, 70% of GU’s participants raise $0!! We could have raised so much more had that large majority just raised something. So anything helps. Raise as much as you can!
8. Are you a pro-life organization?
NO. We are not affiliated at all with the pro-life or pro-choice movements. We are an anti-cancer organization.
9. Why do I keep getting emails if I've already signed up? / Why do the emails never end?
We are trying to limit the emails as much as possible and make them relevant to you as GU participants. We can’t always control every national email that ACS might send, but please read the, because there will be important emails that we need you to read for the success of our fundraising efforts and our event logistics. Just put up with the non-event emails – if you don’t want them, just delete them! But, again, please pay attention and save our event-specific emails! Thanks!
Can I bring food or drinks?
Food and drinks will be provided but you should eat dinner before hand and you CAN bring bottled water onto the field.
Can I switch teams / switch donations?
Yes, you can switch teams, change donations from one participant to another if there was a mistake, and you can switch team captains. Just ask your mentor, any committee member, or directly email our online chair, AllieC.Relay@gmail.com, who you mentor would contact anyway.