PR & Fundraising Efforts

I’ve spent the past few days gathering and organizing information to spread the word about this event. Only one week before we launch, and I had hoped to accomplish much more by now. But time didn’t permit. I’ve sent news blurbs to sources that range from national media to “long-lost” family and friends. Today a local newspaper contacted me for a photo and interview, and a local magazine and local public television talk show have expressed interest in covering the event. This response is exciting in that it will help get the word out more widely and perhaps increase interest in giving to this cause. Unfortunately, the magazine and TV program will hit print and the air, respectively, after we reach our current deadline for collecting money. Given that the main point is to get as much money as possible for our designated charities (which will be split six ways), this media attention could help. Perhaps we should extend the donation deadline.

As for fundraising, I’m pleased with what we’ve achieved so far, and I hope the amount will keep climbing. All donations thus far have come from personal contacts. We’ve distributed about 500-600 individual brochures and placed about that same number in small stacks in a variety of establishments that allowed us to display them. I thought we’d get some donations from strangers by now, given the extensive work effort put forward, but I realize that the economy is tight right now and there are a “million” good causes. Perhaps people like to have a personal connection to the fundraisers, or maybe busy lives result in buried brochures. It will be interesting to see what media attention and potential public response we draw after I complete my PR efforts in the next day or two.

Being passionate and quite invested in this effort makes me feel like I want everyone else to be, which probably annoys those closest to me. It’s interesting at times like this to get a window into who people really are, such as who not only claims to love animals but actually steps up to the plate to pitch in. Take Jamie and Jesse, for instance. Mere acquaintances before this event, they are now friends. They have championed this cause not only by helping to get the word out and bring in money but also by lending moral support through their efforts and enthusiasm. As animal lovers, Jamie and Jesse have volunteered their time to help where needed, and they grab anyone’s ear they can to talk up this good cause. No matter what happens after this event, they will always hold a special place in my heart for the part they’ve played in my pet project (double entendre!). (While I’m giving kudos, I must acknowledge webmaster Stephanie Murphy, who has been amazing in terms of the skill and time she has brought to this effort.The same is true of another volunteer, Ginger Cape, who did our graphics work.)

Our donations to date range from $5 to $500, all much-appreciated generosity. There is no predicting people’s giving. It was heartwarming to see an 18-year-old kid (well, young man) who just moved next door to Jamie readily pen a $100 check. Then my 75-year-old mom, who doesn’t have money to burn, proudly handed me the $100 bill she’d won in a casino last week while visiting. I tried to refuse it because it certainly didn’t counter her losses, but she insisted. It feels like this project is win-win. We like crusading for animal welfare. People want to support a good cause. And it seems that everyone appreciates the effort exerted by a couple of middle-aged women willing to paddle around an enormous lake to raise funds for the most important winners…the animals.