Fundraising

2012 “SWIM-A-THON”

SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE SANDSHARK SWIMMER!
“SHARK-A-THON” and Bake Sale
Friday January 20th
3:30-7:30 pm
(Pizza & drinks for swimmers)"
Flyer 
Pledge Forms 

Now offering ONLINE DONATIONS! Click the "Donate" button below!

Fund raising for pool rental, equipment, coaches’ travel, awards banquet, other team expenses

GOALS: 100%  Participation
               $8,000 Team Goal
               $75 minimum per swimmer

• Each swimmer may swim up to 200 laps
• Parental help as counters or other help is appreciated
• Credit toward family obligation

To Encourage your Sandshark:

• Pledge per lap: eg. $.50 per lap and your swimmer swims 20 laps, you would pay $10.00
• Pledge a lump sum:  pay your Sandshark a fixed amount to swim
• Donate some baked goods to be sold during the Shark-a-Thon

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE SANDHILLS SANDSHARKS

Shark-A-Thon Fundraising Guide

The Need

The Sandhills Sandshark’s annual Shark-a-thon is our biggest fundraising event of the year! In 2011/12, we are hoping to reach our goal of $8,000!  ALL funds raised during this event will go directly back into the Swim Team. These funds are used to help better support the team through covering supplies, travel and equipment expenses. This event is meant to serve the team as a whole, by allowing for new equipment and team supplies. I personally look forward to seeing you all participate and help to strengthen our team together!

Best of luck,

Taylor Cooper
Head Coach

Sponsorship

Getting Sponsorship
Tell your friends, family, and co-workers in person, by phone, or by email that you are participating in a community fundraiser that makes it possible for your team to grow, and help better serve families and participants with more resources for development.

Sponsorship per lap
Encourage your sponsors to make a per lap pledge that will motivate you to swim!  Most per lap pledges range from $.25 per lap to $1.  On average swimmers complete between 90-170 lengths per hour, so give your sponsors your estimate of how many lengths you think that you will complete so they are not surprised by the amount they end up donating.  There is a maximum of 200 laps.

Flat Amount
Sponsors who do not wish to make a per lap pledge can also pledge a flat amount for your swim. 

The Swim
Show up 15 minutes early on the day of your designated swim.  Please bring your sponsor sheets that day or turn them in prior to the event.  Official counters will be present on the day of the event to tally the laps you swim.  Good luck!

WHAT IT IS:
SHARK-A-THON is an event during which swimmers try and swim as many laps as they can.  Prior to the event swimmers will ask friends and family to pledge an amount of money per lap swum. Therefore, the farther a swimmer swims on the day of the event, the more money they will raise for their team.
  
BENEFITS
SHARK-A-THON is a great way to raise money for much needed funding and supplies that will benefit the team throughout the year. The swimmers personally benefit from a great self-motivated workout while taking pride in raising money to help support their team.  

SPONSORS:
As the holiday season is approaching, this is a prime opportunity to ask for the support of your family, friends, and co-workers. 

VOLUNTEERING:
On the date of the event, we will need parent volunteers to help count the laps for the swimmers.

SUPPLIES:
Each swimmer will be given a packet of supplies and information, which will include a fundraising letter that can be used to help solicit pledges.
  
PARTICIPATION:
All swim team members are required to participate in the swim.  No one is required to get sponsorship.  All money raised will count towards your family fundraising obligation.

WHILE RAISING MONEY:
It is essential that anyone who donates to our event know how his or her donation will be used.  Be sure to tell your sponsors that this is a Sandshark event and all proceeds will go to benefit the swimmers and the team and is completely tax deductible.  Also, make sure sponsors know how much they are potentially donating.  If a sponsor donates a dollar a lap, they well could owe over $150 after the event depending on the distance the participant swims.  (Remember 1 lap = 25 yards, and typically in an hour and a half workout we swim between 100-150 laps).  If someone wants to donate a dollar a lap, great!  But please educate them before they do so.

DUE DATES:
Envelopes with all pledges filled out will be due before the event.  Swimmers will be responsible for collecting the pledges they raised.  Pledges will be collected after the event and are due by (date TBD...please check back). PLEASE HAVE ALL OF YOUR PLEDGES COLLECTED BY THE DUE DATE.

AFTER THE EVENT:
DO NOT collect any donations until after the SHARK-A-THON on January 20th.  At this time the numbers of laps completed in the SHARK-A-THON will be totaled and a request for pledges letter will be given out to help swimmers collect from their sponsors.  PLEASE HAVE ALL OF YOUR PLEDGES COLLECTED BY THE DUE DATE!

Thank you all so much for your support.  We all look forward to continuing to strengthen the success of the wonderful Sandshark team!