Too cold to swim?  Don’t let autumn stop you from a tri event!

This Sunday the Hike for Haccamo, sponsored by Monroe County Suburban Rotary Clubs, will bring the Monroe County, NY community together for a hike/bike/run.  The event will raise money for Haccamo, the Handicapped Children’s Camp for Monroe County.

Founded by the Rotary Clubs of Monroe Cunty in 1956, Camp Haccamo provides a week-long, overnight camping experience for young people in the Greater Rochester area with all types of developmental or other disabilities.  Children with cancer, with Downs Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy… children in wheelchairs… it doesn’t matter. Camp Haccamo accepts them all — at no charge to campers’ families. 

Fundraisers have already raised over $13,000 for the Camp Haccamo Foundation!  One of the reasons they’ve been so successful is that in publicizing the event, organizers have put to use some of our fundraising best practices:

Best Practice #1:  Get the word out–link your Firstgiving start page to your website.

• The Hike for Haccamo homepage links right to their Firstgiving start page, where participants can then register for the event:

Best Practice #2: Empower your event participants to fundraise themselves. 

• After registering, participants can easily create their own fundraising pages to raise more money for Camp Haccomo.

From the Haccamo start page on Firstgiving: “Use the Firstgiving Tool to create your personal web page to track your donations from friends and family sponsoring you in your hiking, biking or running efforts!”

Best Practice #3: Increase participation by creating a virtual event.

• One of the registration options created by Haccamo is a “virtual event.”  Participants unable to make it out on Sunday can still fundraise and participate from a remote location.

From the Camp Haccamo homepage: “Can’t join us that day?  Register for our virtual hike, bike, or run and perform the event any place you might be that day!”

Kudos to the Camp Haccamo Foundation, and best wishes for meeting your fundraising goals this Sunday!