Tri-and-Fundraise
"The race may be hard, but it's not as hard as every day is for these
parents and children who need our help."
- Rebecca Warriner, Race Director
Thank you for your interest in The Smile Train Triathlon! Thanks to our
amazing sponsors, who are covering operating costs, we will again be donating
100 percent of your registration fee to Smile Train! With this in mind, we have
a greater challenge for you. Consider it... part of your training - swim, bike,
run, FUNDRAISE. Don't worry, this is the easy part, and we have materials to
help!
To get started, print off our
form letter to send to your family, friends, and neighbors. Keep track of
your pledges using our
pledge sheet, and return it with your donations to Rebecca Warriner by
packet pickup Saturday, June 25 to be eligible for our Tri-and-Fundraise
contest. Of course, we will gladly accept donations the day of the race, but
don't miss out on the chance to win some great swag from our sponsors!
The Tri-and-Fundraise contest is inspired by two of our athletes,
Van Davenport and Kathleen Rosato. Read about them
below, and maybe they'll inspire you, too!
One cleft surgery, with medications and sutures, costs $250. Our goal this
year is to raise $30,000-or enough money for 120 surgeries. If 10 friends
pledged 20 dollars to support your efforts, they, along with your registration
fee, would turn your miles into one big smile. Thank you for going this extra
distance to help us reach this goal.
Send checks (payable to "The Smile Train") to:
Tri-and-Fundraise, c/o Rebecca Warriner
908 Heritage Greens Drive
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Questions, email
Rebecca@MilesIntoSmiles.com. We want to make
this a successful and easy adventure for you!
Thanks for your interest in our program.
Athlete: Adina Wexelberg-Clouser
Career: Donor Relations Associate, The Smile Train. "Last year, I was
lucky enough to represent Smile Train in The Smile Triathlon!"
Personal Interests: yoga, traveling, running and cooking. In May, Adina went
to Huancayo, Peru to visit one of The Smile Train partner surgeons.
Q: What advice would you give to others who are trying to do additional
fundraising?
A: Follow up! People love to support a great cause, especially once
they have a personal connection to it, i.e. you; they just need some reminders
to make the actual donation. Send a few mass e-mails, post on your Facebook
page, and remind people in person.
Q: Why do you choose to support Smile Train?
A: I feel very lucky to work for an organization as fantastic as The
Smile Train. Through partnerships with local doctors and hospitals, we are able
to help more than 300 children around the world every single day. This is only
possible because of the generous support of donors like you!
Q: What is your favorite part about the day of the race?
A: I was on the varsity swim team all four years of high school and
have not swam competitively since then. It was a great feeling to get back in
the pool!
Q: What's your favorite memory of the Smile Train Tri?
A: Crossing the finish line! This was my first race ever, and the
feeling is incredible.
Athlete: Kathleen Rosato
Career: Scheduler at Wake Heart and Vascular Associates
Personal Interests: Anything outdoors and anything that's challenging.
"I love helping people, and I do this every day at my job. I like Smile Train
because all the funds go directly to the children. If I can help children and
motivate others to help along the way, I am a happy woman."
Q: What method(s) did you use to fundraise?
A: I sent out a mass e-mail to all of my friends and family, and I
posted challenges in return for my famous Ricotta cookies and dinners. Everyone
was so generous, and it was exciting to come home and check the mail each day
for donations.
Q: What advice would you give to others who are trying to do additional
fundraising?
A: Let people know what you're doing and why; they will be happy to
donate. This is such as great cause!
Q: Why do you choose to support Smile Train?
A: At first, it was the challenge of doing a triathlon. But, after I
learned about the charity and how it helps children, I was completely sold on
doingll I could for the kids.
Q: What is your favorite part about the day of the race?
A: I like seeing my family at the finish line and knowing how proud
they are of me! It is also so cool to see people achieving their fitness goals.
Q: What's your favorite memory of the Smile Train Tri?
A: My first Smile Train Tri. I was running up the last hill and all of
my family and friends were there cheering me on. I wasn't sure if my mom was
going to be there, but she was, and with her was my nephew, his wife, and my
great-nephew who was just 2 months old! My friends from work were there, along
with my neighbors, and it really meant a lot to me!
Q: What are you looking forward to the most about the 2010 BASF Smile
Train Triathlon?
A: A much better finish time and exceeding my fundraising goal from
last year.
Athlete: Vance "Van"
Davenport, III
Career: President/Founder of Protect 1 Family, Inc., a supplemental
insurance brokerage for Family Heritage Life.
Personal Interests: live concerts, especially jam bands like Phish,
Widespread Panic, moe, and String Cheese Incident; sporting events; family-wife
of 7 years, Leslie, 4-year-old son, Jack, and 2-year-old daughter, Ava.
Q: What method(s) did you use to fundraise?
A: I sent a mass e-mail out to everyone in my contacts-some would refer to
this as "spam"-and repeated this three times to help remind people who MEANT to
send money but forgot... Then I got the president and CEO of my company to match
anything I raised on my own up to $1,000; this tripled my donation amount
immediately! Many people's work places will match donations if they just ASK!
(Fundraising Coordinator's note: Many employers match charitable gifts made by
employees, spouses, and retirees, which could easily double or triple the value
of your contribution. Check with your HR department or visit The Smile Train's
matching gift Web site for details.)
Q: What advice would you give to others who are trying to do additional
fundraising?
A: Ask everyone you know! So many people are simply impressed that
you're doing a triathlon that they'll be honored to donate to such a worthy
cause.
Q: Why do you choose to support Smile Train?
A: It's such as powerful cause! It only takes $250 to change the life
of a child FOREVER. Remember how traumatic it was to go to school as a kid with
a zit? That's NOTHING compared to a cleft palate.
Q: What is your favorite part about the day of the race?
A: Getting OUT of the pool; the swim always makes me nervous.
Q: What's your favorite memory of the Smile Train Tri?
A: The look on Rebecca's face when I handed her an envelope with more
than $3,000 for the cause. PRICELESS!
Q: What are you looking forward to the most about the 2010 BASF Smile
Train Triathlon?
A: Raising funds again for the cause, training with my younger
brother, and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing the race -
always a HUGE plus!