Team Captain Handbook 2007

Team Captain Handbook 2007 with your support there s hope! Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN walk to save babies sm

About the March of Dimes and WalkAmerica Every day in the U.S., more than 1,350 babies are born prematurely. Premature birth is the #1 cause of newborn death. And it can affect any family. For 69 years, March of Dimes groundbreaking research and innovative programs have helped save millions of babies from death or disability. By taking part in WalkAmerica, you show you care and give hope that we will defeat premature birth and other infant health problems. A b o u t Wa l k A m e r i c a Biggest March of Dimes fundraiser. Takes place in nearly 1,100 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Most routes are about six miles. National WalkAmerica Weekend is April 28-29 in most communities. More than 7 million people will participate as sponsors, volunteers or walkers. Nearly 1 million people are expected to walk! 20,000 teams account for more than 80 percent of the recordbreaking $108 million raised in WalkAmerica 2006! The Walk that saves babies. E x p e n s e a l l o c at i o n s 76% Program Services 17% Fundraising 7% Management & General h o w t h e m o n e y i s s p e n t The money your team raises in WalkAmerica helps support the fight against premature birth and other infant health problems by: Funding research to find out why premature birth happens and how it can be prevented. Educating women about the signs of preterm labor and what to do if they have them. Offering emotional support to families whose babies must spend time in neonatal intensive care. Advocating to expand access to health insurance for mothers and babies. Providing women with the latest information about healthy pregnancy through our Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education Center at marchofdimes.com or e-mail askus@marchofdimes.com Y o u v e b e e n h e l p e d b y t h e M a r c h o f D i m e s i f : You ve received a polio vaccine. Your baby or one you know received lung surfactant therapy to treat respiratory distress syndrome. You re aware that alcohol, street drugs and tobacco use during pregnancy may cause serious birth defects. You re aware that folic acid may help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. You know the signs of preterm labor and what to do if they happen. Y o u r m o n e y s av e s b a b i e s $100 could help 10 families with babies in neonatal intensive care learn how to care for their baby when he/she comes home. $760 could provide prenatal care classes for 15 pregnant women. $3,800 could fund a program to help 180 pregnant women quit smoking. $150,000 could provide a research grant to study malfunctioning genes responsible for many birth defects. $482,700 could provide a multi-year grant to study variations in genes that might trigger premature birth. Team Captain Handbook

WalkAmerica 2007: Focus on Saving Babies W i t h y o u r t e a m m e m b e r s s u p p o r t... there s hope for saving babies from premature birth and other serious infant health problems. Premature birth is the #1 cause of newborn death. It can take a baby s life or compromise her health for a lifetime. It has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., endangering the lives of more than half a million babies every year. And it s a problem that affects us all. As a Team Captain, remind your walkers that premature birth can touch anyone their own baby or a relative s or a friend s. Point out that premature birth is the biggest threat to babies health today. Tell them that by participating in WalkAmerica, they can help put an end to this national crisis. T h e c a m pa i g n t o f i g h t p r e m at u r i t y Now in its fifth year, the March of Dimes national Prematurity Campaign has gained considerable momentum. But, with an alarming number of babies still being born prematurely every year, we have a long way to go. Through this campaign, the March of Dimes is helping the nation reach its goal of reducing the rate of premature birth from 12.3 percent in 2003 to 7.6 percent in 2010.* By walking and raising money for cuttingedge research and innovative programs, your team can help us reach that goal. *In accordance with the U.S. Public Health Service Healthy People 2010 objective. with your support there s hope! with your support there s hope! walk to save babies sm Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN Team Captain Handbook

9 Steps to a Successful WalkAmerica As a Team Captain, you lead the way to saving babies. Follow these 9 steps and be among the most successful WalkAmerica teams. Focusing initially on several key steps getting top management support, setting goals, developing a plan and urging team members to use online fundraising is a sure way to get your team off to a great start! S t e p 1 G e t t o p m a n a g e m e n t s u p p o r t When you get senior executives to support your WalkAmerica goals and plans and set their own personal goals your teammates will follow. Ask top management to communicate the importance of WalkAmerica through memos, e-mails or the company newsletter and encourage employees and their families to participate. Also ask them to host/attend all WalkAmerica activities. (See the Tool Box on page 10 for More Ideas for getting top management involved.) S t e p 2 s e t g o a l s, P l a n y o u r w o r k a n d w o r k y o u r p l a n Your March of Dimes representative is there to help you plan for a successful and fun event. Ask him/her to suggest promotional materials to use, like stickers, paper cutouts and ads for your company newsletter and intranet. Use our goal-setting sheet (see page 9) to help chart your team s progress in money raised and number of walkers recruited. Encourage walkers to set individual goals of $200 or more, and tell them to go for it! Form a committee and meet regularly to report on progress and to assign the following tasks: Walker recruitment Dollar collections Educating walkers about prematurity Identifying team ambassadors Promotions Internal communications (newsletters, e-mail messages, intranet page, posters, etc.) Day-of logistics Walker recognition & awards Vendor sponsorship campaign Set an example... be the first to register for WalkAmerica. Your walkers will be right behind you. S t e p 3 R a i s e t e a m awa r e n e s s It s a fact: Educated walkers raise more money. Tell your teammates how the money they raise can help save babies from premature birth the #1 killer of newborns. Tell them that it endangers more than half a million babies every year. Ask them to share the story of their own child or another child they know who was born prematurely. Invite Team Ambassadors to tell their story, and share March of Dimes success stories with teammates. Create pre-walkamerica events like a kickoff and use WalkAmerica posters, brochures, sponsor forms and e-mails to recruit and help educate walkers. Develop a WalkAmerica site on your company intranet. Use it to update employees regularly about happenings or the team s progress. (See the Tool Box on page 11 for Sample E-mails and page 17 for tips for setting up a local ambassador program.) S t e p 4 R e c r u i t wa l k e r s Walkers are the heart and soul of your team s campaign. Their success is your success. To recruit walkers, create excitement with pre-walkamerica kickoff rallies and recruitment events. Prominently display posters, hand out brochures, and, most importantly, talk it up. Word of mouth is a great recruiter, and it s an easy way to double your team goal. Encourage your team to ask co-workers, friends and family to walk. Then ask each of those walkers to recruit one more person. And, don t forget to invite customers and clients to join your company s team, and help reach your goal. Team Captain Handbook

S t e p 5 U r g e t e a m t o u s e O F T 2 0 0 7 Encourage walkers to register online (walkamerica.org) using the new and improved Online Fundraising Tool (OFT). OFT now allows you, as Team Captain, to follow your team s progress and better recruit walkers. It enables walkers to join their team online and begin fundraising immediately and it allows your team to post photographs and their personal stories (see page 7 for further details). Using OFT, walkers can reach more donors and raise more money. But if they choose, walkers can also register by calling 1.800.525.WALK. S t e p 6 T h i n k s m a r t e r : P r o m o t i o n s b o o s t b u c k s Consider selling March of Dimes Bean Bags for Babies plush toys, chocolate, gourmet lollipops, ribbon pins, car magnets, awareness wristbands and paper cutouts to add to your team total. Also, think outside your employee base. If you have customers and clients who frequent the building, don t be shy about asking them to support your team s efforts by purchasing a promotional item. See page 12 for a list of national March of Dimes vendors. And, be sure to give a sponsor form to anyone who makes a purchase. S t e p 7 S u c c e s s f u l B a n k D ay s A Bank Day is when money is turned in before WalkAmerica Day. Set aside time to collect money from team members with support from your March of Dimes representative. Schedule it a week before WalkAmerica, and make it fun and festive! Serve refreshments, play music. And use it as an opportunity to distribute incentives like WalkAmerica T-shirts and prizes to your team. S t e p 8 Wa l k A m e r i c a D ay m e a n s e x c i t i n g a c t i v i t i e s When WalkAmerica Day arrives, make it a fun-filled event. Be sure that top management attends and offers walkers a rousing send-off. Encourage walkers to bring their families and friends as guest walkers, and schedule activities for everyone. Put up a tent, arrange for food to be donated by local restaurants and caterers, and sell March of Dimes promotional items to boost your team s total. S t e p 9 T h a n k y o u r t e a m After WalkAmerica is over, it s important to thank your team and honor the top fundraisers. At a thank-you party, have top management announce your team totals and present plaques and certificates of appreciation to team walkers. Invite a team ambassador to attend. Later, encourage senior management to send a thank-you letter to all participants. And, as Team Captain, send out a personal thank you to committee members and teammates. Team Captain Handbook

Online Fundraising Tool (OFT) W h at i s o n l i n e f u n d r a i s i n g ( O F T )? OFT is an excellent tool for your walkers. It takes fundraising online allowing them to collect donations via credit cards and e-checks. OFT makes the team captain s job easier by directing walkers to the Web site to register eliminating the need for registration cards. By promoting online donations, team captains help the March of Dimes to raise more money and get donations into the bank sooner! O F T: N e w a n d i m p r o v e d This year OFT is bigger and better! As a Team Captain, you can now create a team page, which will give you up-to-theminute data, including the names (and number) of walkers registered, dollars raised, and amount raised by volunteers and donors. You can use this special page to build and promote your team, and share information with subcaptains about team activities and special promotions. Using this 2007 enhancement, walkers can join their team online and begin to raise funds immediately! T H R E E R E A S O N S T O U S E O F T 1) Save time. Your team can reach more people by e-mail, and it s faster, easier and less costly. Most donors respond to e-mail solicitations within 24 hours. Personal e-mail address books tend to be more up-to-date and extensive than regular mail address books. 2) Raise more money. In 2006, the average walker raised about $107 while the average walker who used OFT raised almost triple that amount about $318. 3) Convey the March of Dimes mission. OFT helps donors understand where their money is going and how their contribution can help save babies. Walkers can show their personal reasons for walking by posting pictures of their children, grandchildren, or babies of friends and family. H o w t o u s e O F T Each walker can visit walkamerica.org to: Register and set up a personal Web page. Compose e-mails to send to friends and associates asking for their support. Automatically keep track of donations received. Automatically send thank-you e-mails to donors. Keep a record of their outreach for next year. T i p s f o r a g r e at O F T e x p e r i e n c e Promote walkamerica.org on your company intranet. Ask walkers to register online and set up their personal Web page. Encourage walkers to personalize their Web site with their own mission story. Ask walkers to make a personal contribution first. Challenge walkers to send at least 20 e-mails to friends and family asking for a donation of $25. Team Captain Handbook

Checklist for WalkAmerica Success As you build your successful WalkAmerica team, the March of Dimes is ready to offer guidance and support. Here s a checklist to track your steps. Meet with a March of Dimes representative to develop plans for your team s campaign and to help set up a committee to assist you. Meet with senior management to discuss how they can get involved. Organize an internal WalkAmerica Committee. Identify team ambassadors (a baby or child of an employee who was born prematurely but saved by March of Dimes advances in the treatment of premature babies). Ask them to share their family s story to help potential walkers understand how the March of Dimes saves babies. Have your team walk for your ambassadors or for another special baby and encourage them to share that baby s story. Establish a company-wide kickoff date. Request senior management to attend your internal WalkAmerica kickoff and support the team on WalkAmerica Day. Implement a communications plan to urge team members to raise $200 or more, including a kickoff event, newsletters, e-mail and intranet messages, sign-up posters, goal poster, etc. Post updates on your company s intranet. Encourage team members to register online and use the new and improved Online Fund-raising Tool (OFT) as a way to help them reach their goals and even exceed them. Promote an e-mail or letter-writing campaign. Copy or e-mail your walkers sample letters provided by the March of Dimes. Monitor walker recruitment and team goal progress weekly, and share with your March of Dimes representative. Announce distribution date for internal incentives for team members who raise $200. Give co-workers, clients and customers opportunities to generate additional funds for the team by offering promotions, such as March of Dimes Bean Bags for Babies plush toys, etc. Remind walkers to register online and turn in any remaining donations by WalkAmerica Day. Celebrate on WalkAmerica Day! Hold a team recognition ceremony where top management announces the team s total. Invite team ambassadors to speak. Team Captain Handbook

Your Tool Box WalkAmerica 2007 Team Goal Sheet We encourage all teams to set a goal that is at least 15% higher than the previous year s total. Company # of employees CEO/President WALKER DOLLAR Goal Calculation 2005 2006 2007 goal # of walkers Walker average $ $ $ Top Walker 2006 Name Amount raised $ # Top Walkers ($1,000+) 2006 # Top Walkers ($1,000+) 2005 Overall Team Goal Calculation 2005 2006 2007 Total walker $ $ $ $ Sponsorship $ $ $ Vendor contributions $ $ $ Matching gifts $ $ $ Promotions/wraparounds: $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Payroll deduction $ $ $ Total Team $ $ $ $ Year-to-Year Increase (%) (Team Captain s signature) (Senior Management s signature) Team Captain Handbook

More Ideas F o r t o p - l e v e l m a n a g e m e n t Sponsor WalkAmerica in your own community. Your local chapter can provide you with available sponsorship opportunities. Contact vendors for contributions. (See Vendor Sponsorship Campaign Checklist and Sample Vendor Letter on pages 15 and 16.) Provide team incentives to help raise money. Initiate a payroll deduction program. Sponsor a CEO ad in your local newspaper to show the company s commitment to saving premature babies. Let your March of Dimes representative know if your company has a matching gift program, and announce it to all employees. t o r a i s e awa r e n e s s a n d b o o s t b u c k s Ask vendors for sponsorship through cash or in-kind donations for T-shirts, food for your kickoff or for WalkAmerica Day. (See Vendor Sponsorship Campaign Checklist and Sample Vendor Letter on pages 15 and 16.) Hold at least one promotion like Pink & Blue Jeans for Babies sm or a company raffle to increase your team s total. Publish your ambassador s story in your company newsletter and on your intranet site. Encourage team members to share stories of premature babies they know on the company intranet. Also print newsletter ads provided by the March of Dimes. (See Sample Logo/Newsletter Ads on page 18.) Use March of Dimes local ambassador flyer to make display posters featuring your ambassadors. Encourage teammates to recruit co-workers, friends and family to walk and raise money with them. Use WalkAmerica stickers or buttons to increase awareness among your employees. (See Materials for Team Success on page 12.) Design a team T-shirt using our new Corporate T-shirt program, and $1.00 for every team T-shirt will be donated to the March of Dimes by our nationally approved T-shirt vendor. Ask your March of Dimes representative for the Corporate Team T-shirt program flyer/order form. Remind teammates to ask if their sponsors companies match gifts. Publicize your team s total! Ask employees to save the date for WalkAmerica 2007, April 28-29, in most communities. Have a Why We re Walking display (e.g., a huge roll of brown packaging paper) near the starting line. Participants can write the names of premature or healthy babies with magic markers, or tack up baby shoe cutouts, photos and ribbons that represent their special baby. Dedicate the first half-mile of the walk to the children/ adults who are prematurity survivors. This section might be decorated in a celebratory manner (balloons, pink and blue or white holiday lights, etc.), making it more special than the rest of the route. Team Captain Handbook 10

Sample E-mails Send weekly e-mail messages to recruit co-workers for WalkAmerica and encourage fundraising efforts. Keep them posted about the upcoming WalkAmerica kickoff and other activities, and also thank them. E - m a i l s t o r e c r u i t wa l k e r s With your support, there s hope for saving babies from premature birth. That s why it s so important to join WalkAmerica. When you do, you re helping the March of Dimes fight a problem which affects more than half a million babies in the U.S. every year and is the #1 killer of newborns. Please contact (insert Team Captain name/ e-mail address/phone number) for more information and to join today! Join WalkAmerica! It s not too late to help the March of Dimes continue its fight to save babies from premature birth. Surveys show that most people don t even realize what a devastating problem prematurity is: that it is the leading cause of newborn death; that it has reached epidemic proportions; and that it s escalating. To walk to save babies, contact (insert Team Captain name/e-mail address/phone number) for more information or to join our team today! E - m a i l s t o U p d at e wa l k e r s Here s an idea to help you raise money to save babies from premature birth. Ask 10 friends, neighbors or relatives to sponsor you with a $20 donation each and raise $200. Congratulations! Your compassion will help save babies from the serious consequences of premature birth. By raising money for WalkAmerica, you re a partner with the March of Dimes in its efforts to find answers to why more than half a million babies are born too soon in the U.S. every year. (Add information about kickoff or other activities.) WalkAmerica Day is almost here! But there s still time to raise money to support research and programs that will help save babies from premature birth. Ask friends, family members, neighbors, your doctor, lawyer, dentist, etc., to sponsor you by making a donation. By walking and raising money, you show you care and give hope that the March of Dimes will defeat premature birth and other threats to babies. E - m a i l t o T h a n k wa l k e r s Thank you, team! We (exceeded our WalkAmerica goal of $ by $ ) (raised $ in WalkAmerica). Thanks to your efforts, the money we raised will help the March of Dimes fund research and programs to save babies from premature birth. Because you care, more babies will be saved. E - m a i l s a b o u t M a r c h o f D i m e s m i s s i o n Did you know that March of Dimes advances in the treatment of premature babies, like surfactant therapy and specialized care in newborn intensive care units (NICUs), have helped thousands of premature babies survive? Our WalkAmerica team is working to raise $( ) to fund more March of Dimes research to find out why preterm labor happens and how it can be prevented. By starting an e-mail or letter-writing campaign, you can raise lots of money to help us reach our goal and save babies. Contact your local Team Captain for more information. Team Captain Handbook 11

Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN Materials for Team Success with your support there s hope! with your support there s hope! walk to save babies sm Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN As a Team Captain, you will receive a variety of materials from the March of Dimes to help raise awareness among co-workers about the fight against premature birth. These include: Save the Date cards C u r r e n t N at i o n a l ly Approved Merchandise/ P r o d u c t V e n d o r s Plush/Stuffed Animals/Toys: Calplush Manufacturing Corp. 877.265.1689 e-mail: mark@calplush.com calplush.com/babies WalkAmerica recruitment posters WalkAmerica sponsor forms/ brochures WalkAmerica sign-up posters and team goal posters Certificates of appreciation or plaques for walkers Plushland, Inc. 888.500.8697 e-mail: tony@plushland.com plushland.com Candy: World s Finest Chocolate QSP/Reader s Digest 616.975.9885 e-mail: Kevin.holsinger@rd.com Ads for your company newsletter or intranet site Stickers and buttons Paper cutouts to sell to customers, clients and vendors Promotions to sell, such as March of Dimes Bean Bags for Babies plush toys, gourmet lollipops, chocolate, car magnets and ribbon pins Gourmet Lollipops Tom Evans Fundraising Ltd. 800.637.3828 e-mail: tevansjr@mrfundraising.com mrfundraising.com/marchofdimes Pink & Blue Ribbon Car Magnets and Lapel Pins: Causekeepers, Inc. 877.735.2974 e-mail: sam@causekeepers.com causekeepers.com/marchofdimes Pink & Blue Fabric Ribbon Pin: Jewelry For A Cause, Inc. 516.902.9977 e-mail: sales@jewelry4acause.com jewelry4acause.com Pink & Blue Tie-Dye & Glow Awareness Wristbands: The Global Toy Box, LLC/ Wristbands4awareness 619.656.1330 e-mail: sales@wristbands4awareness.com wristbands4awareness.com Team Captain Handbook 12

Sample Letter from Top-level Management to Employees Dear Employee: I d like to take this opportunity to invite you and your family to participate in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event on (date), 2007. By joining in, we show that (company name) and its employees care about our community. We believe our commitment and participation will mean a better future for all of us because our efforts will help save babies from premature birth and birth defects. More than ever, corporations like ours must demonstrate their willingness to serve their communities. And we believe that the March of Dimes is a great choice for our charitable efforts. The March of Dimes national campaign to fight prematurity is well into its fifth year, and we re excited about being a part of that effort. Premature birth endangers the lives of more than half a million babies in the U.S. every year. It s the #1 cause of newborn death and a leading cause of other threats to infant health. By walking and raising money, you will be supporting March of Dimes research to help find the causes of premature birth and how it can be prevented. You ll be helping save babies across the country and right here in (name of community). Please join WalkAmerica today! With your support, there s hope that the March of Dimes will defeat premature birth. Sincerely, (signature) Team Captain Handbook 13

Sample Sponsor Letter/ Tips to Get Sponsors YOUR NAME/ADDRESS Dear (fill in neighbor s or friend s name): On (date), 2007, I ll be participating in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event to help save babies from premature birth, the #1 cause of newborn death. Every year, more than half a million babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. And the numbers are escalating. If we don t join together to save babies from premature birth, the problem will only get worse. That s why I m joining WalkAmerica and helping to raise money to fight premature birth. You can show you care by sponsoring me and supporting March of Dimes research into the causes of premature birth and genetic birth defects. Please fill out the tear-off form below and return it along with your check in the enclosed envelope. Sponsorship support is important, but I also encourage you to join me in WalkAmerica 2007. And ask a friend to walk with you. It s easy to register. Just visit walkamerica.org or call 1.800.525.WALK. Thank you. Sincerely, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NAME STREET ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP MY DONATION: $200 $150 $100 $75 $50 $ Other (Please make checks payable to March of Dimes.) T i p s t o g e t s p o n s o r s Set a goal: $200 is a good place to start. Aim to sign up at least one new sponsor every day. Using the Online Fundraising Tool (OFT), e-mail everyone you know to ask them to sponsor you, or to join you in walking and raising money. Or write them a letter. Ask them to e-mail their friends and family, and ask them to participate, too. Follow up with reminder calls and e-mails. (OFT makes this very easy to do.) Ask if their company matches donations. Organize a team to honor someone special. Get your children s schools and clubs involved. Team Captain Handbook 14

Vendor Sponsorship Campaign Checklist W h at i s a V e n d o r S p o n s o r s h i p C a m pa i g n? One that helps increase your team s total by getting new companies involved in WalkAmerica. G o o d P r o s p e c t s f o r y o u r V e n d o r S p o n s o r s h i p C a m pa i g n Accounting firm Law firm Airline/travel agency Courier service Ad agency Temp agency Bank/401k provider HMO/PPO Caterer/food supply Office equipment and supplies/paper company Building management/ janitorial service H o w t o G e t S ta r t e d Develop a target list of the company s vendors. Determine which company staff members have the most influence, e.g., president, CEO, top manager, purchasing department staff or anyone who has an established relationship with a decisionmaker at the vendor company. Ask those people to send out letters requesting a specific sponsorship amount to support the company s WalkAmerica efforts. Follow up with a phone call or personal visit. (See Sample Vendor Letter on next page.) Team Captain Handbook 15

Sample Vendor Letter Dear (name): On (date), 2007, nearly 7 million people will be participating in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event to help save babies from premature birth. Endangering more than half a million babies in the U.S. every year, premature birth is the #1 cause of newborn death and the biggest threat to babies health today. And the rate of premature birth continues to rise. If we don t join together to fight premature birth, the problem will only get worse. Through the WalkAmerica campaign, the March of Dimes raises money to fund research to find out what causes premature birth and how it can be prevented. (Team company s name) is proud to support WalkAmerica in our community, and we have set a team goal of raising $(team goal). We ask that (vendor company name) support our efforts with a contribution of (specify any amount and think big!) to help end this national health crisis. Our employees are very enthusiastic about working together for this good cause. I hope you will join us. More information about March of Dimes WalkAmerica is enclosed. If you have any questions, please call me at (phone number). I urge you to support the March of Dimes and the fight to save babies from premature birth and other infant health problems. Sincerely, Team Captain Handbook 16

About Team Ambassadors A team ambassador is someone in your company who has been touched by the mission of the March of Dimes. It could be the mother of a premature baby or the father of a child with a learning disability due to premature birth. Team ambassadors and their families can personalize why your team is taking part in WalkAmerica. They help people understand why premature birth is such a serious problem and why the March of Dimes funds research and programs to find ways to fight it. Team ambassadors can play an important role in helping your team reach its revenue goals. Your ambassador s story helps your team understand how the money they raise can impact a child s survival and have real value to families in the community. Need help finding ambassadors for your team? Place the ad below in your company newsletter or intranet. We re looking for team ambassadors... Was your baby born prematurely? Do you know a family with a baby who was born prematurely and spent time in a NICU? If you do, we would like to extend an invitation to serve as our team s WalkAmerica Ambassador. We would ask our ambassadors to: Share their story at WalkAmerica events to illustrate the serious problem of premature birth. Allow us to publicize their story and photo in our company s newsletter or on our intranet site. Visit shareyourstory.org to tell their story on the special March of Dimes Web site to help other families as part of an online community. If you know someone who might be interested, call (Team Captain s name/phone#/e-mail). M o r e T i p s Ask your local March of Dimes chapter to help identify a premature child in your community. E-mail co-workers asking for team ambassador leads. Ask members of every club or organization you belong to if they know a child who was born prematurely and spent time in neonatal intensive care. N at i o n a l A m b a s s a d o r S t o ry Use the 2007 March of Dimes National Ambassador story below as a guide for writing about your team ambassadors. M a r c h o f D i m e s 2 0 0 7 N at i o n a l A m b a s s a d o r : Z e e k Tay l o r Premature birth: A family crisis Twenty-six weeks into her pregnancy, Betty Taylor was in danger of heart failure and coma, and had an immediate c-section. Zeek was born weighing just 1 pound, 14 ounces. He suffered from breathing problems, anemia and abnormal blood flow from the heart. Both mom and baby survived, but Zeek spent 103 touch-and-go days in neonatal intensive care. Even after he went home, he faced multiple surgeries. Today, Zeek is an artistic 8-year-old who loves music and playing the drums. His parents are grateful for their healthy son and the medical advances many developed by the March of Dimes that saved his life. Team Captain Handbook 17

Sample Logo/Newsletter Ads Please use the official March of Dimes WalkAmerica logo on all of your print communications to your team members. It also should be prominently displayed on your team T-shirt and any other promotional items you create to help the community connect your company to the March of Dimes and WalkAmerica. One color logo: Reverse out of PANTONE 2727 blue or PANTONE 205 pink or black. Two-color logo: Symbol and logo type are PANTONE 2727 blue and WalkAmerica in PANTONE 205 Pink. Use the sample ads below in your newsletter, e-mails, or on your intranet site to help recruit team members and promote your company s involvement in WalkAmerica. Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN there s hope! there s hope! walk to save babies sm Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN Photograph by Victoria Leland, RN with your support with your support walk to save babies sm Sign up today at walkamerica.org Sign up today at walkamerica.org 1.800.525.WALK 1.800.525.WALK Team Captain Handbook 18

Frequently Asked Questions About WalkAmerica Q. How do walkers get sponsors? A. Walkers are sponsored by co-workers, friends, family, neighbors or local businesses. Most walkers get about 20 sponsors. Many companies also sponsor their walkers or provide matching gifts. Q. Why urge walkers to use online fundraising? A. Walkers who use OFT raise nearly triple the amount of money of those who don t. And those donations get into the bank faster to start working for babies. Q. What should walkers wear? A. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothes (in layers to accommodate temperature changes), cotton or wool socks (have an extra pair on hand as a precaution), and walking or tennis shoes make a good walking outfit. Q. If I can t walk, how can I help? A. Even if you can t walk, you can still get sponsors and raise money for the March of Dimes. Call your local chapter and volunteer to help register walkers or serve refreshments on WalkAmerica Day. Another good way to help is to sponsor someone who is walking. Q. How can top management get involved? A. Top management can help by supporting WalkAmerica in a memo to all staff, by approving team incentives and matching gifts and by attending WalkAmerica Day activities. Corporations also can become official sponsors of WalkAmerica. Contact your local March of Dimes chapter for details. Q. What happens if it rains on WalkAmerica Day? A. WalkAmerica takes place rain or shine. If it rains and it would be dangerous to walk, the route is shortened. Q. What happens at a checkpoint? A. The checkpoint is a rest, refreshments and information stop. Walkers can get a drink and usually a snack. Q. Where does my money go? A. The funds you raise in WalkAmerica support the March of Dimes fight to save babies. WalkAmerica is the March of Dimes single largest fundraising event, and it plays an integral role in helping to save babies from premature birth and birth defects. When you walk and raise money, you help fund special research and innovative programs to give all babies the chance for a healthy start in life. Team Captain Handbook 19