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Community Events Fundraising Toolkit

Variety, the Children's Charity of Manitoba 440A Don Ave

Winnipeg, MB, R3L 0S4 P: 204-982-1050 E: admin@varietymanitoba.com

www.varietymanitoba.com

Charitable Registration No. 894089465RR0001

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS TOOLKIT

Variety Manitoba– and Your Role

Help Give a Child a Childhood ............................................................................................................................. 3

What is Community Fundraising? ................................................................................................................. 5

Organizing Your Fundraiser

Getting Started .............................................................................................................................................. 6

How We Can Help ......................................................................................................................................... 7

Ideas for a FUN Fundraiser ............................................................................................................................ 8

Have a Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 9

Promoting Your Event ................................................................................................................................. 10

Creating a Budget ........................................................................................................................................ 11

How to Generate Donations and Sponsorships .......................................................................................... 12

Event Planning To Do List ............................................................................................................................ 13

Fundraising Guidelines ................................................................................................................................ 14

Donations and Tax Receipting ..................................................................................................................... 15

Appendices

APPENDIX A: Community Event / Fundraising Application Form ................................................................ 16

APPENDIX B: Donation Tracking Sheet for Tax Receipting .......................................................................... 18

APPENDIX C: Sample Action Plan ................................................................................................................ 19

APPENDIX D: Sample Solicitation Letter ...................................................................................................... 20

APPENDIX E: Sample Thank You Letter ....................................................................................................... 21

APPENDIX F: Poster Template ..................................................................................................................... 22

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Variety Manitoba – AND YOUR ROLE

Help Give A Child a Childhood. Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba’s mission is to step in where government, healthcare and other funding ends to provide direct assistance to children in Manitoba living with special needs and experiencing economic disadvantage. Variety recognizes that for children living with special needs support is essential, early intervention is critical and families we assist struggle to deal with the overwhelming cost of care. Under our three core program areas, Variety provides and delivers life-saving, life-changing and life-enriching equipment, supplies and services. Our programs support children living with special needs in breaking down barriers and creating equal opportunities for participation, so all children have the ability to realize their full potential.

Thanks to the generosity of people like you, Variety supports three core projects and programs:

Variety's Special Needs Program - Throughout the years Variety’s Special Needs Committee has approved funding for artificial eyes, specialized or adapted tricycles and bicycles, closed circuit readers, wheelchairs, hearing aids, walkers and much more. These life changing necessities enhance the quality of life of a child and their families. Approximately 100 children and families per year directly benefit from this program.

Variety’s Children's Dental Outreach Program - This important program helps deliver dental care to thousands of children in Winnipeg’s inner city who might not otherwise be able to afford a visit to the dentist’s office. During the 2015-16 school year, the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Dentistry students, screened and assessed over 4000 children at 15 schools for FREE oral and dental care.

Variety's Camp Brereton - Each summer, Variety donates a week of camp to numerous

children’s organizations to experience Variety’s Camp Brereton. Some of these groups

include the Variety Heart Centre’s Circle of Hearts family and teen Camps, the CNIB Camp for

visually impaired children and teens, the SMD Hard of Hearing Camp, and Camp Quality for

children living with cancer. Variety’s Camp Brereton provides the opportunity for children of

all abilities to enjoy the great outdoors. Special groups receive the gift of camp annually;

approximately 300+ children from these groups benefit from the generosity of Variety and

our sponsors.

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What is Community Fundraising? Thank you for taking the initiative to be a leader in your community and raise funds for Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba! We are delighted you have chosen to partner with us. It is people like you that make our purpose strong and vibrant. Whether you are a Variety staff member, fundraising ambassador, volunteer, grateful child or family member, your support will deliver a meaningful impact. “Community fundraising” is an event or activity organized by an individual, company or community organization; it is not an official Variety Manitoba event but benefits the work, kids and families of Variety. Acting independently and with Variety Manitoba’s approval, community events are an important resource for raising funds to help us fund important programs in our community. When you organize a community event, you’re not only raising money to support Variety – you are also raising awareness about us and the important work we do. Thank you for your commitment and partnership!

A Toolkit for Community Fundraising 4

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ORGANIZING YOUR FUNDRAISER

Getting Started

This Toolkit was created to help you get started on the right foot with your fundraising efforts. We’ve

packed it with lots of valuable tips to help your event be successful, from event ideas and promotional

strategies to steps to securing donations for your event.

That’s the fun stuff, but we have also included important procedures and guidelines to take into

consideration when planning your activity. As we are mandated to adhere to Canada Revenue Agency’s

operating and legal standards, we kindly ask you to read this package carefully and contact us with any

questions.

Finally, as a community fundraiser, we request that you complete and return to us the Community

Fundraising Application Form in Appendix A.

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How We Can Help We are so grateful that you have chosen to fundraise on behalf of Variety the Children’s Charity and help us to achieve our mission. Your work in the community is important and valuable to us and we are here to help you be successful! Though our resources limit the depth of assistance we can provide, we are more than happy to guide and support you where possible in your fundraising efforts along the way.

We are here to help you in the following ways:

Help you brainstorm event ideas

Provide support, resources and helpful templates

Coordinate approval of name and logo use for your promotions

Promote your community activity through our various marketing mediums and social networks

Attend your event on behalf of Variety Manitoba (based on scheduling and/or availability)

Provide volunteers if necessary

Provide you with any signage or promotional items

Issue tax receipts (if applicable; see section on Tax Receipting in this toolkit)

However, there are some services we are not able to provide:

Guaranteed attendance at events

Applying for gaming permits or raffle/liquor licenses

Provide event, volunteer and/or liability insurance

Provide board, staff, donor or sponsor e-mail lists

Provide financial support for event administration, including covering costs or managing the

event budget

If you need further support in organizing your fundraiser or require any clarification please call us at

204-982-1050 or email airwin@varietymanitoba.com.

On behalf of the kids and families we care for a heartfelt “thank you” for your interest, commitment and support!

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Ideas for a FUN Fundraiser

Want to raise funds for Variety Manitoba but don’t know how? No worries!

The following list of easy-to-do activities will help you generate ideas (and money!) in no time flat.

Some ideas for you to consider include:

Quick & Easy Ideas

50/50 Draws*

Jar Guesses (Candy, coins, jellybeans,

chocolate, etc.)

Raffles*

Donations in lieu of birthday, wedding

or other celebration gifts

Auctions*

Book Sales

Car Washes

Flower or Plant Sales

Casual/Denim Work Days

Bake Sales

Ideas Requiring More Planning

Movie Nights

Socials

Yard Sales

Bingo or Card Nights

Participation A-thons (running, walking,

cycling, bowling, swimming, shaving,

etc.)

Sports tournaments (hockey,

baseball, golf, etc.)**

BBQ Days at your local hardware

or grocery store

Candy-Grams (Valentine’s Day,

Halloween, Christmas)

Still need some inspiration? Call us at 204-982-1050 and we will brainstorm with you! *Certain fundraising ideas require licenses based on requirements from the Liquor, Gaming & Cannabis Authority of Manitoba. **We include sports tournaments as an idea, however, we encourage you to run community events that

are low-cost, require minimal administration and are not too taxing of your time.

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Have a Plan

The success of your fundraising event hinges on having a good plan. The following tips will help you start your planning off on the right foot. Also, take a look at the Sample Action Plan in Appendix C.

Audience Who are you trying to attract to your event? When you know your target audience you can customize the details, logistics and promotion of your event to best suit this audience.

Test Your Idea Brainstorm with your potential audience, friends, family and colleagues on your fundraising ideas. Is this something that they would likely attend/or give?

Don’t Recreate the Wheel Don’t start with a blank page if you don’t have to. Find resources on the Internet, at the library or speak to people who have hosted a similar event in the past. We may be able to connect you with some helpful resources as well, so give us a call! You will gain a wealth of valuable information on what works and what doesn’t to help you run a successful event.

Build Your Team Working with a team of people will make life easier. Ask friends, family and colleagues to help plan your event. Make sure everyone knows and understands their role and responsibilities, and stay in close communication so everyone is on the same page.

Set a Goal Set a realistic fundraising goal to motivate your team and supporters. Having a clear goal gives everyone something exciting to work towards and can encourage supporters to be more generous.

Keep Your Costs Low Try to keep expenses to a minimum so you can retain the highest percentage of proceeds for donation. Consider locating in-kind donations; take a look at the section on How to Generate Donations and Sponsorships included in this toolkit to help you.

Don’t Over-commit Build your confidence and experience gradually by hosting a small event at first and working your way up to organizing larger ones. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to organize and execute your event.

Timing is Everything Look into whether there are any competing local events for the date and time you have chosen. You may also increase your event’s appeal by having it coincide with special holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Canada Day, etc.

Have a Plan B Make sure you have a contingency plan, especially if your event is dependent on unpredictable factors like the weather.

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Promoting Your Event

One of the most important keys to the success of your fundraising event is getting the word out. Here

are some ideas to create a buzz for your event through word-of-mouth, emails, posters, flyers, online

and media activities.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute!

Depending on the scale of your event, you need at least two weeks to advertise your event. Letting

people know about your event well in advance gives them time to coordinate their schedules and pass

the word on to their own networks.

Posters and Flyers

Use the Poster Template in Appendix F of this toolkit or feel free to design your own. If you are

designing your own poster or flyer, please send it to us for approval first. Be sure to include all of the

important details of your event. Put up your posters where your audience is: at work, sports facilities,

community centres, schools, colleges, libraries or stores. Remember to ask first before you post!

Online Promotion

Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, email and text messaging are free and effective

ways to spread the word about your event. Ask your contacts to forward the details of your fundraiser

on to their friends and family. Look into local online event calendars such as municipal, community

centres and community news websites and ask if they will accept a posting for your event. You may

also contact us at airwin@varietymanitoba.com and we can help you promote your fundraiser through

our various marketing mediums and social networks depending on our own internal marketing

schedule.

Word-of-Mouth

Oftentimes a personal connection can make the difference. Tell people about your event in person and

have them tell their friends as well.

Media

If you’re planning a larger scale event, you may want to consider sending a press release to local

newspapers, radio and TV stations. Ask if they might be interested in doing a story in advance or sending

someone to cover your event or take photos. The local media loves local news! If a reporter contacts

you, give them details about your event and why you’re doing it!

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Creating a Budget

Working with a budget will ensure you keep your expenses in check and fundraising goals on track. It

will give you a valuable bird’s eye view of the cash flow of your event, and help you identify where you

can look into getting supplies or services donated (See the section on How to Get Donations and

Sponsorships in this toolkit).

Below is a budget template to get you started on outlining your estimated revenue and expenses and

track them against funds received and actual costs. The Sample Budget Template is also available for

your use in a working Excel spreadsheet.

Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about creating your budget. After all,

we are here to help you maximize your fundraising efforts!

Sample Budget Template

Revenue Projected Actual

Line 1 (E.g. Sponsorship)

Line 2 (E.g. General Donations)

Line 3 (E.g. Ticket Sales)

Total Revenue (A)

Expenses Projected Actual

Expense Item 1 (E.g. Printing)

Expense Item 2 (E.g. Venue)

Expense Item 3 (E.g. License Fees)

Total Expenses (B)

Projected Actual

Balance

Note: Insert additional lines into this budget template as needed.

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How to Generate Donations and Sponsorships

A great way to keep your expenses down and boost your fundraising success is to solicit sponsorships or

gift in-kind donations of food, prizes, supplies or services from corporations or local businesses.

The first step in securing donations from local businesses is to send them a letter explaining who you are

and what you are requesting from them. Plan ahead of time as you want to send the letter out far

enough in advance of your event to give potential donors time to respond to your request. Remember,

everyone is busy! It is helpful to follow up your request letter with a phone call.

To assist you with your donation requests, check out the Sample Solicitation Letter in Appendix D.

It can be very beneficial to reach out to prospects who you or someone you know has a personal

connection with. These relationships can help you be even more successful in securing donations for

your event. Don’t forget to mention your connection in your letter.

Decide if and how you will acknowledge donors or sponsors during your event. This will be important

when trying to solicit their support for larger donations or sponsorships. If you secure large donations or

sponsorships, you want to guarantee your sponsors a certain amount of publicity. Think about including

their business name or logo on event posters and printed materials, banners, t-shirts or allow them to

host a booth at your event.

Note: Remember to restrict your solicitations to small businesses within Manitoba. Under no

circumstances must a community fundraiser approach any national vendor outside of the Province. If

you are unsure, please contact us to discuss who you are interested in approaching for donations.

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Event Planning To Do List

Writing an event checklist is like writing a grocery list – the big ingredients are easy to remember but it’s

the little treats that we often forget! Our Event Planning To Do List will make sure you don’t forget a

thing.

√ Did I remember … / I have … Planning To enlist a volunteer committee to help with event coordination. To identify my target audience. To finalize my event idea. To draft an event budget.

To set a date, time and location for my event/activity.

To set a fundraising goal for my event/activity. To identify any sponsorship needs.

To develop an event timeline and/or action plan. See the Sample Action Plan in Appendix C.

To come up with a promotional strategy. See section on Promoting Your Event. To register my community fundraiser with Variety by filling out and submitting an

Application Form a minimum of two weeks prior to my event.

Pre-Event To apply for any necessary licenses, permits and insurance.

To solicit and secure sponsorships. To develop promotional materials and distribute them based on marketing strategy.

To create an event/activity specific to do list and assign tasks to volunteers.

To designate who will handle money and how donations will be collected at the event. To consult my Variety representative if I need any additional support.

During the Event To ensure volunteers have clear directions and are prepared to execute their roles. To collect all funds from attendees, donors and sponsors. To publicly thank everyone (including the volunteers and chef!) To have fun and relax – you did it!

Post-Event

To pay all invoices in full.

To submit proceeds and Donation Tracking Sheet for tax receipting purposes to Variety within two weeks of your event.

To hold a post-event committee meeting to evaluate the event. Take note of what worked and what didn’t and learn from mistakes.

To thank and recognize all sponsors and volunteers. Celebrate your hard work! You deserve it!

To start planning next year’s festivities ☺!

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Fundraising Guidelines

We appreciate your generosity and enthusiasm in organizing a fundraiser to benefit Variety’s Kids. We

also appreciate that your initiative will require your time, energy and personal resources, which is why

we ask you kindly to review our Fundraising Guidelines listed below to fully understand your

responsibilities, and to ensure that your idea meets our community fundraising criteria.

Community Fundraiser Application & Approval

All events, activities and promotions must be aligned with Variety’s Mission, Vision,

Values and Privacy Policy.

The Community Fundraising Application Form (Appendix A) must be completed and submitted

to Variety in order to receive full endorsement, promotional support, tax receipting approval

and event recognition.

Variety, the Children’s Charity Name & Logo for Promotional Purposes

Permission must be given by Variety to use its name/logo for the purpose of your fundraiser or promotion. All promotional material must be approved prior to live distribution. A copy of our logo(s) will be provided via email upon acceptance of your Application Form.

Use of our logo on promotional materials does not imply that the fundraiser is sponsored or co-

sponsored by Variety. Variety is involved only as a beneficiary.

The following promotional layout must be adhered to on all marketing materials:

o Name of Event

o “In support of/Proceeds to benefit”

o Variety, the Children’s Charity logo

Handling Your Event(s) Proceeds

Variety will not incur any costs or financial liability associated with community events. The

budget and its related expenses are the responsibility of the organizer.

As per the Associated Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethics “taking commission, for any

purpose, on funds raised as part of a community event is prohibited.”

It is advisable to assign someone to be responsible for handling donations at your event. Never

leave your collections unattended. If you need a cash lockbox for your event, please contact us

and we will be happy to loan you one.

It is a good idea to record all monies collected on a summary sheet and to use this record when

conducting a final count of all donations received.

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Donations and Tax Receipting

Variety issues official income tax receipts in accordance with the guidelines set by the Canada

Revenue Agency.

o Variety will not provide individual tax receipts for event-based fundraisers (E.g.

dinners, golf tournaments, ticket sales, attendance fee, etc.).

Variety will only issue tax receipts for monetary donations* (minimum of $20) made to the community fundraiser. The organizer must maintain complete donor records on the Community Fundraising - Donation Tracking Sheet (Appendix B) in order for a tax receipt to be issued. Variety will either mail or email receipts to the donors listed on the tracking sheet. The total amount of donations requesting receipts must balance against the total monetary donations recorded in the event budget template.

Net proceeds from the event must be submitted to Variety earmarked with the designation of funds and name of the event. Donations can be made by cheque (payable to Variety, the Children’s Charity) or by Visa, MasterCard or American Express by calling 204-982-1050. Variety expects community fundraisers to exercise transparent financial controls.

Licenses and Insurance

If you are coordinating a draw, raffle or other appeal that involves selling a ballot or item to the

general public, gaming permits and/or licenses may apply. It is the responsibility of the event

organizer to obtain the appropriate documentation and/or license to conduct his/her

fundraising activity. By law, any gaming related activity requires a license.

o If you are organizing a raffle, draw or lottery please visit the Liquor, Gaming &

Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA) for more information.

Variety, its offices, staff, and other affiliated entities are not responsible for providing any type

of liability insurance for your event, including volunteer and venue insurance. We are also not

liable for any injuries sustained by event volunteers or participants related to an event

benefiting Variety. Event participants and organizers attending a fundraiser without the

appropriate insurance are attending at their own discretion.

* Please note: Donations of prizes may qualify for tax receipts. Please call the Variety

Office at 204-982-1050 for further discussion on this.

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APPENDIX A: Community Fundraising Application Form

Community Fundraiser Contact Information

Contact Name: _________________________________________________________________________ Title/Position: ___________________________ Organization: ___________________________________ Address: ______________________________________ City: ___________________________________ Pro v : _____________ P C: ______________ Telephone: ________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________________________________

Community Fundraising Event/Activity Information

Name of Community Fundraiser: ___________________________________________________________

Type of Fundraiser: □ Event □ Activity □ Promotion □ Sales of Items and/or Goods

□ Variety program/area of care you wish to support: ______________________________

Please provide a brief description of your fundraising activity (maximum 150 words): _______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) of Fundraiser:_____________________

Event Time(s):_____________________ Location: ____________________________________________

Expected Attendance/Number of People to Engage: _________________________

How will your funds be raised? □ Ticket sales/Entry fee □ Auction □ Sponsorship □ General Donations □ Raffle □ Merchandise/Sales of Goods □ In-kind □ Other: ____________

How much do you expect to donate? □ 100% of the net proceeds □ A portion of the net proceeds ($) or (%)

□ Donate % of sale of a particular item or good

□ Donate % of total sale

Will another charity or nonprofit organization also benefit from this event? □ Yes □ No

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Does the event require a license? □ Yes □ No

Does the event require insurance of any kind? □ Yes □ No If yes, what type:_________________________________________________________________

Is this event employee-driven or taking part as a workplace giving campaign? □ Yes □ No

Marketing & Promotions

How do you plan on promoting your event? __________________________________________

What support or assistance do you require from Variety:

□ Stickers and/or Pins □ Donor Testimonial □ Inclusion in newsletter and emails □ Donation forms □ Information sheets □ Variety Video/DVD □ Banner □ Social Media posts □ Listing on Variety website

Event Budget

Estimated Revenue: $ ____________________

Estimated Expenses: $ ___________________

Estimated Donation to Variety: $______________________________ and/or, % of Ticket Sales___________ and/or, % of Raffle Sales___________ and/or, % of Product Sales __________

□ I have read, understand and agree to the Community Fundraising Guidelines provided by Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba.

□ I understand that Variety will incur no legal or financial liability for this event.

□ I understand that Variety reserves the right to refuse approval, endorsement and the use of its name and logo in any event that does not meet with its fundraising policies, charitable purpose and mission.

Signature: ________________________________ Date: ____________________________

Thank you for your interest in organizing a community fundraiser to benefit Variety Manitoba. Your application will be reviewed and a staff member will respond to you within three business days.

Please send your completed form to admin@varietymanitoba.com. Should you have any questions please contact us at 204-982-1050 or admin@varietymanitoba.com.

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APPENDIX B: Donation Tracking Sheet for Tax Receipting

Event Name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Event Organizer (Name, phone/email): __________________________________________________________

Charitable receipts for income tax purposes will be issued for donations $20 and greater. All contact information including name, mailing address, phone number and email must be recorded. Receipts will only be issued for monetary donations*. Tickets, raffles and sponsorship do not qualify. Please submit the tracking sheet with the proceeds from your event to: Variety, the Children’s Charity, 440A Don Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3L 0S4.

Name Address City/Prov Postal Code

Phone Number

Email Donation Amount

Cash/ Cheque/ Online

Tax Receipt Required (Y/N)

Total

Charitable Registration No. 894089465RR0001

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APPENDIX C: Sample Action Plan

After brainstorming your event, incorporate your decisions into an action plan, which is basically a list of what needs to be done and when, who is going to it and what resources are needed.

Here’s an example:

EVENT

GOAL:

EVENT DATE:

TASKS: ROLES: RESOURCES: TIMELINE: What will be done? Who will do it? What is needed? When will it be done?

1. 1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2. 2.

3. 3. 3. 3.

4. 4. 4. 4.

5. 5. 5. 5.

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APPENDIX D: Sample Solicitation Letter

Date

Business Name Address City Prov PC

Dear_________

I am writing to respectfully request a gift-in-kind donation for community fundraiser/event name on day,

date at location. Add any other details about the event here. The funds raised through event name will

directly support Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba and its valuable work in our community.

Variety supports many projects and programs such as Variety's Special Needs Program, Variety's Musiktanz/Music in Daycares Program, Variety's Music Therapy Program, the Variety Children's Dental Outreach Program, the Variety Clown Program at St. Boniface Hospital and Variety's Camp Brereton. Variety has touched the hearts of over 800,000 children throughout of Province of Manitoba while raising over 30 million dollars to support children of all abilities.

We will be grateful if you can support us by donating name of requested item, be specific e.g. food, prizes, products etc. With your support, Variety will be able to help even more children through any one or more of these programs above. It is with donations such as yours that enable Variety to nurture children. We can put more smiles on kids’ faces and watch as they continue to grow. Not only do they re-discover the unique joy of being a kid, but also gain the benefit of interacting with and feeling accepted by their peers!

We will be pleased to show our appreciation by acknowledging your business name or logo on sign, banner, t-shirt etc. at the event.

Thank you so much for taking the time to consider this request. I will be following up with you shortly but in the meantime, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at contact email or phone number. Sincerely,

Name of Event Organizer Community Event Name

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APPENDIX E: Sample Thank You Letter

Date

Name Address City Prov PC

Dear___________

On behalf of community fundraiser/event name, I would like to thank you for your generous contribution of $00. We had a wonderful time raising funds for Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba in support of program/area of care. We are excited to say that collectively, we raised $00 for Variety and the kids they serve. Thank you for contributing to such a worthwhile cause!

The generous patrons of events such as ours enable Variety to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need by delivering essential charitable programs and services such as the Special Needs Program. Throughout the years Variety’s Special Needs Committee has approved funding for artificial eyes, specialized or adapted tricycles and bicycles, closed circuit readers, wheelchairs, hearing aids, walkers and much more. These life-changing necessities enhance the quality of life of a child and their families!

Once again, on behalf of the many kids that will benefit through the proceeds from event name, I thank you.

I hope to see you again at next year’s nature of activity!

Sincerely,

Name of Event Organizer Community Event Name

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APPENDIX F: Poster Template

EVENT NAME in support of [program/area of care]

Event Description: One to two sentences to describe the

event; engage your audience.

Event Details:

Date Time Location $ Cost Other logistics

Contact Details:

Name of Event Organizer Telephone / Email

Website

Event Image/Graphic/Logo

(Reminder to include logos or names of any

sponsors you agreed to recognize)