Behind the Button

Walking the Walk | My 24 Hours of Booty fundraiser

UPDATE 9/1/08 : Amazing but the MojoRiding team is again the number one team raising $54,000 in 2008!

Friends, well it's time for me to walk the walk or in this case bike the bike? On July 25th my cycling team MojoRiding (Mojo as in the Doors not Austin Powers btw) will embark on our third 24 Hours of Booty cycling fundraiser here in Charlotte NC to benefit Livestrong | lance Armstrong Foundation, Keep Pounding Fund at Carolinas Medical Center and the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas!

Last year my team was the top 24 Hours of Booty team raising an amazing $55,000! (we even beat a number of corporate teams including our hometown rival Bank of America) later in 2007 we raised an additional $55,000 for an ms150 bike ride to fight multiple sclerosis! (Actually since I started the team in 2005 we've raised over $250,000 for charity!) I don't share this to boast (although I am proud) but to show that it is possible -- and you know something I'm not anywhere near the top fundraiser -- we all can play a role: organize a fundraiser, help people set up their webpages, inspire and keep your team motivated!

Of course many of us dedicated our fundraising making photo buttons of our loved ones and I think it made a really big difference!

So this year we are at it again -- I will be riding at least 150 miles -- I am including a link to our team page to show you how we are setting up our fundraising -- later I will include some stories and buttons of people we will be riding in honor of like Dale "Hoss" Lewis my cousin and the inspiration for all of this!

And take a few minutes to watch the excellent (one of the best event videos you'll see) about the 24 Hours of Booty to benefit Lance Armstrong Foundation, Keep Pounding Fund at Carolinas Medical Center and the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas!  And hey if you feel the urge we would welcome your generous donation here!
 

Mike Lee of 26 Inch Audio does an absolutely amazing job -- watch the video and you too will be hooked on Booty!

Click on the Booty Banner to watch

Michael Gibbons founder of Buttons of Hope talks about his inspiration.

Former Mrs. North Carolina, sweetheart and friend Debra Kennedy interviews me on her local television show! Debra touches on Dale Lewis' inspiration and the work Buttons of Hope is doing for charity walks like Susan Komen Race for the Cure and missing person organizations the Kristen Foundation and the Polly Klass Foundation. (I am wearing a button in honor of Rachel Giblin a young girl who was killed while doing a charity bike ride) 

Enjoy the video and I would love to come talk [contact me] with your group about the BIG difference these little photo buttons are making! And if you happen to have your own TV show like Debra I'd love to be a guest (no red M&Ms, still water, and one unwrapped twinkie please) ....Oprah are you listening?

Charity numbers are kinda like records. Breadheads we need to talk!

My friend Seth Godin has another dead-on post today. I agree with half (OK 70%) of what he says here about non-profits  and it made me think of something I was reading late last night online.
First Seth,

"Non-profits do the same thing when they spend months planning an elaborate gala [or charity walk] that takes all the time and enriches the hotel and the caterer. Far better to spend the time and money building actual relationships than going for the big 'grand' hit."

He is right. It is better and harder to build the relationships and the success is harder to gauge...

EASY(to measure)/GOOD:  we raised $726 for our silent auction! or as in the case of the Breadheads the largest team in the 2007 St Louis Susan Komen Race for the Cure team recruited 4100 walkers! (that is true read about it) every picture tells a story don't it? (below)

HARDER(to measure)/BETTER:  our donors are more engaged, our walkers are more inspired, our staff is more motivated

First KUDOS to all 4100 Breadheads -- your support is amazing and thanks for doing something! (many don't) But here's the rub you raised $90,000 which is $21.95 per walker, correct? I have a really BIG idea for you if you're interested.