For the Love of Event Ideas

Love is in the air and there is nothing we love more than helping our volunteers plan and execute successful fundraising events. We understand, though, that it can be hard sometimes to come up with event ideas! So we've compiled a list of some event ideas we have found successful, just to get the ball rolling.

A Benefit Concert

Holding a benefit concert in your area is a great way to get a large crowd out to support you. This type of event is mutually beneficial for the cause and the band involved. You get a larger audience of people who like the band but do not know about HD, and the band gets a larger audience of people who want to the support the HD fundraiser but do not know the band. Adding a silent auction or a dinner will also increase your attendance even more. In no time you will be rocking your way to a successful fundraiser.

Seasonal Activities

Whether it is celebrating the return of spring, the warm days of summer, the colours of fall or the first winter snowfall, seasonal activities are events that everyone can relate to! Plan a gardening fundraiser in the spring, an outdoor funfair in the summer, a craft show in the fall or a sledding event in the winter. Whichever season you pick, the event should celebrate the weather in some way and you should offer seasonal goodies for attendees to enjoy. Everyone can get on board with celebrating the seasons, and you can raise money for HD in the process.

Information Session

Invite a guest speaker from your community to talk about HD-relevant topics and hold an information session. Individuals who are affected by HD will attend to learn about new research, best care practices and new therapies, while people from outside the HD community will have an opportunity to learn more about what HD is. Offer snacks, a question and answer period and charge an admission fee to raise funds.

May Awareness

All of May is HD Awareness Month. Most notably, this is the month that we try to #LightItUp4HD each and every day. The Light It Up campaign's purpose is to have monuments all over the world light up either purple or blue to raise awareness for Huntington disease and Juvenile Huntington disease. Communities also organize flag raisings and other awareness events. You can always plan your own May event and include a fundraising portion such as a BBQ, street fair, walk, etc. to raise funds as well as awareness.

Event ideas can range from silly to serious, small to large and easy to difficult, but there are several of them out there. This is only a short list of potential ideas that have proven successful in the past. If you would like to create one of these events or for more event ideas, contact events@huntingtonsociety.ca.

Tip Tuesday: Create a Facebook Event

Social media has become one of the best methods for event promotion in today's digital world. People are constantly checking their social networks, sharing information with their friends and looking for new, interesting content. When someone sees an event page on Facebook, they can reserve their attendance as "interested" or "going" and share the event with their friends. Wouldn't it be exciting for it to be your event that they are sharing? Here are 5 simple steps to creating your own Facebook event.

Step 1:
Go to your main home page on Facebook by signing in using your log in information. On the left hand side of your home page, you will see a menu with various options. Under the explore section, click on "events".

On the new screen, click "create event".

Here, you will be able to choose whether you would like your event private or public. For the purpose of getting people to share and talk about your event, you would want to choose "public".

Step 2:
In the new pop up screen that appears, you still have the opportunity to change the event from public to private if you change your mind. Where it says "event host", ensure that this is the Chapter Facebook Page if you have one. Otherwise you may leave it as yourself as the organizer. In this new pop up screen you will also need to input basic event details. Choose an event photo to represent the event, add a name to the event, include the location, start and end time and event details. The description of the event is one of the most important parts to possible attendees. This is how they decide if they want to attend that event. Choose up to three keywords that describe your event so that Facebook can recommend the event to people interested in those keywords. Next, decide who can edit or post in your event. Depending on the event, it may be wise to make a host approve the posts from others.

Step 3:
Create your event! If you do not want to post it yet because you are waiting for certain details or want someone to proofread it, you can save the event as a draft. If you would prefer your event to be created at a later date because maybe it is a Saturday that you are filling this out, but you do not want the event to go live until Monday, you can schedule the event creation for a future date and time.

Step 4:
Edit your event page. When you choose "create" it will automatically take you to your new event page. From this page you can write a post, add a photo/video or create a poll for event followers to see.

You can also edit your page, share the event page with your friends or boost the event. Boosting the event means creating a Facebook advertisement and this costs money.

This page will also show you the interest and tentative attendance for your event.

Facebook will also give you some event tips to better promote your event.

Step 5:
Enjoy your new hub for all things related to your event. Encourage people to share the event on their own accounts so the page reaches even more possible attendees. Make sure you monitor this page and answer any questions people may have.

In the world of technology, it is increasingly more easy to reach large audiences with event information. By creating an event page, you are creating a space where people can refer to for more information, questions and the option to share the event with their friends.

If you have more questions about creating a Facebook Event Page contact events@huntingtonsociety.ca.

Rocking for a Cure

The crowds are piling in and the building is full of anticipation. The lights start to dim and suddenly and there is a spotlight on stage. As the first chords of the opening act's song echo through the venue, the crowd goes wild.

Everyone is excited, everyone is having fun and everyone is united in finding a cure for Huntington disease (HD).

Does it sound too good to be true? Well it could be true by hosting a concert to benefit HD in your area, just as the London Chapter did in 2016 and as the Niagara Chapter is planning for this February.

Almost a year after their first official tour, "Let's Boogie for HD", Eli and the Straw Man continue to partner with Huntington Society Chapters to participate in benefit concerts for the cause. Trumpeter, percussionist and singer for the indie roots rock band, Tam Maiuri, is eager to continue this collaboration with chapters. "These concerts are mutually beneficial in that we reach an audience that may not otherwise hear our music, while creating awareness about HD among music fans that wouldn't otherwise know about the disease," says Maiuri. Maiuri's grandfather passed away with HD and now her mother is also showing symptoms, so the cause is close to her heart.

Eli and the Straw Man performed at their first chapter concert in London, Ontario in October of 2016.

Hosting a concert may sound like a large, overwhelming event to produce, but it is easier than you think. The planning of a concert event can easily be broken into smaller steps, and the band often helps with logistics. By following these basic steps, you will be on your way to rocking for a cure in no time:

1) Make contact with the band. Eli and the Straw Man can be reached through email (eliandthestrawman@gmail.com) or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/eliandthestrawman).

2) Work with the band to set an event date that works for your chapter, the band and the venue of your choice.

3) Contact the National Office at events@huntingtonsociety.ca  with event details so they can create tickets, posters, media advisories, e-blasts and more for the event.

4) Promote the event using social media, word of mouth and print materials. The band can help by promoting the event through their own outlets as well.

5) Sell tickets for the event, keep track of expenses and communicate your selling progress with the National Office regularly for selling tips and strategies.

6) Arrange with your venue what time you are able to set up on the concert day. On event day, prepare the venue, communicate with the band and ensure volunteers have all necessary resources.

7) HAVE FUN.

Rob Martin, organizer of the Niagara concert, recommends chapters who are considering planning a benefit concert to also plan early and include a silent auction component. "Two months was not a long time for us to plan an event. A lot of donors have a six month time frame before they even consider giving a donation," says Martin. Although the chapter did receive a lot of positive response for silent auction items for the show despite their tight timeline, they intend to utilize a longer preparation time if this becomes a yearly event.

See for yourself how easy and fun it is to plan an event filled with music, prizes and awareness by contacting events@huntingtonsociety.ca for more information or to start planning!

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Do you like music? Do you want to raise funds and awareness for HD? Are you in the Niagara area? Come out to Seneca Queen Theatre on Saturday, February 11 for the Eli and the Straw Man Concert and Silent Auction to Benefit HD with special guest Whitney Pea. Doors open at 7 p.m. and all proceeds will go directly to the Huntington Society of Canada to support families in Canada impacted by HD and Juvenile HD. Find more information here and follow this link to purchase tickets!

Indy Go-Kart Challenges

 HSC 2015 National Symposium, Regional YPAHD Day, Hike 4 Huntington’s in BC, a couple golf tournaments in Ontario, a used book sale, and quite a few Indy Go-Kart Challenges took place this fall! Indies were held in Essex ON, Mississauga ON, Winnipeg MB, and Langford BC on September 13^th, as well as in Halifax NS on October 25^th. 

The HD Indy Family Go-Kart Challenge was created by a small group of volunteers who wanted to raise funds and awareness for Huntington disease in Canada. The first event took place in Niagara Falls, ON, where participants raised $3,000. HSC’s Indies went national 19 years ago in 1996, and they have since raised well over $1 million for the HD community. Now, as Canada's largest fundraising Go-Kart event, this fun-filled, volunteer-led day is dedicated to Canadian families whose lives are affected by Huntington disease.

An Indy Go-Kart Challenge is a great family event where people of all ages can have a great time while raising money for a great cause. Kick off the next school year with a fun day for the family!

TeamHD: We Have a New Landing Page!

TeamHD had a few changes in 2015, going from the National Running Team of Huntington Society of Canada to a more inclusive team of volunteers, organizers, participants and donors. With these changes came a whole new opportunity to get involved and create events for HSC.

To take advantage of this opportunity, we wanted to create a hub for all things TeamHD, and so we are excited to present to you our new landing page! At TeamHD.ca, you can find everything you need to be a part of our team. Learn about us, register for events, follow us on Facebook, read tips for fundraising, and see a list of FAQs in case you have a question.

Most importantly, we have a way to start a new event! First, fill out our online form that asks all the important questions. Once you’re finished, the form will be submitted to us and we can go from there having all the information we need to help you! Our hope is that this makes the process more streamlined and will encourage more people to organize events in their community.

Another great thing about the new landing page is that it can be used to promote events too! If one of your friends or potential donors wants to know more about HSC events and TeamHD, sending them to TeamHD.ca can give them the information they need to become part of the team too by participating or donating to the cause.

Go check out our new landing page! We hope you enjoy it.

Event Promotion: Videos

Looking through a Facebook photo album is a great way to get a feel of how an event went and see how much fun was had by those who attended. This event season, we received a lot of great photos from organizers and participants to share with the teamHD community! From the likes and comments they got on our Facebook group, it looked like everyone enjoyed going through and engaging with the event, whether they were able to attend or not.

Here at the National Office, we have not only received photos and videos from the community (such as the Coachman’s Cove Walk and Climb to Conquer events in Newfoundland), we made some as well. Using photos and videos taken at events by staff, participants, organizers, and volunteers, we created videos for the Durham Region Flag Raisings, the Toronto GEMS Walk, and Bert’s 362 KM Run for HD!

Here are some examples of how you can promote your event:

17th Annual GEMS Walk, Toronto, 2015
2015 Coachman's Cove Walk

Videos are a great way to not only reflect on how the event went this year, but also to promote the event next year and for years to come! Using simple video applications on your personal computer like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, you can make a photo slideshow with effects and music to go along! You can also take video clips from the event and cut and paste them to make something similar to a movie trailer. There are some great templates that can make it quick and easy to create promotional material.

Things to share in your video can include, but are not limited to:

• Date and location of the event
• Photos of notable attendees
• Games/activities offered at the event
• Fundraising total
• Testimonials
• Photos of people wearing HD swag

Do you have photos or videos you would like to share with us from any of the events this season? We would love to help you with ideas of how you can use your success this year to expand and promote for the next! For support, email events@huntingtonsociety.ca.

Fundraising Pages: Tips and Tricks

The Chapters of the Huntington Society of Canada host numerous fundraising events that raise approximately one million dollars every year for the cause. This amazing feat is accomplished in part by participants utilizing an online fundraising system for a number of these events. The system is a great way to connect with donors, keep donations organized, and track your progress. We chatted with a few of our most successful fundraisers about their online practices to put together tips and tricks on how to make the fundraising experience simple and successful!

It is important to personalize your fundraising page. Inserting a photo of yourself or your family can have an impact on potential donors. Many of our fundraisers also include a write up about their personal connection with Huntington disease and why the HSC mission is important to you. Feel free to share as much or as little of your personal story as you are comfortable with.

It is also helpful for donors to understand how their donations are being used. Adding a sentence or two about HSC’s efforts in providing care for HD-affected families and funding cutting edge research can also make donors feel confident about their gift.

Reach out to your friends, family, co-workers, and others that you know. You can include some of what is on your personal page, your fundraising goal, and other information relevant to the event. Many of our participants have experienced generous donations from peripheral contacts who were unaware of the disease, or their connection to it. Some fundraisers have found that they have regular donors that they can rely on year after year. These fundraisers receive positive feedback, thanking them for updates and expressing their excitement for the upcoming event.

The right timing for emails is also very important. If they are sent too far in advance, people may forget. Two to three weeks before the event has proved to be a good time, but you will know what is best for your contacts. Don’t be afraid to send a follow-up email. Some really appreciate the reminder!

Remember to email the donors right away to thank them and always send a follow-up email with photos of the event and the fundraising total. This is important to maintain a good relationship and show how much their support meant.

The Huntington Society of Canada will be introducing a new fundraising system this summer and will be supplying materials to help you learn the new system and succeed in your fundraising goals. Stay tuned for more information and thank you for all the hard work you do to raise money for those affected by Huntington disease.

*The Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) recognizes that some individuals at-risk for HD may choose not to share their personal stories, as genetic information is not protected in Canada. Genetic test results can be used to the detriment of an individual by insurance companies and employers in Canada. The Society is advocating for genetic fairness in Canada, however, at this time, protection is not in place. Choosing to share for the purpose of fundraising is a personal decision. If you have questions concerning this topic, the Society encourages you to reach out to our National Office at 1 800 998 7398.

TeamHD: Join the Team

The HD community across Canada is a group of passionate and generous people who aspire to a world free from Huntington disease. This group of people support one another and know that there are few people in the world that fully understand what everyday life is like for a person or family affected by this disease. This makes the HD community unique, this makes them a family.

Thanks to this amazing community, the Huntington Society of Canada receives a large portion of their funds from Chapter and volunteer fundraising efforts to put towards research and family services for affected individuals and families. These fundraising events are integral in allowing HSC to support the HD community. The volunteers who organize events, as well as the participants and sponsors who get pledges and raise money for the cause are a special team in the community; making a difference by not only raising money, but awareness for the disease across the country.

We like to refer to this team as teamHD. TeamHD began as a national running team, the idea being that people could run in marathons and other such events across the country, being united in their fundraising efforts for Huntington disease.

This spirit has spread through the community, and even those who aren’t runners want to be a part of this team. Whether you volunteer, organize, run, walk, bike, or even go-kart, you are a part of our team. We are all working towards the same goal: ending Huntington disease. The more people we have on our team, the closer we get to this goal.

We invite you to participate in this dedicated community any way you can and recruit friends and family to join as well. Let us know what you’re good at! Are you a musician, photographer, writer? TeamHD can use all of your talents to benefit those affected by HD. Our teamHD Facebook page is full of opportunities to get involved and be a part of the team! You can keep up with the community and share your photos and experiences by posting on Facebook or using our hashtag #teamHDcan on Twitter and Instagram. Help spread the word and raise money by joining teamHD!

For more information about events or how to get involved, email us at events@huntingtonsociety.ca.

Welcome to the team.