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!

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.