Community fundraising events are easy to plan, fun to participate in and play an important role in creating awareness of CF and the conditions of those who live with the disease worldwide. Community events can be established by individuals, groups organization, schools etc.

Burke P Bear
PLANNING AN EVENT

· First: You must choose the type of event you will establish, where you will hold the event, the number of volunteers you will need and who will play certain roles in planning and developing the project. Use all advertising tools such as pictures of Burke, The Teddy Bears times Article and other marketing tools available in the CFW fundraising kit. (Receive your fundraising kit by contacting our office at burke@cfww.org.)

· Next: Contact local newspapers and radio station in your community to bring awareness to your event, Burke Bear and CF in general. Reach out to others who live in your area that are also effected by CF everyday. Develop an understanding of why you are having the event and how it will directly effect those persons living with CF in developing countries. Contact medical facilities and professionals who work with person with CF and involve all who are willing to participate.

· Last: Enjoy your event and remember the money that you raise will directly benefit people who live with Cystic Fibrosis where the basic clinical care and equipment is unavailable. Isn't everyone who suffers with CF deserving of access to appropriate care and shouldn't they be given the same opportunities to live as normal a life as possible in their society? CFW believes they do and people like you make sure we are able to work towards reaching this goal worldwide.

Click here to get more information, forms and submit events

FUNDRAISING METHODS

When you're making contacts, keep it simple in using the following or something similar:

This is the true story of a teenager who wanted to cure diseases and help others (use the "Teddy Bear Times" article provided in your fundraising kit). Burke Patrick Derr died due to Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in June of 1997, but his dream of helping people all over the world lives on through his namesake teddy bear, Burke P. Bear. Join Burke P. Bear in helping people and curing CF as we work to make Burke's dream come true. This teddy bear has already raised over $120,000 for CF awareness/research, but there's a lot of work to do for those who are living with the disease and we need your help.

· Establish contacts with the media: Get at least one contact person at each daily/weekly newspaper, radio, and TV station. Whenever possible, identify a local CF person/family who would be willing to help raise awareness/funds or at least allow media interviews. People are more likely to give if they know their moneys will help someone who shares the same disease as a person they are familiar with or who lives in their area, and make sure the family is shown with Burke P. Bear or knows about him (EXAMPLE: The Bedford, PA, family with an 8 month-old daughter with CF. The state organization sent articles to three area newspapers after the mother convinced a local retailer to sell Burke P. Bears. Each newspaper in turn did a major feature story on the family, and to date the local retailer has sold 25 dozen Burke P. Bears which means $3750 was raised for CF research and the state organization).

· Establish business contacts: Is there at least one retailer who might be willing to sell Burke P. Bear in their store, along with a small display noting who Burke is and where the money will go? Many times a retailer will do this for free especially if they know that the media will be using their name, e.g., "Burke P. Bear is available at Local Gifts." Other business contacts that may just give donations or sponsor Burke with a consumer appreciation gift (using Burke as the gift) include banks, insurance companies, car dealers, etc.

· Establish corporate contacts: Contact corporations, especially health-related corporations, that might be willing to buy Burke P. Bears to give to children in local/regional hospitals and/or schools. Corporations like to be known as "the good guys" and this gives them positive publicity. Also, a large corporation will generally have more charitable money than a local retailer. When establishing this relationship it is important to stress the benefit for the corporation in showing consumers what a responsible community and worldwide activist the company is, thereby creating a positive response from consumers.

· Establish contacts with community civic organizations: This is important because some of these organizations may do a fundraiser for CF as a community service, e.g., encourage them to sell Burke P. Bears for CFW because it will build clinics, improve awareness, etc.

· Basic personal relations: More than anything else, fundraising takes a strong belief in what you're doing combined with a strong knowledge base. Know at least the basics about CF and the statistics in your country. Know the mission of CFW and the "job" and background of Burke P. Bear. Be positive and upbeat and avoid a focus on maudlin ideas like "these cute little kids might die." The fact is that there are many adults with CF and the life-span has doubled in the past 30 years due to progressive research efforts. At its best, fundraising is all about building awareness and relationships with simple, informal, but very positive chatting.

· Emphasize Burke P. Bear as the "Ambassador of Love" or the "Ambassador of Love, Peace, Having Fun, and helping those who suffer with CF" because he does have a PA House resolution affirming this. In addition, Burke has toured 35 states, two Canadian provinces, and more than a dozen world countries, so he is truly a "World Ambassador of Love, Peace, Having Fun!" Actually, the teddy bear by itself is considered a symbol of unconditional love and that's a concept agreed upon by all the world's major religions.

Contact our marketing team at burke@cfww.org for a fundraising kit and further information on how to plan an event in your community.

To be recognized worldwide as the provider for people around the world, living with or supporting those with Cystic Fibrosis, as the initiator, promoter and provider of quality therapies and giver of educational support in order to enhance and extend the lives of those who live with the disease.

Illustrations by Natalie Massone Saiph Natalie is an Italian artist working in the field of Animation and Publishing. She has started ArteSaiph Studio, an art studio located in Liguria (Italy). Natalie would like to get in touch with Broadcasts, Animation companies and Publishers for new collaborations. ArteSaiph Studio has specialized in pre-production services for animation including design work (props, characters, and backgrounds), storyboarding, color design, layouts for Film, Feature Animation and Television Productions. The Studio activity is also direct for the Publishing market of Comic Books and Illustrated Children’s Books. ARTESAIPH STUDIO http://www.saiphworld.com/ info@saiphworld.com