Lacing up for a meaningful run isn't just about the physical challenge; it's a commitment to a cause that reaches the heart and soul of communities. Today's episode is a testament to that very spirit, where I recount running the Boston Marathon in honor of my mom and how it led me to advocate for many causes that are near and dear to my hear.
I am particularly passionate about youth empowerment through Girls on the Run. Joined by the vibrant Michelle and Brigette, who are not just runners but pillars in their communities, we uncover the profound impact of coaching and running for charity. Their stories are a reminder that the race is not always for the swift but often for those who keep running with purpose.
Running for charity is more than a personal triumph; it's a communal victory. Our discussion highlights the Girls on the Run program's life-changing curriculum, emphasizing emotional resilience and strength. As a coach, I've witnessed firsthand the sheer joy of connecting with young girls, instilling lessons that resonate far beyond the running track. And if you're hesitant because you’re not a seasoned runner, fear not. The program celebrates walking and mindful movement, too. The upcoming all-women's marathon and a potential Dopey Challenge are not just events but beacons of hope and empowerment for communities rallying behind the cause.
But let's get practical—as inspiring as these endeavors are, they require funds to thrive. This episode is packed with creative fundraising strategies that propelled my charitable efforts. From leveraging social media to hosting community events, I share a wealth of ideas that can help you reach and even surpass your goals.
Whether through engaging raffles, employer donation matching, or unique community-driven events, every bit of effort contributes to a greater narrative. So, tie up those sneakers, tap into the generosity of your network, and let's run this race together—where every mile is a milestone for someone's brighter tomorrow.
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Want to become a member of Time for Brunch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.
Join the Brunch community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Lacing up for a meaningful run isn't just about the physical challenge; it's a commitment to a cause that reaches the heart and soul of communities. Today's episode is a testament to that very spirit, where I recount running the Boston Marathon in honor of my mom and how it led me to advocate for many causes that are near and dear to my hear.
I am particularly passionate about youth empowerment through Girls on the Run. Joined by the vibrant Michelle and Brigette, who are not just runners but pillars in their communities, we uncover the profound impact of coaching and running for charity. Their stories are a reminder that the race is not always for the swift but often for those who keep running with purpose.
Running for charity is more than a personal triumph; it's a communal victory. Our discussion highlights the Girls on the Run program's life-changing curriculum, emphasizing emotional resilience and strength. As a coach, I've witnessed firsthand the sheer joy of connecting with young girls, instilling lessons that resonate far beyond the running track. And if you're hesitant because you’re not a seasoned runner, fear not. The program celebrates walking and mindful movement, too. The upcoming all-women's marathon and a potential Dopey Challenge are not just events but beacons of hope and empowerment for communities rallying behind the cause.
But let's get practical—as inspiring as these endeavors are, they require funds to thrive. This episode is packed with creative fundraising strategies that propelled my charitable efforts. From leveraging social media to hosting community events, I share a wealth of ideas that can help you reach and even surpass your goals.
Whether through engaging raffles, employer donation matching, or unique community-driven events, every bit of effort contributes to a greater narrative. So, tie up those sneakers, tap into the generosity of your network, and let's run this race together—where every mile is a milestone for someone's brighter tomorrow.
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Want to become a member of Time for Brunch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.
Join the Brunch community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
What is Team Salucci Back on my Feet Girls on the Run, the Royal Society for Blind Children and Ronald McDonald House all have in common? I bet you're curious. Stick around because we're diving deep into that very question today.
Speaker 2:Time for brunch. Empower, inspire, connect. Ignite your journey.
Speaker 1:Hey friend, welcome back and thanks for tuning in to Time for Brunch. I'm Coach Christine, an RRCA Level 2 and Positive Habit Health Coach. I've had the joy of running some truly incredible races, like the World Marathon Majors you may have heard of one or two and I've chosen to make a lot of those miles count by supporting some amazing causes along the way, from rallying my Ragnar teens to tackle minimum goals for back of my feet to running the Boston Marathon in memory of my mom and raising $10,000 for Team Salucci. Each race and every dollar has been a journey that's touched my heart deeply. Now charity running is catching fire across the globe. As more people lace up their sneakers than ever before, many are finding inspiration and those really hard to snag race bibs through supporting fantastic causes. Remember, it's not just about the running. It's about the reason and the why behind your run, making every step count towards something far greater than the finish line. And in this episode today, we're going to unpack the nuts and bolts of Fundraising 101. You'll meet two incredibly inspiring Girls on the Run, soulmates who are also go-to coaches. They're going to share their fundraising journeys and quite a few tips for you as well. We're going to explore how to juggle the demands of training while maximizing your fundraising efforts. I'll reveal some creative ways that I utilize, some that some of my athletes have utilized to make their fundraising asks really pop.
Speaker 1:Whether you're a seasoned charity runner or just thinking about starting, this episode is packed with insights for everyone. Let's get ready to make those miles count. The first question folks have is why should I run for a charity? Well, running for a charity is a big question and many folks ponder before they start, before they make that commitment. I'm gonna explore some of the massive impacts of charity running, just in case you've been on the fed, it enriches our lives and the lives of those we run for. But if that wasn't enough, every year thousands of runners across the US and millions across the globe choose to run for more than just fitness. They choose to run to make a difference in the world. Events like the Boston Marathon alone here in the US can bring in over $30 million annually through their charity, runners and nationwide dedicated souls get it little pun there raise hundreds of millions for various causes, showcasing the incredible link between our physical challenges, overcoming obstacles, and the value we have in giving back to our community. My own charity.
Speaker 1:Running started from a deep desire to give back. Whether raising funds for the ALS Association in memory of my mom who we lost to ALS, or empowering young girls through Girls on the Run, each race has been much more than just running. One of the most touching experiences that I had definitely incredibly memorable was having the opportunity and the honor to run with Team Salucci. I applied to the Boston Marathon in honor of my mom a day after she passed. I was processing the emotions of it all. Even though we knew it had been coming, I didn't really know what to do. I hadn't yet announced it on social media that my mom had passed. I hadn't really told very many folks. So I decided maybe this is my time to really show her how much I care. And I researched it and found Team Salucci. I applied, they extended the offer and there we go.
Speaker 1:However, that race ended up being incredibly tough, not just the race, but the journey leading up to it, and not just because of Heartbreak Hill. I had my own heartbreak to deal with during fundraising and my actual race. I ended up crying from mile 14 to mile 24, battling through grief and dealing with the physical challenges of having my training derailed after an emergency appendectomy just eight weeks before the race. Yet during those hard times, I found one of the most beautiful friendships that I still cherish to this day. Big shout out to Dr Michelle. She helped me get to the start line and she helped make sure that I kept moving forward to cross the finish line, turning a personal challenge into a pillar of support and incredible friendship.
Speaker 1:Jumping into charity running. I ain't gonna lie, it's intimidating with worries about meeting fundraising goals. Juggling time commitments feels sometimes like it's another full-time job. But remember every small effort helps and you're never alone. Charities often provide great support some of the best teammates you could ever wish for and you can surpass your fundraising goals. Balancing training, fundraising and everyday life can seem overwhelming some days, but finding your own rhythm will make it all manageable. We're going to discuss how to do that as well, but the community that you build and the stories you share will drive you forward, turning every run into a profoundly satisfying experience. So before we wrap up today, we are going to absolutely have some great tips and advice how to effectively balance fundraising and training, and some really good out-of-the-box ideas of how to tackle your own fundraising campaigns.
Speaker 1:But before we get to that.
Speaker 1:I want you to meet two incredible women with phenomenal stories and a thriving impact every single day.
Speaker 1:These ladies are welcome to the French table as go-to coaches who are phenomenal fundraisers in their own right. So let's get ready to welcome them on in, because we're shining a spotlight on two remarkable women, michelle Wagstaff and Bridget Carlock, who are not only dedicated fourth grade teachers in Manatee County here in Florida, but also avid runners with incredible accomplishments under their own belts. But Michelle and Bridget have not only completed Dopey Challenge, princess Challenges, all of these incredible Run Disney challenges. They're also the pioneering force behind the Girls on the Run chapter for their area in school, bringing this empowering program to young girls in their community. Additionally, their soulmates, I mean they live, breathe, making sure that they can empower the young folks of today or tomorrow as well, especially young girls. So before I wax any more poetic and any of that sort because I could go on and on about how incredible they both are let me welcome them on in. Hello, welcome, michelle and Bridget. So glad to have you here, thank you Nice to be here.
Speaker 1:We're excited. So my friends Michelle and Bridget are again, as I mentioned, like these dynamic forces, super positive, continually out there, posting on their own social media channels all of the incredible work that they do within the program of Girls on the Run. And for you friends that maybe haven't heard of Girls on the Run, I'm going to let Michelle and Bridget let us know exactly what it is. So I'm going to start with you, bridget Could you tell me what Girls on the Run is and maybe how you first heard about it?
Speaker 4:Sure, yeah, michelle and I both heard about it when we went to do a run and they asked that 5k if we would be sparkle runners, and so we kind of just inquired a little bit about it and then we started to learn about the program and we decided to bring it to our school. We didn't even realize at the time that Manatee County didn't have a program, so it was pretty awesome that we got to start that. But it's basically a program for grades three to five, girls to kind of learn about how to just be girls and be confident. And what would you add to that?
Speaker 3:I would just add that it's the best part about it is the social, emotional piece which, as teachers, we don't have time nor the resources to bring into our classrooms, and so it gives them skills like how to be a friend, how to stand up for one another, just those life skills that they're going to need in life, you know, as young females.
Speaker 4:And it just kind of incorporates the running pieces, kind of just the physical piece of Girls on the Run. But it's just fun activities to help them, you know, just get along, relate and grow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love the aspect of utilizing the 5K running as part of a team building, but what I fell madly in love with Girls on the Run is that it's so much more than that. It's exactly how you guys described. It's literally creating tools that you can utilize for developing emotional maturity that actually I think these tools are stuff that I wish that I could still have available to me right today, because there's some of these lessons whenever I walk away from it thinking, wow, I really needed that myself today, so I'm glad I was able to cover it with the girls Now, michelle, again I mentioned that you guys have quite a bit of running under your belt. Did you come to running earlier in life? How did you get started with running in general?
Speaker 3:Actually, to be completely open and honest. I began my running journey when I started my recovery from addiction.
Speaker 1:Okay, yep, that's how I got started on that, and that's a story that's actually very often heard. A lot of folks turn to the positive habit building of running. After dealing with quite a few other things, I know that I came to the point in my life where I needed just that emotional component even more than I needed the physical component of running. Now you've been running for quite some time and where did you decide? I love this so much that I want to continue giving back to the community? As Bridget already mentioned, you guys became Sparkle Runners, first, with Girls on the Run.
Speaker 3:Right. Well, bridget and I because we're, you know, teachers together we became very good friends and I realized that we shared the common bond of running. And so together, you know, we just started running and doing things. And then, like she said, when we went to that 5K and just seeing I mean finish line's, only the beginning Just seeing those girls, you know, at all different stages, some walking, crawling, it doesn't matter how they got to that finish line, they were all winners and to see 500 girls just happy, go lucky, having an amazing time doing something that we truly have a passion for running, that just nailed it for us.
Speaker 4:And I think this um celebrating together. Like she said, it's all about the growth, and where you are it doesn't matter, it's just where you're going, and and so that's a really awesome the end of the year run. It's just an awesome time to get together with all the teams.
Speaker 3:And you know that as a fellow runner yourself. I mean, the running community is just amazing, it's just. Everybody is so encouraging and just socially, mentally, emotionally and physically running is just amazing.
Speaker 1:It's so transformative. That's what I think that we get excited about is the fact that this curriculum allows these young girls to be introduced to it in a way that's not necessarily as competitive as maybe cross country or track would be. It's really more about fostering that empowerment within themselves and to continue building that with the community as well with their teamwork. I'm curious, Bridget, how did you come to running?
Speaker 4:I've probably been running for about 15 years. I started back home in Indiana. Just somebody challenged me to do a half marathon and I did that and I came down and I kind of quit running once I moved to Florida. Then I met Michelle and she liked running and she actually took my first race down here. So then since then we just started doing weekend races and spending time together and building our bond and our friendship. And you know we teach together. So it's really awesome. Then we just the next logical step was to coach together.
Speaker 1:So it's official you guys are besties. Yes, yes, okay. And running has continued to solidify your friendship. It has become such an active part of your relationship. It sounds like.
Speaker 4:It has. And, like Michelle said, she had started running because you know it has. And, like Michelle said, she had started running because, you know, just working through her recovery and I was working through a lot of personal things too and so we were able to lean on each other just through the running and through races and spending time together.
Speaker 1:So with that, it sounds like again with the curriculum on Girls on the Run, as I mentioned, there's quite a few times where I'll go over a lesson I'm thinking I need at this point. I needed this specific lesson right now. Is there a lesson that's incredibly, that sticks out to you and coaching the girls? No, all of them. I mean, they're all incredible. They literally all are incredible.
Speaker 3:Well, my coach answered that because yesterday we had a lesson that she really needed, and I even told the girls.
Speaker 4:I said, look, this is the. It was the stop, breathe, you know, respond and review. And I said I just had a really rough day that day at school and so it was like you said, it's those life lessons for adults and kids, but it's pretty awesome to all the girls. Like you know, this happens in life. It doesn't matter your age, you know. You always have to sometimes stop and think about what you're going to say or do and take a breath. And so just seeing that and the seasons past doing that lesson we've seen it, you know come over into the classroom too, where they might have before been kind of an explosive child, and then they've started to take that lesson and use it and even share it with others.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which is great. I mean this curriculum is developed on a national level. It is an award winning curriculum because of how much they really did put into researching skill sets that are truly transformative. They kind of really do go hand in hand with a lot of us that are runners. We comprehend that running does allow us to take these skills and these lessons and kind of apply them to other aspects of our life. So I do continue to love that.
Speaker 1:What I love is how you guys continue to come back to every season as many ways as you possibly can.
Speaker 1:So from leading, bringing it to your county, to joining in on the planning of the end of season 5k, to coaching on a weekly basis, being soulmates and soulmates is the charity piece that helps to make this program possible and for a lot of young girls. So again, you guys really have kind of live and breathe girls on the run, but you're also hoping to continue to grow girls on the run. So for folks that are curious about it and they're living in your area, I know that you will make yourself available and we'll have that contact information in episode notes, because we have folks from all over the place. What would you say to folks that are kind of on the fence. Like they know they love running, they're really not sure what it looks like for them to get involved with coaching. How does that work? What would you suggest for folks to take into consideration and maybe what would you suggest or empower them to do? I'd love to hear you both answer this.
Speaker 3:Oh, I would say it is the most intrinsically rewarding thing that I have ever done is be a Girls on the Run coach. You know it is a volunteer piece and so you know there is no amount of money that you could give me you could pay me at this point, other than donating to my dopey fundraiser just to help Girls on the Run. There is no amount of money that you could ever pay me that would ever replace the intrinsic. I mean it just it gives me chills even just talking about it. It's an amazing program and so important and I just cannot brag enough about what Girls on the Run means to me, means to us.
Speaker 1:I definitely want to hear your response too, but I do want to call out the fact that, with Michelle, I will say that you have posted some pictures on social media that are so powerful, because one of the things that comes to mind is one of the times that you had a lesson where I think you guys got rained out and you figured out how to, on the fly, figure out a way of still doing the lesson, still having some physical activity inside, and seeing the smile that these girls had. They glowed through the images. So I just wanted to give that a big shout out that, if you guys are thinking that you want to get involved, maybe you want to donate to a fundraiser or you want to know a little bit more. Again, michelle and Bridget are going to make themselves available. We could reach out to them and they could give you more information. But, bridget, what are some of the things that you would say are your takeaways and or that you would suggest for folks who want to get involved?
Speaker 4:I would say that don't be afraid to get involved. It's so much easier. They do such a wonderful job of setting stuff up. It's not like we have to do a lot of work, so if you're kind of on the fence about, well, it's just another thing to do. It really isn't. It's all set up for you, all the stuff's included in it and it's just really a fun time. We get to kind of hang out with the girls in a different capacity rather than in the classroom as their teacher, and so it's a really good way to bond with your students or with kids if you're volunteering and you're not a teacher. But it's just an awesome experience. That's why we keep doing it.
Speaker 1:That's right. How would you say that it differs in terms of? Because I do believe that you guys kind of have a bit of an upper edge, upper hand and that you already are teachers. You know how to be given a lesson plan and work on the curriculum, but how would you say that what should be some foundational things that maybe somebody going into this for their first season they should keep in mind in terms of planning in accordance with the lesson coming their way, or how would you suggest to set them up for success, A couple of things that they should have in mind?
Speaker 3:Well, the best part is they would attend a national coach training through Girls on the Run and a lot of the stuff. Prerequisites are done online at self-paced and the amount of support that we get from the Tampa Bay greater Tampa Bay goater council is huge, and so they're never going to be alone. They will be ready for that very first practice.
Speaker 4:And the lessons lend themselves to just like a head ease. They ease you right into like coming up with, you know, some things that you want to keep in mind, like, oh, we listen to each other as you come up with some basic expectations, and so that's like the very first lesson, and so having the girls be themselves and you know you have a few expectations and other than that, it's just a lot of fun and it just falls into place and you just have a great time.
Speaker 3:There's no stress really isn't.
Speaker 1:you know, what I love, too about this is the fact that you guys, while we're all runners here, I will say, though, you don't have to be a runner. So if you're thinking this is going to exclude me automatically because I don't run or I won't be able to keep up with the curriculum, by no means should you like check yourself out of it, because plenty of people come to this and they approach it with walking or they approach it with just mindful movement. So definitely want to call that into focus, but I love how you guys are saying that it's such a supportive community with Girls on the Run in terms of, from the admin aspect, of being able to give all the tools to succeed. One thing that I think I learned from my local chapter was that the girls didn't necessarily care if everything went exactly as planned, because life never goes according to plan. They really walk away with the enjoyment of having a bit of like team time with folks outside of the typical pressures of school, so I think that that's a really important takeaway as well.
Speaker 1:I have to know what's next for you guys. You are again you're hoping to expand the program in your local area. What is something you could see would be a challenge to expanding the program in your area.
Speaker 3:Well, the next big thing that we're going to do, on a personal note, for Girls on the Run is we're doing that all women's marathon in Savannah, georgia in November, and that's to represent Girls on the Run.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that. So the women's marathon Are you signed up for that?
Speaker 3:one yet.
Speaker 1:It sounds like I'm going to be after this conversation.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:This is where Michelle's got infectious energy, where I don't think that you could be in the room with her for less than five minutes and not be signed up for. I mean, I still say that I don't want to ever do dopey, and I think that if anybody could convince me to do dopey it would probably be Michelle. I am not signed up for it yet. I know I have tons of folks that I work with that are actually going to be doing it. So tell me, how are you drawing attention to Girls on the Run specifically Because that is one of the specific sponsors that the Women's Marathon for folks that aren't familiar in Savannah that's happening in later this year is where they're highlighting and having quite a few national chapters of nonprofits and Girls on the Run the international one is one of them. So are you guys going to meet up with Girls on the Run International there? Are you tackling wearing your awesome coach shirts? What are you doing?
Speaker 3:We're going to be wearing our awesome Goaters, somi tank tops, and Bridget's going to carry one of the flags from Girls on the Run. Well, I just thought about that. Isn't that a good idea?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. See, guys, if you sit here long enough and you listen in, you're going to be doing all sorts of things. Pretty much everybody's going to probably be signing up by the time this conversation is done, when they get back from their run. So that's an exciting thing, and I feel like that will probably catapult you right into your next training for dopey, because I think I saw that you're considering dopey again. Is that the case?
Speaker 3:I am considering dopey again through Central Florida. I would only do it for girls on the run.
Speaker 1:Oh, and how about you, Bridget? Where are you thinking you might do dopey again for next year? As you said, she always talks the end date Not yet, but we'll see. It's dangerous being best friends with somebody like Michelle. For sure you have to. You have to proceed with caution, friends.
Speaker 3:Good and bad. It's such an important cause, like you know. We see like we're lucky because here at our school we have what's called dress down day once a month and what happens is the kids, for $2 donation, are allowed to, like you know, dress down and then that money would go to a certain grade level. We teach at a Title I school, so that definitely helps benefit, get the kids what they need within the classroom. Well, we advocated and we actually have one coming up next Friday for Girls on the Run.
Speaker 3:And so yeah that money because we take it. And so, yeah that money because we take it. We have always taken a school bus to that 5K because we feel it's important for all of us to go in it together. And it's just, the excitement is amazing. And so that fundraiser pays for our two bus rides, so the one for the fall and the one for the spring.
Speaker 1:That's incredible. So currently your program you are running two a year. You're doing the fall season and the spring season. Yes, reach out to Michelle and Bridget if you're considering it. Let them talk you into that one season because I'm pretty positive. That means you're signing up for the rest of your lives, but at least dedicating that one season it can be very like. So just look at your calendar, see when it would work out for you to be able to have a bit more time on hand to be able to dedicate to potentially coaching or bringing the program to wherever you're living at and listening. But I do want to touch more on fundraising, because you guys are master fundraisers and that's something that people tend to be really nervous about because it can add another layer to your training of stress. What are some of the successes that you have had in fundraising or how do you feel that people can tackle fundraising in a way that is successful?
Speaker 3:But one way is you just can't be afraid to ask.
Speaker 4:I mean, the worst case scenario is they say no, michelle has been awesome about even and I don't know if you'd mentioned this, but every race we go to she'll ask if they can just donate any extra medals so we have those for our practice 5k, so that the girls get a real medal at the end of the 5k and end up getting two medals because we'll have the real 5k and our practice 5K. So it's really just like she said asking, just asking. Get the information out there and let them know what it's for and what it's all about, because a lot of people just haven't heard of it.
Speaker 3:They've never. Yeah, a lot of people. You just say I'm a Girls on the Run coach. You know it's a nonprofit organization. Any chance you have 15 medals that you could donate so that my girls have a medal for practice 5K, and I have not been turned down yet.
Speaker 1:That is genius, because majority of runs do tend to have some extra medals hanging around so that they can definitely oh, I love that.
Speaker 1:So, basically, you just have to get more comfortable asking for. What you need which is again kind of the things that you learn within Girls on the Runs curriculum is to advocate and speak with confidence to stand up for the things that we strongly believe in. I don't think anybody can walk away from this interview not knowing that we all positively love this program. It is such an extraordinary program. I would love, though, to also talk more about being a soulmate, since you guys have done that so many times and that, as you mentioned asking for fundraising, have you utilized any out of the box kind of fundraising techniques, or have you noticed that is it basically posting on social media that seems to have the most bang for its buck in terms of people hearing about it, learning about it and wanting to donate, or is there another way that you've utilized to fundraise that has been really powerful in making a big difference, moving that needle for you?
Speaker 4:Social media is huge. We do a lot of it on social media, but I mean just even wearing your Girls on the Run, stuff out. Sometimes you'll just have people ask, like I had a lady asked me what it was about and then she talked to somebody and now we have a team starting in another school in this district and it's just connecting with people like that and just telling them about the program and sometimes you know, just ask them. You know we have some needs, so donate if you can. We always encourage people to come see a practice so they can really get a feel for what it's about, and that's how we kind of got people interested as well.
Speaker 3:And, to be honest with you, this is a quick, funny story. We did our very first marathon at Walt Disney World in 2020. So right before the world shut down.
Speaker 1:Really Wait. You went from marathon in 2020 to Dopey just like what A few years later we did marathon 2020, marathon 2022, and then Dopey 2024. Wow, that is incredible.
Speaker 3:Yeah, wow, that is incredible, yeah. So when we were at the expo, we saw a couple of girls that had on the shirts like soulmates and we just thought that it was not a joke, like wow, that is an awesome. Like turn on, play with words like soulmates instead of like your shoe soulmates, and then now to come to find out we are actually soulmates. Yes, this is cool.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that. I love that and I also love again, kind of following your journey as a soulmate on your social media. I know that you wear your soulmate shirt with pride when you're posting about all of your fundraising, so that's a great way to continue to draw attention and fundraising for such a great program. Friends, if you're curious about fundraising for Girls on the Run of Central Florida, if you're thinking of a Run Disney run specifically, we'll have that in episode notes as well, a way that you could link to the local chapter. If you're thinking that you want to make a Run Disney season happen, maybe with it coming up, I know a lot of folks are thinking that it's a great way to get involved with Run Disney, where it really does make your miles extra magical and gives a purpose to every single step you take when you're running. And it doesn't have to be Run Disney Again.
Speaker 1:You could do fundraisers for Girls on the Run for your local chapters, you could do it for international, you could make it your own, you could do spinathons. It doesn't have to be running. There's just a myriad of ways to get involved. I do say personally and I'm going to take this a quick moment to kind of get on my soapbox. Running has given all of us so much that really, the next step in this journey is to give back to running, and I think that Girls on the Run, of course, is a favorite of ours here at Time for Brunch. But so many different ways to get involved. Now, friends, I wanna know a little bit outside of the world of Girls on the Run what are some of your future running plans, and I'm going to ask this to Michelle because, bridget, you're about to find out what Michelle's planning for you here in about five seconds.
Speaker 3:You know something? I don't. Well, I'm definitely going to be a soulmate again for Dopey. That'd be 2025, correct? Yes, and again doing that all women's marathon and promoting girls on the run. In that I'm getting ready to do the Brooklyn half marathon next month and I'll be wearing some more goater gear and we took flats a flat Stanley, but a flat goater photo and took it all around DC taking pictures, and so so far, that's my plans.
Speaker 1:Okay, I thought maybe I would hear you telling Bridget that you guys are going to be signing up for an ultra in the near future. I mean, dopey is an ultra on of its own. Oh, I don't want to go guys are going to be signing up for an ultra in the near future. I mean, dopey is an ultra on of its own, so would you say that you guys have a favorite distance. I'm going to ask Bridget, do you have a favorite distance that you like running the most in terms of races?
Speaker 4:Half marathons are good for a challenge, 10ks are good for daily runs, but I think half marathons, for when we go on races together.
Speaker 1:Okay, so it sounds like Michelle, you're going to be able to convince her to do those half marathons a little bit easier. But, michelle, do you have a favorite distance?
Speaker 3:Well, half marathons are my favorite distance, but my favorite race is the veteran 16-miler. That's our favorite race.
Speaker 1:Is that a local to your area?
Speaker 3:Yes, it is.
Speaker 1:Okay, I actually didn't even know there was a 16 miler race distance at all, so I'll have to look into that. Sounds absolutely fascinating. When is it usually held?
Speaker 3:November, near Veterans Day. Okay, that's an awesome race too.
Speaker 1:It sounds like it's extremely powerful. No doubt about it.
Speaker 3:Do you have any bucket list items of things you want to check off in your running journey as you continue to stay healthy and active in this sport? We want to go on run patients, like we went to DC to go run and we're going to be going to Savannah, georgia, to go running maybe at least a half a marathon and at least 25 of the 50 states.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you're doing half of the 50 states for now.
Speaker 3:Right, that'll probably change once we get to like 20. But yeah, we'll just do the 50. But just trying to realistic goals. So I probably should have started with five states, but I'm going to go big and go 25.
Speaker 1:I'm down with that. I'm down with that. Okay, so we're thinking 25 states for now. By the time that we bring them back on in about like a year or two, they'll probably be working towards 50, or who knows, at that point they may be working on countries in the EU, because I feel like, again, there's a very infectious energy here with both of them, so that sounds absolutely exciting. I want to again thank you both for what you do for this program. I mean honestly, I'm not even slightly kidding friends, if you want some extra runspiration in your life, if you are struggling with getting motivation to get back into the running routine, then you're definitely gonna wanna stay in touch with Michelle and Bridget, because they do have this over larger than life zeal and zest for all things running, but specifically for what it does for girls on the run. So thank you, ladies, so much for everything you do.
Speaker 3:Thank you Really appreciate you, thank you.
Speaker 1:If those ladies did not put an extra pep in your step or have you decide to sign up for something you never even thought you were going to, I don't know what will they have absolutely fantastic energy. That is infectious. Okay, my friend, I told you at the beginning of this episode that we're going to get into some of the nitty gritty of how to tackle training and fundraising without losing your ever-loving mind. Well, let's talk about how they're both going to take quite a bit of commitment and time. So one of the best ways of tackling it is to just integrate the truth. Plan your weeks with specific days focused on fundraising and some days that are focused specifically more on training, giving that a proper attention to both activities without feeling overwhelmed or imbalanced as to how you're tackling both of these very important goals by setting achievable goals for both training and fundraising along the way. Break those down into weekly targets that can help you keep your motivation high and the process manageable. Just like you're not going to go out and tackle a full 26.2 tomorrow, you have to build up to it. You're also going to have to build up to that fundraising target at the same time.
Speaker 1:Now, one of the beautiful things that we have available to us nowadays is technology, so leverage it. Sync your fitness apps with fundraising pages, letting your donors know your training progress, and that can often inspire them to support you more. Use calendar apps to set reminders for key training sessions and fundraising activities, ensuring that you stay on track without any overlaps. But, of course, while everything that you're tackling is super important to the nonprofit that you have chosen for your journey, you cannot neglect yourself along the way. So listen to your body to avoid injuries and burnout, and adjust your activities based on how you're feeling, both physically and mentally, and also look ahead on the calendar. Maybe don't target a full fundraising event week during your peak mileage weeks. That could be a little tough to balance out. You're gonna wanna engage your supporters with your training milestones, as we've mentioned, so share your training milestones on social media with those little sparkly selfies, or your fundraising pages, if you prefer. Share your highs and lows, really update them and make them part of the process linking your physical progress to your fundraising efforts.
Speaker 1:Now you know that I cannot, by any chance, resist myself a theme, so make the themes your own. Target fun activities based off of some of your own unique talents, but targeting them as well with your training can be lots of fun. If you've got some calisthenics and good old-fashioned squats and push-ups on your strength training days, maybe ask some friends to come along and do a squat-a-thon with you Dollar for every squat. I think that could raise some pretty good dollars there. And don't miss out the opportunity on asking sponsors to match the donations you receive on days when you have long or important training sessions, effectively doubling the impact of your donation dollars. If that wasn't enough, maybe push-ups or squat-a-thons are not your jam Recovery days, my friend. They're going to be vital for your training and they can be incredible for your fundraising. So organize relaxing fundraising events like yoga days or spa days where entry fees go toward your cause. This not only aids in your recovery but also keeps those fundraising momentum going.
Speaker 1:Now I have talked quite a bit about technology and I do love me all the interwebs has to offer. But it is important that you go beyond social media. You could always leverage it, but you want to use some creative IRL fundraising techniques when at all possible. We know that the power of strong social media campaign, especially in this day and age, but there is an entire whole world of fundraising opportunities out there that can add fun, engaging twists to your efforts. So we're going to dive into some of those creative ways here. Partner with local restaurants and bars. I know you could always count on me to donate to a bourbon tasting if you ever wanted to, but if you host charity nights at local eateries and bars where a portion of the evening's earnings support your cause, it's a win-win. They get the business and you boost your fundraising.
Speaker 1:Organize themed viewing parties for sports or reality TV shows during popular broadcast events. You can even make those virtual as well. Charge an entry fee or have a donation jar by the door A fun way to mix entertainment and fundraising. Now get creative with those community events. You can organize a charity car wash day. Volunteers can have fun while passerbyers get their cars cleaned for a good cause. Host a local chili cook-off Participants can pay to enter their chili and attendees pay to taste and vote on their favorites A delicious way to fundraise. And you can count me in on those too, so feel free to invite me to that.
Speaker 1:Secure donations of goods or services for raffle prizes. You can do those raffle prizes at an in-person event or even online Maybe a lucrative way for you to raise funds. While it helps to highlight businesses and their products, I personally cannot resist fun challenges, so setting a fundraising threshold that, once met, will unlock hilariously unflattering race photos is a lighthearted way to engage your audience as well and put some of those race photos that we wish had not made it to the internet to good use. And, of course, for significant donations, you can promise to dedicate mile marker selfies to the donor during a race. It personalizes the donation and involves donors in the race day excitement.
Speaker 1:One thing that's important, no matter what you do, I should say it right here and now do not forget to thank your donors. A lot of fundraising pages have an automated process for you to thank your donor, and I strongly suggest that you put that into use. However, a little personal thank you goes a long way. Whether in person or online, thanking your donors can almost guarantee that they will be down with meeting your helping you meet your fundraisers in the future as well. I could go on and on my friend of all the fantastic ways to fundraise, from it's a small world of funds to again dedicating each mile to your donors. The list is endless, so I'm going to ask you to drop in some of your favorite ways of fundraising into our community page.
Speaker 1:However, I did promise that I would give you some own personal suggestions based off of what I did when I was raising funds and awareness for Team Salucci in Boston. I personally did open up and ask friends on social media and my network for donations. That was the very first step. Beyond that, I did set up automated thank yous, but I took some time to also write some handwritten thank you notes. That did leverage some future donations as well. I reached out to one of my favorite and I do mean absolutely incredible favorite sparkle skirt type company and asked them for some raffle giveaways. Let me tell you, those went like hotcakes in terms of the minimum donations I was able to get for folks, because, again, who can resist a little extra sparkle?
Speaker 1:I did host quite a few IRL in-person events and those were also a great way to connect with my friends and my social network during a time that was a little tough. While proceeds from those events did absolutely help me in my fundraising targets, what also assisted me in those targets was that the restaurants agreed to let me set up a table with those jars on the way in and out of the restaurant and also hand out little tickets for people who are going to the restaurant. Even if they had nothing to do with my social event. They were able to hand that ticket to their waitress and proceeds kept on coming for my fundraiser. I did some spring cleaning, if you will, and did some good old fashioned garage sales where those proceeds helped me to meet my fundraising minimum.
Speaker 1:But I'll tell you what made the biggest impact for me. From start to finish, I asked every single person that donated to me if their company would match their donation. That was a game changer. I had one incredible generous donor whose company met the donation, which brought me to $3,000 just off of one gift with that met donation Absolutely incredible and relieved quite a bit of stress and pressure off of me. Those are just a few. I held a in the dark yoga session for Royal Society of Blind Children so that people could kind of figure out what a day without their sight would actually feel like, and I had some just good old fashion car washing fun with some of my friends as well. Don't ever discount the folks that maybe can't actually give financially to your cause but really want to chip in and help out. I had friends donate some incredible crafts that they had made so that I could raffle them off, and a lot of wonderful people who helped give me some really good ideas, like those raffle giveaways, friends.
Speaker 1:Again, it's impossible to cover all of the wonderful ways of fundraising, but I do want to spend some more time encouraging you. I know it's scary and it is hard. It also makes your training really magical. You know that when you have those days that you're not just motivated to get up and get out there, that your training in those miles mean a little bit extra because you're going to make a difference in someone's life. With that said, my dear and beautiful friend, I am here. If you have any further questions, again, I want you to lean into the community page because I know there's some really wonderful suggestions from our fundraisers.
Speaker 1:And just like that we have zipped to the end of another episode of Time for Brunch. And today we really sprinted I'm breaking out of sweat here and everything From syncing up marathon training with your fundraising efforts to exploring a whole carnival of fun outside the box fundraising ideas, whether it's shaking it up at a charity night with local spots, splashing around at a car wash or sharing those less than glam race day snaps to hit your donation targets. Remember that the real win isn't just at the finish line. It's in the laughs, the community ties and the big hearted impact you create along the way. So again, if you've got a quirky fundraising idea or a burning question after today's episode, hit me up in the community page. I love chatting with you and sharing this journey. So here's to making fundraising a blast and our miles more meaningful. Until next time, keep your spirits high, your sneakers laced and stay sparkly.
Speaker 2:Thank you for joining Time for Brunch. If today's conversation sparked your interest, be sure to join our supportive online community. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly newsletters to keep the inspiration flowing. It's packed with insights, stories and tips to fuel your journey of growth. Follow us, subscribe and stay connected. Until next time, keep smiling and let your journey shine.