THE RUN OF THE HILL 5K
The Run of the Hill 5K, my undergraduate Senior Seminar project, was a fundraiser for Spring Hill College's International Service Immersion Program (ISIP). This program allowed me to travel to El Salvador and Nicaragua in college to learn about new cultures and to help build a house for a family. I can't speak highly enough of ISIP, and I love the way that the trips help open students' minds to different ways of life.
The Run of the Hill 5K raised over $6,400 for the ISIP program, had 155 participants register for the race and 76 run the race, and continued for a few years after I graduated. I used many details of my PR & Advertising degree and Jesuit education to organize this fundraiser. SHC Magazine also wrote an article on the Run of the Hill and myself in their Summer 2013 Issue. The Run of the Hill is now an annual event held each year during Spring Hill's homecoming weekend.
The Run of the Hill 5K raised over $6,400 for the ISIP program, had 155 participants register for the race and 76 run the race, and continued for a few years after I graduated. I used many details of my PR & Advertising degree and Jesuit education to organize this fundraiser. SHC Magazine also wrote an article on the Run of the Hill and myself in their Summer 2013 Issue. The Run of the Hill is now an annual event held each year during Spring Hill's homecoming weekend.
ISIP'S FUNDRAISING NECESSITY
ISIP participants pay $900 each to go on a trip. While $900 is a lot of money for most people, it's a whole lot for most college students. Since that $900 from each student does not nearly cover the cost of the trips, the rest of the cost is paid for by Campus Ministry. Campus Ministry had previously relied on many small fundraisers and one big grant to fill the gap to fund the trips. However, they lost that grant in 2013, and needed a new fundraiser. Thus the Run of the Hill 5K. Take a look at a video I created to really explain the situation.
social media Promotions
I primarily used social media to promote the Run of the Hill 5K. I sent out news releases, but according to eventbrite's analytics, 75% of registrants came from Facebook. I created an Eventbrite page, which utilizes social media and has very easy-to-read analytics to show where the traffic to the site is coming from.
I created informative or entertaining Facebook posts, like the ones you see here, that appealed to my 18- 34 year-old audience. Some of the Facebook posts included members of the Spring Hill community who attended ISIP trips, which created a story that engaged the Run of the Hill 5K fans personally.
Back when this was a new Facebook innovation, I created a tab that fans could click on to take them to the Run of the Hill 5K Eventbrite page where they could register. This correlation between the primary informative site, Facebook, and the call-to-action site, Eventbrite, helped boost registration.
Through using Facebook to tell the story of the Run of the Hill, the Facebook fans responded by sharing the page and encouraging their friends to register for the race. Without utilizing Facebook, I feel confident that the registration numbers for Run of the Hill would have been significantly lower.
I created informative or entertaining Facebook posts, like the ones you see here, that appealed to my 18- 34 year-old audience. Some of the Facebook posts included members of the Spring Hill community who attended ISIP trips, which created a story that engaged the Run of the Hill 5K fans personally.
Back when this was a new Facebook innovation, I created a tab that fans could click on to take them to the Run of the Hill 5K Eventbrite page where they could register. This correlation between the primary informative site, Facebook, and the call-to-action site, Eventbrite, helped boost registration.
Through using Facebook to tell the story of the Run of the Hill, the Facebook fans responded by sharing the page and encouraging their friends to register for the race. Without utilizing Facebook, I feel confident that the registration numbers for Run of the Hill would have been significantly lower.
Sponsors
My goal was to have five sponsors donate $1,000 to the Run of the Hill. Instead, I fortunately had 10 sponsors (two of which were title sponsors) and altogether donated $4,850.
I gave the potential sponsors letters about the Run of the Hill and the ISIP, and I gave them sponsor donation forms that designated what advertising they would receive for the amount they sponsored. I asked many more businesses for sponsorships than who actually committed, but my perseverance, and the hard work of a few dedicated volunteers, had a really good outcome.
I gave the potential sponsors letters about the Run of the Hill and the ISIP, and I gave them sponsor donation forms that designated what advertising they would receive for the amount they sponsored. I asked many more businesses for sponsorships than who actually committed, but my perseverance, and the hard work of a few dedicated volunteers, had a really good outcome.
Raceday preparations
Beginning in August 2012, I worked with SHC's Campus Ministry and a local timing company, Little Red Hen to organize the race. We met frequently to hash out increasingly more specific details from the day of the race to, eventually, when each volunteer would arrive and what they would be doing.
Volunteers, as they are with any fundraising activity, were essential to the Run of the Hill. I organized the volunteers' places, what they were to do, and the times they were supposed to arrive. The volunteers had made signs to hang at the water stations throughout the course.
I worked with Campus Ministry to contact the necessary college personnel to close off the campus for the hour of the race, borrow the necessary equipment, and ensure that all the minute details of planning the race were covered.
Volunteers, as they are with any fundraising activity, were essential to the Run of the Hill. I organized the volunteers' places, what they were to do, and the times they were supposed to arrive. The volunteers had made signs to hang at the water stations throughout the course.
I worked with Campus Ministry to contact the necessary college personnel to close off the campus for the hour of the race, borrow the necessary equipment, and ensure that all the minute details of planning the race were covered.
Raceday take 1: April 14, 2013
All went well on Part 1 of Race Day until the thunder and lightening started. Thunderstorms made unsafe race conditions, so we made the decision to reschedule the race to the next weekend. While it ended up being a good practice run for the actual event the next weekend, it was a learning lesson that I can even have everything planned perfectly, but some aspects of life are just entirely out of my control. I was also able to plan out some kinks for next week's race.
Raceday take 2: april 21, 2013
On the bright and sunny morning of the actual raceday, 76 people came to SHC to run the race. I overcame small obstacles like not being able to close campus due to a soccer tournament being on campus and a few volunteers not showing up to their designated stations. Despite these really insignificant speed bumps, the race went really well. Participants filled out surveys that gave me information on how participants heard about the Run of the Hill, what I could have done better to promote and execute the race, and what they liked or disliked about the event itself.
Results/reflection
In the end, I raised over $6,400 for ISIP, while only 76 of the 155 registered participants showed up to the race, the amount of money raised leads me to conclude that the event was a success.
I know that many of the registered participants were alumni who were only in Mobile on the weekend of April 14 to visit SHC for Homecoming on the Hill. Also, it is hard to have people dedicate two weekends to running a race.
Campus Ministry and the Advancement Office included the Run of the Hill 5K in Homecoming on the Hill weekends for a few years after I graduated.
I learned a lot about planning an event through the Run of the Hill. A take away for me was the importance of volunteers. They are essential to implementing an event, and it is really encouraging to know that the reason they want to help is because we all share in the same goal. That's something I learned that I love about fundraising- the ability to bring many people together for one cause.
I know that many of the registered participants were alumni who were only in Mobile on the weekend of April 14 to visit SHC for Homecoming on the Hill. Also, it is hard to have people dedicate two weekends to running a race.
Campus Ministry and the Advancement Office included the Run of the Hill 5K in Homecoming on the Hill weekends for a few years after I graduated.
I learned a lot about planning an event through the Run of the Hill. A take away for me was the importance of volunteers. They are essential to implementing an event, and it is really encouraging to know that the reason they want to help is because we all share in the same goal. That's something I learned that I love about fundraising- the ability to bring many people together for one cause.