We would like to thank all of you for helping us reach this important milestone! We look forward to continuing to keep you up-to-date on how together, we can end MS!
Thank you again for connecting with us!
Friday, April 29, 2011
The Time Has Come – Let’s Walk!
To everyone who is joining us for the Timmins or Sault Ste. Marie MS Walks this Sunday, we would like to thank you for all of your incredible support and for your dedication to ending MS!With every step you take this Sunday, you should feel proud of the strides that you are taking. They will make a meaningful impact in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with MS.
To date, the 2011 MS Walks that have already taken place have raised more than $4.6 million!
We wish you a fantastic Walk day and the best of luck in bringing in those final pledges!
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Want to Join the Timmins or Sault Ste. Marie Walk this weekend and you still haven’t registered? It’s not too late – Click here to register
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
MS Carnation Campaign – Use the Power of the Flower!
From May 5 to May 7 2011, thousands of dedicated volunteers in more than 280 communities across Canada will be in bloom just prior to Mother's Day as the 35th annual MS Carnation Campaign will use the “power of the flower” to help end MS.
Carnations will be on sale outside supermarkets, banks, LCBOs, Beer Stores, and in shopping malls, and all money raised will go to support the activities of your local MS Society Chapter.
Why Mother's Day?
Held in conjunction with MS Awareness Month, the MS Carnation Campaign has raised more than $45 million since its inception in 1976. The campaign’s timing just before Mother’s Day is particularly appropriate since multiple sclerosis is diagnosed in women three times as often as men. Many people living with MS are mothers, and this unpredictable, often disabling disease affects entire families.
Help raise awareness about multiple sclerosis by purchasing a carnation and together we will end MS.
For questions regarding the MS Carnation Campaign, and information about how you can get involved, please contact:
Freya Potter
416-922-6600, ext. 3157
Freya.potter@mssociety.ca
To learn more about MS research, please click here.
To learn more about the support and services the MS Society can help provide, please click here.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Top Fundraising Tips of 2011!
The majority of the 2011 MS Walks have already taken place throughout Ontario, having raised more than $4.6 million so far!
However, if your local community’s Walk is coming up (May 1, 15 or 29) and you’d like some help in maximizing your fundraising goals, you’re in luck.
We have put together our list of the MS Walk Team’s Top Fundraising Tips of 2011!
- Fundraising Tip #21 - True or False? Facts about MS
- Fundraising Tip # 20 - 007 licensed to ask
- Fundraising Tip #19 - How to raise 2.5 times more money
- Fundraising Tip #18 - Crazy Golf!
- Fundraising tip #17 - Off to The Races
- Fundraising tip #16 - Turn to Your Team
- Fundraising tip #15 -Don't forget to pledge yourself!
- Fundraising tip #14 - Lunch break
- Fundraising tip #13 – A bakeless bake sale
- Fundraising tip #12 – Auction off
- Fundraising tip #11 – The little things
- Fundraising tip #10 – Get personal
- Fundraising tip #9 – Host a 'Make believe tea party"
- Fundraising tip #8 – Mix it up
- Fundraising tip #7 – Embrace the holidays
- Fundraising tip #6 – Get people involved
- Fundraising tip #5 – Think big
- Fundraising tip #4 – How to raise $500 in 9 days
- Fundraising tip #3 – Start your own team
- Fundraising tip #2 – Play games
- Fundraising tip #1 – Use the snow blues
Good luck with your continued fundraising and thank you for making every step matter! If you have a fundraising tip you would like to share, post a comment below or on our Facebook or Twitter page!
You still haven’t registered for your local MS Walk? It’s not too late – Click here to register
Monday, April 18, 2011
Successful and Inspiring 2011 MS Walk!
Together, over 19,600 Walkers across Ontario including 2125 teams, united in the fight to end MS, raised an incredible $4.6 million! Find out the results of the MS Walk in your community here.
We hope that you had an excellent MS Walk and that you feel proud of the tangible differences your steps will make in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with multiple sclerosis today.
Keep in mind that you also have another 4 weeks to continue to fundraise, collect pledges and request any prizes for which you are eligible. If every walker in Ontario raised just $10 more, we would have nearly $200,000 more that could be put towards creating a future free of MS!
We also invite you to share your favorite MS Walks photos, stories and videos on our Facebook page - click here. We can’t wait to see them!
Keep up the great work fundraising, you all play a pivotal role in the movement to end MS. We look forward to seeing you again at the 2012 MS Walk!
PS: In some Ontario communities, the MS Walk takes place in May. Click here to check out the dates of the May MS Walks, and we look forward to seeing you there.
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| Photo of 2011 Barrie MS Walk by Darrel J. King. |
Congratulations to everyone who took part in the 2011 MS Walk! Mother Nature presented some challenges - rain, snow, sleet, hail, and only brief hints of sunshine - but MS Walk sites across the country were still overflowing with positive energy and passion, driven by community spirit and the remarkable commitment and inspiring dedication of all those who participated.
Thank you for making the 2011 MS Walk such a success!
We hope that you had an excellent MS Walk and that you feel proud of the tangible differences your steps will make in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with multiple sclerosis today.
Keep in mind that you also have another 4 weeks to continue to fundraise, collect pledges and request any prizes for which you are eligible. If every walker in Ontario raised just $10 more, we would have nearly $200,000 more that could be put towards creating a future free of MS!
We also invite you to share your favorite MS Walks photos, stories and videos on our Facebook page - click here. We can’t wait to see them!
Keep up the great work fundraising, you all play a pivotal role in the movement to end MS. We look forward to seeing you again at the 2012 MS Walk!
PS: In some Ontario communities, the MS Walk takes place in May. Click here to check out the dates of the May MS Walks, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Time Has Come – Let’s Walk!
We wish you a fantastic MS Walk day and the best of luck in raising those final pledges!
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Still haven’t registered? It’s not too late – Click here to register for your local MS Walk.
The time has come to make your step the one that ends multiple sclerosis. The 2011 MS Walk is taking place THIS Sunday, April 17, in most Ontario communities. We would like to thank you all for your incredible support and for your dedication in the fight to end MS!
With every step you take this Sunday, you should feel proud of the strides that you are taking. They will make a meaningful impact in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with MS.
Still haven’t registered? It’s not too late – Click here to register for your local MS Walk.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Fundraising Tip: True or False? Facts about MS
Here’s a simple, yet effective way to maximize your last minute fundraising (with 4 days left until Walk!) and educate your donors about multiple sclerosis in the process.
Play a simple game of True or False!
Approach your potential donors and let them know that you are trying to raise some last minute funds for the MS Walk while educating people about MS. Ask them if they would be willing to play a simple game of True or False with you, whereby they would pledge you 25 cents (or $1, $2 – you can decide with them) for every answer they get wrong.
This becomes a fun and effective educational game and fundraising tactic at the same time!
Below, are some sample questions for you to ask [with the answer in brackets]:
True or False:
True or False:
1. MS is usually diagnosed in infants and the elderly. [False: While it is most often diagnosed in young adults, aged 15 to 40, we know that it affects children, some as young as two years old]
2. Women are 3 times more likely to develop MS than men. [True]
3. MS is a fatal disease. [False – MS is not a fatal disease for the vast majority of people with MS, however its impact is felt by family, friends and by the community. MS is unpredictable, affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. Its effects are physical, emotional, financial, and last a lifetime. Most people who have MS can expect to live a normal or near normal life span, thanks to improvements in the treatment of symptoms and in other therapies for people with MS]
4. MS can cause impaired speech. [True]
5. MS can cause double vision. [True]
6. MS can cause extreme fatigue. [True]
7. MS can cause paralysis. [True]
8. Every week, on average, 1 person is diagnosed with MS. [False – every day approximately 3 Canadians are diagnosed with MS]
9. Canadians have one of the highest rates of MS in the world. [True]
10. MS is not contagious, however, it is inherited. [false – MS is not contagious nor inherited]
11. The symptoms of MS can change over time. [True - Most people (about 80-85%) are diagnosed with the relapsing-remitting form of MS. Over time, from 50 to 70 % of people originally diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS will convert to secondary progressive MS, and will slowly accumulate disability. The remaining number however may have a very mild course continuing with only occasional relapses, generally good recovery, and only minor neurological disturbances accumulating for long periods of time.]
12. We will one day find a cure and end MS [True!]
Good luck with your fundraising and remember that this Sunday, April 17th 2011, we will make every step matter!
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Need some additional fundraising tips?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
It's National Volunteer Week - Thank You!
It’s National Volunteer Week and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 10,000 of you who continue to volunteer with us and ensure that your local MS Walk is a success year after year.
To our many volunteers: Thank you!
Your passion, support, hard work and unwavering dedication to the cause of ending MS is very much appreciated by countless individuals. Each and every volunteer plays a pivotal role in the movement to end MS, and the MS Walk could not be possible without the time and energy you donate so graciously.
Thank you MS Walk volunteers!
…
Are you interested in volunteering during the MS Walk or with the MS Society of Canada in general? Click here to fill out our online application form or call 416-922-6600 today!
To learn more about the 68th Canadian National Volunteer Week, visit: http://volunteer.ca/nvw
Monday, April 11, 2011
Fundraising Tip of the Week: 007 Licensed To Ask
The MS Walk is only 6 days away and we know you’d like to gather as many last minute pledges as possible. Well, we’ve got a special mission for you. It’s time that you transform into a special agent. Your name:
Agent 007 and you’re licensed to ask!
Many fundraisers are hesitant to ask their donors for a little extra last minute support, however, it never hurts to ask! Let your friends, family members, and coworkers know that you are on a special mission to end MS and that you’re code name is Agent 007: with a license to ask. Ask if they’ll donate that extra 35 cents left over from buying their coffee or the $5 bill they got in change from buying lunch.
Be sure to be playful with this tip and your persona - people will appreciate your imagination and clever reference, and are likely to help you with your last fundraising push. Also make sure (as you already do) to express sincere gratitude to any donors who help you on your mission to raise funds to end MS in the eleventh hour!
This blog post will self-destruct in 5,4,3,2…
It's not too late to make every step matter! Click here to register for your local MS Walk.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Only 7 Days Until The 2011 MS Walk!
We are officially in the final stretch! There are only 7 days left until the 2011 MS Walk on Sunday, April 17! It’s time to collect your final pledges (see the end of this post for some excellent fundraising ideas), thank your donors for their support, and get ready to make every step matter.
Not yet registered for the MS Walk? It isn’t too late! Click here to register now and fundraise for those in need of your support.
We thank all of you for being a part of the movement to end MS. All participants in the MS Walk, from the fundraisers and donors, to the volunteers and sponsors, play an important part in truly making a difference in the lives of thousands of people living with multiple sclerosis!
Find out more below:
- register for your local MS Walk
- View a list of great MS Walk fundraising Prizes
- Learn more about the MS Society of Canada
Need some last-minute fundraising tips?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Sponsor Profile - The FSA Group
The Markham MS Walk would not be possible if it were not for the groundswell of enthusiastic community support which it receives year after year. In addition to our other media partners, we are also very grateful for the dedicated support of the FSA Group, our largest cash sponsor for the 2011 MS Walk in Markham.
Located in Markham, the FSA Group’s core business is direct marketing, coupled with a commitment to local social causes. Rob Van Velzen, President of the FSA Group, and his wife Jan, Chair of the MS Walk organizing committee, have provided unwavering support in not only planning the MS Walk, but also by volunteering on the day of the walk and generously allocating company resources to the organizing committee wherever possible.
We extend a sincere thank you to the Van Velzens for their constant support and commitment in the fight to end MS!
For additional information on the FSA Group, please visit: www.thefsagroup.com
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It's not too late to make every step matter! Click here to register for your local MS Walk.
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It's not too late to make every step matter! Click here to register for your local MS Walk.
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Tuesday, April 5, 2011
This Weekend - Visit us at the Toronto Total Health Show!
Are you going to be in Toronto this weekend? We invite you to come visit us at booth #827 at the Toronto Total Health Show.
We’ll have all of the information you need in regard to the various MS Walks taking place across Ontario, steps to register for your local walk and create a team or to answer any other questions that you may have. Plus, you’ll get the chance to enter to win a fabulous Aveda gift basket!
We hope to see you there!
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