TEAM CAPTAIN TIMELINE
First Steps
- Decide on a team name. When picking a name, keep it simple. The company name can serve as your team’s name or you can be creative with something unique. Your team name is how you’ll be recognized throughout the National MS Society, Lone Star Chapter. Be sure your entire team registers under this name; this is the only way that accounting and data entry can properly credit your team for participants and fund-raising achievements.
- Secure support from top executives or leaders of your community group.
- Approach your marketing, matching gifts or contributions department about team support.
- Decide on a goal for team size and total fundraising. The fundraising average per cyclist is $700 per rider.
- Share the work. Form a TeamMS committee or recruit a co-captain.
- Set goals for the number of riders and total proceeds raised by your team.
- Register your team, email: kdooley@nmsslonestar.org to get team captain interest form.
- Make sure each team member registers individually, either online at www.ms150.org or on paper brochure registration forms. Riders must fill in the team information box with the correct names of the team and Team Captain.
- Announce that you are forming a team at the next staff, club or faculty meeting.
- Distribute registration forms – with your team’s name already filled in – to colleagues and friends.
- Recommended rides.
February 2008
- Display Sam’s Club MS 150 Bike Tour posters everywhere, including corporate cafeterias, rest rooms, lobbies and bulletin boards.
- Dress in style. Ask your company or local neighborhood businesses to provide T-shirts, hats or jerseys for your team to wear on Tour weekend. Let them know that their company names will be seen by more than 3,000 riders, 1,500 volunteers, and thousands of supporters, as well as television, newspaper and radio media outlets from across the entire state.
- Get the word out by placing articles in your company newsletter and Web site.
- Plan a pre-Tour event to promote team involvement, including training rides and social gatherings. Have a meeting, party or prize give-away.
- Schedule a visit from a National MS Society representative to speak with your department head and co-workers about the importance of participating to fight the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis.
- Enlist those who are not riding to volunteer for team support or on the Tour route. Volunteers can also raise funds and boost your team fund-raising totals!
- Keep track of team donations and announce current team totals and top fund-raisers.
- Recommended rides.
March 2008
- Check your goals. You should have at least half the riders needed to reach your team goal.
- Recommended rides.
- Reward your top team members. Get prizes for your top fund-raisers from your company (such as a day off, good parking spot, tickets to local entertainment or sports events, gift certificates to dinner, etc.).
April 2008
- April 1, 2008 — If your team has more than 75 registered riders by this date, you qualify for on-site Packet Pick-Up. Email Kelly Dooley at kdooley@nmsslonestar.org to schedule the team Packet Pick-Up. These scheduled events must take place Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., with a maximum time limit of two hours.
- Arrange last-minute details with team members. Follow up with team meeting area instructions.
- Remind your team about the starting time and directions to your team meeting area.
- Packet Pick-Ups begin. See the packet pick-up page for a complete schedule. Rider numbers, T-shirts, goodie bags and CHAMPS bandanas are distributed at these events.
- Recommended rides.
MAY 2008
- Friday, May 2, 2008 —Come and participate in some carb-loading at the Expo. The Expo & final packet pick-up will be held at the Frisco Embassy Suites located at 7600 John Q. Hammons Drive. Time is from 4 – 9pm
- Saturday, May 3, 2008 – Gates open at 5am. Bike shops will be on hand to check for last minute adjustments. Ride will start at 7am.
- Sunday, May 4, 2008 — Begin Day 2 Texas Motor Speedway and finish in Fort Worth at Sundance Square. Invite friends and family to the Finish Line and join us for the fun.
After The Tour
- Keep lines of communication open with team members.
- Send thank you notes to all team participants. Call team members whenever possible to thank them individually for their involvement in fighting MS.
- Remind your cyclists once a week about the pledge deadline on June 4, 2008.
- Follow up with the National MS Society, Lone Star Chapter to learn your team’s fund-raising total
- Plan a team wrap-up meeting, such as a happy hour, breakfast meeting or dessert party. Team Captains can distribute team awards to chosen cyclists and volunteers.
- Ask an executive to thank corporate team members personally with a note, party or a casual day.
- Follow up with your company regarding matching gifts. Make sure all paperwork is submitted by the company’s deadline.
- Submit a story to your company newsletter or Web site recapping the Tour, acknowledging top team members, showing off team pictures and thanking supporters.
- Recommended rides continue all year long. Join up with other teams.
If you enjoy the SAM’S CLUB MS 150 Bike Tour, plan to join the chapter’s other two MS 150 events in San Antonio and Houston. These rides offer the same great excitement and perks as the SAM’S CLUB MS 150 Bike Tour. Visit www.ms150.org for more information.
