YOUR BUTT BELONGS HERE

In February your heart belonged to your valentine. Well, it’s March now and regardless of how you fared romantically your butt belongs with us — on a bike that is — in July, riding to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association.

The 2010 New England Classic rolls out in just 4-1/2 months, just 19 weeks or just 132 days depending on how you choose to count. But no matter how you count it’s closer than you think. And if you haven’t registered to ride yet it’s way too close. What are you waiting for? Spring?? Spring doesn’t really exist in New England. So if you are already sick of winter do your psyche some good and pretend it’s already summer.

What does that mean? That means the NEC is just around the corner and you better get your butt in gear, get registered, start fund-raising and at least think about training!

Don’t believe me? I’ll tell you what. Go down to Parker-Hannifin Chomerics at 77 Dragon Court in Woburn at 1 p.m. Saturday and tell me you don’t see a bunch of cyclists talking about this great ride around New England they are doing to support the American Diabetes Association. There’s no surer sign of summer than a gathering of the NEC Caravan of Crazies.

See you there at the Rider Roundup.

Where else can you get such an iron-clad guarantee?

Register today.

Punxsutawney Phil

OK, you varmints, it’s time to crawl out of your hole and get with the program. That’s right, it’s Groundhog Day and I’m back – again – to harass, remind, haunt, plead, implore, beg or whatever else it takes to get you to register for the American Diabetes Association’s 2010 New England Classic.

This year’s tour is shaping up to be the best ever. We’ve already hit the 60-rider mark and are aiming for all-time highs in riders and fund-raising. But we need you to make this happen. If you’re a veteran rider, don’t make like that petulant Punxsutawney character hunkered down on Gobbler’s Knob waiting for spring. Sub-freezing temperatures are absolutely perfect for registering as a rider in the New England Classic. You don’t have to leave the house or even get out of your PJs.

Just go to http://main.diabetes.org/nectourdecure and sign up. Right now! There’s no time like the present to start raising funds for the ADA. In fact, you should take the same approach to fund-raising and training – early and often.

Day One is just 23 weeks from this Saturday and soon you’ll hear more about our annual Rider Roundup on March 6, where you can trade stories from past years, make plans for this year and meet new riders. We’ve got four weeks until the Roundup and I say we should celebrate it with a century – that’s right 100 riders registered. What did you think I was suggesting, a 100-mile training ride? Not yet. But I just may celebrate with a ride to the Roundup if we hit 100 riders.

That’s right. You know I’m talking to you. The one who waits until April or even May to register for the New England Classic.

We’ll have none of that this year. You said you wanted your seven-day NEC. Well you got it. The NEC is alive and well and it’s time for us to make a statement that the 2010 NEC will be bigger and better than ever. And to make that happen, I’m issuing a challenge to all you veterans out there.

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away and to show you are thankful for the experience that is the NEC I’m calling on all of you to sign on the dotted line before you reach for a single drumstick and stuff yourself with stuffing. Before Tom Turkey walks the Green Mile I want to see 50, that’s right five-oh, 50, riders registered for the NEC.

There are no excuses. You know you will be there in July so stand up, sign up and be counted in November. And now is the time to corral those friends who have always talked about wanting to try the NEC with you. Don’t let the Caravan of Crazies pull out of Woburn without them this year! This will be a tour that’s not to be missed.

So pull out your plastic, grab the mouse and click register. It’s easy as pumpkin pie!

And watch this space because I’ll be watching for you.

Write a letter of thank you (e-mail is fine nowadays) and you can use the ADA’s online fundraising tools to make sure not to miss anyone (click “Follow ups” then in the drop-down list, select “have donated on your behalf to this event”. That will get the list of all your donors.

Write them a letter and tell them what happened during your ride. All too often, people donate to an event, then never even hear that you actually participated. That’s just not good. Bring your sponsors along for a part of the ride. Did anything notable happen to you? How was the food? What was it like to climb Crawford Notch? Did you meet any new friends? Ever been to Vermont before? How much better did you feel after the massage? Have you stopped eating 5,000 calorie meals since you got back? Have you been back on the bike since you got back? How much money did you raise? How much money did the event raise? What will the money be spent on? How many people participated. How was the weather?

Are you planning on riding next year? If so, tell your sponsors and remind them right now that you’ll be asking for another donation next year. That way, they’ll be expecting it and possibly saving something for you. Remember, your donors have many, many people asking for money; everything from public radio, to churches, to schools, to every charitable organization under the sun. Every one of them is deserving but there simply isn’t enough money to go around, especially nowadays.  This is one of the best ways for you to stand out in the crowd, and your sponsors will really appreciate and remember it.

You can get to them under the “Rider Pages” links on the right of the page, or go to

http://www.n1hts.org/pictures/nec-2009/

I felt very nervous asking people for money when I know they are either unemployed or sitting on the edge expecting a layoff notice. I put these paragraphs at the start of my fundraising letter:

“I always find it difficult to ask family and friends for money, even when it is for a cause that is a critical as finding new treatments for the millions of Americans with diabetes. This year I feel particularly awkward because I know that many of you are experiencing personal challenges due to the current economic and employment crises. I have considered not asking some of you for your support this year but have decided instead to send you my annual appeal. Please be assured, however, that I understand if you choose to reduce the amount you contribute or defer your contribution until a time when your circumstances have improved.

For those of you who have not been too adversely affected by the economic downturn, please consider increasing your contribution. The American Diabetes Association has already undertaken strong measures to reduce overhead costs (reducing staff, cutting back on some activities, etc.) but the need for the association’s education, advocacy and research efforts has not declined. The need for your generosity is greater than ever. My goal is to match, or exceed, the $5000 that I raised last year.”

I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of my supporters. A number of them have increased their contributions significantly, and even those who are at risk of layoff, or already out of work, have still made sizable contributions. This is a testimony to the good people of Kokomo, but also to the importance of continuing our efforts to improve the lives of those affected by diabetes.

Feel free to the text of my “give if you can, give more if you can” paragraphs in your fundraising emails or letters.

I look forward to seeing all of my New England Classic friends in July. Until then – tailwinds to all!

Barbara Sehr

These days there’s no getting away from conversations about the economy whether it’s referred to as the downturn, the meltdown or the crisis. When fund-raisers are having the conversations, today’s economic mess is called something else – an obstacle. But just like those mountain roads we must conquer on our bicycles, this obstacle can be overcome if we pick up our effort.

Some of the people who made pledges last year may not be able to match them this year. And some may not be able to pledge at all. But the one thing we can count on not declining is the toll of diabetes. Diabetes remains a silent killer with no cure. It affects children and adults of all ages. Diabetes can cause life-threatening complications that can result in blindness, heart disease, stroke, amputation and premature death.

There is no downturn in this disease for the 23.6 million people with diabetes and their families.

That is why when we do our fund-raising we can’t accept bringing in a little less. We have to work harder to bring in a little more. With other sources of funding strained, the American Diabetes Association is counting on cyclists to pick up the slack. We have to think of the NEC as an economic stimulus package for the fight against diabetes. The people living with this disease and the researchers working to cure it need us.

So if it took 100 pledges to raise $2,000 last year we have to be willing to go after 200 pledges to raise that much or more. When you ask for pledges and people hesitate, remind them that every dollar counts. If they talk about what they’ve lost in investments point out that getting an hour of diabetes research for $50 is a great return on investment. And if a business owner talks about how tough the economy has been, explain how tough diabetes can be on business. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the average economic cost (lost workdays, lost productivity, increased health insurance claims, etc) to a company of 50-100 employees is $57,090. For a company of 1,000 employees the cost is $523,325.

So when you think people might not be able to afford to make a pledge think again. We can’t afford not to ask.

]]> http://www.newenglandclassic.org/2009/03/02/dont-quit-before-you-make-the-climb/feed/ 0 http://www.newenglandclassic.org/2009/02/27/rider-roundup-reminder/ http://www.newenglandclassic.org/2009/02/27/rider-roundup-reminder/#comments Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:33:34 +0000 admin http://www.newenglandclassic.org/?p=156 Don’t forget, Rider Roundup tomorrow, Saturday February 28 at Clark University.

See here for the scoop