Almost 24 million children and adults struggle with diabetes in the United States, according to the American Diabetes Association. You can join a growing movement to fight back against this devastating condition. Take part in events to raise awareness of the disease and to raise money for diabetes treatment. A swim-a-thon is a popular type of diabetes fundraiser and such events are held across the country. Jumping into the effort takes planning, hard work and money.
Step 1
Research diabetes swimming fundraisers in your area. Contact your local American Diabetes Association affiliate and ask if there are upcoming events. Most large cities have swim events benefiting diabetes research and treatment. For example, the Swim for Diabetes tournament has been held in Cleveland, Ohio, for 25 years. Small cities also have events, such as the Pennock Island Challenge in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the Teal Lake Swim for Diabetes in upper Michigan.
Step 2
Cultivate sponsors. Ask friends and neighbors to donate to the cause. Find corporate sponsors. Ask the corporation or your own employer to sponsor you in the diabetes swim event. Tell the company that it will benefit from the publicity of making a large donation to the cause. Find out how much money you are required to raise before you can take part in the swim event. Many fundraisers have minimum sponsorships required for competing.
Step 3
Train for your event. Get into top condition. Eat properly. Take care of yourself. Get more sleep. Find out if you'll have to swim a long distance or for long periods of time. Work with a coach or personal trainer. Practice swimming every day. Build your swimming endurance by increasing your training time in intervals each week. Chart your progress. Set a goal and swim for it.
Step 4
Contact local newspapers, TV stations and radio stations to bring attention to the event. Publicity will attract more sponsors and participants. Call your local news organization and ask for the newsroom. Ask to speak to the assignment manager. Pitch your story in one or two sentences. Ask for news coverage of your event. Tell the news agency why your story is newsworthy. For example, you can say: "I'm a high school student about to compete in a diabetes swim fundraiser, and XYZ Company is sponsoring me for $10,0000." Tell the news agency who will benefit from the event proceeds.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Statistics
- Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland: Swim for Diabetes
- Alaska Team ADA: Pennock Island Challenge
- The Mining Journal: Mark Spitz Coming to Teal Lake Swim for Diabetes
- Diabetes Matters: Swim for Diabetes Results
- Phoenix Business Journal: Newsroom Interaction 101
