Time to start preparing for the event to create more birthdays! Even though Relay for Life is not until June, it is never too early to start fundraising now to make this the most successful year yet! Here are 10 easy ways for your team to start raising donations!

• Host a Carwash-One of the most notorious ways to raise money. Grab some soap, a few buckets, some sponges and a hose. Host it in a public parking lot for a successful customer flow. Also be sure to publicize your carwash with signs, as well as creating an event on Facebook.
• Have a Bake Sale– Take out your grandma’s famous cookie recipe, as well as a few other favorite to sell around town. Tell people the proceeds are going to relay! Tie up your baked goods with purple ribbon to represent that every treat purchased goes towards helping create more birthdays!
• Start saving your spare change- Most of us hate to carry around change– it just sits in our cars, pockets and wallets. Start a change bucket at home and add change to it weekly. You will be surprised how much change you will accumulate over the next six months.
• A “guess how many” jar- Take a basic jar and fill it with a select amount candy (jellybeans, chocolate, gumballs etc.). Charge people per guess—the winner gets to keep the jar of candy! When people hear this guessing game is to benefit Relay, they will definitely contribute a guess!
• Reach out to family and friends– The people who love you the most will help you the most. Send a personalized email or letter explaining Relay for Life, and ask for donations. Everyone at some point has or will be affected by cancer; so many people will donate to the night of the fight!
• Babysit and give half or all the money to your team– If you love kids this fundraising should be easy for you. Make flyers to put in people’s mailboxes advertising the cause, as well as your services. Or inform your current babysitting job’s parents that you are now going to donate our earnings to Relay.
• Ask to do extra work around the house– Your parents will always be there to help you, and in turn, it is a good thing to help them. Ask them if they need help with chores or cooking. Set an agreement for your parents to donate for helping them around the house!
• Host a Game Night– Look in your closet and locate all your old board games. Invite family and friends over for Relay game night. Charge an admission fee and tell your friends the fee is being put towards Relay. Enjoy a night of games with the nobility of knowing that you helped to reach your team goals!
• Host a Bonfire- It’s that time of year again where the air is crisp and cool. Have you team host a bonfire and tell people there will be a fee to go towards relay. Make sure you have plenty of marshmallows, and food to make it an authentic fall bonfire!
• Hot chocolate/Lemonade Stand– Depending on the season, people either wish to have cool refreshments or something savory and warm. Play to the likeness of the weather. Selling lemonade is probably one of the easiest and cliché ways of earning donations, but it is always a crowd pleaser! As we approach the closer months, selling hot chocolate is an easy way into Long Valley’s heart!

Host some of these events and your team will be well on their way to help cancer end for good!