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Did you know that you are one of more than 150,000 Relay For Life Team Captains nationwide? Whether you are a first-time Team Captain or a seasoned veteran, you are part of a very special group of dedicated volunteers that is helping the American Cancer Society finish the fight by providing leadership and motivation to a team of your friends, family, and coworkers in a Relay For Life event!

We want to make your job as a Team Captain as easy and enjoyable as possible. We hope this guide will help answer all of your questions and provide you with the tools you need to be successful. Thank you for your time, talent, energy, and enthusiasm as we all work together to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Quick Facts about the Relay For Life Movement Every Team Captain Should Know Relay For Life events are noncompetitive, and anyone can participate.Because cancer never sleeps, Relay For Life events are overnight community walking events. All team members take turns walking the track, rain or shine. Adults and children of all ages are encouraged to participate, and every team member makes a difference.

Registration is easy.To get started, visit RelayForLife.org and enter your ZIP code to find your local Relay event. Start your own team or join an existing team online to register, and begin using your personal fundraising page to send emails to your friends and family. Offline paper registration options are also available.

Every dollar really makes a difference.

Every dollar you raise helps the American Cancer Society save more lives. Ask friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and businesses for support. Team members who can’t attend the Relay event can still raise money online or mail donations to your local Society office. Visit cancer.org for cancer information and RelayForLife.org for fundraising support and event information.

Being a Relay For Life participant creates lasting memories.When asked to describe their Relay experience, most people say that there’s nothing else like it. The camaraderie and spirit created around the track at your Relay For Life event will stay with you long after the event is over. The team campsite is a point of pride and the place to celebrate the hard work your team has done throughout the year. For team campsite ideas, visit RelayForLife.org. Throughout the night, music, food, games, and entertainment for all ages will make the time go by fast and bring new people out to see what all the excitement is about!

To learn more about the Relay movement, visit RelayForLife.org.

Team Captain GuideYour Relay For Life

Quick Look at What’s In This GuideYour Role as a Team Captain Page 2

Team Member Responsibilites Page 2

What is Relay For Life? Page 3

Habits of Successful Team Captains Page 4

How Your Team is Recognized Page 4

How Your Team Members are Recognized Page 5

Team Fundraising Ideas Page 6

Fundraising Guidelines Page 7

Relay Safety Guidelines Page 8

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The one thing to always remember as you take on the responsibilities as a Relay For Life Team Captain is that every team has a group of valuable players you should enlist to help you! As the leader of your team, you should recruit and engage your team members and use their strengths and talents so your job is manageable. Here is a list to help both you and your team members spread the responsibilities.

Team Captain Responsibilities• Your number-one role as a Team Captain is to recruit team

members and motivate your team to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks and projects to your team members. It will be easier to reach your fundraising goal with a larger team, you’ll have plenty of people to volunteer for walking shifts, and it will make your campsite more lively and fun!

• Provide your team members with the fundraising tools included in your Team Captain Kit: the Team Member Guide and Donation Collection Envelopes. Make sure they understand they are expected or asked to raise a minimum of $100 as individual fundraisers. Provide luminaria order forms and other tools available from your American Cancer Society staff partner.

• Work with your team members to set your team’s fundraising goal, and be sure to include all individual, team, and day-of-event fundraising activities in your goal.

• Attend Team Captain meetings to get critical event information, to learn fundraising tips, to turn in collected donations, and to find inspiration. These meetings are a great place to meet and network with other people in your community who are passionate about fighting cancer.

• Host regular team meetings to plan team fundraising activities and to ensure your team members have everything they need to be successful individual fundraisers.

• Communicate regularly via email, phone calls, texts, and social media to coach and motivate your team members to reach their fundraising goals.

• Recognize the cancer survivors and caregivers on your team, and encourage them to share their stories to inspire other team members.

• Thank team members for their time and commitment to the fight against cancer.

Team Member Responsibilities• Once you register as a Team Captain, you will send invitations for

all your team members to register online at RelayForLife.org. Once they do, they are responsible for paying their $10 registration fee, personalizing their fundraising Web page, and sending fundraising emails to their friends and family. Encourage them to make a personal donation to their efforts online to get their fundraising started.

• Team members need to be active participants on your team. They should attend your team planning meetings, team fundraisers, and participate the day of the event. Assign each member a day-of-event responsibility (campsite decorations walk schedule, refreshments, on-site fundraisers, etc.).

• Team members are responsible to help your team reach its fundraising goal. Each team member is asked to raise at least $100. Hold them accountable for participating in team fundraisers and asking their friends and family to support them.

• Each team member can organize a team fundraiser. For example, if someone has a relationship with a local business that would sponsor a team car wash, they can organize and lead that team fundraising event.

• Team members can help you recruit additional members. Together, your network is larger. Be sure to invite survivors and caregivers you know to join or support your team, too.

Team Captains and team members alike will have an unforgettable Relay For Life experience if everyone does their part!

in Your Role as a Team CaptainGetting Started

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What is a Relay For Life event?An American Cancer Society Relay For Life event is an overnight community gathering where teams camp out at a local school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Because cancer never sleeps, each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the overnight event, and all team members are asked to raise a minimum of $100 each.

Celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers.The Relay celebration can truly be symbolized by the courage and spirit of the survivors and caregivers in your community. The Survivors Lap, which opens every Relay For Life event, ensures that survivors and caregivers experience healing and celebration and are charged to take action in the fight against cancer. If you know any survivors or caregivers, please invite them to participate. Contact your survivor and caregiver chair for formal invitations to the celebration.

Remember during the Luminaria Ceremony.When the sun goes down, hundreds of luminaria (votive candles placed in decorated white paper bags) light the track in remembrance of those who have faced cancer. For many, a Relay For Life event is the one place and time they can join together and find healing from their cancer experience, honor those who have survived, and remember those they have lost. For a donation, you and your team members can order these glowing tributes for friends or loved ones who have faced cancer. For donation forms to pass out to your teams, contact your luminaria chair.

Take action by participating in the Fight Back Ceremony.This emotionally powerful ceremony inspires Relay participants to take action. The Fight Back Ceremony symbolizes the emotional commitment each participant can make in the fight against cancer. The action taken represents what we are willing to do for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our community to fight cancer year-round and to commit to saving more lives.

Relay Facts and Figures • Since it began, the Relay For Life movement has raised more

than $5 billion to help the American Cancer Society save lives.

• The American Cancer Society Relay For Life movement ranks as the largest community-focused event in the world*, raising $407 million in 2012.

– Ranking of the top five events by gross revenue in 2012:

» American Cancer Society Relay For Life $407.5 million

» Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure $126.8 million

» March of Dimes March for Babies $107 million

» American Heart Association Heart Walk $97.8 million

» National MS Society Bike MS $82.3 million

• Since 1985, more than 60,000 Relay For Life events have been held in the US.

• More than 500,000 survivors and 3 million other volunteers participated, fundraised, and led the fight against cancer at 5,200 Relay For Life events nationwide last year.

• A new generation of Relay participants and volunteers raised $22.7 million at 503 college campuses, while 136 high school events raised $6.3 million, and 540 elementary and middle school events raised $2 million.

*Run Walk Ride 2012 Top 30 Fundraising Programs by Gross Revenue

A Global Movement to End Cancer

2013:5,200 EVENTSNATIONWIDE

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Team success starts with you! We know you are passionate about the fight against cancer, so how do you translate your enthusiasm into action and lead your team to reach its maximum potential?

Habits of Successful Team Captains1. Start early, keep going. The best time to start is today.

Now that you have your Team Captain Kit, read it cover to cover. The earlier you get started, the more you and your team can achieve. Set an aggressive team fundraising goal, and inspire your team to achieve it. Stay organized and focused. Put time on your calendar each week to dedicate to your responsibilities as a Team Captain.

2. Recruit the right people. Selecting team members is one of the most important steps in building your team. Ask friends, family, and coworkers you know you can depend on, who have the time to be active participants, and who are excited to get involved. If someone is reluctant to join your team, make sure they are invited to the event. After they see all the fun you have this year and how easy it is to fundraise, they may be begging to join your team next year!

3. Provide leadership. Being a Team Captain means knowing when to delegate and when to take the lead. Carefully assign tasks to members of your team and hold them accountable for things they have promised to do. Stay organized and committed to your team’s fundraising goals as you provide leadership and encouragement to attain them. Attend all Team Captain meetings, and keep your team informed and updated about the event at your team meetings.

4. Hold fun and informational team meetings. If your meetings are fun, your team members will come. Lunch-and-learns, potlucks, and pizza parties are great ideas to help feed your team’s appetite to save lives from cancer. Have a solid meeting plan before everyone arrives so you achieve all your meeting goals. Include time for brainstorming team fundraising ideas, sharing success stories, and recognizing team and team member accomplishments!

5. Inspire, motivate, and appreciate. Share inspirational stories at team meetings and through team communication. Support those on your team who are cancer survivors or caregivers. Celebrate team members when they register, pay their registration fees, make a personal donation, reach a fundraising milestone, participate in team fundraisers, etc. Write personal notes, make personal phone calls, or recognize them in front of the whole team. No effort you make will go unnoticed or unappreciated.

6. Communicate. The key to building solid relationships and expectations with your team is to keep communication flowing. At your first team meeting, find out how everyone likes to receive communication – email, text, phone calls, social media, etc. You may want to create a team Facebook page or a weekly team newsletter by email. Find someone on your team with good communication skills, and ask them to take the lead!

Relay For Life Nationwide Team Fundraising Club The American Cancer Society appreciates your team’s fundraising efforts. We understand the commitment you make and the time and energy you spend to raise money to fight back against cancer all year long as a Relay For Life team in your community.

The Nationwide Team Fundraising Club program was developed to recognize your team, both at the event and in your community, for your fundraising achievements. You will be presented with a Team Fundraising Club sign when you reach the Rising Star level ($1,000). Each time your team reaches another Team Fundraising Club level, your staff partner or event committee will update your sign with a new sticker. These updates can take place at Team Captain meetings and at your event, so be sure to do plenty of team fundraisers before and during the event to push to the next level!

Rising Star Level $1,000 Bronze Level $2,500 Silver Level $3,500 Gold Level $5,000 Platinum Level $7,500 Jade Level $10,000 Sapphire Level $15,000 Emerald Level $25,000 Topaz Level $35,000 Ruby Level $50,000 Diamond Level $75,000 Purple Level $100,000

Team Success

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Every Relay For Life team is made up of a group of passionate volunteers. The American Cancer Society appreciates the efforts and accomplishments of each individual who helps us finish the fight. Recognizing Relay participants is not just “a good thing to do”; it is a critical component in how we acknowledge, value, and thank them for their time and commitment to making a difference and helping create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Relay For Life Individual Fundraising ClubThe Individual Fundraising Club program was developed to motivate and award volunteers for fundraising excellence. A variety of award gifts are available for each club level as illustrated on the flyer below. Most items are branded with the Relay For Life logo, which helps promote our mission within your community every time you use or wear the item.

To learn more about the Fundraising Club programs and download Fundraising Club incentive flyers, visit RelayForLife.org/fundraisingclubs.

Special Recognition for Individual Fundraising Milestones

Rising Star As a registered Relay For Life participant, you will be awarded a 2014 commemorative event T-shirt to wear at your event if you raise $100 or more. Raising $100 is easy! Visit RelayForLife.

org/RelayNation, and network with other volunteers to share fundraising ideas.

Grand ClubThere are thousands of reasons why we want to recognize you for reaching the $1,000 fundraising milestone! To show our appreciation, you will receive an email from us with a code to redeem for an exclusive Grand Club embroidered polo

shirt. Wear this proudly within your community and at your event to help motivate and inspire other volunteers. After your Relay For Life event, you will also be eligible for a prize at the Jade Fundraising Club level!

All Star When you reach the $2,500 fundraising milestone, you will attain All Star status! At this premier recognition level, you will receive a sporty All Star jacket. After your Relay For Life event, you will also be eligible for a prize at the Emerald Fundraising level!

How Team Members

Vera Bradley Duffel

Cooler Tote

iPad Case

Igloo Lunch Cooler

Ladies’ Performance Tee

Lexie Wristlet

Bluetooth Speaker

Bluetooth Headphones

Infusion Tumbler

Game Day Cup

Clipper Duffel

Pullover Hoodie Ladies’ Micro Fleece Jacket

Here is a sneak peek of some of the more than 60 Fundraising Club program prizes! Visit RelayForLife.org/fundraisingrewards to

view and download the complete flyers.

RelayForLife.org/fundraisingrewards

Men’s Micro Fleece Jacket

are Recognized

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for Individuals and Teams

The number-one reason people don’t donate is because they are never asked. Fighting cancer is a cause that is easy to rally around and one that many people will gladly support. Below are a few suggestions to jump-start your fundraising efforts.

Make a list and check it twice.Make a list of potential donors. Include everyone you know, and send them each a letter or an email using your Relay dashboard on RelayForLife.org. Start by making a donation yourself and ask others to match it!

Ask every day.Ask one person each day to make a contribution. If you get five $20 gifts, you’ll have raised $100 in less than a week! Cancer is an issue that affects us all, and most people are happy to donate – even in tough economic times. Don’t assume the answer is no – give everyone the opportunity to help finish the fight against cancer by making a tax-deductible donation.

Honor someone.Encourage a cancer survivor to walk or participate on your team. Let everyone know your team is walking in their honor. A real-life story makes your fundraising personal.

Talk it up.Ask for a few minutes on the agenda of any meetings you’ll be attending. Explain why you are participating in the event, and ask for everyone’s support. If you’re dedicating your efforts to someone who has had cancer, tell that person’s story.

Fundraise online.Use your personal Relay fundraising site to send emails and track your progress. Send an email to friends, family members, coworkers, and others asking for their support. Let them know if you’re walking in honor of someone and explain why the cause is important to you. A personal, heartfelt message will get the best response.

Fundraise as a team.Teams can have a lot of fun organizing activities and events to raise money for the American Cancer Society. There are many team fundraising ideas, but we’ve found that fundraising activities that provide a service that people would already spend money on are most successful. For example, Relay teams could offer baby-sitting or host movie nights, garage sales, spaghetti dinners, or car washes – the sky is the limit!

Double your money.Many employers offer matching gift programs. Your $50 donation could turn into $100 just by asking your personnel or human resources department. And don’t forget to give your donors this opportunity as well. Many of them work for companies that may offer matching gifts. Share this information with your donors when they make their contributions to your fundraising efforts.

Post on social media.Be sure and let all your friends and followers on social media know about your involvement in the Relay For Life event! Post often about your reasons for participating, and include the link to your fundraising page so people in your network can support you with a donation. Social media is also a great way to recognize those who have supported you.

Fundraise on the go.The Relay For Life Web site has been mobilized! You can download our app or find a mobile-friendly version of RelayForLife.org. Fundraise wherever you go, and keep track of donations made and the latest information on your event page.

Join the conversation on Relay Nation. In 2013, the American Cancer Society launched a new online community for Relay volunteers – Relay Nation. It is a global network of volunteers just like you who are passionate about saving lives from cancer. Share ideas, find resources, make friends, and learn about easy and fun ways you and your team can fundraise. Join the conversation today at RelayForLife.org/RelayNation!

Fundraise at the event.On-site fundraising at your Relay campsite is great “icing on the cake” for your team and helps create a fun, carnival-type atmosphere. Activities like face painting, lap beads, and karaoke are a blast and are great for a little extra toward your team total!

Fundraising Tips

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Fundraising Guidelines

Team fundraising is a key component of the success of the Relay For Life program. As a Team Captain, the following information is provided to help guide your team’s fundraising efforts. If you have any questions or to get more specific information on how these guidelines apply in your state, please contact your American Cancer Society staff partner.

1. The American Cancer Society asks that individuals carefully consider their fundraising efforts before they begin. A plan should be developed and the following considered: Is the fundraiser ethical? Is this fundraiser offensive to any group? What is the financial risk/income potential? Does the event follow state and local laws? The bottom line is that your fundraising should be consistent with the mission and image of the Society. If you are unsure, ask!

2. All net proceeds from Relay For Life fundraising activities must go to the American Cancer Society and may not be shared with another charitable organization. Ideally, any costs associated with fundraising activities should be donated by the team or another party.

3. Use of the American Cancer Society or Relay For Life name or logo to promote your team fundraiser (e.g., signs, posters, ads) must be discussed with your staff partner. All promotional materials must identify your team and must state that all proceeds from the activity will support the American Cancer Society. Any materials created will require approval from your staff partner.

4. The American Cancer Society has very specific rules about raffles and, as a nonprofit, must adhere to state and federal laws or risk being subject to penalties or loss of our nonprofit status. Please talk to your staff partner before moving forward with any plans related to a raffle. Note: A raffle is considered anything where winners are chosen randomly. If the Society becomes aware of an unlicensed raffle, we will take steps to discontinue the activity.

5. Bank accounts cannot be established by teams or participants in the name of the American Cancer Society or Relay For Life events to deposit checks made payable to the Society. The deposit of donations only into accounts controlled by the American Cancer Society allows us to be compliant with IRS and state laws and regulations, and it best protects our volunteers and donors. If the Society becomes aware of a bank account established in our name, we will work with the financial institution to close the account.

6. Teams may not use the Society’s tax exemption to purchase items for team fundraising activities. The sales tax exemption is only applicable to items purchased by the Society itself, which is never the case in a team fundraising situation. If merchandise is being sold by the team/participant, payment of applicable state and local sales taxes is the responsibility of the seller.

7. The American Cancer Society reserves the right to request that you not approach a particular donor, business, or organization for the purpose of underwriting or contributing to your project due to potential conflicts of interest.

8. The American Cancer Society and Relay For Life trademarks may not be used to produce merchandise to be sold by the team or participant without permission. Please talk to your staff partner if you have any questions.

9. As Relay For Life events are family-friendly and community-oriented, alcohol must not be a part of team/participant fundraising activities.

10. Donations of merchandise by local merchants to your Relay For Life fundraiser(s) are tax-deductible for the merchant, provided a gift donation form is completed and submitted to the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society greatly appreciates your team efforts to raise dollars for our mission. Your adherence to these guidelines protects the name and reputation of the American Cancer Society and helps ensure that our lifesaving work can continue.

One of the most valuable assets of the American Cancer Society is the tax-exempt status that is granted to the organization by the IRS. The Society follows IRS rules, which states we may not sell products for profit. Sales of products, other than IRS-approved American Cancer Society holiday cards, could result in the loss of our nonprofit status.

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There are several issues you should consider as you plan your team’s pre-event and on-site fundraising and/or other activities. Safety is a key component to the success of Relay events for the experience of all participants. Please review the guidelines below to help plan a successful and safe event. If you have any questions or need more specific information on how these guidelines apply in your state, please contact your American Cancer Society staff partner.

1. While the American Cancer Society insurance covers approved fundraising activities on-site at the Relay For Life event, the Society does not provide insurance coverage for team/participant fundraising activities taking place before or after the Relay event or off-site. The team planning the activity assumes responsibility for this, and this may be a factor in deciding whether your team can move forward with a particular activity.

2. High-risk activities of any nature should be discussed with your staff partner before moving forward with any plans to have these on-site at an event. These activities include fireworks, car smashes, dunk tanks, tethered hot-air balloons, climbing walls, and contact sport activities. These activities must be thoroughly evaluated and, if approved, will require additional methods of mitigating and transferring risk from the Society.

The Society is prohibited from conducting or allowing activities at Relay For Life events that are excluded from our insurance policy, which include watercraft, aircraft, untethered hot-air balloons, bungee jumping, and motorized racing, no matter if a third party is willing to insure the activity.

3. Other on-site activities or elements that teams or the committee may want to have at the event site and which have a degree of risk that may require extra safeguards are:

» Golf carts

» Bounce houses

» Cooking grills

» Fire pits

Additional safety precautions (such as the use of waivers), as well as approval from the site owner, may be necessary.

4. Youth teams must be accompanied by a chaperone at a Relay For Life event. One chaperone age 25 or older is required for every 10 youth team members, and youth and chaperone agreements must be signed and turned in prior to the event.

5. Please remember that all American Cancer Society Relay For Life events are both alcohol-free and tobacco-free, in accordance with our mission.

6. Attendees should not bring pets to a Relay For Life event, unless it is specifically a Bark For Life® activity. This is for the safety both of the pets and other participants. Service animals are welcome at all Relay For Life events.

Relay Safety Guidelines

Fundraising GuidelinesWhile items cannot be sold at Relay fundraising activities, some items may be given away in exchange for a donation. If you have any questions or need additional state-specific guidelines, please contact your American Cancer Society staff partner.

You Cannot Accept a Donation for:• Anything with American Cancer Society or Relay For Life

logo or name on it (example: items purchased from the American Cancer Society Gift Shop at ACSGiftShop.com or Relay For Life event participant shirts)

• American Cancer Society or Relay For Life-branded items that can be purchased from or returned to a store, vendor, or the Internet

But You Can Accept a Donation for:• Homemade cookbooks (with team name only)

• Homemade holiday crafts

• Baked goods

• Relay For Life-branded donation cards: suns, moons, luminaria, fundraising feet, cupcake or Bark For Life paw prints (see your Society staff partner or event committee member for details)

• Services (car washes, yard work, house cleaning, etc.)

• Activities (bowling, skate parties, trivia nights, etc.)

• Unused or unwanted items through a garage sale or yard sale