Board Member and newVcrew Chief Megan "Movie Star" Lehnhoff is our Fundraising Superstar of the week. Megan started cycling with us last year and has made an immediate impact on the team with her enthuiasm, her leadership of our new rider program, and last but not least, her ability to fundraise for MS.
Why do you ride?
The reason I ride is simple. I ride for those who can’t. I ride to raise money to help find a cure.
How do you fundraise?
For my fundraising, I send periodic emails to everyone I know asking them to support the National MS Society. Many people often donate to various causes and we usually don’t ever hear about the outcome of the charity events we support. The Bike to the Beach is such an extraordinary and physically challenging event and it is truly an accomplishment to complete. When people donate money to me for the Bike to the Beach, I think that they deserve to know how my training is going or what I am learning along the way. For those who haven’t donated yet, I want them to know how much hard work and time I am putting into this and how it really is worth their money. In my email updates, I like to include the more interesting information about my training (did I get chased by a dog, did I see a rattlesnake, did I fall, send some pictures, etc). I also like to include any accolades that my participation has earned me: New Rider of the Week, an award winning video of me riding, my new cycling group, etc so that they can begin to understand how serious I am and how invested in this cause I am. Other information that I like to include along the way is on my team and our progress. Velo Valero is a fundraising machine and so you’ll be proud to share our numbers. But, out of all of my updates, probably the best one is the last update where I recap the big event. Spend some time reflecting on how you felt when you saw the thousands of riders lined up at the start, all joining together to ride for those who can’t, or how you felt when you saw those war veterans pedaling their bikes with their arms. Your donors will be touched and you just may be able to convince someone new to donate as well. Remember, every single dollar counts. No donation is too small.
In addition to my email updates, I also send thank you cards immediately after receiving donations. It is such a blessing to receive donations and I want my donors to know from me personally, in a hand written note, what their money means to me and those with MS. Also, I make and hang a donation sign with their name (and the MS Society logo) on my cube walls for all to see.
As of Friday, August 29th, Megan had raised $970. With the energy she devotes to her fundraising, that number is sure to go up. Way to go Megan!
To see Megan's personal web page for the 2008 Bike to the Beach, click here.
Megan (center) with Andrea and Trey at the start of the 2007 Bike to the Beach