We’ve been on this trajectory for some time so the beginning of December seems like a great time to kick this off! We have eluded to it for awhile and the name change has been in plain sight as this blog has existed for awhile now.
In the recent past, this site floated back and forth from a blog highlighting the goodness and inspiration that different runners were bringing to the world to more plainly being a longer form blog discussing my other passion project, Team Runnin’ Not Walken.
Going forward, a couple of things will be taking place here:
- First, Runnin’ Not Walken is now Runners Doing Good. The team’s fundraising efforts have continued to grow at a surprising and humbling pace. It can simply no longer keep doing what it’s doing with another person’s likeness and name as part of our efforts. RNW was super fun while it lasted BUT this offers up a chance to be far more impactful than anything we’ve done before. The feeling truly is that there is “MORE” to do here.
- In the vein of “MORE” to be done, the team is going to do something it has never done before: sell something! With its own name, the hope is to sell these wristbands, to start, as a way of drumming up funds to formally kick this off as a formalized entity. If all 400 of these wristbands, that I’ve purchased, were sold at the Cyber Monday/Giving Tuesday price, enough seed money would be raised, to fund the start-up costs.
Runners Doing Good Wristband
Join the movement! All purchases help cover the costs of team operations. Do some good and look good on the trail with your new Runners Doing Good wristband!
$10.00
- The concept is to start a new non-profit, leveraging the amazing running community, so that the team can be more flexible, targeted, and self-sufficient in how we conduct the business of making an impact within our community and beyond.
You might ask, so why mess with a good thing? The truth is that an increasing amount of work has gone into this over the last couple of years. With some runners coming and going throughout that time, the team has found increased fundraising success despite the turnover that has occurred. There has to be some sort of steadying factor there because if a really good fundraiser or a runner with great connections drops and the sponsor that was also their place of employment goes with them, the funding for the team and/or funds raised for the charity are negatively affected. On a small budget, that can have some major repercussions if new sources aren’t drummed up.
The ability, through something like these wristbands, to raise a stream of revenue should help cover some costs along the way so that the team’s fundraising and funding doesn’t fluctuate so wildly from year to year. On a bad sponsorship year, it could keep funding where it needs to be and a good year could have a lot of folks smiling.
I know that to the outside observer, all you’ve seen are fundraising totals that have gone from a $1,000 goal in year 1 to nearly $7,500 last year and the difference from year to year, I promise you, is remarkable and it’s not just because the total has gotten higher. Many of those years, we’ve lost a major donor or sponsor, or multiples of each or just had a runner raise significantly less than in the previous year, to only have another couple members of the team go big and not only cover those losses but take us well beyond them. It’s been a pretty amazing thing to witness, but that roller coaster doesn’t come without its fair share of stress and worry.
You may also ask, so if the wristband sales work, what does the future look like for Runners Doing Good? We’re going to look outward to see where we can be of most help. More on that in a bit.
First and foremost, the inspiration for looking outward is two-fold. It started with Tim Green years ago. Tim has been a rock for us. His support has come financially, which can’t be understated, but more importantly and meaningfully, at least to me personally, through his belief in us. Here’s a guy that never had to get behind us but did believe in what the team and I were doing, encouraged us to continually reach higher and inspired me greatly. I’m truly grateful for Tim and I look forward to the day I can shake his hand.
Secondly, Andrew Hoffman and NeighborLink Fort Wayne has been a major inspiration to this vision. They consistently look for where they can help in the Fort Wayne community so that they can help affect even the smallest positive change in a neighborhood. They are steadfast in their mission and it was a true priviledge to run and fundraise on their behalf in 2019.
So lastly, who are we running to benefit in 2020? If I can get this organized, then NeighborLink Fort Wayne is first in line. They’ve been such an amazing partner and while the team going independant disconnects our business effort a bit, I’m fully committed to supporting them before anyone else in 2020. They bring so much love and goodness to Fort Wayne, I can’t not support them.
Beyond them, I see us supporting two other types of things. First, a charity outside of Fort Wayne. I have a few in mind and if you read some of the previous blogs postings, especially Inspiration for Change III, I think you can figure it out. If we’re going to continue to grow, then helping a charity outside of the area is important.
And lastly, support something completely independently of what any other group is doing. The thing that comes to mind to me immediately is that we’re a running group. I’m a dad so I have a softspot for children and my own love the Fort 4 Fitness. Why not, encourage healthier habits in area children by working out something with the F4F where we can cover the cost of 50 children to run in the children’s marathon? Doing something like that would be awesome.
Thanks for reading so far. Please consider buying a wristband and I’ll make sure to get you one promptly.
I look forward to sharing more with you in coming days but for now, as Thanksgiving Weekend is winding down, know that I’m truly grateful for all of you whom have supported Runnin’ Not Walken and in the past and I hope to continue to earn your backing as we go forward with this crazy running adventure.
Sincerely,
Gabe
Runners Doing Good 