19-Some Darn Good Ideas For Making Team Names/ Campsite Themes!

SOME IDEAS FOR CAMPSITE/TEAM THEMES AND TEAM NAMES GROUPED BY “THEME” (in alphabetical order):

EVENT THEMES - And any group of team themes down below could be your event theme… For example, your event theme could be The Great Wilderness, and people can pick Animal and Nature themes!
50 States – This way, each team can have a state as their theme (thanks to the Westlake Relay For Life): - see 50 States under Team Themes below for ideas for every state!!!!
Anniversary Themes – These are ideas to use if your event is reaching its 5th, 10th, or more anniversary, these are great ideas! See also Time Capsule themes.
10 Years Closer to the Cure – Have your teams have “cure” and “cancer related” themes… This one has a lot of flexibility! (thanks to Mary Ann Hocking)
10 Years of Love, Hope, Relay – Have your teams have Love or Hope related themes…. (thanks to Mary Ann Hocking)
"10 Years Of Working For A Cure" - You can have each team have a theme that reflects where they work... For example, I used to work in a dept. that made Powdered cosmetics, so we called ourselves the Powder Puffs, and decorated ourselves with cosmetic puffs... Get the idea? (From Ramesh Moorthy, Baltimore MD)
"10 Years of Dancing for A Cure" - You could have "dancing themes" for each team. (From Ramesh Moorthy, Baltimore MD)
“Happy Birthday, Relay!” – Thanks to ‘the4blairs’ for the inspiration for this theme! Dress in birthday hats, have a birthday cake, etc. and party it up!
“Decade in Review” - It may be fun to do a decade type theme highlighting such years as the 50s, 70s, or 80s. You can do a "Decade in Review" highlighting the last ten years of your Relay. For cancer education, maybe you could do a "Key Developments of Cancer research within the last decade." Just some ideas. :) (thanks to HopeInLindy)
See also “Time Capsule” themes
Butterflies, Beaches, and Buffett (as in Jimmy Buffett) – Thanks to Kerri M. and the Greater Auglaize Relay For Life! - http://www.auglaizerelay.com/ for sharing this great idea! – “Our theme for this year is Butterflies, Beaches, & Buffett (as in Jimmy Buffett) Cancer Take Flight On Butterfly Wings Tonight. We are having a live butterfly release at opening & closing (weather permitting). I am sending you a sample of our tickets. I bought butterfly pins off a couple of ebay stores so that the person gets a pin to wear & keep & if they come to Relay they receive a live butterfly to "release cancer" "in honor of" "in memory of" or just for fun. We are planning on having Jimmy Buffett music, butterfly bracelets, sand for the kids to play in, coconut bra contest, plus anything that anyone can think of! We had a committee member who's son had a luau wedding reception, she got all the decorations from that for us to use. We will sell lei's also. Our survivor dinner will be a luau (held in March or April) to hopefully excite our survivors about Relay. Feel free to use any of our ideas for your web site. My husband, best friend & I came up with the theme. We will read this poem at our opening.

Butterfly Indian Legend

If anyone desires a wish to come true they must first
Capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it.

Since a butterfly can make no sound, the butterfly can not reveal
The wish to anyone but the Great Spirit who sees and hears all.

In gratitude for giving the beautiful butterfly its freedom,
The Great Spirit will always grant the wish.

So, according to legend, by making a wish and giving the butterfly its freedom,
The wish will be taken to the heavens to be granted”

Carnival For A Cure – Have all your teams have a carnival/circus theme!!! See Animal and Circus related themes below! (thanks to mamamo777!) You can sell stuffed animals to raise money (if that fits with your local rules! Please check with your committee/staff!)
Cartoons/ Cartooning For A Cure / Let’s Toon Out Cancer – See Cartooning below (thanks to many, including IRelay4Mom)
The Countries Of the World – Thanks to many, including IRelay4Mom)
Cruisin’ For A Cure – Have a “car” theme for your event… Teams could use any of the car related themes below under the ideas for team themes, such as “Little Red Corvette”, “Car Wash For A Cure”, “Car Bashers For A Cure”,
Dancing For A Cure – Build your entertainment and team themes around Dancing…
Games (Cancer is Not A Game!) – Build your event around each team having a “Games” Theme (See below)
Happily Ever After – Use Fairytale themes, and make your event slogan “Making the Fairytale of a Cure Come True!”
Holidays/ There is No Holiday From Cancer – Have holiday related themes (see below) for campsites and have an overall “holiday” theme to your event
“Lights, Camera, Relay For A Cure!” – A great event theme from the Santa Maria Relay For Life… Make your event about the movies – show movies all night (borrow a projector and hook it up to a VCR), have each team have a movie theme, have “STAR POINTS” (spirit points), have a “STAR SEARCH” talent contest, and so on!
Movies/ Night At the Movies (thanks to Cove Relay For Life & IRelay4Mom) – Use the list of movie themes below, as well as the following movies:
King Kong
Star Wars
Lord Of The Rings
Harry Potter
Nursery Rhymes (Once upon a cure) – An event theme that can use the “Fantasy”and “Fairytale” themes below!
Patriotic/ USA For A Cure ./Stars and Stripes for A Cure - (thanks to IRelay4Mom) - use the Patriotic Themes below
Saddle UP For A Cure! – Thanks to Jill – A great Western Theme for your event!
Sitcoms / Comedy For A Cure – Have an event themed around Comedy… get standup comedians (or even one that has had cancer), have improv all night and vote for the best improv standup comedian at your event… Have Funny Themed Laps… Show Comedy movies all night on a TV. Have another for Children’s movies, showing Disney movies (Funny ones). Have every campsite have a comedy theme (thanks to IRelay4Mom, and R. Moorthy Baltimore, MD)
Sports Theme (overall for event) – Have a “Sports For A Cure” Overall theme and let each team have a sports theme
Baseball
All Stars – DO it like the Football one that is right below – declare your survivors to be “All-Stars”… Have your caregivers be “All Star Relief Pitchers” for providing relief and support to patients… and give “All Star Designated Hitter” Awards to family and friends who have helped care for cancer survivors and those we have lost… Have fun with it! (R. Moorthy Baltimore MD)
Football
Most Valuable Player – Have your event be football themed (you can look at decoration ideas under “Sports” below)… Hand out awards for Most Valuable Players – give one to every survivor you meet on the track, give “caregiver awards” to caregivers, and so on… Make it fun and entertaining! (R. Moorthy Baltimore MD)
States – see 50 States
Take Me Out To the Ballgame – Each team could dress up as a Major League Baseball team or use one of the Sports themes below.
Time Capsule Themes – These are a list of diverse ideas that basically “take you back in time”

Under the Sea – Have Ocean/Boating/Sea related themes for your campsites in your event
Wild Wild West! – A great theme from the Lebanon County Relay For Life – thanks to Laura for sharing – “The Relay For Life of Lebanon County is taking an exciting trip back in time for Relay 2006! We're going back to a time when horses and cowboys roamed the desert free. When buffalo were plentiful, and the skies were always clear. Back to a time when Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Wild Bill Hickok marshalled the territory from Illinois to Nevada. Back to a time when there were no cars and no nuclear plants, and the ozone protected us from sun radiation better. Back when cancer was accountable for far fewer deaths than in todays' world. On behalf of the Lebanon Planning Committee, and our Honorary Co-Chairs Tiffany Bare, Heidi Eck, and Renato Rivera, we invite you to grab your western duds, and jump on board the chuck wagon! Come along and join us at Cedar Crest High School on May 19-20, 2006, as we take this wonderful trip back through time to the Wild Wild West!” What a great idea!!!!!
TEAM THEMES
50 States! – This is a great event as well as team theme! Have your event theme be 50 States, and have each team pick a state! There are a few approaches –
1) you could have stuff about the state – as much as you can think of – if you visit http://www.50states.com/ there is info on every state!!!!
2) use the sports teams in that state – Look up baseball, football, basketball and other teams – college or pro – for example – New York – Yankees, Ohio – Ohio State University, and so on!!!! Pick a state that a person on your team is from and is enthusiastic about their teams!!!
3) 3) Pick a state theme and do everything around that – here are some examples:
Alabama – Alabama’s current state theme is unforgettable (like the Ray Charles song)… Play the song, and have pictures up of survivors that your team knows, and people who have lost the fight – and how they are unforgettable!
Alaska – Have your theme be the “great outdoors” –have a dog (if they are allowed) pulling a pretend sled, have cut out mountains, fake cross country skiing, fake snow, and more!
Arizona- Have lots of pictures of Arizona, (like the cliffs and so on), have a stretch of desert, etc…The Grand Canyon is there , too – that could be part of your theme!
California – Build your theme around San Francisco (Cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge) or Hollywood (movie stuff), etc.
Colorado – Play “Rocky Mountain High” – have a “backdrop” of the Rockies, and so on!!!!
Delaware – “The First State” – Do a theme around lots of “firsts”!!!!! The first state… The first person to sign the Constitution, the first flight (The Wright brothers)…
Florida – could be Sunshine or Jimmy Buffett
Georgia – Georgia Peach! – Have all sorts of food made from peaches as fundraisers!!!! Dress your team in peach outfits (t-shirts with big peaches on them or something), have the peach color be your site color, and so on!!!!
Hawaii - "Hula for a cure" – see “Hawaiian Themes!!!” below (alphabetically).
Idaho – Have Potatoes be your theme – have food with potatoes and offer them for a donation as a fundraiser…!!!!! Have your whole team dress up as spuds.
Kansas – Do a Wizard of Oz theme!!! Have a Dorothy on your team, a Toto, and so on!!!!!! J
Kentucky - “we are a big horse state..like Kentucky Derby stuff. We always call that "The Run for the Roses" so maybe you can do something with that and maybe get garlands of roses to use for your campsite and all your walkers wear them around their neck..you can the artificial ones at wal mart or something really cheap…”– thanks to angiemc1!
Louisiana – Build your team theme around the Mardi Gras! And New Orleans – Pass out beads on the track each lap, and so on! Also see “Mardi Gras”!!! below.
Maryland – Here are some themes: “I'm Feeling Crabby”, “Crabbing for A Cure” (have a boat, catch "fake" crabs), “Fishing For A Cure”, “Baltimore Orioles for A Cure” (order Orioles T-shirts, etc, baseball hats, etc.). J
Massachussetts – Have a Boston Tea Party theme!!! Hold high tea at the event as a fundraiser, have a fake boat.. etc. J
Michigan – could be Go Blue! (University Of Michigan)
Mississippi – Have your theme be the “Great Mississippi”!!! Have things around the river, river boats, Huck Finn, and more!!!
Nevada – This one is easy J - have a Las Vegas theme!
New Mexico – Have a “Santa Fe’ Tehme…
New York – Have your team theme be “New York, New York” with Frank Sinatra music and the whole 9 yards!!!!
New Jersey – Have an Atlantic City theme…
Ohio – Show your team spirit and build a Ohio State University Theme!!!! - OSU, Columbus, Ohio
Oklahoma – Do your theme around the play “Oklahoma!”
Texas – Make your theme around the Alamo and San Antonio! Have someone dress up like Davey Crockett!!!
Washington – Do your theme around Washington apples…
Wisconsin – Do your theme around Cheese and Cheeseheads (maybe the Green Bay Packers and cheeseheads?)
Advocacy Themes
Celebration on the Hill – Reenact a part of Celebration on the Hill – have a picture of the capitol (if you or someone you know went, get pictures), and “advocate” with your other event members to call their local representative etc about cancer related issues, insurance issues, etc.
Lobbying for a Cure - “advocate” with your other event members to call their local representative etc about issues – whether insurance, research $$, etc.

Air Flight Related Themes – See Transportation Themes
Animal Themes
Angels without Wings Leaping towards a Cure (Frogs or cheetahs...) – You could be any # of different creatures leaping towards a cure…
Beauty and the Beast, or Beastmasters – “This is something my daddy came up with the year he passed away. It is the Beauty and the Beast - The Beauty of life is beating the Beast called cancer…. we grill hamburgers all night so we are set off to the side and everyone sees us.” (Thanks to 1dadsgirl for this!)… Additional ideas for this: you could 1. Dress some folks as beasts (give them signs as different forms of cancer, and have a "tamer"... You could make it a doctor/scientist type who "tames the beasts". 2. More traditional - beasts and a lion-tamer type, but that strikes us as a little more risque... :)
Bee Hives – Dress in 50’s clothing and get your hair done in bee hives. Decorate your tent in bee hive colors or go with Yellow and Black! (thanks to the Lewiston-Porter Relay For Life!)
Big Top Bears For A Cure or Big Top Bears Don’t Hibernate – See Circus Themes (thanks ClayCoTx!)
“Bye-You To Cancer!”, “Bayou For A Cure” Or “Fishing For A Cure” Or ???? – Use a swamp theme and decorate in fishing stuff. You could also have moss and some old cypress wood (5/18/04 - Thanks to jaime lavigne for this great idea!)
Cancer Survivor- Kenyan Safari – Set up a Kenyan Safari at your campsite with the slogan “Cancer Survivor it's not a game, it's life!” – Decorate with African Safari hats, camouflage, and fake pistols that shoot out flags –write “CURE CANCER!” on the flags. Put some straw or something over your tent to make it look more “Grasslands”… It can be a play on Survivor the TV show… (Thanks to Zoomzoom, 5/04)
Cure Cats – Dress as cats, tails and all… Make your tent into a comfy place for cats to lie around… Have cat food bowls (with food you can eat), etc. (Thanks to curebear88!)
Horses
“Betting On A Cure” – A Horse racing related theme
“Horsing Around For Life” – Dress as Horsies, and decorate your campsite as a Ranch. If you can, your team could also have a fundraiser at a horse form where people could get horse rides for a donation! (thanks to Brooksie84 for for the idea)
“Derbying For A Cure” – A Kentucky Derby/horse racing related idea!
“Jockeying For A Cure”
‘Racing For A Cure”
“Riding For A Cure”
“Running Wild For A Cure”
Make Cancer Extinct – “We just completed our Relay in Ohio. Our theme was "Make Cancer Extinct". We had a 12 foot dinosaur at our tent. We made dinosaur cookies. The kids dressed in dinosaur costumes. The adults dressed in Caveman outfits. It was great fun...we won for best campsite.” (Thanks to Traci for this great idea!)
“Moo-ving For A Cure” – Have a cow on a banner, dress as cows, whatever fun cow related themes you can think of!!!! Then Moo-ve cancer out! (thanks to Stacy and the Vienna Relay For Life)
The Pink Flamingos – A Great team theme where you decorate your site at the event with Pink Flamingos and use the Pink Flamingo fundraiser (where people pay to have the Pink Flamingo Flock removed from their yard J - make sure you check that people are ok with doing it!!!) You can even get them at http://www.thepinkflamingo.com ! Thanks to many for the inspiration for this including Jeanne J., thepinkflamingo.com, and more!
Relay Angels - Decorate your site with pictures of angels with halos, etc, and you could have wings... Dress as angels.
Tigers on the Prowl for a Cure – “Our team is a bunch of our friends who are teens, that go to our middle school. We collect money through bake sales at school, and other things. Last year, we had tiger fabric over our tent, and we painted faces for a dollar. Our team colors for our school are purple and white...and our mascot is a tiger. Do you have any cute ideas for our campsite? Games? Anything you think would be cute. We are planning on purchasing a few stuffed tigers to set out by our tent.” – Thanks to Ash for the idea! 11/04
Anniversary Themes – See Anniversary Themes above in the Event Themes section also
10 Years Closer to the Cure – Have your team have “cure” and “cancer related” theme… This one has a lot of flexibility! (thanks to Mary Ann Hocking)
10 Years of Love, Hope, Relay – Have your team have a Love or Hope related theme…. (thanks to Mary Ann Hocking)
"10 Years Of Working For A Cure" - You can have your team have a theme that reflects where you work... For example, I used to work in a dept. that made Powdered cosmetics, so we called ourselves the Powder Puffs, and decorated ourselves with cosmetic puffs... (From Ramesh Moorthy, Baltimore MD)
"10 Years of Dancing for A Cure" - You could have a "dancing theme" for your team. (From Ramesh Moorthy, Baltimore MD)
“Happy Birthday, Relay!” – Thanks to ‘the4blairs’ for the inspiration for this theme! Dress in birthday hats, have a birthday cake, etc. and party it up!
“Decade in Review” - It may be fun to do a decade type theme highlighting such years as the 50s, 70s, or 80s. You can do a "Decade in Review" highlighting the last ten years of your Relay. For cancer education, maybe you could do a "Key Developments of Cancer research within the last decade." Just some ideas. :) (thanks to HopeInLindy)
Art Related Themes – Also see “Musical/Dancing/Songs/Party themes”:
Cure-ators – Here’s a great name if your team has people who work at a museum… Have posters of great works of art on your tents, and have a "coffee bar" that offers "premium coffee" for a donation for your team... Hold an art auction! - if you know local artists, have them donate pieces, or even better, do some custom pieces about Relay For Life (get approval of your local office if you do that!) that they donate for the auction! Or have kids do some art and auction that off... Parents are sure to buy it :)
Astronomy-Related Themes – see Nature Related Themes
Australia-Related Themes
"A Cure Outback" – Dress up in Aussie Hats and boots, decorate your campsite like the outback
Aviation Related Themes (Flying) + Have clouds and cut out airplanes, and “wings” to handout to people J
Aeroing For A Cure
Flying For A Cure (thanks to Lori T.)
Planing For A Cure
Soaring High Above the Clouds For A Cure

Bank Related Themes – see Money/Financial Themes below
Baseball themes – see sports themes
Beach Related Themes – Also see Hawaiian Themes, Boating Themes….
“Wave goodbye to cancer” – Have pictures of waves on poster boards, and “wave” goodbye to cancer… Dress with a beach theme.
Gilligan’s Island –From Susanne: “I did Gilligan's Island - Castaway Cancer and won best decorated tent in our relay April 2004. It was cute. I purchased a bunch of cute stuff from oriental trading company on-line including leis, gilligan hats, coconut cups, grass skirts for tables and tent. (www.orientaltrading.com)”… Could be a great idea! Dress as the characters (Mr. Howell, Gilligan, the Skipper, Maryann, Ginger, the Professor), have a fake boat too or even real boat there, and some palm trees!
Hawaii-Cure-O – Dress your team in Hawaiian shirts (www.orientaltraders .com is a good place to get them cheap), and serve Hawaiian drinks for a donation… Wear leis, grass skirts and the whole nine yards… If your event has a Miss Relay contest where a man has to dress as a woman, get all the guys on your teams to wear grass skirts (with something under them!) and lots of leis and enter the contest!
Biking Themes – See Sports Themes
Boating-Related Themes
All Aboard! For A Cure! – Decorate your campsite as a boat, and welcome All Aboard for a cure… distribute boat pins you buy or make (check on line at orientaltrading.com for ideas), and all dress to match the nautical theme (hats, uniforms if possible, etc…)
Boating For A Cure – If your site will allow it, bring a boat to your site, and “Fish” off the side… You can even have people come and donate $1 to get a Polaroid on the boat!
“Bye-You To Cancer!”, “Bayou For A Cure” Or “Fishing For A Cure” Or ???? – See Hunting/Fishing/Camping Themes below.
CRUISING FOR A CURE – Bring cruise ship stuff (thanks to Natchitoches, LA!)
Gilligan’s Island – see TV Themes
Love Boat for A Cure – See TV Themes
Pirate themes – “Plundering For A Cure”, “Make Cancer Walk The Plank”, “Polly Wants A Cure”, or at least make sure you work in Pirate related words (Blimey, shiver me timbers, ahoy, etc_– Dress as pirates, and “plunder for a cure” or any of the mentioned themes… – ask people for donations or tell them you’ll make them walk the plank - Walk the Plank - have people donate to have a another volunteer "Walk the Plank"... If they walk the plank, make it so that they (or someone else) can "out-donate" the original person to "save" whoever is walking the plank. Set up a fake plank with a wading pool at the end of it and a donation jar... If someone walks the plank, they have to step into the wading pool and get wet! Of course, you can't force anyone and it is all in fun, so make sure that particpants take it in humor (let them take their shoes off, roll up the ir pants, etc.) Also – check out Oriental Trading Company for things to buy/ideas… Here is some more great stuff: “
“Definitely you all need to have patches over one eye, someone needs a hook, a skull and crossbones flag...lots of pirate treasure.....a treasure chest (maybe work into a game for a fundraiser)...gosh the possibilities are endless. Don't forget a treasure map and a parrot on the shoulder!” Thanks to MagieDCat for the great ideas!!!!!!
Sailing the Sea For A Cure – Another idea with a boating theme (Thanks to Curebear88!)
Setting Sail For A Cure – Similar to All Aboard For A Cure above…
“Breast Cancer Themes” – See cancer Themes
“Cancer Themes”
“Breast Cancer Themes”
Bosom Buddies Against Breast Cancer – Get the play on words?
Breast Cancer Eradicators
“Colon Cancer Themes” – Don’t have any yet!
“Lung Cancer Themes”
“Breathing Our Way to A Cure” – see below for description
“Breathe The Fresh Air” – see below for description
“Breath Deep for a Cure” – see below for description
“Butt Kickers – We Kick Ash” – What a great pun J
“Take a Deep Breath For A Cure” – see below for description
ALL THESE THEMES ABOVE could use the following ideas:
Dress up in t-shirts that have a picture of lungs on them, and even unhealthy lungs on the back – “These are your lungs”, and on the back – “These are your lungs on drugs” for an example. (Just make sure that you check with your event that your event committee won’t be offended – it might seem a little graphic)
Have Ashtrays all over with red circles and a line thru it…
Have lots of literature about quitting smoking available
Post trivia about smoking and the benefits of quitting

“Skin Cancer Themes”
“Slip Slap Slop For A Cure” – Named after the Slip Slap Slop cancer control program – Dress your team with aprons that have giveaway visor hats (SLAP), sunscreen (SLOP), brochures, etc. and have your team remind folks to SLIP into clothing that covers their exposed areas where possible to prevent sun exposure!
"Putting a Shade on Cancer" – Dress in Aprons with educational cancer control material, and get a bunch of visor hats… Place on peoples’ heads and “put a shade” on them to prevent cancer
“Cancer Control Themes”
"Putting a Shade on Cancer" – Dress in Aprons with educational cancer control material, and get a bunch of visor hats… Place on peoples’ heads and “put a shade” on them to prevent cancer
Car-Related Themes – See Transportation Related Themes, Also see “Sports Themes” and “Auto Racing” under that
“Caregiver/Doctor/Nurse/Scientist” Themes – See “Health Care Themes” below
“Cartoon Themes:
Cartooning For A Cure – THIS WORKS FOR THE WHOLE RELAY EVENT!!!!!!! – One relay event had Cartoons as the THEME FOR THE WHOLE EVENT, and every campsite had a cartoon theme!!!! Talk about neat! One site had a Dora Theme, another had Scooby Doo, another had Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck… You could have a Scooby Doo Theme for your campsite, or a Bugs Bunny Road Runner show theme… You could then use the themes listed under TV below… 5/04
“Cartooning For A Cure” or “Toon Out Cancer” – Have each of your team members dress as a cartoon character to form your team… Decorate your tent like a cartoon house – maybe crazy colors, or something…. Have your cartoon characters walk the track with a Polaroid camera, and “sell” pictures for a $1 donation to the ACS – NOTE: Target parents with kids – they won’t say no to their kid wanting a picture with Wiley Coyote!!!! (Thanks to several different folks for this idea, including Jaime Lavigne 5/04)
“Clowning Around For A Cure” – all dress as clowns, and face paint kids! (thanks to Jena Wilder 8-04)
Disney theme – “We blew up the disney characters life size and hand painted them, it was lot of work but it was awesome.” (thanks to mmouse for the idea)
Dr. Seuss – “"The doctor is in, let the healing begin" or "One Wish, Two Wish, You Wish, I Wish...for A Cure." Or "Oh the places you will go"– Thanks to hiramt824 for this great idea– “I am ordering the Dr. Seuss hats from orientaltrading.com. I know you can get them in different colors if needed.” What a great idea!!!!!! as well as Magiedcat for the latter two theme ideas!
Tarzan! – a team did a Tarzan theme; one team member drew a huge tarzan and a vine and the whole bit, and had the name “Wild Bunch” (thanks to mmouse for the idea!)
“Cheering Themes” – see Sports, Cheerleading
“Christian Themes” – see Religious Themes
“Circus Related Themes” – Also see Animal Related Themes
Big Top Cureseekers - (thanks to ClayCoTx!)
Big Top Bears For A Cure or Big Top Bears Don’t Hibernate – Decorate with a circus theme, a big top, etc! Sell bears to raise money if that is ok with your event/staff (thanks to ClayCoTx and Mamamo777!)
Carousel Cureseekers - (thanks to ClayCoTx!)
“Clowning Around For A Cure” – all dress as clowns, and face paint kids! (thanks to Jena Wilder 8-04)
Cotton Candy For A Cure – Rent a cotton candy machine, and serve it at Relay… Check with your event and make sure that they are ok with cotton candy, as it is not the healthiest, and to make sure you have power for the machine.
Cureseeking Clowns - (thanks to ClayCoTx!)
Taming Cancer For A Cure – Have one person dress as a lion tamer, and the others dress as “cancer lions”, and each have a name plate with a type of cancer on it… Have the Lion Tamer “tame” the cancer. (R. Moorthy 3/05)
Tigers on the Prowl for a Cure – “Our team is a bunch of our friends who are teens, that go to our middle school. We collect money through bake sales at school, and other things. Last year, we had tiger fabric over our tent, and we painted faces for a dollar. Our team colors for our school are purple and white...and our mascot is a tiger. Do you have any cute ideas for our campsite? Games? Anything you think would be cute. We are planning on purchasing a few stuffed tigers to set out by our tent.” – Thanks to Ash for the idea! 11/04
“Colon Cancer Themes” – see Cancer themes
“Construction Themes”
Builing Towards A Cure! – Bring some wood and look like you “building” towardsa cure… Come up with something nice that you’re are building (a chair?) and let people buy raffle tickets for it… Auction it off at the end of the event (bring precut pieces you can assemble and paint, or something).
Constructing A Cure! – Make your Relay team site look like a construction site – all wear hardhats, jeans, etc. and “construct” a cure throughout the night (you might bring 2x4’s and build something to to post “tributes” on, or something like that.
“Cooking” – See “Food themes” below
“Dancing Themes” – see Musical themes below
“Dress Up Themes – There are dress up themes everywhere, but the ones here – we didn’t know where else to put them J
“Declare Cancer Out of Style!” – Dress up in 70’s and 80’s clothes, and then commandeer the podium at some point (make sure the event knows and is ok with it!) and rip off your unfashionable duds and have something great below (preferably Relay-Related clothing) (thanks to Stacy and Vienna Relay For Life)
“Clowning Around For A Cure” – all dress as clowns, and face paint kids! (thanks to Jena Wilder 8-04)
“Styling It For A Cure” – Have your team hold a Relay Fashion show at midnight where the winner is picked by getting the most donations! Have your team dress up in their finest Realy related gear and purple clothing and all enter the show!
“Top of the Town” – “Delegate Ken Plum's ‘Top of the Town’ team was the highest fundraiser of any community team, raising $16,500 at the Reston Relay. One of the more creative team themes, Top of the Town boasted tuxedos and grilled salmon and other tasty treats at their tent campsite.” See http://www.kenplum.com/relife03.html
“Education Themes” – For teachers, others in education, and those otherwise obsessed with school supplies…
Eraser Heads - You will be “rubbing out cancer”… Have pencils made out of paper tubes from inside of a carpet roll (you can get them at a furniture store). Have everyone on your team make their “hats” to resemble an eraser. Also, get a sheet of plywood and paint it black. Then paint on your writing on it – “RUBBING OUT CANCER” IN LARGE LETTERS...LIKE A BLACK BOARD. (from S. Johnson – thanks!!!!)
Teaching Our Way to A Cure – A group of teachers could bring cards with “educational facts about cancer” and hand them out to “students” – other Relay participants… Decorate your campsite like it is a classroom….
“Fable Themes” – see Fairytales below
“Fairytale/Nursery Rhyme/ Fable Themes” – These cover a large variety of ideas, from things like the Three Little Pigs, to doing a Mother Goose Campsite (with all the different characters and ‘tent setups’) to ???
"Three Little Pigs - Huff and Puff & Blow Cancer Away!” - “…Our theme is the "Three Little Pigs - Huff and Puff & Blow Cancer Away!” We will be serving BBQ plates from the Three Little Pigs BBQ (I know that is a terrible pun to the pigs) Of course we will have the Big Bad Wolf & 3 Pigs… You could decorate it as a brick house and make a cardboard chimney and so on… You could use a red checkered table cloth, straw bales around your site. You could wear aprons with the 3 little pigs on it or the big bad wolf with an "X" across him or with him huffing and puffing to blow out cancer. You could also all wear pig tails and had some kind of treasure hunt for the "three little pigs" or some type of trivia game to go with your theme. It would draw more people into your area! Play some type of music to go with theme… the following website has a lot of details on the story and pictures that might give you other ideas…

http://www-math.uni-paderborn.de/~odenbach/pigs/pig2.html

(thanks to zoomzoom, brendak, sh40592 for all these ideas)
Beauty and the Beast, or Beastmasters – “This is something my daddy came up with the year he passed away. It is the Beauty and the Beast - The Beauty of life is beating the Beast called cancer…. we grill hamburgers all night so we are set off to the side and everyone sees us.” (Thanks to 1dadsgirl for this!)… Additional ideas for this: you could 1. Dress some folks as beasts (give them signs as different forms of cancer, and have a "tamer"... You could make it a doctor/scientist type who "tames the beasts". 2. More traditional - beasts and a lion-tamer type, but that strikes us as a little more risque... :)
Mother Goose Against Cancer – Dress up as the characters from Mother Goose, and have each of your tents be a fairytale; or make your event theme Fairytales and let folks go crazy! You could have the fairytale songs on laminated sheets on stakes… Some ideas:
Old Mother Hubbard – have someone dress up as her, and if dogs are allowed bring her old dog… Or have someone dress up as one!
Baa Baa Black Sheep – Have someone dress as the sheep herder, and someone as a sheep… put cotton balls all over the sheep and “shear” it…
Do You Know the Muffin Man – Have someone dress as the muffin man, and sell muffins as a fundraiser!!!!
Hot Cross Buns – Have a hot cross buns fundraising tent… sell Hot Cross Buns!!!
Humpty Dumpty – A wall, a team member dressed as Humpty… You get the picture
Jack Be Nimble – Have someone dress up as Jack and ‘jump over the candlestick”…
Ladybug! Ladybug! - Dress as Ladybugs…
Little Bo Peep – One team member dressed as Little Bo Peep… Several others as sheep… You get the idea
Little Boy Blue
Little Miss Muffet – (and the spider)
Mary Had a Little Lamb…
Old King Cole
Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers
Row Row Row Your Boat
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe… - You could have a lot of fun with this one – One tent disguised as a shoe… lots of children…
Three Blind Mice
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Yankee Doodle
Cinderella
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT, WISH I HAD A CURE TONIGHT - use stars, moon, clouds, etc. to decorate your site (thanks to Natchitoches, LA!)
When You Wish Upon A Star – Dress as stars, and walk around the track and give people cancer wishes (wishes to eliminate cancer, to help someone fighting it…) Write them on pieces of paper shaped as stars, and post them on a board.
Family Related Themes – see Friends/Family Related Themes.
Fantasy & Science Fiction Related Themes – This includes Medeival Themes (like King Arthur and knights), science fiction ideas, etc. Also see Movie Themes and TV Themes. For Fairytales & Fables see Fairytale Themes
All Knighters – follow a theme similar to Knights of the Round Table
Knights of The Round Table (for a Cure) – Dress as Knights… Bring a round table J Go to a party supply/costume store and get the outfits. Simple as that. Bring some brooms and turn them into horses (paste on eyes and a mouth if you are ambitious…) For an activity try the following:
“Have people buy shields that say "In memory of (name)" and have a "moat" around our tents (the ‘Castle of Hope’)… When people buy them they can put them in the moat which [symbolizes] cancer. Have people [donate] a dollar to go all the way around the moat [while] stepping on the shields… [they cannot step on] the mote. If they successfully get around they get a prize.” - thanks to Becky
add a cancer control theme by having the "Knights of the Round Table Slay Cancer!"... Have your knights go around and distribute cancer control info for the event (get the committee's support)... ask people questions about cancer, and if they answer right, make a big deal of how they, too are invited to be a Knight of the Round Table, give them a ceremonial badge, or hat, or shield... In that way, make the "Knights of the Round Table grow! (thanks to Ramesh M. Baltimore MD)
"A Quest For A Cure - a Realm of Hope” – You could position it as ‘Our destiny is a fairytale ending – a cure for cancer!” Once upon a time... You could make shields out of cardboard to hang in your camp Combine with the above ideas too.
Spacemen Zapping Out Cancer – Dress as aliens, carry laser guns (thanks to Georgia Tech Relay)
Star Wars – see Movie Themes
“Fashion-Related Themes” – see “Dress Up Related Themes”
“Fire Departments/Brigades/Volunteer Fire Depts etc. Themes”:
Bucket Brigade! – “We are a volunteer fire dept and we've participate in the relay for life for years but this year i would like to change our team name. (Thanks to Kelly and “A Brand New U” for the creative brainstorm for this idea!)
Fire Hose for A Cure – Bring a hose (and even water if you can), squirt guns, etc. and “Wash away cancer’
“Fishing Related Themes” – see “Hunting/Fishing/Camping Themes” below
“Flying Related Themes” – see Aviation related themes
“Food/Cooking Related Team Themes”:
"A Cure Would Be Sweet" – Bake a lot of sweet items and sell them as fundraisers (thanks to Kenston County High School, OH)
Baking for A Cure
CHOMPIN' FOR A CURE – Have a lot of different food that you sell as fundraisers…
Cooking up a Cure – Have a cooking theme – wear chef’s hats, etc. And make food to provide for a donation! (Thanks to curebear88!)
Cooking For A Cure – Make some dishes and sell for a donatin, if your event allows
Food Fighters – bring healthy food choices to relay and “Fight” cancer that way.
FREEZE OUT CANCER – Have a ice cream parlor, sell homemade ice cream (Thanks to Natchitoches, LA)
Friendship/Family Related Themes – Also see TV related Themes (for the TV show Friends)
All For One, and One For All
Family For A Cure
Friends For A Cure - You could play off the TV show Friends, each be a character, and decorate your campsite with a couch (like theirs), etc... Then walk around the track with prizes if others answer a cancer control trivia question AND a Friends trivia question correctly (What character did Monica fall in love with and completely freak her parents out? Tom Selleck, who played her father's divorced friend who was his age and old enough to be Monica's parent, etc.).
Friends and Family For A Cure
Friends For Life - Focus on your friendships - decorate your site with pictures of you and your friends, particularly ones of you together... Bring a Polaroid camera and take more... Make other 'friends' at the event... take their polaroids, and put them up on your campsite with their name written on the Polaroid, and an interesting fact about them... this will encourage Relay teams to mingle... have a prize for the team that 'makes friends with your team' the most!
Love, Hope, Relay – This is a theme that ACS has used for many years – beautiful, especially if your staff can find you the shirts that say that J
"Mom's Making Cancer Disappear" - We will be hosting a Magic Show and our magician may be able to attend our opening ceremonies at Relay! (Thanks to RelayForMom 1/05)
Together For A Cure
TOGETHER WE'RE THE BEST! (thanks to Geddy!)
Uniting For A Cure
“Game Related Themes” – for Sports related themes (baseball football bowling etc.) see Sports
Bingo - Calling for a Cure! - …We run a bingo hall and out team name was "Calling For a Cure" but we would like something different. (Thanks to Kelly for this idea)
Candy Land For A Cure – Have a candy theme! Play Candy Land!
A Monopoly on Curing Cancer! – Rolling the Dice For A cure – Set up a game of Monopoly, and have folks win prizes (get sunscreen, hats, etc. donated as prizes) for where people land when they roll…)
"Mom's Making Cancer Disappear" - We will be hosting a Magic Show and our magician may be able to attend our opening ceremonies at Relay! (Thanks to RelayForMom 1/05)
“Halloween Themes”
Scaring Away Cancer – Dress as ghosts and “boo” away cancer! (thanks to Jena Wilder 10/04)
“Hawaiian Themes” – all these ideas fit the same basic decorations: Dress your team in Hawaiian shirts (www.orientaltraders .com is a good place to get them cheap), and serve Hawaiian drinks for a donation… Wear leis, grass skirts and the whole nine yards… If your event has a Miss Relay contest where a man has to dress as a woman, get all the guys on your teams to wear grass skirts (with something under them!) and lots of leis and enter the contest!:
ALOHA, LIFE! (thanks to Geddy!) – You could use the Hula Theme (see above)
Finding The "Volcanic" Cure – Thanks to JoyceB75!
Hula Honey's – Thanks to JoyceB75!
Hula For A Cure – See Musical – Thanks to JoyceB75!
Hawaii-Cure-O –
Re-Lei for Life – Thanks to JoyceB75!
Re-Lei for a Cure – Thanks to JoyceB75!
“Health Care/Medical/Doctor/Nurse Themes”
ALL TOGETHER FOR LIFE (thanks to Geddy!)
Calling Out the Cancer 911 – Dress like an emergency team and “respond” to cancer risk factors – eating unhealthy, not wearing sunscreen, etc.
Cancer Cause Connectors – Similar to “Calling Out Cancer 911” – “Connect” the causes of cancer to risk factors – eating unhealthy, not wearing sunscreen, etc.
Caregivers for A Cure – Could be a name for a group of health care providers…
Cure Connectors – “Connect” the dots for people by sharing stories about some of the innovations in cancer – Tamoxifen, etc. – make signs to post around your events track and say “brought to you by the ‘Cure Connectors’ team”… Get your event’s approval!
Healthy Steps To A Cure
Rainbow Rescuers (thanks to askeeler)
Research For A Cure – Dress up like scientists searching for a cure
Working For A Cure – Docs, Nurses etc. can come in their uniforms, and hand out “cards” with tips for preventing cancer
“Holiday Themes” – Christmas, Anniversaries, Birthdays…
All I want for Christmas is a Cure – X-Mas decorations, wear santa hats and elf outfits, etc. (Thanks to curebear88!)
Happy Birthday Relay! – Hold a Birthday Party at Relay and decorate your site as such… Include birthday hats, a cake, ribbons, etc.! Thanks to the4blairs for the inspiration!
Have a Relay Happy Birthday! - – Hold a Birthday Party at Relay and decorate your site as such… Include birthday hats, a cake, ribbonts, etc! Thanks to the4blairs for the inspiration!
Stars and Stripes for A Cure /July 4th – see patriotic themes
We’re Thanksgiving For A Cure – Have one team responsible for the survivor dinner, and host a “Thanksgiving Survivor Dinner” where everyone gives thanks for those that are battling cancer and alive! (thanks to R Moorthy)
“Homemaker/Fabric/Knitting/Stitching Themes” – We weren’t sure where to put these… Hopefully this makes sense J
STITCHING UP A CURE - Bring huge needles and thread, sewing machines, etc. to decorate your site…
Knitting Up A Cure – Bring rocking chairs, and have your team members sit and knit… even better yet, have them make Relay scarves, hats, etc. and sell them as fundraisers!
“Hunting/Fishing/Camping Themes” – see also Western Themes below…
Boating For A Cure – If your site will allow it, bring a boat to your site, and “Fish” off the side… You can even have people come and donate $1 to get a Polaroid on the boat!
“Bye-You To Cancer!”, “Bayou For A Cure” Or “Fishing For A Cure” Or ???? – Use a swamp theme and decorate in fishing stuff. You could also have moss and some old cypress wood (5/18/04 - Thanks to jaime lavigne for this great idea!)
Hunting for A Cure - Make your campsite look like an African Safari Hunt, everybody dresses up in camouflage, etc. etc. Or dress in Western Wear, and make like your are part of the Wild Wild West… Or dress as explorers in the Jungle and have one person dress as Tarzan and another as Jane… J
SWAT - Students With A Target - Cancer! – Not sure how this team decorated/etc. but you could have big bullseye targets, bring a game of darts (with safe darts – say the kid safe ones you’re your Relay), bring a sack toss game where people toss the little sack onto a bullseye to win prizes (sunscreen, etc.). You could do a lot with this idea! (thanks to Kandy for finding this idea! If you team did this and you’d like to share the specifics of how you decorated/made it come to life, please email Ramesh@acsrelay.org)
“Jungle Themes” – see Animal Themes or Nature themes
“Law Enforcement/Police Etc. Themes”… See also Military themes
Lock Away Cancer for Life! – Setup a fake jail, and even have people arrested and put in it for a donation, then give people the opportunity to bail them out by donating $20 in total (if they don’t bail them out, you might want to let them go in a hour J )
The Cancer Cops or The Prevention Police – Dress in your uniforms, and “arrest” cancer everywhere you go – have little laminated “handcuffs”, and go around the track asking people if they are wearing sunscreen (during the day) and “handcuff” them if they are not, “handcuff” them if they are not wearing hats, etc.
SWAT - Students With A Target - Cancer! – Not sure how this team decorated/etc. but you could have big bullseye targets, bring a game of darts (with safe darts – say the kid safe ones you’re your Relay), bring a sack toss game where people toss the little sack onto a bullseye to win prizes (sunscreen, etc.). You could do a lot with this idea! (thanks to Kandy for finding this idea! If you team did this and you’d like to share the specifics of how you decorated/made it come to life, please email Ramesh@acsrelay.org)
Waging A War On Cancer
Legal Themes – These would fit for a Law Firm and other legal stuff. See also Law enforcement…. Basically, you can do the same kind of stuff for each of these ideas: Western Themes work well, you can have “Wanted: Cancer” posters (just like the old Western Wanted posters) all over your campsite, and have a Mock Jail (a tent with bars on it) and “catch cancer” and throw it in jail! Also make sure that you match some clever fundraisers with it – for example, have a Jail and Bail and sell “Get Out of Jail” Cards for a $5 donation. Let people “donate” to put people in Jail…
Cancer Is Against The Law!
Cure Cancer Legally J -
Founding Fathers For A Cure -
Lawyers Against Cancer
Legal Eagles For a Cure – Dress as a Lawyers and walk the track!!!
Outlaw Cancer!
There’s A Law Against Cancer!!!
“Life Themes”:
ALL TOGETHER FOR LIFE (thanks to Geddy!)
ALOHA, LIFE! (thanks to Geddy!) – You could use the Hula Theme (see above)
“Focus on Life" - Get people to donate to your team for buying enough luminaria to spell out Life somewhere on the field (make sure you get the event committee's approval to do this). Then make your campsite all about Life... Have Life cereal that people can eat for a donation, bring the board game Life that people can play in for a $1 donation to your Relay Team, Have Lifesavers rolls (that people can get for a donation), Relay For Life banners, have life preservers... etc. etc.... What other 'Life' related products can you think of??? Celebrate those who you know who have beat cancer - put a banner up on a side of a tent that says "Beat Cancer and Found Life" and put pictures up of all of them.
Friends For Life - Focus on your friendships - decorate your site with pictures of you and your friends, particularly ones of you together... Bring a Polaroid camera and take more... Make other 'friends' at the event... take their polaroids, and put them up on your campsite with their name written on the Polaroid, and an interesting fact about them... this will encourage Relay teams to mingle... have a prize for the team that 'makes friends with your team' the most!
"Mom's Cutting Out Cancer" - We sold ribbon cookies and cookie cutters with our baking theme. We also held our first golf outing which totaled over $1500 (thanks to RelayForMom)
Rays of Hope – “We decorated our entire camp site with rainbows individually made with peoples names. It was a big hit” (thanks to mmouse for the idea)
TOGETHER WE'RE THE BEST! (thanks to Geddy!)
“Louisiana Themes” – see “Mardi Gras/Louisiana Themes” below:
“Lung Cancer Themes” – see Cancer themes
“Magic Related Themes” – see Game related themes
“Mardi Gras/Louisiana Themes”:
Beading for A Cure – Wear beads, etc. and dance around your Relay – bring some good dancing music to go with your Mardi-Gras Theme
Marga-Relay-Ville – add beads to the Marga-Relay-Ville theme (Hawaiian shirts, leis, etc.) and you’re close enough…
Mardi-Gras For A Cure – Have a little Mardi Gras right at Relay – dress in elaborate costumes (the traditional Mardi Gras colors fit Relay – purple!, green and gold), decorate your tent like it is a float in a Mardi Gras parade, get some good music, a lots of beads, and dance around the track and “bead” other teams!
“Bye-You To Cancer!”, “Bayou For A Cure” Or “Fishing For A Cure” Or ???? – Use a swamp theme and decorate in fishing stuff. You could also have moss and some old cypress wood… Ok it is not quite Mardi Gras but is related to Louisiana??? (5/18/04 - Thanks to jaime lavigne for this great idea!)
CHOMPIN' FOR A CURE – Have alligators, swamps, etc.
Medeival Related Themes – See Fantasy
Military Themes – see also Law Enforcement, Patriotic
Waging A War On Cancer
SWAT - Students With A Target - Cancer! – Not sure how this team decorated/etc. but you could have big bullseye targets, bring a game of darts (with safe darts – say the kid safe ones you’re your Relay), bring a sack toss game where people toss the little sack onto a bullseye to win prizes (sunscreen, etc.). You could do a lot with this idea! (thanks to Kandy for finding this idea! If you team did this and you’d like to share the specifics of how you decorated/made it come to life, please email Ramesh@acsrelay.org)
USO – Dress as USO members, and “entertain” Relay! Thanks to Susan!
“Money/Finanicial Institutions/Banking Themes”:
BANKING ON A CURE – Have a bunch of Piggy banks… Have people make deposits as donations… Dress as piggy banks or bankers. (12/04 – Thanks to Natchitoches, LA)
Cashing in for a Cure – A great name for a bank or financial institution! (thanks Steph!)
Quarters For A Cure – Hold a fundraiser in your office where you deposit “quarters” in jars in each other’s departments… The team with the fewest quarters wins… (in other words, this encourages you to get rid of quarters in other departments’ jars… Then, at the event, put out jars for every member of your team – while they are walking, put a quarters in their jar. The team member who has the most quarters has to buy everyone breakfast the next morning after the event (with the proceeds of his/her jar, so be generous!)
Cure Cash Cows, or Cash Cows for A Cure – Dress someone up as a cow as a team mascot, and the rest of the team can be cow-pokes (dress western style)
Dollars Make Sense for a Cure – Thanks to peg6897! - Setup the side of a tent where people can come around to your site and put a $1 bill in to get a Relay Dangler… Basically you start with a tent-side worth of danglers, and end up with $1 bills in place of each Dangler. Dress in green outfits and get some $$ pins from a local store or on-line. Decorate your site with fake money (maybe $1 million dollar bills J ) and green streamers.
Old Tyme Tellers – You could dress up in traditional outfits… “In the the past we have done Old tyme Tellers since one of our tellers passed away from cancer”… Thanks to Kris C. from Illinois!
“Motorcycle Related Themes” – See Transportation Related Themes/Motorcycles
“Movie Theme”:
Movies for A Cure - show movies all night at/near your campsite and have popcorn and sodas with it...
Beauty and the Beast, or Beastmasters – “This is something my daddy came up with the year he passed away. It is the Beauty and the Beast - The Beauty of life is beating the Beast called cancer…. we grill hamburgers all night so we are set off to the side and everyone sees us.” (Thanks to 1dadsgirl for this!)… Additional ideas for this: you could 1. Dress some folks as beasts (give them signs as different forms of cancer, and have a "tamer"... You could make it a doctor/scientist type who "tames the beasts". 2. More traditional - beasts and a lion-tamer type, but that strikes us as a little more risque... :)
“Cartooning For A Cure” or “Toon Out Cancer” – Have each of your team members dress as a cartoon character to form your team… Decorate your tent like a cartoon house – maybe crazy colors, or something…. Have your cartoon characters walk the track with a Polaroid camera, and “sell” pictures for a $1 donation to the ACS – NOTE: Target parents with kids – they won’t say no to their kid wanting a picture with Wiley Coyote!!!! (Thanks to several different folks for this idea, including Jaime Lavigne)
Disney theme – “We blew up the disney characters life size and hand painted them, it was a lot of work but it was awesome.” You could call it Mousketeers for A Cure (thanks to mmouse for the idea)
"Let's Make Cancer, Gone With the Wind". – Dress up in Gone With the Wind period costumes… A great idea from Lorri!
Potter’s Magical Cure – Dress up like Harry Potter characters, set up your tent and put fake cardboard turrets (like a castle) around it, have brooms to “fly on” when you walk on the track, etc. etc.
Sending Cancer To Infinity And Beyond – Use this Toy Story theme and dress up as the characters (thanks to erpam)
Star Wars For A Cure – Dress as Star Wars characters and ‘eradicate the Evil Empire’ – Have a Death Star piñata (get a round ball piñata and make it look like the Death Star) and let people take a swing at it for a donation. Give a prize to whoever who breaks it, and fill it with great cancer control stuff your team distributes once it is broken open! Have Darth Vader Walk around the track and say… “Luke… I am your…. Cancer control specialist… Take some sunscreen” J Thanks to Ramesh from Baltimore for this idea.
Tarzan! – a team did a Tarzan theme; one team member drew a huge tarzan and a vine and the whole bit, and had the name “Wild Bunch” (thanks to mmouse for the idea!)
The Wizard of Oz! – “hi, im a 15 year old girl from a high school in New York. I was the team captain for the Realy for Life held at a local high school. Our theme was the Wizard of Oz. We had everything from the yellow-brick road, to the witches legs out from underneath our tents. Our hard work payed off because we received the award for "Most Creative Team Theme". Hope our suggestion helped!” – Thanks to Krys23 for this suggestion!
Win An Oscar for A Cure – Dress up like you are movie stars and at the Oscars, and make your “baton” for the person walking something that looks like an Oscar Statue/Trophy. Put out a red carpet to your tent. As you walk around the track, have little pins or trophies to give others if they can answer a cancer control question right.
“Musical/Dancing/Songs/Party themes”:
Butterflies, Beaches, & Buffett (as in Jimmy Buffett) Cancer Take Flight On Butterfly Wings Tonight. – Thanks to Kerri M and the the Greater Auglaize Relay For Life! - http://www.auglaizerelay.com/ “We are having a live butterfly release at opening & closing (weather permitting). I am sending you a sample of our tickets. I bought butterfly pins off a couple of ebay stores so that the person gets a pin to wear & keep & if they come to Relay they receive a live butterfly to "release cancer" "in honor of" "in memory of" or just for fun. We are planning on having Jimmy Buffett music, butterfly bracelets, sand for the kids to play in, coconut bra contest, plus anything that anyone can think of! We had a committee member who's son had a luau wedding reception, she got all the decorations from that for us to use. We will sell lei's also. Our survivor dinner will be a luau (held in March or April) to hopefully excite our survivors about Relay. Feel free to use any of our ideas for your web site. My husband, best friend & I came up with the theme. See

http://www.acsrelay.org/Darn_Good_Ideas/14-Relay_Poems.doc

For a great Relay Poem called “Butterfly Indian Legend” you can read at the event!

Dancing For A Cure – Have a team, get someone who is a good dancer to give dance lessons “at large” a couple of times – late in the evening, early in the morning, and get all the other teams to come and participate. Also, you could dance around the track!
Disco For A Cure – Dress up in bell bottom and plaid shirts, big hair wigs, and play and good Disco music (Raid your parent’s record collection, go to a thrift shop and buy a record player – yes, one of those old things that plays those big black round things!) J
Groovin’ For A Cure – Dress up in crazy 60’s clothes from a thrift shop, decorate your campsite with tie-die t-shirts, and play some good 60’s music.
Hula For A Cure – dress in Hawaiian costume, bring lei’s and give them out for a donation, Hula dance for a cure around the track! You can also hold a Hula Hoop contest at midnight, and have a prize for the winner!
"Let's Sock It To Cancer" – “We're working on an oldies/sock hop theme for our Relay event this year..., and I'm looking for some fun games, contests, etc that would tie in with our theme to help keep participants active throughout the event. Ours runs Friday night into Saturday morning. We have a great 50s/60s band for the late evening entertainment, and we have a DJ that covers the early morning hours…” – thanks to Skijowski!
Marga-Relay-Ville – Jimmy Buffet fans can dress up in a Marga-Relay theme – leis, Hawaiian shirts, etc. etc.! This is also good for a "beach theme"!
Masquerading for A Cure! – Dress up in costumes and masks, and participate in Relay!
Salsa for A Cure - Dress up, bring some latin music and salsa & merengue around the track for a cure with your partner! Go and get other people off their campsites to join you and dance around the track with them. Offer for your team to hold a dance competition (and find a teacher to come give lessons) after the opening ceremony.
Sockhop For A Cure, or Rockin’ All Night Long For A Cure, or ???? - Use a 50's theme, setup a pink bar and stools, and sell root beer floats! (5/18/04 - Thanks to jaime lavigne for this great idea!)
“Staying Alive!” – You all dress up like John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and Stay Alive! (you can use the ideas from the disco theme right above, too.
“Swinging For A Cure” – Dress up in Zoot Suits and dresses and swing down the track for a cure with your partner! Go and get other people off their campsites to join you and swing around the track with them. Offer for your team to hold a dance competition after the opening ceremony to give people swing lessons.
“Unforgettable!” – Just like the Nat King Cole song - unforgettable Play the song, and have pictures up of survivors that your team knows, and people who have lost the fight – and how they are unforgettable!
“Nature Related Themes” – this could include everything from gardening to astronomy to ??? See also hunting related themes above:
Dream Makers – Decorate your campsite with a overhead tent that covers your site… decorate the tent “ceiling” with glow in the dark stars and make your tents into “clouds” by putting “cut out” clouds on the sides of your tent. Have your team dress in pajamas… Decorate a bulletin board with photos of the people your team is honoring, with star shaped post-its all around it. Then imagine a cure in the clouds! (Thanks to ClayCoTx and Magiedcat for these ideas!)
Finding The "Volcanic" Cure – Dress your team in Hawaiian shirts (www.orientaltraders .com is a good place to get them cheap), and serve Hawaiian drinks for a donation… Wear leis, grass skirts and the whole nine yards… If your event has a Miss Relay contest where a man has to dress as a woman, get all the guys on your teams to wear grass skirts (with something under them!) and lots of leis and enter the contest!. Thanks to JoyceB75!
Rainbows For A Cure or Rainbow Relayers or The Relay Rainbow – Have Rainbows all over your site and “pots of gold” (chocolate coins)! Dress in tye dye t-shirts, tye dye bandanas, and have lots of baked goods with rainbow colored sparkles etc that are available for a donation!
Team Dreamcatcher – decorate your campsite with dreamcatchers and “grant” people dreams by writing them on sheets of paper shaped as clouds and posting them on a board… See if they will make donations for their wish…
STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT, WISH I HAD A CURE TONIGHT - use stars, moon, clouds, etc. to decorate your site (thanks to Natchitoches, LA!)
Swinging Thru the Jungle For A Cure – Have your whole team dress like Tarzan and Jane (not too skimpy, though! J ) and hang vines all over your site… Go to orientaltrading.com and get lots of jungle themed stuff, too!
Weeding Out Cancer – “We got Lowe's to donate small terra cotta pots, flowers, and soil, and me and my mom painted the flower pots and planted the flowers and sold them at the relay, but you could also sell them before” (Submitted by Jaime Lavigne 5/04)
When You Wish Upon A Star – Dress as stars, and walk around the track and give people cancer wishes (wishes to eliminate cancer, to help someone fighting it…) Write them on pieces of paper shaped as stars, and post them on a board.
Nursery Rhymes – see Fairy Tales above
OTHER THEMES – Not sure where to put these…. J
“Porcelain Goddesses "Flushing Out Cancer All Over Town" - For a price we would place, or remove, the Purple Potty in a yard or business. It can be a big money maker, but be sure to have plenty of help, that Purple Potty is heavy!” – (thanks to RelayForMom!)
Party Themes – Themes that relate to throwing a big party etc… See also musical themes
Masquerading for A Cure! – Dress up in costumes and masks, and participate in Relay!
“Clowning Around For A Cure” – all dress as clowns, and face paint kids! (thanks to Jena Wilder 8-04)

Patriotic Themes… See also Military Themes
A Cure On The Fourth of July! – Use Uncle Sam for your theme – Have Uncle Sam Posters that Say “WE (or your team name) WANT YOU (to Find A Cure For Cancer!) (thanks to Sarah and erpam)
America For A Cure – Have a picture of the 50 states and have people at the Relay come put a Flag Pin (you can get them in bulk at Oriental Trading Corp – search on line) in the state they were born in. For each person that picks a new state, give them a small prize! (thanks to R. Moorthy Baltimore MD)
Firecrackers For A Cure or Sparklers For A Cure! (thanks to erpam)
Old Glory For A Cure
Relay Revelers! – Get streamers, horns, etc. and Revel at Relay! You can all dress in red, white and blue!
Red, White and Blue For A Cure! – Similar to Relay Revelers!
Stars and Stripes For A Cure! – Dress in Stars and Stripes, Patriotic hats, T-shirts, etc. Have someone dress as Uncle Sam and go around and say “We want you… To FIND A CURE!”, Have someone else be Betsy Ross, weaving a flag quilt… Have an Escalating Silent Auction for the Quilt, that ends at 7am the next day! Sell flag pins, buttons, streamers, Red White and Blue Hats, your team shirts that say “Stars and Stripes For A Cure”, etc.
USA For A Cure
Waging A War On Cancer
“WE WANT YOU To Find A Cure!” – Use the Uncle Sam theme described above for “A Cure On The Fourth Of July!”
“Phone Company/Telecommunications Team Theme”:
"Callin' for a Cure" – A great idea from Steph, again!
Calling Up For A Cure
Connecting For A Cure
1-800-For-A-Cure
Cure Call
Cure-Tain Call
Pirate themes – see Boating themes!
“Rainbow themes”
Rays of Hope – “We decorated our entire camp site with rainbows individually made with peoples names. It was a big hit” (thanks to mmouse for the idea)
“Religious Themes”
Angels Among Us (thanks to Henderson County Relay For Life)
Angels in The Outfield - “We have a church group who uses Angels in the Outfield for their theme. They decorate their campsite like a baseball field with names and/or cancer facts at each of the bases on signs shaped like angels” (Thanks to LoriAyn)
Angels Relay (thanks to ClayCoTx)
Amazing Grace (Thanks to ClayCoTx)
Angels without Wings Leaping towards a Cure – Dress as angels leaping towards a cure…
Believers Seeking a Divine Cure (thanks to ClayCoTx)
Relay Angels - Decorate your site with pictures of angels with halos, etc, and you could have wings... Dress as angels.
Walkers In Faith Pray For a Cure
“Running theme” (see “Walking Theme” for walking ideas)
Running For A Cure – A team in Western Maryland runs each year with the goal of completing as many laps as possible for a cure… They use the “running” as a motivational tool for fundraising more money!
Running for a Cure (Thanks Stephanie!)
Trekking for a Cure (Thanks Stephanie!) – For this idea, you could dress up your tent like you are an expedition hiking Mt. Everest!!!!
Racing for a Cure (Thanks Stephanie!)
Cross Country Cancer Crushers (Thanks Stephanie!)
Cross Country Cure (Thanks Stephanie!)
“Sailing Themes” – see Boating Above
“Sales/People who are in Sales Themes”:
Selling for a Cure – Dress like “stereotyped” car salespeople in green blazers and plaid pants, and fake mustaches. Then go from campsite to campsite, selling something (baked good, Relay For Life pin, special Relay For Life t-shirt, etc.). This is not meant to offend sales people J
Cold Calls For A Cure – Since you are in sales, go around to other teams and “Cold Call” them for donations – sell them something (a pin, a baked good, etc.)
Prospecting for A Cure – “Prospect for Gold” (donations) by going from campsite to campsite while dressed like California Gold Rush Gold Diggers.
E-LEMON-ATE CANCER! - “I just found an idea on another website that my team is going to use: E-LEMON-ATE CANCER and have a lemonade stand. I think we'll probably "sell" the lemonade for donations and give the money we made to the relay at the end of the night. Just an idea... hope you like it.” (From Nenniebanini – thanks for the great idea!)
School Themes (For Middle and High Schools, College teams, etc.):
Relay Revelers! – Get streamers, horns, etc. and Revel at Relay! You can all dress in your school colors, bring your school mascot, etc!
SWAT - Students With A Target - Cancer! – See at the beginning of this list (the idea is described there)
Friends Walking For A Cure – See above for the description
Schoolhouse Rock - ABC Saturday Morning Shorts Theme – Remember “I’m Just A Bill, I am Only A Bill?” or Mother Necessity? Or The Great Melting Pot – See above for idea description
SWAT - Students With A Target - Cancer! – Not sure how this team decorated/etc. but you could have big bullseye targets, bring a game of darts (with safe darts – say the kid safe ones you’re your Relay), bring a sack toss game where people toss the little sack onto a bullseye to win prizes (sunscreen, etc.). You could do a lot with this idea! (thanks to Kandy for finding this idea! If you team did this and you’d like to share the specifics of how you decorated/made it come to life, please email Ramesh@acsrelay.org)
Science Fiction Themes – see Fantasy and Science Fiction Themes
Ship Themes – see Boating Above
“Skin Cancer Themes” – see Cancer themes
Song Themes – See Music
Sports Themes (also see Running, Walking,
Auto Racing – The catchy themes below would all work with the following ideas:Have “race cars” that go around the track to “Drive” cancer Awareness… Have your team members drive these cars and give out cancer control tips.
Driving For A Cure
Racing For A Cure
Basketball
Slam Dunking A Cure – Setup a basketball net (one of those nerf ones) and dress like a ‘70’s basketball player (big glasses, headband, and uniform)… Invite other teams to come over for 2:2 basketball games for donation bets… The winning team gets a $5 donation from the losers! (make sure you have the best 2 players so you earn a little more for your team! J )
Baseball
Cancer Crushers - “Our team this past year was CANCER CRUSHERS. We wanted to do a baseball theme and had a lot of different names suggested by our team members. We were determined to keep with the baseball theme throughout the event. For onsite fundraising we sold hot dogs and peanuts (just like at the ballpark). We had our own music (baseball music and highlights from our local major league teams' recent season). We had an oversized line up card with our team members name on it…” (Thanks to patrick440 for this!)
Hitting Cancer To The Park – Thanks to Rhasberry! –
Striking Out For A Cure, or Striking For A Cure – Great for a softball team participating in Relay! - Dress in your baseball team uniforms... create a baseball diamond on your campsite... make your tents your "dugouts" - divide your team into two groups and have a friendly competition between them to see which of your "subteams" raises the most money. Hold a charity fundraising whiffle ball game, where participants make a donation to participate, and the winning team gets their picture taken on stage for posterity and wins some cancer control prize. (Thanks to hobbit4)!
Biking
Lucky 7/LiveStrong – Honor Lance Armstrong with this theme… You could:
You could all have bicycles and dress in bicycling outfits...
Carry a "toy bike" as your baton around the track, and pass it from team member to team member.
Have a water stand at the edge of the track and give water to those "Bikers" (walkers) going by.

Bowling
Striking up a Cure (bowling theme) – Dress in Bowling Shirts, bring bowling balls, etc… Set up a little fake bowling alley that people can knock down pins in as a “fundraising game” – have small prizes etc for those who get three strikes, etc. (Thanks to curebear88!)
Rolling For A Cure – use a similar theme to right above!
Cheering/Cheerleading
Powder Puffs – Go to the store, get a bunch of cosmetics powder puffs and stick them all over yourselves. Easy to do, right? Then get a bunch of “puffy food” – white popcorn, marshmallows, etc. and serve them at your campsite and have a donation jar if people want to give you money.
Football
Catching A Cure – Have Nerf footballs and “toss” them around… ask people on the track to catch them to symbolize “Catching a Cure”… If they catch a cure, give them a small prize… (R. Moorthy Baltimore MD)
Most Valuable Player – Have your campsite be football themed (see the decoration ideas on the other theme ideas)… Hand out awards for Most Valuable Players – give one to every survivor you meet on the track, give “caregiver awards” to caregivers, and so on… Make it fun and entertaining! (R. Moorthy Baltimore MD)
Rushing Towards a Cure – Decorate your campsite like it is a football field – have yardline markers, etc. and everybody wear football helmets and jerseys if you have them!
TOUCHDOWN FOR A CURE – Bring a lot of footballs and dress as players & cheerleaders. (12/04)
Golfing
Driving It For A Cure
Golfing For A Cure – Have your team hold a golf tournament to raise money for Relay before Relay, and then follow the theme into your event for your team… Have a small course (with cups for holes) and let kids come and ‘play golf’ during the evening of Relay… Partner with the activities/on-site/logistics committees to publicize your golf course in the program.
Hole In One For A Cure
Teeing It Up For A Cure

Hockey
Slapshot For A Cure – Decorate your team site with team spirit for your favorite hockey team, wear jerseys, and set up a net that people can score a slapshot in to win a prize… Have it going all night so that people can come over and have some fun when they’re getting tired…
Horse Racing – see Animals, Horses
Soccer
Kicking For A Cure – A great theme for a soccer team or lovers… dress as soccer players, bring a ball to kick around (if your event allows it), if you are really hard-core wear real jerseys J (thanks to miafan10 for sharing this great idea!)
State Themes – See 50 States, See Mardi Gras/Lousiana, See Hawaiian Themes.
Transportation Related Themes!
“Air Flight Related Themes” - – Decorate your site with airplanes and clouds and such!
Flying For A Cure
Soaring For A Cure
Skydiving For A Cure
Auto Racing – See Sports Themes/ Auto Racing
Boating/Sailing – see Boating
Bus–Related Themes
Get On The Bus For A Cure! – Rent a Bus and decorate it with a Relay For Life banner and drive around town creating awareness for Relay For Life!!!!
Car-Related Themes
“Car Bashers For A Cure” – Get an old car, and hold an on-site fundraiser where people get to bash the car for a set period of time for a donation!
Car Wash For A Cure – Hold a fundraiser at the event washing cars for a donation!
“GTO” – by Ronny and the Daytonas - Similar to “Little Red Corvette”
“Little Red Corvette” after the Prince song –get Corvette matchbox cars and decorate your tent with a Corvette poster or have the kids paint it on a tarp…Have a jukebox and play the song.
“Pink Cadillac” – Bruce Springsteen… Again, similar to some of the ideas above for GTO or Little Red Corvette….
Driving – See Car Related Themes
Flying/Flight – see Air Flight
Motorcycles / Motorcycle Rallies– With any of these themes, bring a bike to your campsite (not to ride), have Motorcycle related prizes (little Hot Wheels Motorcycles, motorcycle goggles, motorcycle stickers, etc.)… Some of these themes can be used for Harley Davidson, Indian Motorcycles, Ducati, and others… Have your whole team dress in motorcycle chaps and helmets! AND “This is not necessary Harley related, but what about a "tattoo" booth with some Harley tattoos and other goodies like that. You could also try to get some stuff donated and auction it off.” Thanks to Erica for this great idea!
Choppers For A Cure
Fat Boys For A Cure –
Hog-Wild for a Cure –
Hogging For A Cure –Bring a Harley to the Relay for inspiration
Motorcycle Mania!
Riding the Roads For A Cure
Sailing – see Boating Themes above
TV Themes – these relate to TV shows, etc.
American Bandstand – Have an American Bandstand theme… Have the event MC DJ and play oldies… Have interteam dances where people make a donation to make their friends dance with others. Have fun – make people dance with each other, introduce people you know to each other that way, and so on… Each $5 donation gets a dance couple on the track!
Beverly Hillbillies – Dress like the Beverly Hillbillies (complete with old truck, if you have it) :) (thanks to Superbratt)
Bewitched – Dress up as Samantha, as well as Darren and have one of your kid’s team members be little Amanda, as well as someone else be Samantha’s mother…
Cancer Survivor- Kenyan Safari – Set up a Kenyan Safari at your campsite with the slogan “Cancer Survivor it's not a game, it's life!” – Decorate with African Safari hats, camouflage, and fake pistols that shoot out flags –write “CURE CANCER!” on the flags. Put some straw or something over your tent to make it look more “Grasslands”… It can be a play on Survivor the TV show… (Thanks to Zoomzoom, 5/04)
“Cartooning For A Cure” or “Toon Out Cancer” – Have each of your team members dress as a cartoon character to form your team… Decorate your tent like a cartoon house – maybe crazy colors, or something…. Have your cartoon characters walk the track with a Polaroid camera, and “sell” pictures for a $1 donation to the ACS – NOTE: Target parents with kids – they won’t say no to their kid wanting a picture with Wiley Coyote!!!! (Thanks to several different folks for this idea, including Jaime Lavigne)
Friends Walking For A Cure – “My team has participated in Relay for 4 years. Our team name 2 years ago was "Friends Walking For A Cure" the idea came from the Friends TV show. This would be a good idea to do again this year as it's Friends last season on TV. We decorated our campsite to look like the inside of the coffee shop "Central Perk". We had a lot of fun that year!!” – Thanks to Karen for this great idea!
Gilligan’s Island –From Susanne: “I did Gilligan's Island - Castaway Cancer and won best decorated tent in our relay April 2004. It was cute. I purchased a bunch of cute stuff from oriental trading company on-line including leis, gilligan hats, coconut cups, grass skirts for tables and tent. (www.orientaltrading.com)”… Could be a great idea! Dress as the characters (Mr. Howell, Gilligan, the Skipper, Maryann, Ginger, the Professor), have a fake boat too or even real boat there, and some palm trees!
"Goddesses For a Cure"....Thanks to aimie2006 – They all wore togas and tiaras... J
Hawaii-Cure-O – Dress your team in Hawaiian shirts (www.orientaltraders .com is a good place to get them cheap), and serve Hawaiian drinks for a donation… Wear leis, grass skirts and the whole nine yards… If your event has a Miss Relay contest where a man has to dress as a woman, get all the guys on your teams to wear grass skirts (with something under them!) and lots of leis and enter the contest!
I Dream Of Jeannie – Have someone dress up as Jeannie, and someone borrow military uniforms and dress up as Major Nelson and Major Healey…!
Love Boat For A Cure – Dress up as the Love Boat crew, make your campsite or tent look like a boat, and “set sail for a cure!”
Mash – Thanks to beepolite – The team dressed up as Mash characters – doctors and soldiers - and had a site that looked like the Mash set.
Mayberry RFD/Andy Griffith Show – see right below – “Nip Cancer In The Bud”
Nick at Night – Have Nick at Night be your theme… and have characters from shows on Nick At night (8/05)
Nip Cancer in the Bud! – “You can have someone dress up like Barney and issue tickets throughout the event as a fundraiser. For example, if during the day, issue tickets to people not wearing sun screen, etc. You could also make a jail and hold people for donations...or take donations to arrest people.... Have an "Aunt Bee's Bake Sale." “ – Thanks to MagieDCat! (11/05)
Schoolhouse Rock - ABC Saturday Morning Shorts Theme – Remember “I’m Just A Bill, I am Only A Bill?” or Mother Necessity? Or The Great Melting Pot – If you do, it’s because you were raised on Schoolhouse Rock like I was - A great theme might be to print out all the Schoolhouse Rock Songs, dress up like the characters, and dance around the track singing the songs. The worse your singing, the better! See the following website for the songs/ideas: http://www.postdiluvian.org/~gilly/Schoolhouse_Rock/HTML/history/
Or
http://www.school-house-rock.com/index.htm
(Submitted by Ramesh Moorthy, Baltimore MD)
“Walking Theme” (see “Running Theme” for running ideas)
THE PAVEMENT POUNDERS (thanks to Geddy!)
STREET WALKERS FOR LIFE (thanks to Geddy!)
LIFE WALKERS (thanks to Geddy!)
STRUTTIN' & JIVIN' FOR A CURE! (thanks to Geddy!)
THE PACESETTERS (thanks to Geddy!)
“Western Themes” – Ideas that recall the Wild Wild West! In any of these ideas, you dress in Western outfits, serve western food (chili or stew), wear bandanas (Make Relay For Life bandanas) and decorate your site like a Western Town! (thanks to CvinTampa for some of these ideas!)
Hillbillies –also see TV, Beverly Hillbillies
Hunting for A Cure - Make your campsite look like an African Safari Hunt, everybody dresses up in camouflage, etc. etc. Or dress in Western Wear, and make like your are part of the Wild Wild West… (thanks to the Towson Relay For Life!)
Jail and Bail – “You can do a "Jail & Bail". Make a "jail" out of wood or just rope of a section and decorate with poster board. You would charge $1 to have someone locked up. Then charge the "prisoner" $1.00 to be set free. Set a designated time (example: 10 minutes) to keep someone that doesn't bail out.” (Thanks to CvinTampa! 4/05)
Lumber Jacks Cutting Cancer Down to Size! – Dress as lumberjacks, have axes, etc. and “cut cancer down” (thanks to Georgia Tech Relay 12/04)
Prospecting for A Cure – “Prospect for Gold” (donations) by going from campsite to campsite while dressed like California Gold Rush Gold Diggers.
Running Cancer Outta Town – Put on western attire, get some fake guns, and “run cancer outta town” as you walk/run around the track! (thanks to carolwest)
Saddle Up For A Cure! – Thanks to Jill – A great Western Theme for your event!
Shooting Out Cancer! – Use a western theme, have a canopy on your site and make it into a saloon. Put a fence on the front of your tent with some rocking chairs. Set it up so you can walk in through the swinging bar doors. Put a bar and 3 tables inside. Put cancer info on the canopy walls. You could have a so long cancer saloon (and even have non-alcholic drinks for a donation – slushies work really well), as well as a Corralling cancer – OK Corrall! (thanks to Angelamt for this idea – 6/29/04)
Wrangling For A Cure - “ We… had a western theme for our team last year… We had some hay bales with an old wagon wheel. We all wore cowboy hats and had stick horses…” Thanks to Julie76! 11/04
Wild West – Use any of the ideas above… (thanks to Georgia Tech, 12/04)
“Word Play” themes:
Rachel's Relay Revelers
Howard’s Hooligans
Steven’s Survivor Supporters
Connie’s Cancer Crusade
Keep Cancer Away!
Cancer Crusaders: Catching a Cure
“Work Related Themes”: IF you work in….
BANKING – See “Money/Financial Institutions/Banking Themes”:
BEAUTY or COSMETICS, IN A DEPT STORE COSMETICS DEPT, etc:
Powder Puffs – Go to the store, get a bunch of cosmetics powder puffs and stick them all over yourselves. Easy to do, right? Then get a bunch of “puffy food” – white popcorn, marshmallows, etc. and serve them at your campsite and have a donation jar if people want to give you money.
Haircuts for a Cure – If your team has the skills, setup with the entertainment committee to give haircuts for a few hours for a donation to ACS!
Beautify For A Cure – If your team has nail/grooming/waxing skills, donate your skills for a few hours doing just that!
CONSTRUCTION – see construction above
FINANCIAL AREAS – See “Money/Finanicial Institutions/Banking Themes”:
FIRE PREVENTION – See Fire above
FOOD – See “Food Related Team Themes” above
HEALTH CARE – See “Health Care Themes “ above
LAW ENFORCEMENT – See Law Enforcement above
MONEY – See “Money/Finanicial Institutions/Banking Themes”:
MUSEUM – See “Art Related Themes” above
RESTAURANTS – See “Food Related Team Themes”
SALES – See “Sales/People who are in Sales Themes” above
SPORTING GOODS – see Hunting/Fishing/Camping Themes above
TELECOMMUNICATIONS – See “Phone Company/Telecommunications Team Theme”:

10-Fundraising Letters – Examples –Darn Good Ideas

Great letters are part of the heart of our fundraising work for Relay For Life. Without them, we would not raise over $300 Million per year towards a cure!

Here are the keys to a great letter and making it work!
Make it personal (refer to those who you know who are battling cancer or have lost the fight)… People respond and relate to a personal cause.
No more than one page – Tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and tell ‘em what you said, or so a friend used to say.
Tell them where to send donations/how to donate. If your event has on-line registration, give them on the on-line link to donate.. Lots of people love to donate on line!
Be original – An original letter – including photos, a unique spin, etc. will get people’s attention
USE E-MAIL, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR FRIENDS ARE ON LINE!!!! Don’t send the e-mail as an attachment… People don’t always open attachments. Embed a photo if you can of a fun Relay photo…
AND ALWAYS – THANK THOSE WHO DONATE – send a personal e-mail (some people think you should send a handwritten note – you know your friends and family best!) or note. Tell them what you raised, how the event did, and even send a photo to give them an idea of what you were a part of, particularly if they are not familiar with Relay.

Below are a lot of different fundraising letter ideas as well as other’s ideas on what makes a great letter!:

Example Letter #1 – Using E-mail to get the word out! Submitted by Ramesh Moorthy, Baltimore, MD In this age of technology, leverage e-mail… I have used this idea every year, and suggested it to several other people – two of them have told me and said they raised $1000+ from using such an e-mail! AND IT’S SO EASY!!!!! Here is my letter… I paste it in an e-mail and send it to all my family and friends:

Friends and Family,

As many of you are now familiar, it has become a yearly event for me to participate in the American Cancer Society's signature event, Relay for Life. Relay for Life raises money to fight cancer and to raise awareness of cancer in the community. It is a community-developed event run by volunteers and coached by ACS staff. It honors cancer survivors, and remembers those who have lost their lives to cancer. I became involved when I lived in Iowa 3 years ago, and since then my involvement has grown.

I have been fortunate - I have worked with wonderful people on Relay and this year I am a Team Captain for one of the Relays in the [YOUR CITY OR COUNTY] area – [YOUR EVENT NAME]. The unfortunate part is that I can tell you of the impact that cancer has had on my life – In the past year, I have lost [# OF PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED – GIVE THEM YOUR PERSONAL SPIN – I EMPHASIZE WHO I KNOW WHO HAS BEEN IMPACTED – MAKE SURE YOU CHECK WITH THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE MENTIONING THEM…]

So, as you also know, part of this event is fund-raising, and I would like to ask you to sponsor me to walk in this event. I will be at the event for the duration of the event - from about 3pm on [START DATE], until 10am on [END DATE]. And in all likelihood, sleep will be scarce :) So those of you who are worried that I won't work for this donation don’ t have to worry J

If you would like to donate, please e-mail or call me with the amount you will be pledging, and you can send a donation, payable to the American Cancer Society, to me at the address below. I'd also be happy to let you know your pledge from last year (not to be obnoxious, but many have already asked). J

If you would like more information, please contact me. I'd be happy to get any information you'd like. If you would like to become involved, I'd be happy to assist you, or contact your local American Cancer Society office. There are over 4000 Relays across the U.S. where you can make a difference!

Thank you for supporting the fight against cancer!

[YOUR NAME HERE]
[YOUR ADDRESS HERE]

Example Letter #2 – Short and Simple, not a lot to customize – Use this letter if you don’t want to put a lot of details on your event or fundraising,but want to communicate your fundraising goal, why it is important to you, and that’s all! Thanks to the Pottstown Relay For Life for the basic format!


Dear friends and family,The fight against cancer goes on. There is no one I know who can say they DO NOT have a friend or relative who has battled this terrible illness.I have found a way I can fight this disease - through the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life. I am dedicating my walk this year to all those I know who have cancer right now or have lost the battle.
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life raises hundreds of millions of dollars each year in the fight against cancer. Millions of people will walk or run through the night to raise money to fight cancer. Relay For Life builds awareness of this dreaded disease and makes a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer HERE AND NOW!

My goal is to raise (your goal $$$) to help fight cancer. I am asking for your support. Your tax-deductible contribution of $25 or more will help our community step up the fight against cancer. Please send a check, payable to the American Cancer Society, to my address today:
(your address, city, state, zip)Thanks in advance for your thoughtfulness and generosity!Sincerely,(your name here)

Example Letter #3… Fast Fundraising. . . How to Raise LOTS of Money
by Art Ferranti, Redwood City Relay volunteer and Team Captain,
California Division
Here’s a way to raise a lot of money in a short amount of time. Four to six weeks prior to your Relay, set aside about four hours one day and you can have it all done.
· Compose a one-page letter. Write your own as if you are sending it individually to a close friend. Use a computer. Copy it twice. Adjust one copy to be sent via email; the other for regular mail.
· Both versions should begin with a quick apology for the impersonal nature. Include a preface that as a friend, you thought they would be interested in this important cause.
· Send it to EVERYONE who has ever sent you something! For the emails, blind copy (bcc) them all. They don’t need to know who else is receiving your note. This can result in more than 100 emails.
· Balance fact with feeling. Include: what Relay is (fact); why you are involved/what it means to you (feeling); where and when your Relay is, where the money goes (facts); describe the luminaria ceremony and how to purchase one (feeling); remind them to seek a company gift-match if offered (fact); and, on the back of the letter or at the bottom of your email, recreate a receipt and a luminaria sign-up form (time-saving tip).
· Early on, make the ask. Don’t limit your donors, but ask for a specific range. My phrase is to ask for, “$10, $20, $50 or whatever your budget will allow.”
· Give a ten-day deadline for response. People respond when there is a sense of urgency. Tell them to write the check to the American Cancer Society and send it to your address.
· Write up envelopes for everyone who will not receive an email. This is a great activity to do in front of the TV.
· Copy the letters and before stuffing into the envelope, handwrite in colored ink, on the top of the letter the person’s name and a quick line, “Hope you can support me.” Sign it to add the personal touch.
· Mail the letters (yes, you will be out-of-pocket the postage and copying costs but they are minor compared to the return and, of course, the cause). Transmit the emails.
Now, sit back and watch the checks roll in. And they will. One final thing: Send a brief handwritten thank-you to everyone who responds immediately upon receiving the check. So, in that spirit, good luck and for all the people who will benefit from your cancer-fighting efforts… thank you!

Example Letter #4 - Surprises and Birthday Gifts - Submitted by Sheryl Trautman, Relay For Life Director, Southwest Division – This is a great way to link in the battle of a survivor to your letter to make it more “real”
A special volunteer, Thom, has a good friend, his college roommate who is battling breast cancer for the second time. She is a team captain at a Relay in Wooster (Wayne County) Ohio. On his birthday June 2, he sent an email to all of his friends and family and asked that in lieu of gifts they send donations to him for the Relay For Life. He collected about $850.

Through the staff person and found the chair of the event. He arranged for them to help him surprise his friend. He drove to Wooster on Friday night and using one of the chair’s cell phones, called his friend. He told her he collected this money but was afraid to mail the checks for security reasons. She was getting a little impatient. As he walked behind her, she was talking on the microphone, on the stage… until he finally said, “SO, I decided to bring it here personally!”

Example Letter #5 – Shave Your Head for Cancer Letter - Submitted by Minette Genuchi, Development Specialist, Heartland Division – A great idea that not every person will be willing to do (Shave their head!) but it is a great example of how to connect a fundraiser (such as shaving your head) to your fundraising letter
To raise both funds and awareness for his campus Relay For Life, Clint Eckstein, a student at the University of Nebraska, shaved his head—then sent a letter to friends on and off campus and family members. In his letter, he described what cancer patients have to go through as they fight their disease. Cost Cutters, a hair styling salon in Lincoln, donated a hair stylist to attend the event and shave heads to promote cancer awareness. Clint raised $500 and four other people shaved their heads to raise money and awareness.

Example Letter #6 - Canine Fundraising Letter - Adopt As You See Fit – Here is a great letter written from the standpoint of a dog… who is seeking fundraising on behalf of his “owner” Make sure you put in a picture of the dog; pictures of owners optional. Note that the text next to the picture is in a “text box” (you can read on MS Word Help on how a text box works; if you are copying and pasting the letter below, you’ll need to edit the text box information separately from the first paragraph of the letter. If you have problems, contact us via acsrelay.org J

Dear Friend,
Greetings, salutations, and a wag of my tail from XYZ town in [YOUR STATE HERE]! I am writing- to you today because I know that my master needs my help. As you probably know, Robert has always managed to get himself in some real “jams”. Well, this is no
exception. In my three short years with him he has managed to come up with some "doozies": Do you know what he has done this time? He has promised to raise at least $1000 in sponsorship for the upcoming 24-Hour Relay For Life to benefit the American- Cancer Society. He has teamed up with a bunch of other crazies who have agreed to take turns walking laps throughout a 24-Hour period May 15th and 16th. Surely you realize that he can hardly "raise sand", much less $100.00. That is why I "borrowed" his keys and drove over to his office last night in order to type those - this letter (excuse me, but it is rather difficult to type with my big paws. My claws keep getting in the way).

I would appreciate it (and so would he) if you could help him out in any way possible with his fundraising. He is dedicating his efforts in honor of his wife (and my "Momma") Debra. Your tax-deductible gift made payable the American Cancer Society- would get him out of this "jam". If you are able to help, please use the return envelope provided before May 10th. Thanks! I knew I could count on you (us dogs are great judges of character)! Well, I gotta go now. It's time for me to go bark at something. Take Care.I

Sincerely,

Squirt, Dalmatian [OR YOUR TYPE OF DOG HERE], Topeka, Kansas [OR YOUR HOME HERE]

PS - I have enclosed a fact sheet about the event in case you wanted to know more about it.

Example Letter #7 - Marathon Fundraising Letter - Change to fit your race/ survivors/ etc. – The Top 10 list here is very reapplicable to your letter – incorporate it to make your “pitch” more interesting.

Dear friends...

On April 16th, 2002 I am lacing up my sneakers and running the Boston Marathon to raise money for the American Cancer Society as part our family team fundraising for the Relay For Life where I participate with my family team in St. Albans, Vermont. I am taking on this challenge of my life in honor of my friends Susan Silodor, Marietta Stevens, and Bev Gross of Cheyenne Wyoming. Each one of these special people has survived cancer because of their positive attitude and the breakthroughs in cancer research funded by American Cancer Society. This is my third Boston and it will be the most memorable because of the courage and strength of these special survivors behind me. I qualified with the Hartford Marathon in October of 2000, with a 3:40 marathon qualifier time. This will be my 15th marathon since 1989.

Now, your part is easy. All you need to do is commit to sponsoring me. My part is a little tougher, I've committed to raising $2,620 for the American Cancer Society by completing the 26.2 miles--no matter how long it takes. Please donate as generously as you can by sending in your check payable to the American Cancer Society to the address below. Just in case you need a little extra motivation to sponsor me, here are a few reasons.

Top 10 Reasons to sponsor Nancy in the Boston Marathon:
__________________________________________

10. You can sleep in late on April 16th while still funding cancer research, while I get up drive to Boston for the marathon.
9. You can transform my sneakers into a money machine as I raise $100/mile.
8. Your donation is tax deductible.
7. If you sponsor me than I have no excuse to walk or to crawl and will run the entire 26.2 miles.
6. If I do not raise the total $2,620 they make me wear a shirt saying "I came $500 short of my goal".
5. The public can access comprehensive cancer information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the American Cancer Society's toll-free information line (1-800-ACS-2345) and web site (www.cancer.org). During a time when so much cancer and health information is available through the internet, much of which should be viewed with caution, the American Cancer Society is a dependable resource for accurate, unbiased information.

4. When I was in high school playing basketball, my ankles were sprained so many times they would give out on my in the hallways of school. The doctor said I would never be able to walk the same again, help me prove him wrong.
3. You can help me make it to Brighton, MA where Bronya is having a party 3 miles from the finish and will have signs celebrating the end of my trek. Help me continue on to her house to celebrate in reaching both goals! (They plan to have chocolate, which will fuel those last few miles!)
2. I've gone through 896 oz. of Gator Aid, 43 Power Bars, 5 pairs of running shoes, a new pair of cross country skis (for winter training) 53 lbs of ice for my knees, 2 bottles of Alleve and all you need to do is send in a check payable to the American Cancer Society.
1. The overall trend lines for cancer are going in the right direction. In 1990, for the first time in history, death rates from cancer in the U.S. began a sustained decline (at a rate of 0.6% per year). In 1992, the rate of new cancer cases also turned the corner and began to drop (at a rate of 0.9% per year).

We will eventually cure cancer..why not help find the cure a little sooner?
Example Letter #8 - Community Support Letter – This is a very standard letter you can use that covers the facts, but doesn’t personalize as much… some folks who are doing mass mailings like to use this format.

Dear Community Supporter:

I am writing on behalf of the American Cancer Society to request a donation for our signature fund-raiser, Relay For Life, which will be held the weekend of June 15-16, 2001 at Phelps Stadium, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire.

Relay For Life is a family oriented event where participants can walk or run on a track relay style for 18 hours. Participants camp around the track, and when they are not taking their turn, take part in other fun activities. Former and current cancer patients, their families, and the public are invited to take part in this existing team relay event. The team consists of individuals representing corporations, clubs, organizations, and families.

Because this event is quite long and exhausting, we look towards local businesses to help out in donations for our participants. We need food, drink, and gift certificates of all kinds to help make our event fun and rewarding. We expect to have over 700 participants this year, ranging from you children to people in their fifties. Most of our participants are between the ages of 30-50, and at least 60% of them will be female.

Cancer touches so many people in our community and Relay For Life is a great way to help fight this terrible disease. Please seriously consider this request and let your neighbors, your customers, and your community know that you are joining them in the fight. If you would like more information about Relay For Life, and any of the programs it supports, please feel free to call the American Cancer Society at _____________________

Kind Regards,

Relay Volunteer
_________________________________________
Example Letter #9 - Letter from baby – Here’s another way to make your letter much more personalized and interesting… Thanks to Kal and Becky and Scott!

Hello to all my family and friends!

My name is Kal. I’m about to participate in my first Relay For Life. Now, I’ve been to a lot of Relays with my mom and dad. Mom says she takes me to Relays for two reasons: (1) because it’s her job – she works for the American Cancer Society; and (2) it’s a chance to pay tribute to the memory of my Grammy.

Why do I Relay? First, I like the fact that I get to light a luminaria for my Grammy. I also like to take laps around the track in my purple Baby Jogger…beats trying to walk (I’m still working on that). Daddy pushes me really fast! The other thing I like about Relay For Life is that I usually always score a balloon, and I get to camp out all night!

Send donations to:
Kal Lunders
Rohnert Park, CARelay For Life is a lot of fun… but it’s serious business, too. You see, it raises a lot of money so the American Cancer Society can help people who have been touched by cancer. It also raises oodles of money to fund research to cure this silly disease. Mom says the researchers tell her that by the time I grow up, cancer should be something that’s treated at the neighborhood pharmacy. Cool, huh?!

So – how can you help? You can make a donation to my team – Kal’s Krew. Just write a check to the American Cancer Society, and send it to me. If you include the name of a cancer survivor or someone who’s lost the fight, I’ll make a special luminaria bag for them. That’s all you have to do… I’ll do all the walking and my team will make sure there is someone on the track the entire 24 hours (even while I’m sleeping!). Be sure to put your donation in the mail soon. The Relay is coming up fast – it’s on October 12-13th. Thanks for the support!

Love, Kal Lunders (& my mom & dad -- Becky & Scott)

_________________________________________
Example Letter #10 – Link a personal event like your Birthday!

Subject: My 30th Birthday Wish, by Erika
Now that I have your attention, yes, I have a birthday coming up in less than two weeks. And yes, my birthday wish is about fighting cancer.

But wait, there's more! My 30th birthday wish is not just for me, but for all of us that have been, or probably will be touched by cancer.

I am a team member on one of the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life teams for the Albuquerque Relay this June 2-3. (Quick review: Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature activity. I think that's because everyone has such a great time and realize it's not just about raising money.)

But wait, there's more! Most of my teammates are cancer survivors, and I am honored they asked me to be on their team this year. Our goal for this event is $200,000 for the year 2000.

Okay, you've seen those old commercials selling those can't-live-without products for $29.99, right? From the Ronco automatic egg scrambler to those aluminum cutting Ginsu knives. (Why anyone would want to cut a Coke can in half is beyond me.)

But wait, there's more! At the moment, I am feeling Very 29.99 with that 3-0 looming just ahead.

So here's the deal: I'm asking all of you to make a tax-deductible donation of $29.99 to my Relay team towards our team goal of $2,000.

But wait, there's more! If not at least $29.99 then $2.99 or whatever you choose. Any amount gets us a little closer to putting me out of a job -- not necessarily a bad thing.
How? Mail to:
American Cancer Society
5800 Lomas Blvd., NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Attention: Erika M.
Make checks payable to the American Cancer Society, Albuquerque Relay For Life.

But wait, there's more: Call me if you prefer to use your credit card at 505-260-2105 ext. 20. Operators are standing by....
OR, e-mail me at either e@email.com or e@yahoo.com
OR, cash works too.

But wait, there's Even More: I have a candy jar in my office again this year, especially for the chocolate-dependent.

Even More: Check out the Web site at www.cancer.org where we have recently added a way to "FIND A RELAY" in New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada (as well as across the country) via the Relay For Life pages.

This year there will be over 3800 Relays across the country – get involved today!

My thanks, and thanks from your American Cancer Society... 1-800-ACS-2345 for answers to cancer.
Example Letter #11 - Letter for a Kid’s Team - Here’s another way to make your letter simple but fun! The key to this letter, is to have the kids write a personal note (you can photocopy it) asking for the support and include it along with this letter that has the details.

Hi!

My name is ____________. Most of you know me… And I know you… And you have already read my note about helping me to find a cure for cancer (enclosed).

But do you know about Relay For Life? If you do, you know that Relay for Life is (1) Lots of Fun! And (2) Raises a lot of money to fight cancer for the American Cancer Society. It’s like a party or a carnival, with games and stuff.

If you don’t, let me tell you a little more about Relay For Life… It is a great event that the American Cancer Society and a lot of great volunteers put on all over America. It has games and music and lots of people camp out all night. Doesn’t that sound like fun? But it has a serious side too – people take turns walking around a track all night to raise money to find a cure for cancer and help people who have it or have friends and family with it.

Why do I Relay? Lots of reasons. I like the fact that I get to light a luminaria for ________. I get to take laps around the track… And finally, I get to camp out all night with my friends – We have a team at Relay! It’s called _______________! We’ll dress up like ____________ and _________________________________________ (describe what the team will do).

How can you help? Write out a check to the American Cancer Society, and send it to:

Name
Address
City, State, Zip

Please put our team name, _____________ and my name _____________ in the Memo area.

My team will have someone on the track all night! The Relay is coming up fast – it is on _____________________.


Thanks for the support!

Love, __________________________

Example Letter #12 – Thanks to the Pottstown Relay For Life for this great letter that you can customize for your event!


Dear (name):The fight against cancer goes on. There is no one I know who can say they DO NOT have a friend or relative who has battled this terrible illness.I have found a way I can fight this disease - through the American Cancer Society's INSERT LOCATION HERE Relay For Life. I am dedicating my walk this year to two people very special to me who have cancer right now:(name)(name)The 2004 Pottstown Relay raised $544,000, 2nd highest in the state and 14th in the NATION. These funds are being used for research, cancer prevention and detection programs, and patient services in our local communities.On June 4 and June 5, 2005, hundreds of people will spend 24 hours at the Pottsgrove High School stadium, walking or running relay-style. My goal is to raise (your goal $$$) to help fight cancer.I am asking for your support. Your tax-deductible contribution of $25 or more will help our community step up the fight against cancer. Please send a check, payable to the American Cancer Society, to my address today:(your address, city, state, zip)Thanks in advance for your thoughtfulness and generosity!Sincerely,(name)Your Favorite Relayer!

Example Letter #13 – Another simple letter variation – thanks to Terese!

Dear Friends and Family,
The fight against cancer goes on. There is no one I know who can say they DO NOT have a friend or relative that has battled this terrible disease. I have found a way to fight against cancer- through the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. I will be dedicating my walk to my dad, who is currently battling lung cancer.
Relay for Life is a team event that celebrates cancer survivors, and raises funds for the American Cancer Society research, education, prevention, advocacy and patient services. It is a fun, outdoor and overnight fundraising event where teams take turns walking or running around a track. My team, which will have 40 people on it, will be joined by hundreds of others (insert date here) at the (insert location here). Millions of people of take part in Relay for Life events around the country and it raises over 40% of the funding for the American Cancer Society.

The Relay starts off with a Survivor's Walk, where cancer survivors walk the initial lap, symbolizing the courage that survivors and their families display and sustain in their lives. On the opening night, there is a beautiful and touching Luminaria Ceremony that pays tribute to cancer survivors and to loved ones who still live on in our hearts.

How can you help?
You can support me by making a tax-deductible contribution to the American Cancer Society. If you would like to donate, please call me with the amount you will be pledging, and you can send the donation, payable to the American Cancer Society, to me at the address below. I must have all donations by (insert donation due date here).

Additionally, you may purchase a luminaria to honor someone fighting cancer or in remembrance of someone who has lost their battle with cancer. Please complete the form at the end of this letter and send it back to me, along with a $5 donation. During the Luminaria Ceremony, candles are placed in luminaria bags and will be lit on (insert date of luminaria ceremony – usually first night of Relay) at (insert time of luminaria ceremony). The votives burn throughout the night, serving as a reminder of the purpose of Relay for Life.

Relay for Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported and that one day cancer will be eliminated.

Thank you for supporting the fight against cancer!

Relay for Life-There is no finish line until there's a cure!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DONATION FORM- Help us fund a cure
1. Donation Amount: _____________________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LUMINARIA FORM- Light the way to a cure
1. This candle is lit for: _____________________________________
Dedicated by: ______________________________________
2. This candle is lit for: _____________________________________
Dedicated by: ______________________________________
3. This candle is lit for: _____________________________________
Dedicated by: ______________________________________
Please include your $ (fill in luminaria suggested donation amount) donation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Checks should be made payable to American Cancer Society.
Please send donations to:
(address to send donations to – could be your address or ACS address in your community)

Example Letter #14 – Another great letter example-A No-Show Benefit Tea – It is an invite to support a fundraising tea (that you don’t have to attend) :) Thanks to Mitzi-Mdapmom!!! The actual file that we have created (in Microsoft Word) that you can use is located at:

http://www.acsrelay.org/Darn_Good_Ideas/10-Fundraising_Letter_Example-No_Show_Benefit_Tea.doc

It is formatted and everything, so you don’t have to do anything… if you would rather just reapply the words, you can use what is below:

“We do this using a card making program and selecting the quater-fold option. This is the wording that we use. You include a tea bag when you send this. “: (Front) You are cordially invited to take part in A NO-SHOW BENEFIT TEA for the American Cancer Society (Picture of a tea set in this space) Mindful of the busy lives caring people lead, The Spirit of America Relay for Life Team invites you not to go anywhere but to stay home, prop up your feet, sip tea, relax, renew, refresh, and reflect with the knowledge you are helping find a cure for cancer. (Left side, inside) THANK you for... NOT showing. *No one spent long hours cooking a banquet... *No one hassled with picking out just the right outfit... * No one gave long, humdrum speeches... *Because of your commitment to comfort and no fuss, you sensibly stayed home and sipped tea...relaxed...renewed...refreshed...reflected! *Good for you! Good for us! Many thanks! (piture of a tea pot under this part) (Right side, inside) I am writing you again to ask for your support. I will be walking in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life at WaKeeney on August 20-21. Hundreds of people will be walking for 12 hours to help raise money to fight cancer. I will be walking in memory of my 3 siblings & a cousin, as well as in honor of many other family members and friends who are fighting this disease. Please help in the fight so we don't have to experience losing any more family members or friends. Any donation is appreciated. A Luminaria can be purchased for $10.00 and be In Honor or In Memory of someone you love. Donations are tax deductible. Time: Whenever you like Location: Your place (NOT ours) Dress: As you wish Donations need to be received by July 25th.


This is just a small sampling of letters that are out there! If you have a great letter or approach that has worked, please forward and share it; please see acsrelay.org on how to contact us! Thanks!