AI Soldiers and PwC Soldiers

This week's featured team are a pair of teams - AI Soldiers and PwC Soldiers sponsored by Accountants International (AI) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). These two teams unite to become just one big team when they relay. Team captains Ricky Laniohan, AI and Sarah Denson, PwC coordinate this incredibly large and enthusiastic group of relay participants.

So far this year they have recruited 37 team members of their 50 person team member goal!

Both teams have participated in several relays and have had a great fundraising history to share.

AI will be participating in their third consecutive Campbell Relay.

2007 AI Raised $8,213.17
2008 AI Raised $7,897.00

PwC has will be participating in their 6th consecutive Campbell Relay.

2004 PwC Raised $17,845.54
2005 PwC Raised $22,893.90
2006 PwC Raised $27,914.18
2007 PwC Raised $11,930.00
2008 PwC Raised $6,448.03

AI Soldiers and PwC Soldiers relay for their family and friends that have been affected by Cancer. AI and PwC will continue the fight against Cancer with the hopes of one day there will be a cure.

AI Soldiers and PwC Soldiers conduct fundraisers both prior to and during Relay. Prior to the Relay event, AI teams up with PwC Soldiers to hold Chevy’s nights, A’s Tailgate/game fundraisers and Aqui Family Fun Nights.

During the Relay for Life event PwC & AI sell Non-Alcoholic Margaritas, Popcorn, Fruit Bowls and Lumpia!

Together AI Soldiers and PwC Soldiers have raised over $103,000 dollars in the past 6 years! Also in 2004,2005, 2006 and 2007 their team had over 100 team members!

These two teams offer the following tips for new teams:

90% of our teams fundraising comes from emails.

1. Don’t be scared to send the emails to anyone and everyone.
2. Make sure to send 3 emails total (one intro and why you Relay, one reminder email with status to date, and one last reminder right before Relay) We notice people donate during the reminder and final email more often then the 1st one sent!

Rose's Rays of Hope I-II-III

Today's featured team is Rose's Rays of Hope I-II-II. Co-captained by Madeline Borges and Maureen Zemanains, this team has 39 members at the time of this post. Co-captain Madeline answered my call for inputs for this blog. This year's relay is the 7th year that Madeline has participated in relay and her 9th relay as she did two relays in two of those years. Madeline's relay story is intertwined with the story of Rose's Rays of Hope I-II-III. She shared it with me and now I will share it with you. Here is the story as told by Madeline:

Nine years ago Rays of Hope was originated in Santa Clara by two dear friends, Captain Rose Stowell and Co-Captain Henrietta Coates. They had told me what relay was about. I thought it was nice what they were doing, but left that thought hanging. Seven years ago my best friend and two other dear friends were diagnosed with cancer. In the same time frame, one of those friends lost her battle in three months. I was in disbelief. Then I found out that Henrietta was diagnosed with cancer. On the Fourth of July of that year I was at Central Park with some family members and friends when some relay volunteers were passing out flyers about Relay for Life. I read the flyer and looked at my husband and said, "I'm going to form a team and do this at least one time." He looked at me and said "who are you going to get to join your team?" I did not have to answer his question as my family and friends said "we will be on your team". We became Fighting Angels of Hope. After that year Henrietta's health was failing and Rose asked if I would walk Henrietta's hours. Henrietta would be there but was too weak to walk. Yes, I did walk with pride and honor, but she was not there as she had lost her battle with cancer. I joined Rose's team at Campbell. Rose's daughter, Maureen, formed her team and it became Rays of Hope I & II. Three years ago Rose kept telling me they needed a Rays of Hope III and talked me into it. We became Rays of Hope I - II - III. I have never regretted it. A year later Rose lost her battle with cancer. In memory of Rose we renamed our team to Rose's Rays of Hope I - II - III. Rose was an inspiration to all of us and is dearly missed. She gave her all to helping Relay for Life as much as she could! As long as I am able, I will continue to keep Rose's Rays of Hope I - II - III ongoing.

For fundraiser's we use to do Texas Hold'em. This was a lot of fun and profitable, but it is no longer allowed. Now we do a raffle. We pre-sell tickets and sell tickets throughout the day during relay. We have been very successful with this and have had great prizes donated by team members and retailers. Maureen has also hosted fund raisers that have been very profitable and is doing some again this year. Her daughter's softball team is doing some as well.

My tip for incoming teams is that it's important to spread the word about relay and to raise whatever money you can. Most important is to never give up and to keep your teams Fighting for a Cure! My personal accomplishments have been to keep my team going and to continue the fight against cancer. I also wanted to walk the entire 24 hours and this I have accomplished twice, once at Santa Clara's Relay and at once at Campbell's Relay.

This is my story and this is why we Relay for Life!