Team Spotlight: Sweet Baboos

What is your team name?

Sweet Baboos

How many years have you participated in march for babies?

Two

Approximately how many team members have you had?

16 - but we hope to grow even bigger this year!

What was your reason for first participating?

To remember six babies that we lost, and celebrate two full-term, healthy baby girls!

What is your best memory of a march?

I love seeing everyone come together. There seems to be automatic bonding between teams. Although this may sound strange, I loved marching through the downpour in Davis County last year - getting drenched together and then huddling up under the bowery - you could just feel an energy and a connection with all of the teams involved.

Did you fundraise for your team? Any tips or advice for fundraising?

Emailing is definitely the most simple and effective way for me to fundraise - but i would not recommend sending out emails directly from the March for Babies website (as I've had problems with it), instead send out a personalized email and include a link to your March for Babies team page. Make sure to have pictures on your page for everyone to see. I also think plushland can be a great fundraiser if you find a great venue for selling them. Utilizing multiple ways of fundraising will get the best turn-out. Send out emails, call your friends, ask a local store to collect funds for your team, and participate in something like plushland or a car wash, etc.

How have you felt after participating?

The feeling is incredible. Where else to do you get to help ALL babies who are born in the U.S. while also doing something that is so much fun with your family. There is a great spirit about March for Babies!

Any advice or additional comments for other family teams?

Don't wait for the last minute to get ready for this walk. Fundraising is not an easy task, and believe me, you will feel so much better as a team if you know you put your all into it. Even if you don't have a lot of time to give, start fundraising in January or as soon as you register. Time goes by far too fast and before you know it the walk will be here and your goal is unreached. Just have fun with the fundraising and spreading the word about the walk - the more energy you put into even the smallest amount of time you can give the more positive results you will see. Keep your focus on the reason you are walking: maybe you had a preemie, lost a child, your celebrating a healthy baby, or maybe you are walking for babies around the world. Think about those babies and how important we are to touching their lives and giving ALL babies a healthy start.

Team Sweet Baboos

Submitted by team captain JaNae

100 days!!

That's right - just 100 days to go until the Salt Lake March for Babies! The countdown is on now and it's time to start thinking of ways to reach out and spread the word of your participation. Here are a few things to consider doing to "spread the word".

- Send an email...to everyone! Share your reasons for participating in the march - mention that every little bit helps - direct readers to your personal web link - thank them in advance for their donation.

- Blog all about it! A lot of people have blogs and if you do a great way to advertise your participation is by adding a March for Babies "badge" on your blog. On the March for Babies website you can log into your page and click on the header "spread the word" this page will show you the different badges and tools you can use along with step by step instructions. It is great to do a blog post about your participation in the march and then direct them to you sidebar to see your badge. This badge will remain until you remove it - along with your progress bar (if you wish to have that shown). Every time some visits your blog this badge will appear and remind them to donate.

-Facebook! Okay, so Facebook has more benefits that just spying on old crushes. You can use this site that so many people access everyday as a fundraising tool. There is a Facebook badge you can add to your profile page. You also access this badge on the the MFB website. On your personal page click on the graphic that reads "get a custom widget" this shows you how to install the Facebook application. Once you've added it do a status update about the march. If you have 50 Facebook friends and 1/2 of them donated $5. you have raised $125. Hey, we're on Facebook too so if you haven't joined our page click on the link and do it!

-Signature line...One more tool is to add an email signature badge. This badge will show up at the bottom of every email you send out. So after you initial blast email to everyone asking for their support of you in the march they will be reminded again and again each time you email them. But it won't be annoying because it's a cute little graphic silently reminding them!

-Talk about yourself! Not really, but at work, church, family gatherings find a way to bring up your involvement in the march. Invite them to join your team and if they are not interested let them know they can still support you by a donation. If it's too awkward to bring up out of the blue just mention how your legs are aching because of all of your training for the march! Really, most people want to donate and if they can (and they know that ANY amount counts) they will. If they won't or can't then they won't - no big deal.

Fundraising can be tricky. Some people are great at it and for some it's kind of uncomfortable. But just keep in mind what you are fundraising for. This money isn't for you and your summer vacation, it's going to a very worthwhile cause that you believe in. Money towards research, funding for programs, improvements for NICU's, preventative screenings. These are just some of the reasons you are asking for money...because it matters. Click on the link below for another great tool to help you answer the question - where does the money go?

where your money goes

100 days to go - good luck!!