Animal Shelter, Inc.


Whisker Walk!

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Form a Pack
Fundraising Tips & Letters
Official Pledge Sheet (pdf)
Fundraise with
FirstGiving.Com
Directions / Parking
TN, VA, SATO Reunion!
Watch the PSA

Add Your Organization
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Sponsorship & Booths
Volunteer
www.WhiskerWalk.org

Sponsored by

A Multi-Organizational Walk for Our Furry Four-Footed Friends

Sunday, June 8th, 2008 - Rain or Shine!
9 AM – 4 PM

A fun day for dogs and the humans that care for them (PLUS a dog walk-a-thon fundraiser for multiple animal shelters and rescue groups throughout New England). Multiple non profit animal rescue groups and any/all pet related vendors/manufacturers will come together for the first of its kind “event not to be missed” for pet lovers. Pet owners and animal lovers WALK to lend a paw for the shelters / rescues they love – as well as come to see exhibits, demonstrations, educational programs, special attractions, product giveaways, entertainment, food, fun and things for adults and kids to see, do and buy – both human and pet related!

Sunday, June 8th, 2008 - Rain or Shine! Gates open for visitors at 9 AM – come visit the vendors, rescue/shelter booths, see the doggie demos, try the agility course, meet the vets, microchip your dog, buy an engraved personalized ID tag, have a bite to eat and socialize. The Walk kicks off at noon sharp!

Bring your dog and join us! Help support shelter pets and programs with a nice stroll on acres of beautiful trails at the Lancaster Fairground (Home of the Bolton Fair!) on Rt. 117 in Lancaster, MA.

For more information Visit: www.whiskerwalk.org

Though this event is a dog walk fundraiser... the twist IS - you don't actually HAVE to walk... you are welcome to come visit, tour the grounds - there is NO charge to come in and visit! You can even create an online fundraising page WITHOUT walking. Have fun with it... do a fundraiser and pitch it to your friends, family, colleagues as:

Sponsor Me NOT to Walk
(list off some fun reasons for people to donate to our shelter - fun examples below)

I'd like to walk and help the pets but I don't look good in sweats - won't you sponsor me for $____
I have bad knees, pollen makes me sneeze so sponsor me so I can sit on the grass and just wheeze $_____
I'd love to chat, but I'm helping some cat - who really needs help after the dogs start to yelp. Sponsor all of us at $_____

whisker walk 2008 Caring for over 3,000 homeless, neglected and abandoned animals each year is an expensive endeavor and our shelter and programs are growing yearly, as is the demand for our rescue and animal sheltering services. Since our shelter IS NOT funded by the city/state or government every penny really counts! Our shelter counts on events such as this to help continue our mission.

There's two ways to get started:

Join Online!

Use FirstGiving.Com to register and set up your own fundraising site
Friends, family, coworkers can pledge your walk online using your firstgiving.com account
Print Out the Pledge Sheet for people who want to pledge using a check or cash
Learn more fundraising tips

Join On Paper!

Download and Print Out the Pledge Sheet
Let us know your planning to come! (choose one option below)
- Fax your pledge sheet (with only your info on it) to: (978) 422 8574
- Email staff@sterlingshelter.org with your name and address
Learn more fundraising tips

Important Note

There is a MINIMUM $25 entry fee - Please collect all money prior to the walk and turn it in with this form during registration the day of the walk. All checks can be made payable to: Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling, MA.

All walkers will receive a t-shirt ($25 minimum pledge) please indicate ADULT sized t-shirt you prefer on your Pledge Sheet (Small Medium Large XL XXL).

100% of the money raised will go towards the care of the animals in our shelter and our programs.

dog walk homeless shelter

Pack Leaders Package (PDF)

Individual Walker - Sample Sponsor Letter (pdf)

whisker walk 2008 Getting started is easy and it only takes a few minutes to create your Online Fundraising Page:

Go to FirstGiving.com and click on "Get Started"
Personalize the text and the photo on your Online Fundraising Page to express your passions and your purpose.
Send the link out to your friends, family, colleagues - Don't foget employers that offer matching donations!

If you have raffle items/products/gift certificates/gift baskets for our silent auction/raffle tent or think you can help in other ways please call or email us at the shelter!

Download these tips as a PDF

Dog Walk Tips & Tools for successful "FUN"draising
Your financial support provides food, shelter and medical care such as spay or neuter surgeries, important vaccinations, compassionate staff and a safe place to stay until our pets are adopted to their forever families.

Remember to start fundraising early and be enthusiastic about what you are doing and your supporters will be enthusiastic about it too! Every penny you raise will go directly to the thousands of stray, homeless and abused animals we care for every year. We hope these tips will help you achieve your goals! Good Luck and thanks for your support.

Email Your Supporters!
Take advantage of our free, online fundraising tool that allows you to customize your very own web page and send out e-mails to everyone you know asking for their support!

Send a Fundraising Letter!
Send a traditional letter to people you know telling them about the event and asking for their support and be sure to enclose a self-addressed stamp!

Matching Gifts!
Many employers offer matching gifts and this is an excellent way to double, sometimes triple your donation! And even if your company doesn't match gifts, be sure to solicit support anyway by asking your boss, company and fellow employees to sponsor you! Better yet, encourage your boss and co-workers to join YOUR PACK and walk WITH YOU!

Involve Your Local Businesses!
Solicit support by asking local businesses that you frequent to sponsor you!

The 1st Annual Whisker Walk is a Multi-Organizational Walk for Our Furry Four-Footed Friends. That means you can sign up your organization and KEEP ALL $$$ through your Pledges, Raffles, Booth sales!

It's easy to join:

Fill out the organization registration form
Submit the $100 registration fee (non-refundable)
Create your own account at http://firstgiving.org - this way your walkers can set up their own fundraising sites to benefit your organization. (View the Sterling Shelter First Giving Site)

WHY do I want to participate?

Opportunity for more media outlets to cover the event – the bigger group the potential for more coverage
$100 registration fee is far less than what you would pay for an independent rental property
You don’t have to locate, rent, secure, your own location for YOUR event
There is strength in numbers – more groups promoting the event only help bring light to the shelter/rescue animal community
Multi-organizational events show the rest of the country that New England is serious about animal welfare – we are ALL working together.
You raise and KEEP ALL $$$ through your Pledges, Raffles, Booth sales.
Networking
We can help you direct you to custom fundraising pages for your supporters to create!

Join Us At This Amazing Location!

whisker walk 2008 50+ BEAUTIFUL ACRES (home of the Bolton Fair) TONS of parking, shade, wooded paths, flat and grassy meadows… a location that can support THOUSANDS of people and is dog friendly!

A fundraising walk-a-thon event where you don’t have to worry about finding, securing and renting a PET friendly, central location (with NO pet/people limit)…with lots of shade and flat paths/ trails and is handicapped accessible? BUT NOT having to deal with permits, waivers, insurance riders and contracts – if you have done these events then you will save time, money and effort on those issues…and for those groups who can’t logistically, financially do such an event – this is an awesome opportunity for your group.

A walk where your organization promotes the walk/fundraiser as much or little to your supporters/friends/family – you raise the funds that YOUR group collects for pledges – you share the location with many other groups who are all there for the same reason… to raise money, educate the community about the wonderful pets waiting for adoption, and to meet, greet and network ! We can all benefit.

An Event That's Never Been Done Before!

And better yet.. it’s an event that’s NEVER been done…multiple organizations coming together on ONE site holding a joint but organizationally independent fundraising walk. We could really promote this event in the media for better coverage than any single one of our groups/organizations could do individually.

For those of you who’ve been to Pet Rock (which Animal Shelter, Inc has co-sponsored for NINE long years) this event is somewhat similar (in regards to entertainment, demos, shows, performances and booths) but very different… No bands or live music…No entrance fee for visitors but YES to each group raising their own money, hosting a raffle or selling their wares. You run your fundraiser/walk any way you wish. You don’t even HAVE to fundraise… you can simply set up a booth to let the public know about your programs/pets!

Super Low Set Up Fee

THE ONLY COST TO YOUR rescue/shelter/non profit organization is a $100 booth fee (non refundable) to help pay for rental of grounds/facilities. There are sponsor/vendor rates available as well – if you're interested please let us know.

whisker walk 2008 Your financial support helps to provide food, shelter and medical care such as spay or neuter surgeries, important
vaccinations, compassionate staff and a safe place to stay until our pets are adopted to their forever families. Sponsorships including booth space start at $250.

Download the complete sponsorship info pack (pdf)

Top Dog $10,000 Benefits to your organization:

Sponsorship acknowledgement on any ads, flyers and website prior to the event
Logo/Name on directional Signs along the Walk and/or Water station signs
Participate in Ribbon Cutting at Walk Start
Your business banner hung at the event (you must provide)
Your name and link to your website on the Animal Shelter Inc of Sterling’s Whisker Walk website (we receive over 10,000+ hits per week to ONE website – and we maintain four different websites)
Free booth space
Event Judging/Recognition: The opportunity to judge one major event happening throughout the day
Recognition in any TV, radio, print media collateral, publicity and any other marketing
Your company business samples and/or literature passed out to all visitors and participants (you must supply)
Your logo on all t-shirts for participants and volunteers / staff
Your logo on MASTER fundraising website as sponsor which will be used and created for participants on www.firstgiving.com
Live mentions throughout the event
Your logo and website link Inclusion in all Whisker Walk Email Blasts and Newsletters to participants and fundraisers

Leader of the Pack $5,000 Benefits to your organization:

Sponsorship acknowledgement on any ads, flyers and website prior to the event
Your business banner hung at the event (you must provide)
Your name and link to your website on the Animal Shelter Inc of Sterling’s Whisker Walk website (we receive over 10,000+ hits per week to ONE website – and we maintain four different websites)
Free booth space
Recognition in any TV, radio, print media collateral, publicity and any other marketing
Your company business samples and/or literature passed out to all visitors and participants (you must supply)
Your logo on all t-shirts for participants and volunteers / staff
Your logo on MASTER fundraising website as sponsor which will be used and created for participants on www.firstgiving.com
Your logo and website link Inclusion in all Whisker Walk Email Blasts and Newsletters to participants and fundraisers

Dog's Best Friend $2,500 Benefits to your organization:

Sponsorship acknowledgement on any ads, flyers and website prior to the event
Your business banner hung at the event (you must provide)
Your name andlink to your website on the Animal Shelter Inc of Sterling’s Whisker Walk website (we receive over 10,000+ hits per week to ONE website – and we maintain four different websites)
Free booth space
Your logo on all t-shirts for participants and volunteers / staff

Dynamic Dog $1,000 Benefits to your organization:

Your business banner hung at the event (you must provide)
Your name and link to your website on the Animal Shelter Inc of Sterling’s Whisker Walk website (we receive over 10,000+ hits per week to ONE website – and we maintain four different websites)
Free booth space
Your logo on all t-shirts for participants and volunteers / staff

Best Friend $250 Benefits to your organization:

Free booth space

50+ BEAUTIFUL ACRES (home of the Bolton Fair!) TONS of parking, shade, wooded paths, flat and grassy meadows… a location that can support THOUSANDS of people and is dog friendly!

The Fairgrounds at Lancaster
318 Seven Bridge Road
Lancaster, MA 01523

Driving Directions
From I-495 north or south, take Interstate Route 495 to exit 27 (Bolton/Stow Route 117). Take Route 117 west four miles to the Fairgrounds.

Link to Google Map

Find YOUR dog's siblings!
Did YOUR FAMILY adopt YOUR dog or puppy from:
Tennessee? Puerto Rico? Virginia?

So many of you really want to meet YOUR DOG'S siblings - so to fulfill this request we've created a fun way for YOU to meet THEM!

All of our wonderful adopting families that attend this unique event will be given a color coded ID tag identifying the group YOU adopted your dog from (TN / VA / Puerto Rico) - you fill in the month and year you adopted and wear it on your shirt!

Have fun walking the event to see if you can find YOUR dog's siblings!

Do they look alike?
Do they have similar personalities?
Funny quirks or traits?

You may be surprised!

We are so very EXCITED and PROUD to let our adopters know that YOUR PUPPY/DOGS foster families and shelter staff from our partner shelters in TN, VA and Puerto Rico will all be flying in JUST TO MEET YOU and YOUR dog!

In years past we've had reunions...but this is SURE to be an emotional and worthy day spent for you, your family and YOUR DOG!

For over NINE long years we've worked with the foster families and volunteers in Puerto Rico and Virginia (and just over a year with the folks from Tennessee) to help THEM save THOUSANDS of dogs and puppies that would otherwise be living a terrible life or be euthanized.

Because of families like YOURS - we've saved well over 10,000 of these loving creatures! Innocent animals that would otherwise be faced with certain death but are now safe in your loving, happy homes!

We truly hope you will join us WITH your dog/s to welcome our guests and to pose for a GROUP PHOTO around 3:15 p.m.

Please come meet these hard working fosters and thank them ...and help US to get more animals to safety.