Lori Brasic writes about organizing a successful TSI event

l From the Organizers

Today we interview Lori Brasic. She and her husband, Greg, are the organizers of Soccer Round the Clock in Jackson, Michigan. The annual event draws hundreds of participants and has raised more than $14,000 for osteosarcoma research. This year will be Lori and Greg’s third year as organizers of the incredibly successful event that involves an entire community in fun and fundraising.

What inspired you to organize a Team Sarcoma event?
When our son, Logan was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the pelvis, the cancer took control of our lives. As parents, we could support our child and focus on immediate issues, but there was always an underlying feeling of helplessness, and hope was in the balance.

Four months into our son Logan’s chemo, I saw the video “A Forgotten Cancer,” and I learned about International Sarcoma Awareness Week. I liked what I read about the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative and FJC. We trusted the high rating given by Charity Navigator and the fact that no one was taking a percentage of our donations over a small 3% administrative fee. I contacted Bruce Shriver and was instantly on board and dedicated to contributing to International Sarcoma Awareness Week. This was a month following Logan’s hemipelvectomy (the amputation of his left pelvis, leg and foot), and I asked Logan what he would think about us doing a 24-hour soccer event to raise money for sarcoma research. He had played soccer his whole life and was excited with that idea. So, “Soccer Round the Clock” came to be. Organizing our TSI event was a way for us to lessen the feelings of helplessness, and it increased our hopes for the future for all people fighting sarcoma cancers.

How did you go about envisioning and planning your event for the first time?
I visualized what I wanted Soccer Round the Clock to look like (and sound like and feel like), and I used that vision to plan.  I jotted it all down and discussed it with my husband.  Together we refined things.  We identified our needs, including safety, resources and media.  With our goal in mind and a detailed vision of our event we started talking to people about it.  We talked to those who have strengths in different areas to give us expertise.  We had several acquaintances throughout the greater area soccer community and although they did not know us well, they were eager to help and became a core group of volunteers.   Many of those people had connections to valuable resources, and things fell into place quickly and more easily than I would have ever imagined.

We invited the core volunteers to a planning meeting at a local pizza place, and as we shared a pizza dinner (on us…gotta take care of your volunteers).  We presented the event to them, showing and describing what we already had in place.  We had the logo for the T-shirts, posters, flyers, registration forms, and a website in various stages of development, and we were able to share visuals that excited the core volunteers on this newly established planning committee.  Then we talked about what we still needed, and as we went through the list we each began volunteering to complete tasks.  By the end of the meeting we had offers for help with several major areas needing attention.  Each volunteer left with a task to complete, and all were given materials for soliciting donations.  From that day forward whenever we went anywhere, we talked about Soccer Round the Clock.  Through those efforts we received promises of food donations, water for the players, someone to run concessions, etc.

At our second meeting we all had exciting updates about what we had accomplished.  A printing company volunteered to print the posters, a graphic artist helped us design a logo, and several area companies stepped forward to donate food or other supplies.  Some of the most forthcoming contributors were the major fast food franchises; they are often are locally owned and like to show their commitment to the local community.  They readily offered stacks of coupons for free items to be handed out to volunteers as well as participants.  They also were very willing to provide food items to feed our volunteers and in some cases our participants and spectators!  Anything that creates good will helps to strengthen the pull of an event as well as the strength of the message.   Local grocery chains were willing to donate food and other supplies as well.  These types of businesses often have an application process to go through, but if you have an organized description of the event written up along with a list of items you need donated and give them a couple months advance notice, they have always come through for us.  Many businesses will help out if you have a good cause, a good plan, and a way to publicize their contributions. We again left that meeting with tasks to complete and by the third meeting all of the planning work was done.

We had a plan for setting up, running the event, and cleaning up afterwards. We had media campaigns running on the radio, articles in newspapers and had all posted flyers throughout the city.  We ran a very successful event the first year and accomplished all of our goals!  In addition, we had such an overwhelming response from the community to do it again next year that we knew we were in this for at least another year.

[A few of the more than 300 participants at the 2nd Annual Soccer Round the Clock.
Logan is seated in orange.]

What is the second year of planning like, compared to the first year?
Much less planning is needed because you just follow the blueprint from the previous year. The signs are already made, the contacts are identified and all you really have to do is ask the same vendors and volunteers for their help.  There will be some minor changes you may experience if you have lost a thread to a good contact, but for the most part year 2 is much easier than year 1.

What makes an event like yours (a sporting event, an event run by a family) a success? What are the key “ingredients” of your event?
Don’t be afraid to show the emotional side of the event to the public. Our event is so successful because our son, like all who battle sarcomas, has a tender and exceptional story to tell. He is a young man who has beaten the odds and who is now facing life with ½ of his pelvis, his leg and foot cut away due to osteosarcoma.

Logan was going through chemo the first year and watched every game, except for 4, from the sidelines of the soccer field. The second year he took his rightful position in the goal and played keeper for 3 games and he reffed 1 game. So many people were inspired by seeing Logan in goal again, a survivor and inspiration playing the game he loves so much. Our community has a lot of soccer lovers in it, and it was kind of a “if you build it they will come” situation. We now have teams reserving their favorite time slots a year in advance. It is a family-friendly event and it is just a lot of fun.

What are some of the most useful lessons you can share with a first-time Team Sarcoma event planner?

• If you think you will be repeating your event over a number of years write down the event details as you make them and save EVERYTHING to refer to the following year.
• Make sure you are aware of any regulations, permissions needed, fees that may be attached to the location in which you would like to hold your event. Some cities may require submission of Special Activity Request and approval from a governing body prior to holding your event. Also sign, noise or activity ordinances should be researched and adhered to. I found this information on our city website.
• Once you have your date, times and location secured then you can start planning the details.
• Make detailed lists using the good old reliable “peeling an onion” analogy. Start at the big picture needs- required paperwork, donations, volunteers, advertising, materials, etc. Then break down each of the big picture areas into more detail, continuing with more and more detail until you have listed all your needs, all the way to post-event activity such as thank-you cards, etc. It was easiest for me to just do this on my own simply by visualizing what the event would look like at every angle and fill in the details as I thought things through.
• Make banners generic without dates so you can use them year after year without needing new ones made.
• Contacts usually are a four-step process: 1. An introduction and request for help (face to face if possible). 2. A follow up email describing the agreement you made with this person. Ask the recipient of the email to confirm receipt of the email and that they agree with the details as you have described. Make sure this includes what you will be doing for them. (ie. We will put your logo on our t-shirts, give you paperwork for tax purposes, etc.). 3. About 1 week prior to your event call to make final confirmations and plans for pick up/delivery, etc. phone call to confirm the agreed upon specifics. 4. Send a thank you letter.
• Publicize your success. Let the community know how successful the event was: how many people attended, how much was raised and donated to research and how the community helped. Once you receive any information about specific research projects that have come about from your donations, make sure to publicize that too. People want to see the good that is being done through their generosity.

Lori wrapped up her interview with the following comments: Soccer Round the Clock is a large event and requires months of preparation.  There are definitely less complex ways to raise money than a 24-hour soccer event.  If you would like to duplicate a similar event in your community, we are here as a resource.  Please drop us a line through our guest book.

Inspired to plan your own event? You can make a difference! Learn more.