Charity run

Objective / Description

Motivation of older people to participate in an annual charity run. The aim is to convey that physical activity does people good and can contribute socially, even at an advanced age or with a limited physical performance.

• Background: The charity run is organized annually by the charity's parliament of Reutlingen. In general all age classes are involved. Up to now, nevertheless, most participants came from the rather younger target groups. The run takes place on a 320 m running track; each participant starts to run rounds whenever he likes and counts the completed rounds himself. Each round is worth one Euro. Participants then have the possibility to either donate the run value themselves or look for a sponsor, to come up with the given amount.

Procedure

• Form letter to all trainers and providers of exercise classes for older people, containing the request to sign up for the charity run.
• Proclamation and invitation to participate in the charity run through various media.
• Search for a sponsor to print t-shirts and pay the value of the rounds run.
• Organization of an information desk to operate as a meeting point for the participants, as well as the passing on of information.

Stakeholders and their tasks

• Project employees: creation and dispatch of the form letters and application forms; advertising copy's composition for various media; sponsor search; information desk service
• Charity run organizer: seizing on the matter and naming the 'Schritt halten' team within the advertisement for the run

Sponsoring:

• Rounds run: local health insurance company
• T-Shirts: local companies
• Banner with project logo: printing house that printed T-shirts

Material

• Cover letter to exercise instructors (in German)
• Application forms for exercise classes (in German)

Expenses / Time

Printed t-shirts: 100 pieces, 10 € net each

Results

• 61 older people participated and run 681 rounds altogether (about 218 km) = 681 €.
• 66 exercise classes and groups of physical activity were addressed directly by the project employees; big providers (community college as well as big sports clubs) were asked to pass on the form letter to the appropriate trainers. All in all, 6 groups and several individuals participated.

Experiences / Advice

• The project was met with a very positive response. Quite often it evoked memories of former times and in the end most participants managed to finish more rounds than they had expected.
• The charity run was also summed up in a positive way by the organizer. They indicated that they will repeat the process of inviting of older people through trainers and practice groups in the upcoming years.
• Even though all age classes are invited in the context of overall advertisement to events like the mentioned one most older people do not feel involved, especially those with physical restrictions. Thus, it has to be pointed out that it is not about maximum physical performance here, but about the even smallest contribution to social life.
• The participation of some residents from a local nursing home has to be especially emphasized. During their weekly occupational therapy, those participants actually practiced for the charity run, with the goal of finishing one round of walking, supported by a wheeled walker. By now, the annual participation in the charity run is part of the home's calendar of events and is being celebrated as an excursion.
• It is expected that the number of older people participating will be increasing through regular contact and a growing network between trainers, plus the positive outcomes of the participants.
• Events like this can be used to spread informative material and brochures to reach this target group in a more personal manner etc.

Impressions

Impressions of the Carity Run