The NFA Guide to Creating Your Own Walk of FAME

March 5, 2008

Awareness Walks are a popular and fun way to draw the attention of the community to a cause. To commemorate Fibromyalgia Awareness Day 2008, the National Fibromyalgia Association has developed the Walk of FAME (Fibromyalgia Awareness Means Everything), a great way to let the community know about this chronic pain disorder. It will draw patients, supporters, and the general public together-and give everyone a great reason to get out in the spring sunshine and enjoy some gentle exercise.

Ready to develop your own Walk of FAME? Follow these guidelines.

1. Gather a team to help you organize your Walk of FAME. Remember, team-members do not need to be members of your support group-or even have FM! Enlist the assistance of friends, families, and healthcare providers. It may be especially helpful to include someone who has participated in charity walks/ runs before. Put individuals in charge of different aspects of the event:
   • Check-in
   • Publicity
   • Team communication and planning
   • Volunteer coordination
   • Traffic management
   • Exhibitor coordination (if you are also holding a health faire)
   • First aid and other services
   • Clean-up
   • Entertainment
2. Consider the scope of your Walk of FAME. Does your community have an active pain management center, or is your support group bigger than 50 people? If so, your event has a potential to attract hundreds of participants and spectators; be sure that you choose a venue that can handle such a crowd! Are you hosting a health faire as well? Be sure your venue has an appropriate location for exhibitors to set up booths. Don't forget to consider how many hours your event is likely to last, and what time of day is likely to attract the most participation.
3. Determine the type of WALK you are holding
   • Number of miles, laps, or hours
4. Establish a budget, if needed. Don't forget to develop reimbursement policies. Be specific! Consider these expenses as you develop your budget.
   • Location permits or usage charges
   • Insurance policy
   • Equipment (tables, chairs, canopies, etc...)
   • Flyers, T-shirts and other event-related materials (see NFA order form for NFA, FM & Pledge to Care materials)
5. Develop a timeline. What time of day will your walk take place? How many hours will you need your walk venue? If you are also hosting a health faire, will it be open the same hours as the walk, or will the schedules differ?
6. Identify potential locations to hold your Walk of FAME. Be creative! Think about high school tracks, elementary school play fields, sports arenas, even malls or shopping centers. Does anyone on the organizational team know a member of management at one of these venues? If not, look up the venue phone number and put in a call to discuss holding your walk there.

   Consider these factors as you narrow down your location choices:

   • Is the location conveniently located, so participants and sponsors can easily access it?
   • Is it available for use on the date of your Walk of FAME?
   • Are there electrical, water, and restroom facilities?
   • Is there sufficient parking, and is it easy for cars and people to flow to and from the location?
   • Does the location fit with your type of WALK and is the path easy to navigate?
   • Are there accommodations for the elderly and disabled?
   • Is the cost of reserving the location within your budget, or can you negotiate a lower price or free use of the location?
   • Do the location's regulations prohibit any of your plans (for instance, will exhibitors be allowed to sell products?)?
   • Are there adjacent property owners or users whose permission you will need if the WALK impacts their business due to foot or vehicle traffic?
7. Contact your local law enforcement agency or city to find out about local ordinances that may impact your event. Be sure to obtain any necessary permits.
8. Find out about insurance coverage.
   • Ask the location property owner and the city what their insurance requirements are then contact your insurance agency to get the policy (the appropriate policy will differ, depending on whether it is a group, nonprofit or an individual purchasing it).
9. Once you have booked your venue for the right day and the right length of time, be sure to register your Walk of FAME
   • On the NFA website (www.fmaware.org), click on Community, then Awareness Day to find the link to the Awareness Day Events listing and event registration form to register your event.
10. Approach potential sponsors to help finance, publicize, or even organize your Walk of FAME.
    • If there is a sporting-goods or running store in your area, management may be accustomed to helping local groups organize walks/ runs (there may be a fee involved). You can approach businesses in your area for donations of water, energy bars, and other items to be given to walk participants. Athletic stores, fitness clubs, massage therapists, and doctors' offices, chiropractors, hospitals, pain clinics, libraries, and community centers are all great locations to pin up fliers (be sure to get permission!) and help publicize your event.
11. Develop a list of local officials or celebrities to invite to your event
    • If you have requested a proclamation from the mayor, governor, senator, or other official, invite those individuals to present the proclamation at your event
12. Publicize your Walk of FAME
    • To spread the word about your event, you can design fliers and distribute them among your support group; ask each member to place fliers at the places they frequent-a bulletin board at their place of worship, in their doctor's office, at their favorite stores and restaurants. You may choose to pay for an ad in a local publication, but it's also a great idea to send out "public service announcements" that local radio and cable television stations run at no charge, and to fax or email press releases to newspaper and magazine reporters who may choose to write a feature about the event or your support group. Don't forget to sound calendar announcements to local publications, your local cable stations, and local radio stations.