Way Beyond a Silent Auction Donation

The idea of Massage Therapy and Massage Therapists being involved in Fundraising efforts seems almost redundant. We are caregivers; we are health practitioners. Our profession, our very reason for doing what we do, revolves around the well being of others. So I wonder out loud why we don't see a massage component for virtually every fundraising event in the area. We do see a few and they are usually assocated with some of the more prominent sports based events like the Multiple Sclerosis Society's MS 150 bike rides (there are 3 in Florida). We are far beyond an organization requesting a gift certificate for a 50 minute massage to place in their silent auction. Let me get back to fund raising for a moment.

For most charitable organizations, if we think of them in business terms, the revenue component of their operation is called "fundraising". It may take many forms such as annual giving, a membership drive, and in most instances a "flagship" event once or twice a year. Also in most instances those "flagship" events represent the bulk of the funds raised for that year. Every year, year after year, organizations produce the same event. Every year, year after year, organizations in the same areas compete with one another for those "donation dollars". Over the years, we have found it frustrating to assist in the fundraising process. Charitable organizations tend to have only a few paid staff members, are heavily reliant on volunteers to do the bulk of the work, and operate on very tight budgets. Trying to introduce something new into an organization that can barely repeat last year's agenda is not easily accomplished. Complicating matters further is the simple fact that the officers, staff, and volunteers in an organization tend not to view it as a business, but as a "calling". What can we at Massage on the Move, and we in the community of Massage Therapists, do to help.

A Supporting Role or A Leadership Role

The way we see it, massage therapy services can be made a part of any fund raising effort in several ways. Of course, the sponsoring organization can request the donation of massage services for a silent auction. Realisticly, this will net between $40 and $100 in raised funds, but there is no work to be done beyond a couple of phone calls. We consider this a passive role in the fund raising process.

The next step up is to utilize massage therapy in a supporting role. By this we mean adding the component of massage therapy to an existing event and soliciting the participation by local therapists. Participants (if the event is a ride, walk, or run) and attendees (if the event is not of a sporting nature) pay a nominal amount for a short (10-15 minute) massage and the proceeds are split between the therapist and the organization in an agreed upon ratio. This approach provides incremental funds with very little incremental effort since the event is already being planned and produced. The potential increment can be quite substantial, certainly much more than the $50 or so from a silent auction offering.

Extending this line of thinking to one more level, we come to the leadership role. In this scenario, massage therapy becomes the core of the fund raising event. It can be run in association with a single organization, or it can be independently organized by Massage Therapists (or their association, local or national) and benefit several charitable organizations. We favor the latter for reasons previously discussed. Variations on this theme might include a general admission to a large scale massage event where attendees paid additional small amounts to experience various types of massage, or a higher general (possibly VIP level as well) admission where all of the elements of the "massage buffet" were included at no additional charge. Sponsorships could be solicited from local spas and therapists, national (franchise) massage operations, equipment manufacturers, supply distribution companies and local businesses within and outside the health care community. Sounds like a terrific idea.

2012 Massage-a-thon to Rub Out Cancer

Now we are faced with a conundrum. We've just rambled on about having massage services be an integral part of the fund raising activities of diverse charitable organizations. We went as far as to say that the massage community itself should step up and take a leadership role in fund raising especially as it relates to health issues. So what do we do now? Wait for the phone to ring? Hope that someone catches the ball we just tossed into the air? We know the answer. If we want to see this happen, we at Massage on the Move are going to have to set things in motion and keep things moving. With that in mind, here is our vision for the 2012 Massage-a-Thon to Rub Out Cancer in conjunction with 2012 Massage Awareness Week and benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Susan G Komen Foundation, and Ronald Macdonald House Charities. The longest of journies starts with a single step - that step has been taken. We will use the blog portion of this website (still being constructed) to provide progress reports regarding the event. Please do not be shy about talking with us regarding your support or participation.