News Release

For immediate release

May 2005

Contact: Emily Melone

Pita Communications, LLC

860.293.0157, ext. 23

From Passion to Profit:

How to Turn a Meaningful Cause into a Successful Fundraiser and Life-Changing Experience

(Hartford, Conn. May 2005) – In a time of economic uncertainty, when companies double-knot their purse strings and organizations scrutinize their spending with an eagle eye, starting a fundraiser from scratch may seem like a daunting task.

Yet surprisingly, many charitable organizations are currently thriving, and Americans are becoming more liberal with their donations. According to online service Freelanthropy’s inaugural Charitable Giving Index, 90 percent of Americans donate from $100 to more than $10,000 annually. And American individuals, estates, foundations and corporations gave an estimated $240.72 billion to charitable causes in 2003, according to “Giving USA 2004,” a study released by Giving USA Foundation.

So if the majority of Americans are consistently donating to worthy causes, how does someone with his or her own important issue capitalize on their generosity? Alan Osit, co-founder of the annual golf tournament Golf Fore the Kids, discovered the secret – and he insists that anyone with enthusiasm, determination and initiative can also create, promote and complete a successful fundraiser.

Osit’s own endeavor began in 2003 as a small fundraiser to raise awareness about the devastating reality of pediatric cancer. Since then, Golf Fore the Kids has become the fastest-growing charity event in Connecticut. How did he do it? This father-turned-philanthropist suggests the following tips to ensure your fundraiser meets and exceeds your expectations:

Successful Fundraising Tip #1: BE INSPIRED

The most important component to starting a fundraiser is that you have to be passionate and driven by the cause it benefits, says Osit. Golf Fore the Kids was inspired by Osit’s son, Jacob, and Jacob’s friend Nicholas Vera, who were each diagnosed with cancer at age 4. Both boys endured devastating treatment plans, yet their strength and bravery motivated their families to take action to prevent other children from experiencing the same ordeal. The proceeds of the tournament benefit the Jimmy Fund at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Connecticut’s Children’s Medical Center.

“To be successful, you need to believe that what you’re doing is the right thing,” Osit said. “I felt like I needed to give something back, even though it might not help my situation directly. I needed to help make a difference.”

Successful Fundraising Tip #2: ASK FOR HELP

“The one thing I didn’t understand when I began organizing the fundraiser was that I couldn’t do it alone,” said Osit. His advice? Don’t be afraid to ask for support. The larger your network becomes, the greater the potential for making advantageous connections. Once he began to spread the word about his idea for a golf tournament, Osit connected with friends and acquaintances who offered their direct support – and professional services – to help the cause. From advertising and marketing materials to printing services to donated money, products and time, Osit received the support he needed in order to make his plans a reality.

Successful Fundraising Tip #3: TELL A STORY

Businesses get solicited all the time for donations to one cause or another, so it’s imperative that you differentiate your event from the others out there. The best way to do this is to tell a story: Take a humanistic approach to your cause and make the business owner/receptionist/sales clerk really care about the individual people their donation will impact. Make them understand the reasoning behind the event, who is involved and exactly what their money will help accomplish.

In 2004, Golf Fore the Kids raised $50,000 for the Jimmy Fund and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center – a 100 percent increase from the 2003 event. This money helped hire a full-time research fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and purchased entertainment devices that help pass the time and

make life in the hospital a little more bearable for children while undergoing cancer treatment. How was the tournament able to grow so exponentially? Osit and his fundraising team shared their experiences and results with prospective donors through personalized letters, brochures, a web site and face-to-face visits. By educating their audience about the tangible impact they could make, they were able to successfully increase sponsorships and donations.

Successful Fundraising Tip #4: TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER

On the same note, don’t be surprised when your touching, heartfelt story falls on deaf ears. “I was shocked at first when I would tell Jacob’s story to someone and they would just flat-out say no,” Osit said. “Going into this, I thought people would just be willing to open their wallets for such a worthy cause – but that wasn’t the case. It was infuriating.”

Osit realized he was too close to the issue to act as an impartial fundraiser, so he enlisted his friends and family to help “sell” the story to potential donors. Looking back, he recognizes that these “no-goers” are constantly solicited by different fundraisers – each with their own valuable cause – and that rejection is something you have to accept and move past in order to reach your goals.

Successful Fundraising Tip #5: DO SOMETHING FUN

Whatever type of cause your fundraiser supports – lively, somber, controversial or mundane – the event itself should encourage participants to have a good time. Talk to your supporters to get a sense of what type of event they would be excited to take part in. Contact the organizations you would like your event to benefit and ask them about their specific needs and what they think would work best.

Before choosing a golf tournament as his form of fundraiser, Osit had taken part in different charity golf tournaments and had a vague sense of how they worked. He knew a lot of people that enjoyed golf, and although by no means a pro, he enjoyed it himself. However, friends still tried to dissuade him from holding a golf tournament because of the amount of work involved. But Osit knew the results would be worth the time and energy. He was right, and for it’s third year, the Golf Fore the Kids tournament has upped its fun factor, incorporating a Hawaiian theme and a dinner luau to follow the day of play.

Successful Fundraising Tip #6: IT’S ALL FOR THE CAUSE

After all the planning, prospecting, stressing and entertaining is over, the cause still remains. Don’t let the day-to-day minutiae of the event itself take away from the end goal – making an impact and effecting change is what it’s all about.

For Osit, the cause is always in mind. His son Jacob, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in December 2001, relapsed in February 2004. He re-started treatment for recurrent Neuroblastoma in February 2005 and will soon be involved in a clinical trial. And while Osit and his family fight their own battle, he also keeps in mind the other 12,500 children who are diagnosed with cancer each year. That’s why he says that while the Golf Fore the Kids tournament has already raised $75,000 for the Jimmy Fund and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, they’ve only just begun.

Alan Osit, a South Windsor resident, will co-chair the third Golf Fore the Kids tournament on Thursday, June 23, 2005, at the Blackledge Country Club in Hebron, CT. Along with co-chair and Vernon resident Steve Vera, special guest host and voice of UConn football and basketball Joe D’Ambrosio and over 200 enthusiastic golfers, Osit hopes to surpass last year’s $50,000 donation. For sponsorship and tournament information, visit www.golfforethekids.com or contact Alan Osit at alan@golfforethekids.com or Steve Vera at steve@golfforethekids.com.