POLICIES & GUIDELINES The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, while improving the quality of life of patients and their families. About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s disease, as well as to improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Our goal is to significantly accelerate cures for leukemia and its related cancers, and be the recognized leader in the fight against these diseases. The Society supports five major programs – research, patient financial aid, patient services, public and professional education and community services. Since the first funding in 1954, the Society has awarded over $600 million to research grants, now about $64.7 million annually. These grants support medical investigators as they continue their studies, which are among the most prestigious in the fields of hematology and oncology, in order to advance the knowledge of leukemia and related cancers, and ultimately cure these diseases. About Leukemia Leukemia is a malignancy of the blood-forming tissues – bone marrow, lymph nodes and spleen. It appears as uncontrolled multiplication of abnormal blood cells. When leukemia strikes, millions of abnormal and useless white blood cells accumulate in the tissues, preventing the production of normal cells. It is estimated that leukemia and its related cancers will strike over 138,530 Americans this year. Leukemia is one of the leading diseases contributing to the death of children less than 15 years of age, yet it affects ten times as many adults. The cause of leukemia remains unknown. However, the effectiveness of recently developed treatment methods and steady advances in research bring us closer every day to finding the cause of leukemia and related cancers, and to probable cures. Why Should I Support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society? It is estimated that 138,530 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2008, and will cause the deaths of approximately 52,910 people. These deaths account for nearly 9.4% of those diagnosed with cancer based on the total of 565,650 cancer-related deaths. Of the 1,437,180 new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year, 9.6% is accounted from new cases of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma. Every four minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma, which is nearly 360 people per day. Every 10 minutes another child or adult is going to lose their battle to leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. This breaks down to 145 people each day or six people every hour. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society-sponsored research has been the catalyst for effective treatments of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lymphoma and other common kinds of cancers, including breast and lung cancer. Now, on the threshold of a new era, the hope is that with accelerated funding for research, all leukemias and related cancers will be curable early in this century. The research is working. Twenty-five years ago, only 4% of children diagnosed with leukemia survived. Today, 85% of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia and 46% of those with acute myelogenous leukemia will live, thanks to the research funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society projects, such as Team In Training. The Gateway Chapter The Gateway Chapter serves Eastern Missouri, Southern Illinois and Arkansas and is one of 66 chapters nationwide. The chapter supports researchers at Washington University and St. Louis University and the. In addition, the Society provides financial assistance up to $500 per year for outpatient expenses to patients with leukemia and related cancers. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, participants and volunteers, the Gateway Chapter Team In Training program raised $1.4 million in fiscal year 2008 (July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008). With your help, we are looking forward to raising more than $1.5 million in fiscal year 2009. 2 Team In Training Commitments & Policies In order for the Team In Training program to reach its goals, it is vital that each and every team member reaches their minimum fundraising commitment. To ensure the credibility of the program, fundraising deadlines have been set. All funds must be turned in by the Fundraising Deadline date, approximately three weeks prior to your event. Specific deadline dates are enclosed. (See Important Dates Calendar, given to you when you registered.) According to the deadline provided for your event, you will have the opportunity to turn in your first 100 fundraising letters, and we’ll pay the postage (up to current standard letter postal cost) for you. Included in the program packet are instructions on setting up an online fundraising page. Set up this page and include your website address in your letters and emails. Donations collected through this website are sent directly to Paycor and will immediately post to your account. Both are great ways to begin your fundraising early. Recommitment Recommitment refers to a point in your fundraising where you “recommit” to the team so that both you and the Society are confident that you will complete the full fundraising minimum before the fundraising deadline. This is the point in the season where we start to incur costs on your behalf for hotel, transportation and race entry fees. For this reason, at this point we ask that you have a minimum amount in your Paycor account to continue with the team. For events with a fundraising minimum of $1,600 or less, your recommitment goal is $750. For events with a fundraising minimum of $3,999 or less, your recommitment goal is $1,500. For events with a fundraising minimum over $4,000, your recommitment goal is $2,000. If you are not at the required funds for recommitment, you can make a personal donation to reach that amount and continue with the team. Personal donations are accepted in the form of a money order, check, or a credit card charge in our office. Do not make your personal donations on your online fundraising website. If you have not reached the recommitment minimum and are unable to make a personal donation, you will forfeit your place on the team. How do I recommit? You will receive a form at the travel and recommitment meeting that is the official document you must sign and return to recommit to the team. On this document you will give us a credit card to guarantee that you will complete the fundraising minimum for your event. Unless you are NOT at your recommitment goal for your event, your card will not be charged at this time, but will be kept on file. Should you not complete the fundraising minimum by the deadline, you will have the option of charging the card on file, another card or writing a check to complete your fundraising. Airline Deadline The airline deadline is the date soon before which we purchase seats for the team flight, if applicable. At the Airline Deadline (noted on your important dates calendar), we ask that you have at least $2,000 in your account for us to buy your airline ticket. If you have not raised the requested funds, you will remain on the team; however, we ask that you purchase your own airline ticket, which will be reimbursable as per the guidelines listed below Fundraising Deadline The Fundraising Deadline is how we ensure that we will be able to give at least 75% to our mission to cure blood cancers. You must complete the fundraising amount by this deadline to travel or complete your event. If you have not reached your fundraising minimum, you will have three options to remain with the team: you may charge the difference to the card that is on file, you may charge the difference on another credit card, or you may write a check for the difference. If our records show you have not reached the minimum, your staff person will contact you at the deadline with the amount of fundraising that we have on file and the amount of personal donation necessary. It is important that you communicate any discrepancies with your staff person as quickly as possible. If there is no response from you, your staff person will charge the card on file prior to the event. 3 Personal donations are accepted in the form of a money order, check, or a credit card charge in our office. Do not make your personal donations on your online fundraising website. Reimbursement for Expenses and/or Fundraising Charges Expense Reimbursement Participants are eligible for expense reimbursement of any expense they incur that the Society pays up to the Society’s cost. Typically, expense reimbursements include air and ground transportation from St. Louis to the hotel at the event city (excluding local events), hotel for the duration of the event weekend and race entry. These expenses will be explained in general at the travel and recommitment meeting and specifically at the Know Before You Go meeting prior to the event, where you will be given the necessary forms to request a reimbursement. You must have original proof of the expense (receipt) that shows payment type in order for the Society to issue your reimbursement. Furthermore, any reimbursement request must be initiated by you before the reimbursement deadline listed in the important dates for your event. Fundraising Reimbursement If you have made a personal donation to reach either the recommitment minimum or the fundraising minimum for your event, you are given an opportunity to continue fundraising and be reimbursed up to the amount of your donation. The final date that this is allowed is your “Reimbursement Deadline.” This deadline is specific to your event and falls after your event. You do this by continuing to collect donations and submitting them to our office. At the deadline, or when you reach the total of your personal donations, you must complete and send to your staff person the “Request for Fundraising Reimbursement” and include all copies of checks sent to us since the last statement that you received or include the actual check with the reimbursement form. The “Request for Reimbursement” form and all other necessary documentation must be received by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society office no later than 5 p.m. CST on the date of the Reimbursement Deadline. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will reimburse you via a check after the “Request for Fundraising Reimbursement” form is received, any expense invoice has been paid and your Paycor account reflects the correct balance. If you are eligible for expense reimbursements (i.e. air and/or hotel and/or race entry), then please make certain that you complete the “Request for Expense Reimbursement.” When being reimbursed for expenses you will be reimbursed via a check for your funds. Due to internal accounting procedures, your check will be mailed to you approximately 30 days after the check request is submitted. Fundraising and expense reimbursements will be combined on one check if applicable. *The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will only reimburse each participant one time. How Does The Process Work? For example: You are training for a Marathon that takes place on June 4th, and your fundraising goal is $3,500. The recommitment deadline is March 31st. On March 31st, your Paycor account shows a balance of $950. On April 1st, your credit card will be charged the difference below the $1,500 and what you must have in your account. The fundraising deadline is May 19th. On May 19th you have a balance of $3,300 in your Paycor account. Your credit card given at recommitment will be charged for $200 on May 19th. You continue fundraising and turn in an additional $100. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will issue you a reimbursement check for $100, but ONLY IF you submit a “Request for Fundraising Reimbursement.” Your invoice must be paid, and the correct funds must be showing on Paycor’s account by June 23rd (“Reimbursement Deadline,” about five weeks after the fundraising deadline). The remaining $150 from the charges done at the recommitment and fundraising deadline will be considered a personal donation to ensure that your $3,500 commitment has been fulfilled. Any funds that are received after the reimbursement deadline are considered a donation to the Society and are non-reimbursable. Important Things to Remember: In order to be eligible for the event trip, each Team Member agrees by the Recommitment date to turn in the required amount of donations established for the event selected and to guarantee (by credit card) the balance by the final Fundraising Deadline date, which is approximately three weeks prior to trip departure. Please note the reimbursement policy – funds raised before the Reimbursement Deadline may be submitted for credit. The respective amount will then be reimbursed to the participant via check. Reimbursements will not be made until all invoices (registration fees and guest expenses) have been paid. 4 Withdrawal From The TNT Program If you decide you are not able to reach the minimum, or if for other reasons you must withdraw from the program, then you have the following options: If you decide to drop BEFORE the Recommitment Date, then any funds you have raised to date will be contributed 100% to the Society’s mission. You may NOT transfer the funds already raised to another event. Should you decide to join another TNT event, you will be required to register again, pay the registration fee and begin fundraising for the new event. If you decide to drop AFTER you have signed the Recommitment Form with your credit card, you will be invoiced for any expenses incurred on your behalf (i.e. airfare, any cancellation fees, etc.). You may NOT transfer the funds already raised to another event. Those funds raised go directly to the Society’s mission. Should you decide to join another TNT event, you will be required to register again, pay the registration fee and begin fund raising for the new event. If you must withdraw from the program due to injury, pregnancy or military duty at any time throughout the training, you MAY transfer raised funds to another endurance event. The funds are held for one calendar year from the season in which you were registered. (Ex: Spring 2006 withdraws must re-register no later than the Spring 2007 season.) Approved Documentation is required. If the Society has incurred expenses on your behalf (i.e., already purchased the non-refundable airfare, hotel, transportation, event entry fee, pasta and victory tickets,) the expenses will be deducted from your fund raising total. In the event of an injury, you will be invoiced for all guest expenses. These expenses must be paid and cannot be deducted from your fund raising total. Funds held are only valid in the Gateway Chapter. Should a participant relocate, held funds will not be transferable to another Chapter territory. In the event of withdrawal from the program, funds may not be transferred from one participant to another, regardless of cause. In the event that you have to withdraw from the program (regardless of cause) and want to register for another event, you will need to pay the registration fee again because each time that you register, you receive the program supplies. Travel The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society provides airfare, hotel accommodations and ground transportation during the event for Team In Training participants. Airfare Currently, we have seats held for an approximate group number. In most cases, we do not purchase airline tickets until after the final Fundraising Deadline date. This is to ensure that all participants have met their fundraising goal prior to the Society purchasing non-refundable airline tickets. However, if our contract requires us to purchase tickets further in advance, you will be accountable for the cost of the ticket if you have recommitted and drop from the program. Hotel The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society National Office handles all hotel accommodations based on the information that we provide, and therefore we generally do not have an exact hotel assignment until we near the event (approximately six to eight weeks prior to the event). Each participant’s fundraising minimum covers half the hotel room rate during event weekend since there are two TNT participants placed per room. If you would prefer to have a room to yourself or share your room with a guest, you will be responsible to pay for half of the room rate, applicable taxes and guest/porterage fees. Team In Training does not book additional rooms for guests. All guest expenses must be paid by the Know Before You Go Meeting, which is held approximately two weeks prior to the event date. 5 Travel Forms Approximately 10 weeks prior to your event, you will receive your Travel Forms covering the logistics for the event weekend. You will also be given your recommitment paperwork in addition to your travel forms. Please complete these forms and return them to your staff person by the Recommitment Deadline. A note about airfare and hotel… It is not mandatory to use the group airfare or group hotel. Obviously, we hope that all of our team members will travel and stay with the Team. If you are making your own arrangements, you may be reimbursed for those expenses according to the following guidelines: Expense Reimbursements The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will reimburse airfare and hotel expenses only after you have reached your fundraising minimum and have turned your “Request for Expense Reimbursement” form (with all necessary original supporting documentation of proof of payment) into your staff person. All of your funds must be in your account at Paycor. The “Request for Reimbursement” form and all other documentation must be received by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society office no later than 5 p.m. CST on the date of the Reimbursement Deadline. Please note that The Society will reimburse you via a check for your funds. Due to internal accounting procedures, your check will be mailed to you approximately 30 days after the check request is submitted. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will only reimburse each participant one time. Please make certain that when you complete the form that it includes all reimbursements (for fundraising and expenses). The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will reimburse for the least expensive cost. For example, the group airfare was $300, you purchased your own at $250, the Society will reimburse $250. If expense is higher than group cost, the Society will only reimburse up to the group cost. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society cannot reimburse participants who use their frequent flyer miles. If you decide to drive to the event, proof of mileage may be submitted and reimbursement will be based on mileage rate at that time. The lesser of the costs (airfare or mileage) will be reimbursed. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will reimburse up to your event’s Reimbursement Deadline only. No exceptions. If you decide to purchase your own expenses and NOT be reimbursed, your fundraising minimum remains the same. Expense reimbursement may not be subtracted from the fundraising minimum. Guest Policy Guests are welcome during the event weekend. Team In Training will only book a maximum of one room per participant, coach or staff, double occupancy. If you choose to have your guest(s) share your room, you will be responsible to pay for half of the room rate, applicable taxes and guest/porterage fees. If you do not choose to bring a guest, you will be sharing a room with another TNT participant. Note that Guests not in a participant’s room are responsible for making their own accommodations. Guests are welcome to attend the Pasta/Victory Parties. They are also welcome to use the TNT provided ground transportation. You will indicate the number of guests needing pasta/victory tickets and ground transportation when completing your travel forms at recommitment. Team members will be invoiced for guest expenses. All guest expenses must be paid by the Know Before You Go Meeting, which is held approximately two weeks prior to the event date. Please be cautious when giving TNT your number of guests needing pasta, victory and transportation. The Society must pay for any extra tickets ordered and those cost will be passed on to you for payment. If you find that you no longer need the tickets, you cannot return them to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society office. You may, however, sell them to another participant who may be in need of additional tickets. Transportation for participants and their guests is provided to/from airport, to/from Start/Finish and to/from Pasta and Victory Celebrations. Guests are more than welcome to take advantage of transportation and attend all TNT events during the weekend. Guests will be charged and invoices must be paid by the Know Before You Go meeting. All guest expenses must be paid by the date stated on the invoice. If any of your guest(s) request changes at ANY TIME after submitting your travel forms, please notify your staff person immediately. 6 SUBMITTING YOUR DONATIONS Paycor As money starts to come in, you should send your donations to Paycor once a week. Fill out the PARTICIPANT DONOR FORM with each batch of checks. Send your PARTICIPANT DONOR FORM and checks (do not staple or paper clip checks to the form) in an envelope to Paycor: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Gateway Chapter Dept. # 901 PO Box 145900 Cincinnati, OH 45250 *There are labels with the Paycor address included in your program packet. You should keep track of your fundraising progress including names, addresses, and donation amounts as well as a copy of checks for yourself, just in case. This will also help you write Thank-you notes. You will receive a monthly statement from Paycor. Keep in mind that it takes Paycor about seven to ten days to record your donations after they receive it, so keep track of your statements, and if something hasn’t shown up within about three weeks after submission, contact your staff person. *Make sure each check is made out to LLS (not to you) and that the date is correct. If they aren’t, this will only delay the process of having them credited to your account! *Any personally made donor forms you may have included in your letter campaign is for your records only, Do not send them to Paycor. Paycor ONLY needs the checks and the PARTICIPANT DONOR FORM to process your donations. Matching Gifts Include a sentence in your letter asking your donors to check with their companies on their matching gift program. This is an easy way to double or even triple your donations! When you receive a check from a donor and they say that their company matches, ask them to get the matching gift form from their company. The HR/Office Manager usually has them. DON’T SEND MATCHING GIFT CHECKS TO PAYCOR!! Complete the MATCHING GIFT FORM with your information and include the company’s matching gift form and the donor’s check. Don’t forget to keep a copy of all three for your records. Mail the MATCHING GIFT FORM, the company’s matching gift form, and the donor’s check to the LLS office: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ATTN: Tammy Tassinari #77 West Port Plaza, Ste. 101 St. Louis, MO 63146 After receiving all necessary forms, the LLS office will verify the match to make sure LLS is eligible and will add the donation to your Paycor account. 7 GATEWAY CHAPTER TEAM IN TRAINING STAFF ~Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois~ St. Louis Office Main Office: (314) 878-0780 (800) 264-2873 Fax: (314) 878-4050 Judy Swiecicki Executive Director judy.swiecicki@lls.org Ext: 34 Cheryl Reale Deputy Executive Director cheryl.reale@lls.org Ext: 35 Kobi Gillespie Campaign Director kobi.gillespie@lls.org Ext: 33 Debbie Miller Senior Campaign Manager debbie.miller@lls.org Ext: 23 Cindy Heffner Marketing Manager cindy.heffner@lls.org Ext: 22 Nicole Lowe Campaign Coordinator nicole.lowe@lls.org Ext: 27 Gail Ure Campaign Coordinator gail.ure@lls.org Ext: 30 Gateway Chapter Main Office 77 West Port Plaza Dr. Ste. 101 St. Louis, MO 63146 www.teamintraining.org/gat 8