More Than A Meeting
Relay Wrap Up Celebration
Purpose:
The purpose of the Relay Wrap Up Celebration is to thank and recognize
ALL of your Relay participants including team members, team captains,
committee members, survivors, caregivers, sponsors and anyone and
everyone who has helped make your Relay a success! Snacks or
appetizers (donated of course) should be served. You should also take this
opportunity to actively promote registration for next year’s Relay and
recruit committee members.
Who:
The best way to distribute invitations to your Relay Wrap Up Celebration is
at your Relay while “Working the Track.” Invitations are given on a oneon-one basis by the staff partner and the committee to Team Captains
and their teams, survivors/caregivers, sponsors and participants.
Although personal invitations are best, invitations can also be mailed or
emailed. It is nice to include follow up phone calls and e-mail reminders to
ensure strong attendance.
When:
The Wrap Up Celebration should be held four to six weeks after your
Relay. This will give you enough time to order the awards and materials
needed for your Wrap Up.
Where:
You should hold your Wrap Up in a location central to your Relay
community. The school auditorium or gymnasium where your Relay was
held is a good suggestion. Include this as part of the ask when you are
first securing your Relay site. Other potential Wrap Up locations include
restaurants, hotels, parks, civic organization conference rooms or other
donated business space.
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
1
How to make your Relay Wrap Up “More Than a Meeting!”
 Go all out! Make it fun and make it meaningful. This is one Relay “meeting” that
shouldn’t feel anything like a meeting. It is a celebration!! Make it an event that
everyone has to be at. If you begin promoting this before your Relay at Team
Captain and Committee meetings, and extend the invitation again while “Working
the Track” at the event, then they will be anxiously looking forward to your Wrap
Up! Make it as thoughtful as you can. Remember, a little effort goes a long way.
Out of the Box Ideas
 Make your invitations unique: Give a purple jar of bubbles and make a new label
that says, “Don’t burst our bubble, come to our Wrap Up Celebration!” Or tape the
invitations all over your Event Chair at the Relay and have her/him walk to each
team and have them find their invitation. Or deliver the invitation with a star – and
tell them they are the star of the Wrap up! Use your imagination!!
 Ask survivors to distribute the invitations at your Relay with a personal ask.
 Make sure your committee is very observant at your Relay so you can create some
fun awards. (see below for award ideas)
 Have Survivors write handwritten thank you cards to all of your Team Captains in
advance to be given at the Wrap Up Celebration.
 When participants enter the room at your Wrap Up, sound a horn or ring a bell and
“announce them” to the room! An example might be “Announcing Sue Smith, leader
of leaders, team captain extraordinaire!”
 Hold a mini Fight Back Ceremony to encourage year round involvement.
Awards and Recognition Ideas
The following are examples of awards that can be presented to teams and participants
at your Relay Wrap Up Celebration. Of course, not all of these will be applicable to your
event. These are simply a list of ideas to assist you in celebrating the success of those
who went “above and beyond” to make your Relay successful. Remember, a little
recognition now can result in a lot of positive action as you gear up for a bigger and
better event next year!







Messiest Campsite
Neatest Campsite
Most Congenial Team
Bedhead Award
Super Trooper Staff Partner Award
Future Relay Co-Chairperson Award
Super Survivor Award
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
2

















Jammin’ in Their Jammies Award
Team Spirit Award
Rookie Team Award
Relayaholic Award (the Person who eats, drinks and sleeps Relay!)
Relay Good Sport Award
Most Outstanding Cancer Education Campsite
Outstanding Onsite Fundraising Idea
Team Fundraising Club Recognition
Little Engine That Could Award
Outstanding Youth Team
Youth Rookie of the Year
School Rookie of the Year
Top Youth Fundraiser
Top Individual Fundraiser
Most Outstanding Team Banner
Best Campsite
Looking Ahead Award
What to Bring














Awards
Team Fundraising Club pins
Balloons
CD player/music
Relay For Life banners
American Cancer Society programs & services brochures
Relay site map for next year
Flip chart and marker
Sign in sheet
Sign up sheet for companies or individuals who would like for an ACS staff
person or volunteer to visit them with more information
Sound system, if one is not provided
Office addressed envelopes for people that may have money to mail to the
office
A comment/suggestion box
A bell or horn to ring when participants enter the room
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
3
Job Assignments
 Set up crew (balloons, decorations, sound system, forms & brochures on
table on tables, awards set up, signs)
 Tear down crew
 Music/Powerpoint/sound person
 Master of Ceremonies (Event Chair)
 Awards procurement and organizer
 Greeters to make the rounds to each guest and welcome them (committee)
 Stage Manager – Usually staff partner, makes sure everyone is in their place
and prepared
 Photographer
 People to collect forms filled out on tables
Set-Up
 Balloons inside and outside
 Purple table cloths, cups and plates
 Signage: RFL signs, Team Fundraising Club signs, Banners, any sponsors
signs from Relay
 Photo collage from Relay
 Forms on tables: Team Registration form/committee sign up/ACS Brochures
 “Thank You” written in several languages on different kinds of paper all over
tables
 Sound system, CD player, video or DVD player if needed
 Large flip chart, sign up sheet for pre-registration for next years Relay
 Map of Relay for advance campsite choice as they pay registration
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
4
Sample Invitation
And the winners are..........ALL OF US!
You and your entire team, family, friends, etc., are cordially
invited to attend the
(fill in Relay Site name here)
2009 RELAY FOR LIFE
WRAP UP CELEBRATION AND
AWARDS PRESENTATION
This is a night you won't want to miss, because it’s
ALL ABOUT YOU!!!!
(DATE)
(LOCATION AND ADDRESS)
Join us for a very special evening where you can
Share with your teammates. Remember the Experience.
Celebrate the accomplishment. Commit to Continue the Fight.
To Personalize the
invitation, include a
photo from last year’s
Relay here!
Kindly R.S.V.P. for you and your team members no later than
________ to
(NAME OF VOLUNTEER OR STAFF )
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
5
Relay Wrap Up Sample Agenda
5: 30 p.m.
Guests Begin to Arrive (Music is playing,
greeter announces each arrival aloud &
rings the bell as they enter) Please let each
guest know that dinner is available
immediately
(Music and photo slide show from Relay
play during snack time. Also during this
time they fill out the any forms on the
table.)
5:50 p.m.
Announcement that the Awards
Presentation will begin in 10 minutes
6:00 p.m.
Event Chair welcomes everyone and
introduces Committee Members, presents
them with their PA Division Recognition Gift
and talks about the opportunity to
participate in committee. (Form on table)
6:15 p.m.
Final numbers – total raised – remind them
where the money goes (brochure on table)
6:20 p.m.
Awards Presentation (take photos). Provide
Top 3 teams and individuals with their PA
Division Recognition Gift. Announce Team
Fundraising Club Teams, as well as any
other fun awards.
6:35 p.m.
Event Chair recognizes Team Captains
presents them with their PA Division
Recognition Gift.
6:45 p.m.
Event Chair then introduces any talent or
speakers. Talent/speaker presentation.
(Speaker might be a survivor/Voice of Hope,
oncologist, team captain, etc.)
6:55 p.m.
Event Chair recognizes sponsors.
7:00 p.m.
Event Chair recognize Survivors/Caregiverstalk about everyone’s legacy in the fight
against cancer.
7:05 p.m.
Final Staff partner thanks them on
behalf of ACS - gives Event Chair PA
Division Recognition Gift.
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
6
Baton passing to next Event Chair.
7:15 p.m.
Invitation to pre-register for next year at a
reduced fee or join committee/recognize
those teams who registered.
Closing
Thank everyone for coming and make sure
they take an invitation to the fall Kick-off.
Sample Program
Relay For Life Wrap Up Celebration
Welcome To A Celebration of
YOU!!!
Tonight is designed to recognize your contribution to the Relay For Life of _______.
In addition to the hours you spent preparing for Relay, and the hours you spent at
Relay, we are so grateful that you have chosen to spend another evening with us so
that we may thank you properly!
Tonight’s Program:
Welcome
Refreshments
Your Relay Committee
Drum Roll Please….
Awards Presentation
Team Captain Recognition
Guest speaker
Sponsor Recognition
Survivor/Caregiver Recognition
Your Legacy in the fight against cancer
Passing of the Baton
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
7
An Invitation to You
On behalf of the American Cancer Society,
Thank You for your contribution to the fight
against Cancer. We hope you enjoyed your
Relay experience, and we look forward to
Seeing you next year!
www.cancer.org
1-800-ACS-2345
8