March 2011
2 posts
What a year!
The 21 volunteers for the 2010-11 Carry On Campaign pledged to raise $2,100 for the American Cancer Society. When the dust settled, that total was a little different. Well, a lot different. This amazing group raised $9,774 — almost 10 grand! That total helped the 2011 Concert for Life bring in over $41,000 for the ACS, bringing the show’s 11-year total to more than $280,000 and the total for...
A movie fan's story
With the 2011 Carry On Campaign coming to a close, I’ve asked some of our volunteers to share their stories — why they volunteers, how they raised their money, etc. The series kicks off with Tim Brayton’s story.
Tim is a testicular cancer survivor. He’s also a huge movie buff with a knack for writing reviews, which he does so often on his blog, Antagony & Ecstasy. As...
February 2011
2 posts
Checks are pouring in ...
With the campaign rapidly coming to a close, I’m starting to receive checks from our volunteers. It’s fun to watch the total grow and grow. We have a couple of near-1,000 totals (wow!!) and everyone has at least raised their pledged $100. It’s amazing.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it looks like we’ll easily beat last year’s total of $4,750. Woohoo!
There's still time!
If you haven’t gotten around to starting your campaign yet - or if you are just now hearing about this - there’s still time! You’d be amazed at how fast you can raise $100 if you tell people you’re helping raise money for the fight against cancer.
If nothing else, just put a coin jar out at work, send an email out to people about what you’re doing, and see where...
January 2011
2 posts
No need to stop at $100
The goal of the Carry On Campaign is for all volunteers to raise $100 for the American Cancer Society. But there’s no rule that says you have to stop there! Marisa, one of last year’s volunteers, raised over $800. And I just found out that one of this year’s volunteers — details to come — has already passed $1,000!
Awesome!
We have a winner!
My Carry On Campaign idea for this year was to run an NFL Survivor Pool with half of the money going to the American Cancer Society. The idea was pretty simple. It cost $10 to enter. All you had to do was pick one team from each NFL weekend that you thought would win. If your team won, great. If they lost, you got a strike. Two strikes and you were technically out, although we instituted a...
September 2010
2 posts
Matt's Mile
At each of the past few CFL shows we’ve played a montage of photos featuring cancer fighters, survivors and victims, usually shown during a live performance of “See Them.” It’s always very emotional singing the words to that song while seeing the faces of those for whom I wrote the song. I always get choked up when I see my mom or dad’s picture come onto the screen....
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus … who comforts us in all...”
– 2 Corinthians 1:4
How awesome is this line? One of my favorite quotes from the Bible — and a wonderful message for all of us to remember to comfort those who need comforting.
August 2010
3 posts
Like football?
There’s one week left to sign up for my NFL Survivor Pool. Just $10 to join and half of all the money raised goes toward my Carry On Campaign.
Help me meet my $100 goal and add a new element to the NFL season. Last year’s tournament was a ton of fun.
Details here.
A good sign.
Last year I was amazed at how many of our Carry On Campaign pioneers went beyond their $100 pledge. Many of them found the cause so worthwhile - and their work for the cause so much fun - that they kept on fundraising right up until the Concert For Life.
If my latest e-mail from one of our volunteers, Tim, is any indication, this year appears to be more of the same:
By the way, I’m up to...
Grab your carry on.
I received an e-mail from Warren Township High School yesterday, asking for some dates for the 2011 (and 11th Annual) Concert For Life in Gurnee, Ill.
Not only did it remind me that the summer is over, 2010 is almost over and I need to start writing some new music for next year’s show, it also reminded me to start focusing in on the 2nd Annual Carry On Campaign. After all, we now have a...