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Greetings!
As I write, our team is proofing the massive spreadsheet containing the results of our annual Run Walk Ride 30 Survey. The results won't be released until our March conference, but today I will tease you with news of what I believe is the world's fastest growing major thon event.
Surprise: It's not an American program! It's Alpe d'HuZes, a seven-year-old Dutch ride for cancer research that saw revenue climb 61% in 2012 to $43.1 million. It's not your run-of-the-mill day on a bike: 
- Last year over 8,000 participants attempted the Alpe d'HuZes challenge of cycling up a French alp six times in one day. (The event's names is a play on Alpe d'Huez and the Dutch word for six.) Because the number of participants doubled compared to 2011 the organizers expanded the event from one to two days.
- The volunteer-run program has a zero-cost policy: 100% of donations go to the Dutch Cancer Society with participants and volunteers paying for their personal expenses.
- In 2006, 66 participants in the first Alpe d'HuZes ride raised just under $500,000. In seven years, the program has raised nearly $94 million.
Perhaps some day we'll create a global RWR 30, but for now our survey is limited to US programs. In the meantime we'll keep our eyes open for overseas initiatives that offer new ideas and inspiration for all thon fundraisers.
President
Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council
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Sponsored Webinar Series
Realizing the Promise of
Third-Party Events
February 19, 1:30 pm ET
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Want to maximize revenue and engage more donors and supporters on third-party events like marathons? Join us to hear Mike Malekoff, former vice president at JDRF, share insights gained while shaping the Team JDRF program. Mike will be introduced and joined by Todd Levy, Managing Partner of DonorDrive.
Speaker Profile: Mike Malekoff, Senior Development Director and Event Producer, most recently served as a Vice President at JDRF where he managed events that raised over $1 billion during his tenure. Prior to JDRF Mike headed corporate partnerships for March of Dimes, increasing sponsorships 300%. As an event producer, Mike has experience with concerts, professional sports and the Olympic Games.
Cost: FREE thanks to sponsorship from
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Atlanta, March 13 & 14
If you've read this far in our newsletter, we assume you're a thon fundraising professional. If so, why not make today the day you register for the only conference 100% focused on your success? You don't want to miss:
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Do-It-Yourself Fundraising on the Rise for Thons
 Within peer-to-peer fundraising, the hottest growth area is "Do-It-Yourself Fundraising" involving running events -- especially marathons and half-marathons. The trend is so strong that last year's Running USA State of the Sport Report proclaims "running and charity are almost becoming so synonymous that you almost cannot mention one without the other."
Blackbaud will probe further into the evolution of athletic event fundraising with the publication of its 2012 Peer to Peer Benchmark Report in March -- just in time to share at the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Conference. Here's a little taste of the data:
- Athletic Events Average Online Donation: $71.08
- Athletic Events Online Fundraising Donation: $1,005
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Do you have news you'd like us to share?
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Check out industry opportunities
Run Walk Ride Job Board
Interested in free access to our webinars and recordings, online promotion of your organization, a copy of the RWR Thirty CD and much, much more?
Join the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council today!
A few spots are left at the
2013 Run Walk Ride conference March 13 & 14 at the W Atlanta - Midtown
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