Our Secret to a Successful World Walk for Breastfeeding
Susan Vicknair-Theall
Kenner, Louisiana, USA
This article is from LEAVEN, Vol. 36 No. 3, June-July 2000 page 50.
La Leche League of Kenner, Louisiana, USA joined La Leche League of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA on Saturday, August 7, 1999, for the World Walk for Breastfeeding. The two Groups have developed a plan that leads to a successful day. The Groups walk at Lakeside Mall of Metairie, Louisiana, USA, which is located between Kenner and New Orleans. Each year the mall provides tables, chairs, sign holders, and most importantly, air conditioning.
We start our annual Walk preparation by inviting all Group members to get sponsors for the Walk. Invitations to the Walk are sent to all mothers who attended a meeting or called us in the last year; in 1999, we sent out more than 100 letters. We also invite all childbirth educators and lactation consultants. Walk posters are personally hand delivered to the hospitals and large medical practices in the area.
The two Groups solicit donations from as many area businesses as we can contact in person, by mail, or by phone. We have a four-page, typed list of local businesses and each year the Leaders divide the list to make the contacts. If an individual or business gives us a cash donation, we list them in our Walk brochure and on our sponsors' poster at the Walk. If we are given an item worth at least $25, the donor's name is listed on the donors' poster at the Walk. Our sponsor categories include sponsor, $25 or more; contributor, $50 or more; friend, $100 or more; patron, $200 or more; and benefactor, $300 or more.
Many area businesses that do not donate cash will donate an item or gift certificate. All items donated are included in our silent auction. These items can include household items, children's books, cosmetics, scrapbook kits, etc. We display each item on a table with a bid sheet. The bid sheet has the name of the item, the donor's name, and lines for bidding. The mothers who attend enjoy the auction as much as the Walk.
Every year we gather at 10 AM, walk at 11 AM, and close the auction around noon. We hand out a special brochure to everyone who comes to the Walk. We use the Group's regular brochure made of a folded 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper and the LLL logo appears on the front. The next three pages have our mission statement and purpose, our voice mail number, a list of the benefits of breastfeeding, and a schedule of our Series Meetings. For the Walk, we insert a separate page listing the cash sponsors of the Walk. One folded piece of paper gives four pages to list sponsor names, addresses, and phone numbers.
A local bakery donates a large cake with the Walk logo on it. A local florist donates the helium for 100 balloons, which really draw attention to our tables. After the Walk we cut and serve the cake. After the auction is over, we give out the rest of the balloons to children in the mall.
We have a breastfeeding information table with a display board with copies of popular LLL brochures, a copy of THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, and several pads of tear-off sheets. We have learned that people in the mail pick up anything left on a table, so we are very careful to watch our books.
Mary Reiner, my co-Leader, appeared on TV on the Friday morning before the Walk. She talked about breastfeeding and publicized the World Walk for Breastfeeding. Several people who saw the show called for more information on the Group and the Walk.
Our hard work is worthwhile when we see all of the families enjoying their visit in the mall. It is wonderful to talk to all the people who stop by our tables. Many former breastfeeding mothers stop by for a chat. Some people have a relative who is pregnant and they want to take information to her.
Due to the success of our Walk, we do not have to do any other fund raising events during the year. In 1999, we collected over $800 between the Walk and the silent auction. We are very pleased with the results.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:35:34 UTC 2007.
