You can make a monetary contribution, or a product contribution. We
need prizes for the highest pledge/donation…a prize for the blogger
who raised the most…schwag items for participating bloggers.

What do you get?
- logo placement on guelphblogathon.wordpress.com under the sponsors
section with hyperlink and description

- Logo placement on event material – schwag bags,t-shirts

- Logo placement on Guelph Blogathon ads

It’s really easy to make a contibution to support your charity or blogger of choice.  Here’s how Blogathon works:

1. Visit the Blogathon website
2. You will have to register before you can make a pledge. All you need is your name, email address and password. If you already have signed up, just log in using the email address you entered and the password you chose.
3. In the top navigation you will see a link called Blog List. This takes you to the list of participating bloggers and the charities that they are blogging for. You can find your blogger either by a) Alphabetically by blog, b) Top Fundraisers, c) Charity d) Newest or e) Random. Choose your blogger to sponsor by clicking on the Sponsor this Blogger link (in this case, look for DoerrMedia who will be blogging for the The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital or just click here).
4. Enter the amount you wish to donate and the currency you’re donating in. You can make a lump sum or hourly amount. If you wish to be anonymous, there is an option for you to do so.
5. After the event, you’ll receive two reminders directing you to your blogger’s charity to fulfill your pledge. If you have already donated, just ignore the email.

Where does my pledge/donation go?
All the money that is donated will go directly to the charity’s donation page itself and not through the bloggers that blog for them nor through the Blogathon website.

Why do I have to sign up?
Blogathon totals up the number of donors and the amount of money that’s raised. It helps us all know that events like this are worth the time, carpal tunnel and brain drain.

In what other way can I help
I’ve mentioned this before, but I feel it’s worth repeating. You can support us without opening your wallets. At the end of the day, while pledges and donations are tangible/measurable, sometimes its word-of-mouth through your social network or even leaving supporting comments throughout the 24 hours of utter madness that gives a blogger the extra push they need to continue.

I’m hoping to get a group of bloggers together in the Guelph-area to raise some money for local charities. If there’s enough interest, I’ll even approach a local coffee shop and see if they’ll keep the doors open for 24 hours to help support our cause.

The When
July 25 from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. on July 26.

Who should I blog for?
In the interest of getting local non-profits the much needed exposure and financial boost in these challenging times try to come up with a charity that’s in your own backyard.

I’m blogging for the Foundation of the Guelph General Hospital. If you’re looking for a local charity I would recommend that one (Disclosure – I’m the communications co-ordinator there), and can provide any help you would need to make your efforts a success.

How are pledges  & donations collected?
Blogathon.org will have a tracking system up and running.

An alternative is for participating bloggers to create a personal donation page on Canada Helps, a system that supports online donations for thousands of non-profits across the nation.

Interested?

Bloggers
If you are a blogger in the Guelph-area and would like to participate in Blogathon 2009, please be sure to register on the global site starting July 1. You can follow @blogathondotorg, @guelphblogathon and guelphblogathon.wordpress.com for updates.

If you don’t have a blog, head over to wordpress.com and sign up for one – its free and easy. You’ll be posting in no time.

Once you’ve registered (or even if you’re thinking about signing on)  contact me so that I can add you to a special Guelph Blogathon blogroll on doerrmedia.org and guelphblogathon.wordpress.com to help you promote your campaign.

Can’t take the pressure to come up with 48 posts in 24 hours by yourself? Try putting a team together.

Sponsors
If you are a business in the Guelph-area and would like to help out let me know. Any support would be greatly appreciated. Specifically, we would need prizes for the highest donation/pledge, a prize for the blogger who raised the most in the 24 hours, swag bag items for participants, a coffee shop/restaurant that would be willing to host us for the length of the event.

Non-Profits
If you are a Guelph-based charity, that doesn’t have a blogger signed up on your behalf, you can have someone from your organization (a volunteer or an employee) participate. Contact me to help you set up a blog if you don’t have one.

Still don’t think you’re up for the challenge? You can still participate! Feel free to stop by to  make a pledge, cheer us on, or bring some treats.

Guelph Blogathon Tweetup
If I can secure a venue I will try and have a tweetup going at the same time. Details to follow.