Team Profiles
Thomas Dullard
Occupation: High School Student
Status: Team Captain - Swan Hill Supporting MS
Number of members in team: 39
Awards received in 2009: Top Fundraising Team & 3rd Highest Individual Fundraiser!
Individual fundraising total for 2009: $5,361
Team fundraising total for 2009: $18,048
Why do you support MS Australia?
To primarily help raise funds which can be distributed towards research projects, in the ultimate aim for MS; and finding best practices to prevent people getting MS. It is especially important to decrease the stresses for all the sufferers, carers and families of people with Multiple Sclerosis. Especially because my mother suffers from advanced MS. It is important to help those who suffer from MS live as comfortable as possible.
How did you go about reaching your team Fundraising goal in 2009?
Firstly, gathering support from family and friends. Secondly, securing several important corporate sponsors. Thirdly, strongly advertising the MS ride around my community. Finally, gathering extra riders and full community support. And the campaign simply gathered momentum.
How easy and rewarding did your team find your fundraising?
Being able to produce so much fundraising for such a good cause was unbelievably rewarding. Being apart of such a fantastic event with so many other people showing so much generosity to such a great cause was especially rewarding. The ride on the day was particularly rewarding, our forty plus strong team of riders and land crew members created an exciting atmosphere.
Do you have any tips for other fundraisers?
It assists to gather a large range of support from family and friends as a starting point. This will make the fundraising much easier, "more hands make light work" and the more people involved the more money that will be raised for your team goal and therefore large sums are going to such a great cause.
How did you go about organising a large team?
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Friends of family and friends
4. Corporate sponsors
5. Community
In organizing our team as soon as we gained momentum, the numbers really began to roll and the more people became enthused to become involved.
How did your ride go on the day?
It was a fantastic ride on the day, exceeding more than any of my teams expectations. My family and friends and I were particularly overwhelmed by the ride through the Melbourne city with such large crowds, whilst the West Gate ride was a sight to behold. The celebrations at Princes Park created a great atmosphere after such a great ride.
Will you be back bigger and better in 2010?
The team is talking about participating again in 2010. For such an important and wonderful cause Swan Hill Supporting MS should be back in action in 2010. The team was already talking about a back-to-back ride at the end of the 2009 ride; Swan Hill supporting MS will again gather some momentum and try reach new heights in 2010 for the beloved MS ride.