Why races are great fundraisers and what it takes to make them succeed, plus fun runs for the end of the year

When the board of the Bow Athletic Club was brainstorming fundraising possibilities, they loved the idea of a community block party, but they needed another element that would draw people to the party. They decided on a 5K fun run and walk, and the first annual BACtoberfest 5K and Block Party was held last month.

“It was off-the-charts great,” Bow Athletic Club President Bryce Larrabee said. “It went better than our wildest expectations.”

Larrabee said that about 75 percent of the people who went to the party participated in the run first.

“The run brought people out,” he said.

Not only that, but about 80 percent of the work that went into putting on the fundraiser was for block party logistics. Putting together the 5K, Larrabee said, was “surprisingly easy.”

The club raised more than $10,000 to add to its coffers, which they draw from to support causes and needs in the community.

“We made a lot more money than we expected,” Larrabee said.

The BACtoberfest 5K and Block Party joins hundreds of other run-centric events that are raising money for charities throughout the state. Find out what makes runs good fundraisers, what it takes to make them successful and which upcoming runs you should sign up for, whether you want to support a specific charity, dress up as a turkey or get through a few miles for the post-race beer and pizza.

Money makers

“Fundraisers come in a lot of different shapes and sizes,” John Mortimer, founder of Millennium Running in Bedford, said, joking that “it’s probably easier to have a bake sale.”

But runs are profitable, as evidenced by the inaugural BAC 5K. A more established race, the Jingle Bell Run in Manchester, put on each December by the Arthritis Foundation for the past 30 years, raised well over $30,000 last year.

And then there are organizations like Millennium and Total Image Running in Manchester, which put on their own signature runs and provide services to other organizations that need support with logistics to put on a race.

“For every single one of [the signature races], we pick a nonprofit charity partner,” Mortimer said. “We’ve donated just north of $1.1 million.”

According to Christine Lewis, co-owner of Total Image Running, since it started in 2018, Total Image has donated and helped raise more than $200,000 for local charities. And Seacoast-based Loco Races has contributed more than $1 million to nonprofits and running clubs in the past decade, according to its website.

Charities like Veterans Count reap the benefits of these donations. Last weekend’s Manchester City Marathon, which Millennium owns and operates, has been supporting Veterans Count for several years and is just shy of raising $100,000 for that nonprofit alone.

“The expenses are so small compared to [the profit],” said Julia Moore, associate director for the Arthritis Foundation New England. “It’s maybe 10 percent to 15 percent of the event money that we raise.”

Raising awareness

For nonprofits like the Arthritis Foundation, an event like the Jingle Bell Run is a fun way to draw attention to a cause that affects more people than many realize — 1 in 4, with 54 million people diagnosed each year, according to Moore.

“It’s really a great way to champion those who [live with arthritis],” Moore said.

The Jingle Bell Run is also an opportunity to shine a light on some of the “amazing people” who have been touched by arthritis or helped those who have it, Moore said. Ella Souza is the youth honoree this year; she was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis when she was 7 and now at 14 plays at the highest levels of hockey and lacrosse (she was playing on the high school varsity hockey team when she was in 7th grade). Dr. Neil Dion, an orthopedic surgeon, is this year’s medical honoree.

“One of his patients who he performed surgery on will run with him at the event,” Moore said.

For Lewis and her Total Image Running partner, Lisa Misiaszek, helping charities is personal.

“Lisa and I are both cancer survivors, we both lost parents to cancer … [and] my brother’s fighting prostate cancer,” Lewis said.

Being able to give back to the nonprofits that have helped them during difficult times is especially meaningful, but Lewis said they support all kinds of charities, not just those that fight cancer.

“People are struggling everywhere,” she said.

Several upcoming turkey trots are asking participants to bring canned goods to donate to local pantries, bringing awareness to food insecurity.

Millennium has donated to — and promoted — nearly 100 charities, from New Horizons to the New Hampshire Food Bank.

“All of these are special in so many different ways,” Mortimer said.

How to get started

There are a couple of ways to go about organizing a fundraising race. One is to do it entirely on your own: your own marketing, finding sponsors, registrations, course setup and road closures, aid and water stations, timers, swag, volunteer recruitment. It’s a lot of preparation. Though Larrabee said the BACtoberfest 5K was easy to plan, his team has a lot of experience with fundraising, including finding sponsors and volunteers, and with marketing — plus they got a little help from Total Image Running.

That leads to the next option, which is to hire a company like Total Image or Millennium to take care of some of the logistics.

“Having a company that is so experienced in doing timing and working with you for your event, I definitely think it’s worth it,” Moore said.

The Arthritis Foundation hires Millennium to help with the Jingle Bell Run, but the cost is covered by the event’s presenting sponsor, Northeast Delta Dental, which allows more of the profits to go right to the Foundation.

“The cost [for Millennium] is less than $6,000,” Moore said. “We truly believe that it’s beneficial to hire a timing company to manage our run because they are professionals and have a lot of experience with road races.”

Moore said the Arthritis Foundation covers the cost of medals, T-shirts and swag.

“We tend to be very conservative when it comes to spending and plan to spend less,” Moore said. “Last year we raised $36,264.45 gross [and] our expenses were less than $3,000.”

“Expenses are going to be [any nonprofit’s] No. 1 concern, so getting sponsorships is always great,” Lewis said.

Larrabee also reached out to Northeast Delta Dental, specifically to CEO Tom Raffio, who is a runner himself — his first race was actually the Jingle Bell Run, according to Moore — and is part of races throughout the state. With advice from Raffio and a quick Google search of how to host a road race, Larrabee and his team moved forward with hiring Total Image Running, which handled the timing and registrations.

Mortimer noted that someone who’s never organized a run before might not think about things like portable toilets and permits for road closures.

“We have the know-how, the expertise,” Mortimer said.

For those who want to put on a race for the first time, he says to plan for several months of preparations, like doing research on the course, getting permits, marketing the event and finding volunteers.

“We always recommend having a confident race director, someone that understands the sport and wants to do it, first and foremost, and then surround themselves with great people [to help with things like] marketing and volunteerism,” Mortimer said.

Moore echoed the importance of having good people who are willing to help; the Arthritis Foundation has a run committee that handles the sponsorships, reaches out to businesses, schools and running clubs to encourage them to create teams, and does volunteer recruitment.

“I think having a great committee who really supports the run … really helps, [and] our ability to get new volunteers is extremely important,” Moore said.

Make it a success

If you want to raise money, you have to draw in as many people as possible, and doing that is all about providing a quality experience.

“We don’t produce races — we produce events,” Mortimer said. “We like to provide our customers, our runners, with the best possible experience.”

That experience includes everything from when and where the race takes place to swag and after-parties.

One of Millennium’s signature events is the Santa Claus Shuffle, which includes a full Santa suit with registration and has stops along the course with samples of holiday sweets.

“Part of the equation on some events is, what does the runner want? Sometimes it’s the bling, or sometimes it’s the swag: the Santa suit, the kilt for our Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day [race],” Mortimer said. “Other people get that medal and it’s the most important thing — it’s their Olympic medal.”

And sometimes it’s not about the material things.

“Location and course is a big thing for people,” Lewis said. “We did a survey once and swag was actually not the No. 1 thing.”

To make these events a full experience, they usually don’t end when the runners cross the finish line, like the block party after the BACtoberfest 5K, and pretty much any signature run from Total Image or Millennium.

“Before Covid, we always had a huge after-party wherever the finish line was,” Lewis said.

Total Image’s Ugly Sweater 4-miler is a fan favorite, Lewis said, and this year she’s expecting it to be especially fun since it’ll be the first event with a real after-party since Covid started.

The last two months of the year tend to be especially festive.

“We really love to do [the Jingle Bell Run] because it’s so festive and fun,” Moore said. “People dress up and get really into the holiday spirit. … It’s such a great family-friendly event.”

Runners talk races
We reached out to runners via Millennium Running Club’s Facebook page to find out what it is about a race that draws them to it. The race environment is huge, and yes, the swag matters too. Here are some of the responses we got from local runners.

“Unique courses [are] a must for me. I’m particularly drawn to races along water or with nice scenery. I love the Stonyfield Earth Day 5K because they have the best T-shirts and free yogurt. Nice shirt that I will actually wear is a big plus.” — Sarah Goodrum

“I run in races that hold some level of significance for me and that I can connect with on a personal level. I ran a 10k earlier this year because it supported building sidewalks in my daughter’s community. … Running has had such a profound impact on my life, my recovery and my mental health, so it’s usually something about the race I connect with on a personal level that draws me to it.” — Stephan Burdette

“[A] well-run event with accurately measured course and female sizing swag.” — Maureen Sproul

“As a ‘runner’ who does it for the exercise rather than the enjoyment, this is what motivates me to do certain races:
1. Motivation to exercise/meet a training goal
2. Swag! Particularly the long-sleeved quarter zips.
3. Big races that have lots of pre-race and post-race excitement and festivities!
4. Millennium’s Anytime 5k let me run in the evening when I’m at my best! There aren’t many nighttime races out there and for us night owls [so] it was awesome!” — Joy Junior

“A road race is one BIG fitness party. There’s some pretty kewl swag, medals and bib designs, too. Who doesn’t like a nice T-shirt or fleece-lined quarter zip-up with thumb holes?” — Donna Dostie

“Short answer: the environment! … There’s an energy that can’t be described! Whether you’re an elite runner or a walker completing your very first 5k, there’s an excitement and even more, there’s a community … a community where we all share a common goal, cross that finish line and celebrate!” — Krystal Bessette Jervis

“I will run any race because I love the race environment. It really is amazing to run a race with hundreds of people [of] all paces and most are people that you know who cheer each other on.” — Tracy Dunchus Lennon

“I am a back-of-the-pack runner. Races are a way of motivating myself to keep moving and the swag/rewards for mileage and completion are huge in building my confidence.” — Kathleen Olden

“My 12-year-old daughter … loves the race environment, she loves running against the adults, and yes, she loves the swag!” — Jess Janowski

Runs for the rest of the year

Pre-Thanksgiving runs

The annual Walk and Wag for Veterans 5K will be held at Mine Falls in Nashua on Saturday, Nov. 13, starting at 9 a.m. The cost is $35, or $30 for the virtual option. There will be awards for top finishers and light refreshments after the event. One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit Operation Delta Dog. Visit walkandwagforveterans.com.

The Deerfield Community School (66 North Road, Deerfield) hosts its Turkey Trot 5K on Sunday, Nov. 14, at 9 a.m. The cost is $25 for pre-registration or $30 day of. The top three overall male and top three overall female runners will each take home a frozen turkey. Funds raised support the 8th-grade class trip to New York City. To register ahead of time, visit running4free.com and search for the race.

The Gobble Wobble 5-Miler will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, at Goffstown Parks and Recreation (155 S. Mast Road). Registration is $40 for ages 12 and up and $35 for runners under 12, with prices increasing after 9 a.m. on Nov. 19. The cost is $40 for the virtual option, with registration open through Nov. 27. The official charity of the Gobble Wobble is American Legion Auxiliary Wesley Wyman Unit 16. Visit totalimagerunning.com.

The 23rd annual Novemberfest for Nashua Children’s Home will be held Sunday, Nov. 21, at 11:33 a.m. at Mines Falls Park in Nashua, near the Pine Street Extension entrance. The 4-mile race is followed by post-race fun at Martha’s Exchange (185 Main St., Nashua). The race benefits the Nashua Children’s Home. Registration is $25 and closes on Nov. 19. Visit gatecity.org.

Thanksgiving Day runs

The Bow Turkey Trot 5K will be held at Bow High School (55 Falcon Way) starting at 8 a.m. Sign up before Nov. 13 to get an official BAC Turkey Trot Dri Fit Hoodie. Day-of registration will be available for $30. Visit runsignup.com and search for Bow Athletic Club Turkey Trot.

The Dover Turkey Trot 5K will be held at 8:30 a.m. at Shaw’s Lane in Dover to benefit the Garrison School PTA. The cost is $20, or $10 for grade 4 and under; both prices increase by $5 on race day. Visit doverturkeytrot.com.

The Free Fall 5K, hosted by the Rochester Runners of NH, will be held at the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center (150 Wakefield St., Rochester), starting at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $25 for ages 18 and up, $20 for ages 13 to 17 and $15 for ages 7 to 12, with prices increasing by $5 on race day. Kids 6 and under run free. Race proceeds benefit the Homeless Center for Strafford County, Gerry’s Food Pantry, End 68 Hours of Hunger. and SOS Recovery. Visit freefall5k.com.

The Fisher Cats Thanksgiving 5K will start at 9 a.m. at Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester). Registration for ages 12 and up is $30 until Nov. 12 at 11:59 p.m. and $35 until Nov. 24, and $30 for the virtual option. Registration is $15 for kids 11 and under, for both virtual and in-person. Race day registration is not available. Registration includes one free ticket to Fisher Cats Opening Day for the first 1,500 registrants, and a T-shirt for the first 750 adult runners. The race’s official charity is the New Hampshire Food Bank. Visit millenniumrunning.com.

Derry’s 48th annual Turkey Trot 5K Road Race starts at 9 a.m. at Gallien’s Town Beach on Beaver Lake. Shuttles will be available to the race site from the parking area at Pinkerton Academy (no parking along Route 102). Face coverings are required on the buses. Pre-registration for ages 13 and older is $25, and $10 for kids 12 and under. A non-perishable canned good or dry food item, or small cash donation, is requested for all entries, with food donations going to food pantries in the Greater Derry area. Visit runningintheusa.com and search for the Derry Turkey Trot.

The Hampstead Turkey Trot 5K starts at St. Anne’s Church (26 Emerson Ave.) at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $15 for ages 5 to 17 and for seniors 62 and up, and $20 for ages 18 to 61. Day-of registration is available between 7 and 8:15 a.m. at the Hampstead Meeting House next to the starting line. Non-perishable food for the St. Anne’s Food Bank will be collected on the day of the race. Leashed animals are welcome.

The 15th Lake Sunapee Turkey Trot at the Ben Mere Gazebo in Sunapee Harbor features a 1K Chicken Run for kids starting at 8:15 a.m. and a 5K Turkey Trot starting at 9 a.m. The cost for the Turkey Trot is $20 for ages 13 to 64, $10 for ages 65 and older and free for kids under 13. The Chicken Run is $10 for ages 13 and up and free for kids under 13. Proceeds will benefit the Sunapee Recreation Department’s new skateboard park on Route 11. The Sunapee Parent Teacher Organization will also hold a pie sale, with pies for $10 each. Visit sunapeeturkeytrot.com.

The Gilford Youth Center Turkey Trot 5K Race and Family Walk begins at 9 a.m. (8:45 a.m. for walkers) at the Gilford Youth Center (19 Potter Hill Road). Registration is $26 per person or $90 for a family of up to five. The first 100 registered participants will get a long-sleeve T-shirt. Visit gilfordyouthcenter.com.

The Rotary Club of Merrimack’s 5K Turkey Trot starts at 8 a.m. at Merrimack Middle School (31 Madeline Bennett Drive). Advance registration is $20 for adults and $15 for ages 13 and under. Online registration ends at 6 p.m. on Nov. 21. Race day registration is available (price increases to $25 for adults). The first 160 registrants receive a free T-shirt. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to purchase coats for kids, holiday gifts for those less fortunate and for soup kitchen donations. Participants are encouraged to bring a canned good for donation. Visit merrimack5k.com.

The Seacoast Rotary Club Turkey Trot will be held at Strawbery Bank (66 Marcy St., Portsmouth) at 8:30 a.m. Registration costs $35 for ages 20 and up, $25 for ages 13 to 19 and $15 for ages 12 and younger. Online registration deadline is Nov. 23. Day-of registration is an additional $5. Visit runreg.com and search for the race. Proceeds benefit Connor’s Climb Foundation, which provides suicide prevention education, and the Seacoast Repertory Theatre.

The Thanks for Giving 5K and 10K, presented by the Exeter Run Club, starts at the Talbot Gymnasium Lot (40 Linden St., Exeter) at 8 a.m. The $30 for the 5K and $40 for the 10K. Online registration is available until Nov. 21. The race benefits Annie’s Angels Memorial Fund, Red’s Good Vibes and ERC community initiates for all ages. Visit exeterrunclub.com.

The Windham Turkey Trot features a 1-, 3-, or 5-mile walk or run. It starts at 74 Blossom Road at 9 a.m. The cost is by donation, and past donations have ranged from $10 to $1,000 (event expenses are covered by our generous sponsors). All proceeds benefit the Shepherd’s Pantry. Visit windhamturkeytrot.org.

Final runs of 2021

The Amherst Junior Women’s Club is hosting its annual Trot Off Your Turkey 5K and 1-mile Fun Run on Friday, Nov. 26, with the Fun Run starting at 9 a.m. and the 5K starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Amherst Town Green (11 Church St.). Registration is $10 for the Fun Run and $25 for the 5K. Online registration closes at noon on Nov. 23. The first 300 registered runners get a free mug.

Bishop Brady High School (25 Columbus Ave., Concord) will host its Galloping Gobbler 4-Miler on Saturday, Nov. 27, starting at 9:45 a.m. The cost is $20 for ages 15 and under and $30 for ages 16 and up. The first 300 registrants get a free T-shirt. To register, visit raceroster.com and search for the event. Proceeds benefit the tuition assistance program at Bishop Brady.

The Jingle All the Way 5K returns on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Cisco Brewers in Portsmouth. The Greg Hill Foundation hosts this event, which starts at 10 a.m. Holiday outfits are encouraged and best dressed runners will be awarded. Standard registration is $40 and includes a race long-sleeve shirt and medal, while the $100 Santa Special adds a quarter-zip pullover to the swag. There is a $30 virtual option that also includes the long-sleeve shirt and medal. Visit ghfjingle5k.com.

The Santa Claus Shuffle will be held Saturday, Dec. 4, at Veterans Park (889 Elm St., Manchester). The Lil’ Elf Runs start at 2:30 p.m. and the 3-mile Shuffle starts at 3 p.m. The run precedes the Manchester City Christmas Parade, which starts at 4 p.m. The cost for adults ages 12 and up is $30, youth ages 12 to 20 is $25 and kids ages 11 and younger is $10. Registration closes at 9 a.m. on Dec. 3. The virtual option is $25. Santa hats and suits are included with registration. The official charity of the Santa Claus Shuffle is Safe Sports Network. Visit millenniumrunning.com.

The 2021 Jingle Bell Run will be held Sunday, Dec. 5, at 8:30 a.m. at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester). Registration is $35 and includes a T-shirt and jingle bells. A virtual option is available for $30. All proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation. Visit events.arthritis.org.

Run through the Gift of Lights display during the Yule Light Up the Night 2.1-mile run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 4:30 p.m. Registration is $25 for ages 12 and up, $15 for ages 4 to 11 (costs for those age groups increase $5 on race day) and $10 for kids 10 and younger. Proceeds benefit Speedway Children’s Charities NH.

The 6th annual Ugly Sweater 4 Miler will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, at 9 a.m. at Backyard Brewery (1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester). Wear your ugliest sweater for the 21+ event. The cost is $40 and includes a Tito’s Handmade Vodka ugly sweater for the first 75 registrants. All registrants get a unisex fit long-sleeve shirt and one Tito’s Handmade Vodka signature cocktail. Proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Greater Nashua, the Animal Rescue League of NH and Pope Memorial SPCA Concord. Visit totalimagerunning.com.

The What’s Perry’s Age Again 4-mile run will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, at Bishop Brady High School (25 Columbus Ave., Concord) at 11 a.m. The cost is $25; register by Nov. 19 to get a long-sleeve T-shirt. The run supports Bishop Brady Habitat for Humanity. Visit runreg.com and search for the run.

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Millennium Running.