Our First Campaign Was A Success!!!
Hi thiis is Emmanuel Munda, creator of the I Rock Teal campaign. Last year in June, in order to raise grab attention for Scleroderma Awareness Month (June) I challenged followers over social media to show their support and shair their stories regarding scleroderma by hashtagging #irockteal . and the response was phenomenal. Along with my wife Kristine, who was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2012, we have made it a point to always spread the word so that those around us can understand our battle. Last year CBS LA picked up on our story and aired a special on my wife's battle. It went regional to CBS stations in California as well as some affilliates in the East Coast. After seeing the news, we were approached by our kids' school administrators regarding fundraising for the foundation in honor of Kristine. When we agreed they announced it in our local well publicized and televised parade and even had us join the shcool as the cheer team marched down the streets of Montrose. When creating the campaign we needed a theme, something catchy, youthful and memorable. Since I Rock Teal the hashtag was a success we stuck with it and created an entire campaign around it. Working closely with the shcool, we put together a simple fundraising plan., post some signs, around campus and ask each student to bring a dollar. We then thought of incentives like a pizza party for those that brought the most money. Letters were sent home to parents a week in advance of the fundraiser which told them what scleroderma is and how we are raising funds. It was great that the fundraiser also coinsided with an assemble where we shared the CBS video along with the promo video to both the students and parents. Our starting goal was only $700 and after a seven day run, the students, faculty and staff of Horace Mann Elementary in Glendale, CA raised Two Thousand Dollars in honor of my wife and on behalf of Team Kristine. It was definitely a pleasant surprise and we are all to humbled by the amount of support the school showed. And above all we know that at least another 1000 people know what scleroderma is about. A special THANK YOU goes to Ms. Christina Burt for organizing the campaign on the school side, Principal Rosal Alonso and the rest of the Mann faculty and staff for supporting and encouraging the kids to be generous, and the students of Horace Mann Elementary for showing that generosity in supporting their fellow classmates. Also, thank you to The Scleroderma Foundation of Southern California, Kelly Davidson-Executive Director, Chirs Pettit-President for backing this project. And last but not least my wonderful kids for doing an awesome job on the video and my beautiful wife who is our constant inspiration and has inspired so many people with her strength and perserverance. The school has already promised to do it again on a yearly basis and other schools have shown interest. Thank you Horace Mann Elementary for Rocking Teal and supporting Team Kristine and the Scleroderma Foundation!
Aaron and Erin Munda promote the I Rock Teal for Scleroderma Fundraiser in a fun video
Aaron and Erin Munda in front of the I Rock Teal for Scleroderma Banner (featuring themselves)
Rocking teal, greens and blues count too.
More kids rocking out.
Erin in full teal with her friend.
Showing some teal love in every way.
More teal rockers
Aaron rocking teal with his friend.
The wonderful administrators that made it happen in front of an overgrown giving tree. (each ribbon on the giving tree represented a donation of $5 or more)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered! the GIANT CHECK being signed by Principal Alonso and presented to Scleroderma Foundation of Southern Califoria president Chris Pettit. And proudly displayed at the foundation office with our very own Josephine Battyany.
