John Rigney Is Bringing Big Change With The Small World Challenge
John Rigney, one of my Team in Training teammates, will be joining me on the show today.
He is no stranger to fundraising and has some great tips to offer even seasoned runners that raise money frequently.
I am looking forward to going a few easy miles with John Rigney today.
John Rigney
Bucket List Item
Growing up and into adulthood, running was never something that John aspired to do.
It was while he was in Florida with his wife watching baseball spring training that an idea was born.
During that Florida trip, they stayed on a Disney property and it happened to coincide with the Princess race weekend.
John was inspired by watching all the runners and made it a goal to run a marathon once as a bucket list item.
This goal was set in March of 2010 and he didn’t begin running until August of that year.
John didn’t set out to join a fundraising team, but that all changed when he saw an ad for Team in Training.
He signed up immediately having never fundraised or even run before.
Initially, he signed up as a way to hold him accountable and he ended up as the top fundraiser for the team.
John Rigney During The Disney Half Marathon
Running For A Purpose
Within a day of finishing his first marathon, John immediately signed up for his next one.
To date, John has done 12 fundraising events for Team in Training and even joined the board of trustees for the chapter.
Fundraising for a charity has kept him focused on the reason why he runs and brought a different perspective.
Initially, when John started raising money he got most of his ideas from Team in Training.
Team in Training provides ideas on how to get started and even what type of wording to use.
As John has experienced, asking is often the hardest part.
The majority of people want to support the individual and their goals.
John Rigney
How To Get Started
Thinking outside the box is helpful when trying to raise money for a charity.
John has employed various methods when fundraising for his team and shared some of his more successful ideas.
John had a yard sale in which he asked friends and family to donate items to be sold.
Most people were willing to donate items for the sale and in the end, all the small items amounted to a substantial amount.
Asking people to help sponsor his playlist was another unique way to raise money.
John set an amount per song and donors could pick any song to add to his playlist.
There are unlimited ideas for how to raise money and John encourages people to not get scared off at the idea.
Small World Challenge
John came across his most recent fundraising idea while at Disney World.
While on the ride, “Small World,” with his child the ride malfunctioned and they were on it for over an hour.
That experience prompted John to come up with a fundraising idea that included the Small World ride.
John and his teammates arranged to continuously go on the ride all day in exchange for donations.
The challenge was a success having raising $100,000 collectively as a team.
Disney has a special place in John’s heart and continues to be a place he will always come back to run.
John’s advice for anyone contemplating becoming a charity runner is simple.
Find a connection with a charity that you’re passionate about and the fundraising will come much easier.
John Rigney During The Small World Challenge
Mentioned In This Episode:
Stay connected with John Rigney by following his Small World Challenge Website and Facebook Page.
John Rigney Is Bringing Big Change With The Small World Challenge Click To Tweet
As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!
Want to Support the Continued Growth & Production of the Show?
Check out the support page for ideas and suggestions of ways you can help me grow the show. And remember, not all support involves money. Some of the best ways you can show your support are 100% free.
Subscribe to the Show
Never miss another episode of the Diz Runs Radio by subscribing to the show, and for my fellow Apple fans out there, it’s never been easier now that the podcast app is native on the new operating system. iPhone/iPod/iPad users click here. Android users click here. SoundCloud users click here.
Please Give Me Some Feedback!
Take the 6 question listener survey to help me shape the future of this podcast.
Register for a Free Race Training Plan
Every month, I’m giving away a FREE training plan for the race of your choice. For details/information, and to sign up, just click here.
Join The Tribe!
There’s always room for more members of the tribe! Both the Facebook group and the email group provide opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. The Facebook group is still small, but it is a great way to connect with fellow runners and foster community amongst like-minded individuals. The email group is THE way to stay up to date about future guests on the show, as well as getting some other freebies and offers that aren’t available to anyone else. If you’ve got questions about either/both, just let me know!
Loved this episode – just listened to it on my run! John is amazing – thank you for all your great work for LLS. I totally agree – find your charity and be passionate – people just need to be asked! Great podcast Denny – I am loving catching up on past ones and listening to the new ones too!