PITCH-IN CANADA
 Resource Centre

How to Conduct a PITCH-IN CANADA TRA$H-A-THON

PLANNING

  • Set the date(s), time(s) of your TRA$H-A-THON and enter this information and the name of your school/organization as well as the maximum number of bags of litter your group plans to collect onto your Master Pledge Form
  • Choose the site(s) of your TRA$H-A-THON. Target littered areas
  • Determine how you will deal with bulky litter or debris which may be found and which will not fit into a garbage bag (too heavy or too bulky)
  • Arrange for pick-up of the garbage bags and oversize debris to be collected
  • Separate recyclables where possible
  • Check the SAFETY RULES and apply them to your TRA$H-A-THON. For Safety Rules please click here

PROMOTION

  • Inform your school/class/club/organization of the TRA$H-A-THON. Explain that your minimum goal is to raise $2.00 for each bag of litter collected by your group
  • Indicate how many bags of litter your group plans to collect (on the Master Pledge Form and in all other promotion). This is the maximum which will be used to determine the amount which each sponsor will pay.
    Example: 50 BAGS x 0.10/bag = $5.00
  • Ask your students/members to encourage sponsors to read the explanation of the event on the Pledge Form to avoid confusion/misunderstanding later
  • Set a deadline for the return of Pledge Forms to you prior to the TRA$H-A-THON.
  • Inform your local media about your TRA$H-A-THON. Invite contributions from community organizations, businesses, etc.
  • For hints on how to work with the media please click here.

PITCHING-IN

  • Get your municipality to provide garbage bags
  • Ensure there is proper supervision by adults of the event
  • Make sure all full bags of litter (or recyclables) are properly collected and disposed of                
  • Tie all bags closed to ensure collected litter cannot scatter.

COLLECTING FUNDS

  • Enter the total number of bags of litter which your group/school has collected onto each Pledge Form (this number should not exceed maximum set
  • Calculate and enter total contribution to be obtained from each sponsor onto the Pledge Form
  • Return the Pledge Form and an envelope to contain funds to each participant and ask them to obtain the pledged funds from the sponsors and to indicate amount collected from each sponsor on the Pledge Form
  • Set a deadline for the return of envelopes, Pledge Forms and funds to you
  • Let everyone know how much money was collected
  • For a sample of the Master Pledge Form please click here.

RECOGNITION

  • PITCH-IN CANADA provides a Certificate of Participation for individuals/groups participating in PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK. This Certificate can be downloaded from this Web Site after you have registered your project.
  • Ask your principal/Mayor/MLA/MP/media personality to present Certificates to all participants at a special event/ceremony during PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK or shortly thereafter
  • Notify your local media of the outcome of your TRA$H-A-THON
  • Send PITCH-IN copies of any newspaper articles or any other items of interest.