Global Write-a-thon 2008
How to Organize a Write-a-thon
Before your Write-a-thon
Ask a friend or group of friends to help you organize a Write-a-thon. Discuss the tasks listed below and decide who will be responsible for what. Remember to follow-up. Establish a time and date for your Write-a-thon. Look at a calendar and figure out when and for how long you would like to host a Write-athon. Try to hold your Write-a-thon on days between December 5 and 14 to commemorate International Human Rights Day on December 10. There are many creative and easy ways to incorporate the Write-a-thon into your busy schedule. Secure a location for your Write-a-thon. Decide where your Write-a-thon will be held and ensure that there will be enough tables and chairs for your group. For Write-a-thons that are open to the public, community areas such as a Student Union Building and coffee shops are a possibility, but always make sure you have permission beforehand. You can incorporate letter writing into all sorts of events and have it at all types of venues like: o A Potluck Dinner o Student Union Building o A Happy Hour o A Poker or Game Night o Opening or Closing Activity for a o A Dessert Party Book Club or other On-Campus o Coffee Shop Club o A Church/Youth Group Materials and cost. The cost of mailing letters, postcards, and cards can add up, so figure out now how you or your group is going to afford sending the letters you write during the Write-a-thon. Letters to the same recipient can be sent in one large envelope to save on postage costs. Encourage attendees to bring stamps or collect change for stamps by making a postage donations jar available at the event. o Seek in-kind donations. One way to minimize costs is to encourage attendees to bring writing materials to the Write-a-thon, or collect materials beforehand. You can also solicit in-kind contributions from local businesses, such as pens, paper, stamps, etc. o Get a Write-a-thon package, which includes hard copies of all online material and AIUSA brochures and stickers (order by writing to writeathon@aiusa.org).
Postage Rates:
Within the United States and to Guantanamo To all other destination countries Airmail Letters (up to 1 oz.) $0.42 $0.94 Postcards (max. size: 6” x 4 ¼”) $0.27 $0.94
Contact the media. Sending details about your Write-a-thon to your local media is a great way to advertise your event for free as well as round up more participants for a public event. Involving those closest to you is often your greatest resource. o Write a letter to the editor. o Ask your local newspaper to post your event in their calendar section. o Take a look at the activist tools for generating local media, available at the Write-a-thon website. o Distribute a media advisory. o Contact your local radio station.
AIUSA Individuals at Risk Program ▪ 600 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. ▪ Washington, DC 20003 ▪ www.amnestyusa.org/iar
Global Write-a-thon 2008
Publicize. Although media is one way to publicize your event, there are other ways to spread the word about your Write-a-thon event and human rights. o You can download and input your event information on the pre-designed flyer located at www.amnestyusa.org/writeathon. Then post the flyer around your community. o Ask friends to commit to bringing at least one other friend to a Write-a-thon event. o Post your Write-a-thon event on your Facebook or Myspace page and provide a link to AIUSA’s Write-a-thon web page. o Contact your Regional Office to have them add your Write-a-thon event to their event page on AIUSA’s website. (www.amnestyusa.org/contact) o Send email reminders to AIUSA members, friends, co-workers, classmates, etc.
The Day of your Write-a-thon
You have finally made it to event day! Now it’s time to focus on what the Write-a-thon is really about: helping individuals at risk of human rights abuses. Bring a sign-in sheet and an AI banner or poster (depending on the type of event). A sign-in sheet should be passed around to all Write-a-thon attendees. This will make it possible for you or your group to follow up with these individuals later about other events, and give you a way to contact them after the Write-a-thon to thank them for attending. Make sure to bring: o Enough copies of the case sheets for everyone. o Your Write-a-thon Toolbox (see below). o Food and drinks to enjoy while writing letters. o Your camera to take pictures of your letter writers!
After your Write-a-thon
Congratulations! Your hard work in preparing and accomplishing a successful Write-a-thon is a testament to your commitment to human rights. Thank you for your dedication! After all that writing, don’t forget to mail all of those letters! Send a thank you to those who attended your Write-a-thon and invite them to join AIUSA. Report back. Let us know how many letters were sent by filing out our evaluation form at www.amnestyusa.org/writeathon and please send us any photos from your event or of your letter writers. The Write-a-thon Toolbox: Find a box where you can start to put all the supplies you’ll need for your Write-a-thon. It should include: • Case-sheets with sample letters • AIUSA brochures, stickers, and promotional materials to encourage your friends to join Amnesty (order by writing to writeathon@aiusa.org ) • An AIUSA banner or posters (available at www.amnestyusa.org/store/index.html) • Pens, paper, envelopes, postcards, and non-religious cards or cardstock. • Stamps (order stamps online at shop.usps.com) • Markers, glitter, glue, and other art supplies for decorating cards • A donation jar for postage • A print out of postage rates (see above) • Amnesty calendars, pins, or stickers to give as tokens to those who show up to help write letters (available at www.amnestyusa.org/store/index.html) For any questions related to organizing your Write-a-thon, please don’t hesitate to contact your regional office (www.amnestyusa.org/contact)
AIUSA Individuals at Risk Risk Program 600600 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. ▪▪ Washington,DC 20003 ▪ ▪www.amnestyusa.org/iar www.amnestyusa.org/iar AIUSA Individuals at Program ▪ ▪ Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. Washington, DC 20003