Here at the ALS Association of Texas we encourage everyone to fundraise your way by bringing your community together in creative ways for a cause! And Kimmie Longstreet and her Lil’ Linebackers are doing just that for ALS Awareness Month to honor their grandfather Brad Dusek- an ex-NFL Super Bowl Champion and person with ALS.

Brad’s nine grandchildren, the Lil’ Linebackers, gathered together on Youth Action Day, setting up multiple lemonade and ice tea stands while taking a pie in the face for every online donation. Together they raised nearly $4,300 in one day. We caught up with Kimmie to learn more about her “why” and how she’s making an impact in the ALS community:

Can you give us a quick intro about yourself? 

My name is Kimmie Longstreet, I am a stay at home mom of two little boys and the youngest daughter to an ex-NFL Super Bowl Champion who was recently diagnosed with ALS.

Can you tell us more about your motivation for creating your campaign? What inspired you to begin fundraising? 

My  motivation for fundraising for ALS was simultaneous to my father’s diagnosis.  There is so much unknown about this debilitating disease and so many people are unaware of the effects this disease has on not only the patient but all their loved ones and care takers.  The fact that the money we raise stays local to our region and we know where it is going and what it is being used for is helpful when asking for money.  Knowing that my father will be the recipient of the benefits of the money raised is huge.  Whether it be equipment or recipient to a new drug trial, or support for our family as we battle this disease with him, we know that our efforts are being realized locally to our loved one as well as other local ALS patients in our communities.

Have you done any fundraising in the past? 

My Dad was diagnosed at the MAYO clinic on September 21, 2018.  They told us about his diagnosis on September 24.  I had no idea how to help, I was still in the process of googling what ALS was when I came across the ALS association website and they were hosting an ALS Awareness Walk in Houston on October 13.  I signed up a team, Linebackers Tackle ALS, in honor of my father’s NFL position-linebacker.  We got our first donation on October 3 and by October 16, we had raised $10,419! My original goal was $500!! The amount of support we received really fueled our fight to tackle this disease that only weeks before had rocked our family to it’s core.  We were able to meet so many people during the walk and become part of such a great community, all in the battle against ALS.  We are looking forward to starting our team for the 2019 walk coming up again this fall and have big goals to raise even more this year.

Do you have any tips for getting little ones involved in fundraising? 

It was easy for us to get our kids involved.  My father has 9 grand kids who adore him.  They think his electric wheel chair is a personal go kart and his cool new minivan with electric ramp is a real life space ship. The silver lining in this entire situation is that this diagnosis of ALS has made our already tight knit family even closer.  We go out of our way to get dad involved in our kids events and make sure he is a part of everything we do.  We take a lot more pictures and celebrate the small things in a big way.  We are also all children of an NFL Super Bowl Champion, who played in the league for 10 years, to say we are competitive is an understatement.

The greatest lesson learned in all of this will be for them to see strangers, donating money to help their Grandpa. I know seeing this selfless act will leave an impression on their little hearts. -Kimmie Longstreet

Thank you so much Kimmie for all you do to support our mission of creating a world without ALS! Donate to Kimmie’s campaign here. Interested in creating a fun fundraiser yourself? It only takes a few minutes to get started!

Here at the ALS Association of Texas, we’re dedicated to serving and supporting Texans living with ALS through advocacy, funding research, resources, equipment loans, clinic and more.  We’re only able to do what we do because of YOU, and we appreciate all the ways our community comes together to rally around our mission- creating a world without ALS. One of the ways our community supports this mission is through creative fundraising!

One example of a creative fundraiser is planning a sports-themed event and pitting teams against one another! Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Pick a sport.

Doesn’t matter what you choose! Pick a sport you and your friends and family love playing and go from there. It could be dodgeball, baseball, golf or even frisbee!

Pick a location.

Ask permission to use a town recreation field, school, church gym, or other large open space. Or use your own backyard!

Find supporters.

Create a fundraising page or Facebook fundraiser to collect donations for your event.

Promote your event.

Use social media to spread the word about your event. While promoting share why you’re passionate about helping to create to world without ALS. Be sure to tag us (@alstexas) and use our hashtag #ALStexas so we can see all the amazing things you’re doing.

Gather supplies.

As your event day nears, collect any equipment you will need. Don’t forget things like water or snacks for your participants.

Have fun!

On your event day, remember to have fun! And take lots of photos/videos for social media!

Sports-themed events are a great way to sneak in some physical activity while having fun for a cause! Ready to lace up your sneakers and get started? Create a fundraiser today!

Here at the ALS Association of Texas, we’re dedicated to serving and supporting Texans living with ALS through advocacy, resources, equipment loans, clinic and more.  We’re only able to do what we do because of YOU, and we appreciate all the ways our community comes together to rally around our mission- creating a world without ALS. One of the ways our community supports this mission is through creative fundraising!

When it comes to fundraising the sky really is the limit, as there as so many inventive ways to get your community involved in a cause. One way that’s plenty of fun for the whole family is building a lemonade stand. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Pick a spot and a time.

Before pitching your stand, make sure you have whatever permits or permission you need to engage in commerce. Try to find a safe area with a lot of foot traffic and a time when people are likely to be thirsty- think lunch time or right after work!

Set a goal.

Aim high and shoot for the stars! Ask for donations rather than charging a set price for each cup. You’ll be surprised how generous people can be.

Spread the word.

Post information about your lemonade stand on social media and put up flyers throughout your community. Make sure you include a sentence or two about why you’re passionate about helping to create a world without ALS. Let people know they can donate using your ALS Texas fundraising page or Facebook Fundraiser, even if they can’t make it out to your stand. Use the hashtags #ALSYouthChallenge and #ALStexas when you post!

Gather supplies.

Make signs and gather pitchers, cups, straws, lemons, and sugar. Also be sure to grab a folding table and chairs. Need a recipe? Here’s a simple one you can follow!

Serve your lemonade and collect donations!

You can use a jar for cash donations, or direct people to our website to make donations in real time.

Lemonade stands are the perfect way to get little ones involved as well! Take a look at this campaign, with children honoring their grandfather with ALS for ALS Youth Action Day (May 19th, 2019).

Ready to roll up your sleeves and get started? Create a fundraiser today!