NAME: Tim Cummins
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: Finance Manager
LOCATION: Orange, NSW
RAISED: $10,650

Why did you decide to take on the 'See the World' Challenge?

I was inspired at the information night by the enthusiasm and experiences of the people who did the Challenge last year. For me it was the perfect opportunity to become seriously involved in a charity. 

I had done some fundraising before for other organisations; however the chance to actually see the results, and do some adventure travel in a developing country was unique and motivating.

Which trip did you do and why did you choose that destination?

I chose Nepal for a few reasons: I love the outdoors and the physical nature of the trek appealed to me; it's a country I'm unlikely to visit with my wife and two year-old son; and photography is one of my passions. I can go crazy there! 
Tim's trip experience

What were your fundraising activities?

Early on I had a few raffles at work. My major fundraiser was a 'Golf Marathon' physical Challenge. Golf is my sport and so I decided to play 72 holes (4 rounds) of golf in one day, and seek sponsorship. 


What are some of the challenges and rewards you encountered doing the Challenge?

Probably the biggest challenge was balancing family, work and other personal commitments with the large amount of time and planning that comes with fundraising activities. I spent many late nights typing up promotional stuff, writing letters and emails. The reward was enormous generosity by so many people. It empowered me and enlightened me.

Do you have any advice or tips for other fundraisers that have worked well for you? 

The raffles I had at work early on were time consuming, but they generated a nice steady stream of cash and were a great confidence builder. The raffles also served me well in getting out my message about the Challenge. I found that lots of people love a raffle, and the good thing is that you can keep going back to the same people but you have to have good prizes. I feel like a raffle expert now so if anyone wants any help in running one please contact me!

In regards to my 'Golf Marathon' the biggest thing I learned was to use all of my networks and to allow people time to absorb what I was doing before asking for a donation. Early on most people knew I was doing the 'Golf Marathon' but I waited until closer to the event when I had built up a bit of hype before actually asking for sponsorship. I did a different campaign to each different group of people, eg work colleagues, friends/family, golf club members and business contacts, and I think this worked well because each group or individual felt a personal connection with what I was doing.

A sponsored challenge such as my 'Golf Marathon' is relatively easy to organise as I was not relying on many others, with only myself and a few helpers on the day. 

I always strongly emphasised that as little as $25 would help restore the sight of people in a developing country. I printed this on absolutely everything I sent out, even the credit card forms and summary sheets. It lifts expectations and gets people personally involved in saving the sight of another person.