Learn what successful family fundraising looks like from veteran CMD Community Members, the Knutsons
In 2012, my husband, Tim, and I looked at our young boys who had been diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease and said, “What’s next?” We were still sorting out their care and determining the best way forward. We didn’t even have a genetic diagnosis yet, but we aren’t ones to sit still. We came up with the idea to host an event to raise money for research. We knew then and continue to believe that research is where our hope lies for their future.
Both of us have worked for non-profit organizations for most of our careers and have attended many fundraising events over the years. Drawing on this knowledge, we planned a family friendly dinner with a silent auction, raffle, live auction, and program, calling it the Brothers K. Our church allowed us to use the church building for free, and we found a sponsor to cover the cost of the dinner which kept our costs low. We solicited donations from family and local businesses for the silent and live auctions. The first year, the fundraiser was a small affair with family and some local friends but we were thrilled to raise about $6,000.
Since that first year, the event has grown to about 150 attendees, and we have raised over $94,000 to date. The Brothers K has stayed relatively the same over the years, but we’ve added a beer pull and a kids activity room. As the boys have gotten older, they have become more involved in the program along with their friends who put on a skit every year. During the program each year, we are excited to share how our event is funding research for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. The Brothers K has become a tradition and an annual reunion of sorts. We look forward to it every year.
Our 8th annual Brothers K was going to be the time we topped $100,000 but, as with everything in 2020, we didn’t know what our fundraiser could look like this year. We decided to pivot like everyone else and hold an online auction. We were nervous to ask for donations, because we know that many families are struggling right now. We decided to give it a shot anyway. We rallied our supporters through email and social media knowing this year might be smaller, however donations appeared on our doorstep just like every year. Our fundraiser this year will also include an online event to give us a chance to update our supporters on how we are doing and what’s new in research.
We have learned over the years that people want to help in whatever way they can. Each gift, no matter the size, gives us hope that research will continue its search for treatments and a cure for CMD. We truly believe “a cure is among us,” and the Brothers K is our small way making that a reality.