Saturday, 30 April 2016

Team Communication #4


Dear Final Leg Team Members;

THANK YOU to everyone who have already completed the Travel Payment information and the Final Leg Uniform requisition on-line.  These two processes are critical to the forward momentum in our Final Leg planning.

If you have not had the opportunity to do so, please complete these two tasks as soon as possible.  The deadline for submitting the Travel Payment Information is Friday, April 29th.  The deadline for completing the Final Leg Uniform Requisition is Friday, May 6th.  The sooner the better!


I have included the SO/LETR nominators of the runners on this e-mail as they may be the one responsible for submitting the travel payment or could facilitate that quickly.  Travel payment information does not apply to athletes, Team Leaders or Logistics Team members.


Please click on the links below for specific instructions on how to complete these very easy processes on our secure website.

FINAL REMINDER If you want to stay in Austria longer to visit the World Games or tour the country and have your family meet you after the Team Party, that is possible. You will need to tell us what your departure date will be and from what airport so we can book that accordingly. Once notified, we will send you an "Extended Travel Form" to fill out with the appropriate information and return to us. We will need to know that as soon as possible, but no later than April 29, 2016 as we  are preparing our spreadsheets for the booking process now. Once the tickets are booked they are non-refundable and there is a significant change fee if dates are altered.  If you stay after March 20, 2017, you will be responsible for transportation, lodging, etc.

PLEASE be sure to check your e-mail on a regular basis as both your Team Leader and I will have important information about the Final Leg event as we continue building momentum for this amazing experience that you will cherish forever!




All the best;



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Team Communication #3


Dear Final Leg Team Members;

I hope all is well and you are getting excited about the 2017 Austria Final Leg Torch Run!  It’s only 320 days away and it will be here before you know it!

If your respective Team Leader has not already been in contact with you, he/she will be soon.  They will be setting up a conference call to introduce them self, give you and your teammates an opportunity to get acquainted, provide you with some more information about the Final Leg and answer any questions you may have.

The next MAJOR step in our Final Leg planning process is obtaining the uniform (clothing) size for each Team member.  We have selected Columbia Sportsware as our Final Leg uniform supplier.  Columbia Sportsware has a long history of supplying the uniforms for our Winter Final Leg events and their clothing is top quality and will be sure to keep you warm while in Austria!

Timing is critical in obtaining your uniform (clothing) sizes and you must complete this no later than May 5, 2016.  Columbia Sportswear is reserving the clothing for us and without everyone’s exact sizes we cannot get this completed and get the clothing we want.

I have attached a “Step by Step Guide” that you can access by clicking on the button below.  There are sizing charts in this guide.  It is absolutely imperative that you be as accurate as possible.  PLEASE actually measure yourself or have yourself measured to insure that you match your actual  size with the sizing chart.  What you order is what you get and there will be little if any opportunity to change sizes when you get to Austria other than swapping with teammates.  The entire process of submitting your uniform sizing on our website should take no longer than five (5) minutes once you have the information as detailed in the “Step to Step Guide.”

REMINDER If you want to stay in Austria longer to visit the World Games or tour the country and have your family meet you after the Team Party, that is possible.  You will need to tell us what your departure date will be and from what airport so we can book that accordingly. We will need to know that as soon as possible, but no later than April 29, 2016 as we  are  preparing our spreadsheets for the booking process now. Once the tickets are booked they are non-refundable and there is a significant change fee if dates are altered.  If you stay after March 20, 2017, you will be responsible for transportation, lodging, etc.

I have received a LOT of inquiries about our Polar Plunge and fundraising opportunity and that is already generating a lot of excitement!  Special Olympics, Inc. is in the process of completing the development of the on-line fundraising website that we will use for this initiative.  Everyone will be able to use this very easy way of raising money and will be registered as a part of their assigned team.  More information to come on that in the near future!

PLEASE be sure to check your e-mail on a regular basis as both your Team Leader and I will have important information about the Final Leg event as we continue building momentum for this amazing experience that you will cherish forever!
  
All the best;
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Tuesday, 12 April 2016

Team Communication #2 - Follow-up


GREETINGS Final Leg Team Member!

Just a quick follow-up to my last team communication!  Since sending out Team Communication #2 this morning, I have had had quite a few inquiries about bringing husbands, wives and children along on the Final Leg.

Being a devout family man myself, I certainly understand your desire to have them with you and share in your experiences; however, the design and implementation of this event is not designed for that.  

We will be constantly traveling by private motor coaches to cities and towns all over Austria.  Our days are planned from morning to night and there would be no time for interaction with your family. Everything is designed as a "team" activity.  

Because of the intensity of our schedule and our mission of interaction with the community in creating awareness for Special Olympics and excitement for the World Winter Games at numerous pre-planned events, Team members are not permitted to have spouses, significant others or in the case of athletes, parents traveling along with the team.  Everything is choreographed almost down to the minute due to our tight schedule and the distances we have to travel. 

Additionally, in the evenings there may be sponsored private events and dinners where it is not permissible for guests to attend.  If you want to stay in Austria longer to visit the World Games or tour the country and have your family meet you after the Team Party, that is possible.  You would need to tell us what your departure date will be and from what airport so we could book that accordingly. 

We would need to know that as soon as possible, but no later than April 29, 2016 as we are preparing our spreadsheets for the booking process now. 

Once the tickets are booked they are non-refundable and there is a significant change fee if dates are altered.  If you stay after March 20, 2017, you will be responsible for transportation, lodging, etc. 

Thank you for your understanding and everything you do in support of Special Olympics through the Law Enforcement Torch Run!


All the best;

John Newnan
Team Captain
2017 Austria LETR Final Leg
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Team Communication #2



GREETINGS Final Leg Team Member!

I hope that this e-mail finds you well and you have had a chance to review the previous Welcome Letter that contained a lot of details about the 2017 Austria Final leg and the exciting thing in store for us!

Please download our next team communication letter below.  This letter contains your Team assignment, who your Team Leader and teammates are, along with some other information about an exciting opportunity for the team.

Your Team Leader will be in contact with you shortly to schedule a conference call where you and all the members of your team will have the opportunity to introduce yourselves to one another as well as your Team leader providing you additional information about the Final Leg event.  

Thanks to the Communications Team at SOI, Communications Guidance and a Media Release Template has been developed for your program to announce your participation in the 2017 Austria Final Leg.  This template has pertinent facts about the Final Leg and for consistent messaging we request that you utilize this by filling in your name, program, etc. where applicable. A Final Leg communications "took kit" with a lot more information and talking points about the Final Leg, the 2017 Austria Special Olympics World Winter Games and Special Olympics will be available to you on May 2, 2016. 

PLEASE check your e-mail on a regular basis moving forward.  There will be some very time sensitive information as well as requests for information from you regarding flights and uniform sizing that will be sent out in the near future.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I look forward to meeting everyone and an amazing Final Leg experience that will create untold awareness for Special Olympics, the World Games and the Law Enforcement Torch Run!

All the best;

P.S.  If you have not completed your three part on-line registration as a member of the Final Leg Team, you have three days left, please do so as soon as possible but NO LATER THAN April 15th!  This is extremely critical to our planning process at this point!

All the best;
John Newnan
Team Captain
2017 Austria LETR Final Leg
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Thursday, 7 April 2016

Team Communication #1

GREETINGS Final Leg Team Member!
Welcome to the 2017 Austria Final Leg Torch Run Team!  Please be prepared for an amazing experience that many previous Final Leg team members have called "life changing!"

I have attached our first Team communication to this e-mail as well as an additional attachment pertaining to the payment for your round-trip flights to Austria.  

This only applies to the Law Enforcement Torch Runners and is not applicable to the athletes, Team Leaders or Logistics Team members.  

Please ensure that your program follows up with the payment instructions as soon as possible but no later than May 1st.  It is critical that we start booking your flights as early as possible to insure the cheapest possible airfares!

Please be sure to read the attached communication carefully.  It is rather long but contains a lot of information about the mission ahead of us and will probably answer a lot of questions that you may have.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I look forward to meeting everyone and an amazing Final Leg experience that will create untold awareness for Special Olympics, the World Games and the Law Enforcement Torch Run!


All the best;

John Newnan
Team Captain
2017 Austria LETR Final Leg




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