How to Plan a Swim

Contact USA Swimming. Prior to hosting a Swim-a-Thon, your organization must complete a contract with USA Swimming that states certain conditions to follow. Once the contract is completed, you will receive a handbook about how to host a successful Swim-a-Thon, with forms and promotional materials. Swim-a-Thon is a registered trademark that is owned by USA Swimming.
Select date and location. Once you have a contract signed with USA Swimming, seek out a location to have the Swim-a-Thon. City, county and school pools may offer facilities for a small fee or free if used for fundraising events. Compare calendars with venues and pick a date to hold the event.
Hand out fliers. Use the promotional materials provided by USA Swimming to promote participation in your Swim-a-Thon. Hand out these items to members of your organization and others who would be interested in participating. Make sure to include the date, time and location of the event, instructions on how to collect pledges and your contact information.
Plan your Swim-a-Thon for an entire afternoon, offering different activities to encourage spectators to come out and watch. Collect donations from local businesses, such as gift certificates, gift baskets or merchandise that can be raffled. Offer food to spectators from a concession stand operated by volunteers or find a food vendor to set up during the event. Other activities for spectators can include music by a DJ and games for kids, such as water balloon toss, sidewalk chalk art and a sprinkler play area.
Give out awards. At the end of the Swim-a-Thon, offer awards to all participants and top performers. Hand out ribbons for participating, raising the most money and swimming the most laps.
Collect pledges. Once participants have completed the Swim-a-Thon event, have then collect money from friends and family who pledged. Give participants one week, or other amount of time you are comfortable with, to collect the money and turn it in to you.
Send out thank you notes. Write up a thank you note to send to each participant for helping raise money for your organization. If addresses are available, send thank you notes to those who donated to the Swim-a-Thon, such as vendors, friends and family.
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How to Run a Pool Tournament in a Bar

Decide how many players will be allowed, keep in mind time and the number of available pool tables. The average weekly bar tournament allows 8-16 players for at least 2 pool tables. Draw up brackets or download them for free at a number of sites.
Decide on the rules of the pool tournament, including the number of games per match . Almost every league has its own variation on billiard rules, so specify what leagues rules you choose to follow. It is easier to pick a league to follow so that rules can be looked up or distributed to all players in the pool tournament.
When choosing the number of games per match keep time in mind. No player wants to wait hours between matches, but the bar owner needs players there long enough to buy food and drinks. An average 8-Ball tournament can be a race to see who wins 3 games, 9-Ball is often a race to 5 games.
Set an entry fee and ask the bar owner if they would like to add anything to the pot. This could include free drink coupons, t-shirts, or cash. You don't have to decide the exact dollar amount of the pay-outs at this time, but you should choose how the split will look as a percentage. For example, an average weekly bar pool tournament will split the pay-out like this: 1st Place - 50 percent, 2nd Place - 30 percent 3rd Place - 20 percent. The bar owner can decide how and when to award prizes they donated.
Advertise the pool tournament everywhere you can. Most pool league operators have newsletters they send out, ask to be included. Set fliers around the bar where the pool tournament is to be held, and other bar owners may allow you to advertise if pool is not their main interest.
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