On Tuesday, March 10, 2020, the day before the Boston Young Professional’s 2nd Annual Battle of the Bartenders event, we made the difficult decision to cancel the event and began plans to postpone all other upcoming events in response to the pandemic. Like the rest of the world, we were suddenly faced with the challenge of connecting virtually and the uncertainty of new and increasing restrictions.
We quickly worked to change gears and pivot our efforts to ensure funds were still raised for those who now needed our help more than ever. Longtime supporter and Miracle Maker Andy McFetridge, of John Hancock Investment Management, reached out with a virtual fundraising idea that surpassed everyone’s expectations, including his own.
Just two weeks following the canceled event, where Andy was scheduled to bartend and was in third place as the highest fundraiser, he decided to turn his plans for an at-home haircut into a live-streamed fundraising event. Andy, who is known for his great head of hair, knew that friends and colleagues alike would not hesitate at the opportunity to watch his notorious locks be shaven off.
After setting a modest goal of $3,000, Andy’s fundraising page raised over $24,000 in less than one week. Andy’s success surprised even himself; afterwards, he said, “Who knew I had so many caring friends out there that wanted to see me shave my beautiful head of hair! I was definitely humbled and surprised.”
Andy’s efforts not only raised a significant amount of money, but also inspired others and proved that virtual events could be fun and successful. In recognition of his leadership and pioneering Expect Miracle’s Foundation’s virtual fundraising, Andy was presented with a 2020 Expect Miracles Foundation Award.
As we continue to navigate the challenges of virtual events and fundraising through the pandemic, we welcome other creative fundraising ideas. Interested in hosting your own virtual fundraiser but hesitant to start? Andy shared that, while he was initially intimidated, his advice would be “to sit down and think about your own network of friends, family, and business relationships. Chances are your network is larger than you might first think. Then get creative with getting the word out. It was truly remarkable to see the financial services industry come together in the effort of ending cancer one day.”
