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Visionaries of the Year & Grand Finale


What is Visionaries of the Year?Visionaries of the Year is a philanthropic competition for leaders in communities across the country. Every year, candidates embark on an exciting 10-week journey with a goal to create a world without blood cancers, striving to earn the Visionary of the Year title.

What will the Grand Finale program entail?The event includes candidate introductions by Mission Pillar, a final opportunity to support your candidate, Mission Awards, team and top fundraiser recognition as well as the grand reveal of the cumulative mission impact this candidate class has made on blood cancers.

What awards and recognition will be given the night of the event?The awards structure during the Visionaries of the Year Grand Finale Celebration has fundraising-based and as non-fundraising based awards. Our three Mission Awards are based on candidate submissions and voted on by a volunteer committee. LLS Hero & Impact Awards will be given to those candidates who achieve $50K or more as well as our Team Member of the Year awarded to the top local fundraising team member. Lastly, we'll recognize the local Visionary of the Year  and Runner Up.

What are the Visionaries of the Year Mission Pillars?At LLS, the support of our mission is at the forefront of all we do and can be generally broken up into three key areas of focus - research, patient support, and advocacy. Each candidate will align their campaign with one of our areas of focus. We call these our Mission Pillars.

Can you share a little more about each Mission Pillar?

Research: Like you, we're never satisfied with the status quo. We are unstoppable innovators, funding the most promising blood cancer research across the globe and forging collaborations to accelerate new discoveries, treatments, and cures. With a more than 70-year track record, LLS has supported virtually every advancement in blood cancer treatment - including approaches once thought impossible.

Patient Support: We share your compassion and drive to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Each day, we work tirelessly to provide hope, guidance, education, and support when it's needed most, so no one has to face cancer alone. We help patients and families throughout their entire cancer experience, and you make this vital work possible.

Advocacy: At LLS, advocacy is in our blood, and we raise our voices to put patients and families at the center of everything we do. We are relentless, agile, and determined to effect meaningful change in the fight against blood cancers by advocating at the local, state, and federal level to effect policy change.

What are the Mission Awards?The Mission Awards seek to recognize those candidates who have advanced the efforts to cure blood cancers by making significant contributions through their campaigns.
  • Research Mission Award: This award will be given to the candidate who leads the way by not only spreading awareness about LLS's Research but also by demonstrating the spirit of LLS's innovative research strategy.
  • Patient Support Mission Award: This award will be given to the candidate who goes above and beyond by infusing the impact of LLS's patient support & education services as part of their campaign.
  • Advocacy Mission Award: This award will be given to the candidate that leads the way in spreading awareness about LLS's mission and works to engage a variety of audiences.
Will I be able to make a donation during the event? Yes! We will have a mission-focused segment of the Grand Finale program that provides a final opportunity to make a direct gift in support of your candidate's campaign and/or support of our mission and campaign in general. 
Can I donate with Donor Advised Funds (DAF)?Yes, please see a staff member and they can process your donation.



 Credit Cards


Why do I need to enter my credit card?There will be opportunities to support LLS leading up to and during the Grand Finale that can be counted towards the candidates totals. In order to participate, you must pre-register and a credit card must be provided. The credit card you put on file will only be charged for purchases or donations that you actively make within the online system.



Auction  


How does the auction work?We will be using mobile bidding for our auction. After registering, you will receive a text with a link to view all items once the auction is ready for preview and/or bidding. You will be able to use your smartphone/tablet to keep up with the status of your bids and continue bidding until the auction closes or you can place bids directly on your desktop. You can be the winning bidder wherever you are in the world!
How do I participate in the online bidding auction?Get started online through this auction page. To expedite your registration, please register with the auction site prior to the online bidding time.
How do I start bidding?Browse the Auction from the Browse The Auction button, and start bidding on your favorite items! Place your bid on selected items, and set a maximum bid if desired, and Givesmart will continue to keep you in the running until you reach your maximum.
Is there a minimum age to be able to bid?By entering a bid, you are certifying you are age 18 or older or that you have the permission of a parent or guardian to bid.
Is there a policy on items with alcohol?When you bid on an item that includes alcohol, you are certifying you are age 21 or older.
How do I know if I've been outbid?You will be notified via text if you have been outbid. Keep an eye on your favorite items! If you are NOT receiving the text messages make sure you have the correct mobile number under your profile. The texts will continue to notify you when you have been outbid or reached your maximum bid. When the silent auction closes, you will also receive a text message if you won any items!
I really want to win an item! How can I better my chances?To keep you from being outbid too often, you can set an Auto Bid. The auction software will automatically raise your bid by a predetermined increment until your maximum bid has been met or the silent auction ends.
How do I collect my winnings?Auction winners are required to make payment the night of the event. Please note that you will have the choice to either pay credit card charges immediately or we will run all remaining balances on all cards on file shortly after the event closes. Most items will be available for pickup at the close of the Grand Finale; if you are not in attendance or are unable to retrieve your item at the event, you will be contacted via email or phone with instructions on how to access your item in the days following the silent auction's conclusion. Please note that items containing alcohol, items that are oversized, or items that are otherwise restricted cannot be shipped and must be picked up or delivered locally.
Is Sales Tax charged on Auction items?Each winning bidder will be charged sales tax on auction items where appropriate. Sales tax charged on auction items will not count toward a candidate's fundraising total. Candidate fundraising totals will be credited with the winning bid for items their team procured.





 How To Bid