Business Give Back Competition:

Timothy Price

Introduction

At Southwest Airlines we are in the business of moving people. Everyday our company gets the opportunity to participate in the miracle we call flight. Our passengers step into shiny metal tubes and blaze across the sky. In just a few hours they can travel to anywhere in the United States. We are often told that our company has its head in the clouds, and that our idea of flight is romantically idealistic. We’re fine with that. To us, flying will always be magical. However, every once in while something strange happens to us. We are the ones who are moved.

At Southwest Airlines we are no strangers to the idea of giving back to the community. It is something that is a part of our company’s culture. One example of this is our Medical Transportation Grant Program. (Southwest, n.d) However, the “Business Give Back” Competition has moved our company to do more. We want to take a more personal approach to helping others out; we want to get involved at the grassroots level. We did not have to look far to find a unique opportunity to serve those in need. Our goal is to raise money for the Children’s Hospital in Dallas. They are a not for profit hospital that runs entirely off donations. (Children’s, n.d) For the past six years we’ve been helping people with their transport needs, getting them to hospitals across the entire country. (Southwest, n.d) Up until now that’s where our role ended, that’s all about to change.

For our company the sky has never been the limit. We are planning a fundraising event that will take our role in helping others to new heights. We’re tired of conventional fundraising events; and we’re thrilled to offer Dallas residents an exciting alternative. We are proud to announce the Southwest Airlines Amazing Race! The event will be very similar to the hit reality show, the Amazing Race. However Dallas residents will be competing against their neighbors, racing all around the city. This exciting one-day event will intense and challenging, forcing contestants to use their physical abilities as well as their wits. Dallas residents no longer have to watch the show and wish that they could do it, here’s there chance.

We want to raise a million dollars for the Children’s Hospital. It’s a large goal, but it’s attainable because we believe in the city of Dallas. We are confident that our city is going to jump on board with our ideas. We also trust our Dallas Southwest employees to pull through for us. We did not expect such a resounding response from our people at Southwest. We have always known that our company is made up of passionate, caring individuals – people who actually care. In preparing for the competition, more and more employees stepped forward volunteering to help in any way possible. Planning this event united us; it galvanized us into a powerful army of philanthropists. By day, we were ticket agents, baggage handlers, pilots. After “work” ended, was when our real work began. We became planners, advocates, fund raisers, and fans. We became fans of our “children”, the beautiful and brave patients of Children’s Hospital in Dallas.

Background

Dallas, Texas is one of the most iconic cities in the country. Like other cities, Dallas has its share of bustling urban environments as well as serene parks and waterways. Composed of large complexes, monuments and skyscrapers, the city skyline is a beautiful sight to any resident or tourist. However, behind all of its beauty, this city is stricken with economic and social issues. Like other cities across America, a closer look into the city demographics reveals a high demand for children’s healthcare through startling statistics (Thetford, 2012). “It said that while 8 percent of children in the U.S. have no medical insurance, and 14 percent in Texas, the counties of Collin, Denton, Cooke, Fannin and Grayson all have uninsured rates at least twice the national average, with Cooke the highest at 23.9 percent.” (Young 2012). Graphically, this can be explained as follows:

Comparing the two pie charts above allows one to visually see that the rate of uninsured children is higher in Texas when compared to the national rate.

This bar graph compares the rate of uninsured children on a national, statewide, and citywide level. In simpler terms, if one was to take sample data by surveying an identical number of children in the country, Texas, and Cooke, statistically, the sample data should show the same pattern as the graph above. For example, if 5000 children in the country were surveyed, then 5000 in the state of Texas, and finally 5000 in the city of Cooke, the sample in Cooke would have the highest number of uninsured children, second highest would be the sample taken in the state of Texas, and the third highest would be the sample taken nationwide.

In these harsh economic times, the cost of children’s healthcare is becoming less affordable. On a national level, 8 Million children are among the estimated 45 Million Americans without health insurance (Children’s Health Fund, n.d). It is clear that the need for children’s healthcare is an increasingly widespread issue that must be addressed.

Pediatric healthcare is a necessity for all children. However, it is especially important for children that require special care. For children living with potentially terminal diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and cystic fibrosis; pediatric healthcare consists of more than just yearly check-ups and physicals. For these children, operations, medications, and frequent doctor visits determine the quality of their everyday lives. These necessities can come at incredibly high costs. For example, the average cost as of 2011 for a kidney transplant and all preliminary and follow-up care is estimated at around $262,900 (Transplant Living, n.d). No child should have to suffer because their families cannot afford to pay these expenses. According to a 2007 Children’s Health Campaign article, nearly 50% of American children living without health insurance did not receive special healthcare (n.d). For many families in these difficult situations, nonprofit hospitals across the country serve as beacons of hope.

The Dallas Children’s Medical Center is a nonprofit hospital serving the North Texas area. Established in 1913 as an outdoor medical clinic open to the public, the organization eventually grew into what is now the 7th largest nonprofit children’s hospital in the country. As a nonprofit facility, the hospital runs entirely on donations and does not receive any funding from taxes. Its mission is to provide as many children with quality charitable healthcare. The hospital typically covers the remaining costs that one’s insurance does not cover and in some cases may cover medical bills in full. These funds come directly from the donations collected each year. On average, the medical center has roughly 528,000 visits per year. According to the official Children’s Medical Center website, “We serve one in every five children in the greater Dallas area and one in every four in the Legacy region.” (n.d). The facility plays a significant role in the lives of many children and continues to make a positive difference in the community.

Every day the medical center touches the lives of many children throughout the Dallas area. Providing such a wide variety of services ranging from eye exams to organ transplants, the medical facility is home to doctors as well as researchers striving to make advancements in medicine. Patient Daniela Soto, was diagnosed with a rare heart disease at just three months of age. It was determined that the condition was potentially terminal and would require an intensive operation in order to save Daniela’s life. A device known as the “Berlin Heart” is a temporary heart pump that is surgically placed in order to assist in cardiovascular functions. Daniela had undergone this surgery and eventually received a full heart replacement. Daniela is the youngest child to ever receive a Berlin Heart (Children’s, n.d). Being the first to perform a Berlin Heart surgery on a patient like Daniela demonstrates the dedication of the facility’s world class doctors. Daniela is just one of the many children who received a lifesaving operation through the Children’s Medical Center.

Although the most common method for supporting the Children’s Medical Center is to make direct donations through an online donation form, the hospital encourages all efforts such as sponsoring benefit events, joining affinity groups, volunteering, or hosting fundraisers (Children’s, n.d). Among all methods, hosting a fundraiser could prove to be a unique, interesting, and fun way for a local business to support the Children’s Medical Center and to connect with the Dallas community in the process. A fundraiser would be mutually beneficial to both organizations by creating cause awareness for the hospital as well as brand awareness for the business. In addition, it allows for local individuals to come together and show their support for a great cause.

In order to organize a larger and more effective fundraiser, it is preferred that a business with corporate resources and a strong presence in the community host the event rather than a smaller business. As one of the premier airlines in the country, Southwest Airlines would be very successful in both organizing and hosting a large benefit event. Having a history of supporting other Children’s Medical Centers across the nation, Southwest Airlines would be a natural choice to host a benefit event for the Dallas Children’s Medical Center as well. Hosting a fundraiser would simply be a step further in the same direction.

For the past 6 years, Southwest Airlines has given special attention to Children’s Medical Centers through our Medical Transportation Grant Program. Through this program we have provided patients at over 90 nonprofit hospitals across the country with free transportation. For 2013, we have estimated $2.8 million dollars in transportation grants distributed through our program (Southwest, n.d). Although our program is a great way to show our support for the efforts of nonprofit medical centers across the nation, organizing a fundraiser would give us the opportunity to connect with our local community by supporting the Children’s Hospital in Dallas specifically.

We would like to organize a charity benefit event for the Children’s Medical Center. Proceeds from the event will be used to make a sizable momentary donation to directly benefit the patients in the hospital. Our goal is to raise money to be used for charitable healthcare. Although funding facility renovations and donating equipment are all great ways to support the hospital, we feel that making a donation specifically for charitable healthcare recognizes what truly matters most; the importance of immediate treatment for children. We believe that our event concept is a unique idea that will surely attract many participants. A benefit event is a way for our company to demonstrate our concern for this social need within our community in a way that no other company has. We would like to host a fun and exciting Amazing Race-inspired charity event that will bring participants on a one day adventure filled with challenges scattered throughout the Dallas area.

Proposal

We do things different at Southwest Airlines. This is the mantra that our company’s success is built on, and a core belief of our employees. When we decided to enter the “Business Give Back” competition, the first question we asked ourselves was, how can our event be uniquely different? We are thrilled to propose the fundraising event, “The Southwest Amazing Race”. This exciting event is set to take our city by storm, and with your approval take fund raising possibilities to new heights.

The Inspiration for the Idea:

Our idea is inspired by one of the most popular reality shows on television, the “Amazing Race”. The basic concept of the show is that the contestants race around the world. The contestants on the show are normal, relatable people who audition for a spot on the show. During the course of the race the contestants are required to complete various tasks and challenges. The last team to arrive at a designated pit stop is eliminated. Usually every week, the show ends with one team being eliminated from the race. We think the show’s popularity will help draw crowds to our event. Many people sit on their couches every week and wish that they could be on the show. Our event allows them to satisfy those desires to some extent. While our event does not include a race around the world, it gives people a small glimpse of what it may be like to be on the show. The ultimate goal is to win the race and receive the million dollar prize.

Mechanics of the Race

Our company’s version of the “Amazing Race” will share many common traits with the hit reality show. Teams will be racing around the Dallas area, hoping to win incredible prizes. The locations around Dallas will showcase the best the city has to offer, and they include a wide variety of different settings. As the teams race around the city they will be required to use their wits and athletic ability to get through various challenges. Teams will be given clues that they will have to solve in order to get to their next destination. Every clue will contain a challenging riddle hinting at the location of their next stop. At each of the locations teams will be faced with an individual challenge, and a group challenge. Every member of each group must complete at least one individual challenge.

We are using the show as an inspiration for our event; however there will be some slight differences between them. On the TV show, teams travel by all types of transport. For our event teams must use their own vehicles. Unlike the TV show, we request that teams consist of four individuals instead of teams of two. We feel that teams of four will allow more families and group participation, as compared to teams of two. Also the show only consists of 16 teams of two, we are looking to attract between 1500-2000 teams to our event. This translates to between 6000 and 8000 people. Our event will also be unique from the perspective of how the teams travel through the course. In the TV show all teams travel the course in the same direction, meaning that from start to finish they attempt all the challenges in the same order. This works well when you only have a small amount of people, but for a vast group of contestants we had to change the mechanics of the race. At the start we will give out an even distribution of clues to all the different venues. So instead of all the teams racing out to one venue, they will be dispersed throughout the entire course. This should prevent massive build ups at one location.

As previously mentioned teams will responsible for completing the event in their own vehicles. Each team will be responsible for their gas expenses. The entrance fee per a person is $100 if they register up to a month before. People will be able to enter the event up until the day before, provided there is still space, but a late fee will apply. The late registration fee is $150 per a person. Our event has a maximum capacity of 2000 teams, when that number is reached the registration will automatically close. Teams will be able to register online through the Southwest Amazing Race website.

Safety:

Contestant safety is key concern for our team. Before the event begins we require all teams to sign an indemnity waiver releasing Southwest Airlines, and all other participating businesses, from any responsibility. In addition to the waiver, at the pre-race registration all the rules will be discussed with the teams. It will be emphasized that speeding between destinations is strictly a violation of race rules. Teams need to concentrate on being fast at the challenges, and not in their cars. We have also planned to have security guards and police officers at each venue to help manage the flow of people.

Fans:

At each venue, we thought it would be inspirational if we could have some former patients of Children’s Hospital to cheer on the contestants. It would be a fun activity for the kids and their families, and also a way for them to show their gratitude for everything the organization has done for them. Also, it would be a reminder of what the event is all about. We are anticipating the day being very busy and intense, but having those kids present will really help our contestants not lose focus on the real meaning of the event.

The Five “Pit Stops”

Cowboys Stadium (Start and Finish)

Clyde Warren Park

Sandy Lake Amusement Park

Speedzone

Children’s Hospital in Plano

Brief description of the activities planned for each venue:

The Cowboys Stadium in Arlington would be the major staging point for the event. Teams would meet here on the day of the event to register or sign in. We have selected this venue for its size and popularity. It would be able to hold all of our contestants with ease, and it’s an appealing new venue that some participants have yet to visit. Each of the stops on the race will include a challenge that teams must complete before they can move forward. At Cowboys Stadium the challenge will be have two aspects to it. Firstly, teams will have to successfully kick a field goal from the 10 yard line. After completing the kicking portion of the challenge, teams will have to search the stadium seating for hidden clues.

The next venue that we have is Clyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas. This is a beautiful new park that is located right in the heart of the Dallas Arts District. The park itself is actually built over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway and links uptown and downtown. At the park teams will be required to complete a group food challenge. Each member of the group must eat certain amount of spicy chillis administered by one of the popular food trucks parked on the street adjacent to the park. After completing the group challenge, one member of the team must complete a lap around the entire park.

Next the contestants move onto Sandy Lake Park located in Carrollton. Sandy Lake is an amusement park that is nestled right near a lake, and is the perfect venue for a day of family fun. The park includes swimming, paddleboats, mini-golf, and many other fun activities. The group challenge at the park will incorporate on of the park’s most popular attractions, paddle boats. Teams must get in a paddle boat and travel around a 400 yard course. Once teams have completed the course, one member of the team must complete the individual mini-golf challenge. The mini-golf challenge requires the individual to make a hole-in-one on one of the holes. Once teams have completed both challenges they will receive their next clue.

The next location on the race will definitely get contestants all fired up. Contestants will be racing around the track at Speedzone in order to complete this challenge! The individual challenge is going to be very exciting, but not easy. One member of the team is required to buckle up in one of Speedzone’s exhilarating Go-carts and race around the circuit in less than 45 seconds. After you pry their hands off of the cart, the teams must complete the group challenge. This requires teams to be fast with their brains, because the next challenge requires teams to use their brains. Teams will receive a sheet filled with challenging brain games. Each team will be given a sheet with ten questions; they must correctly solve six of the brain games before they move can move forward.

Next teams will be headed towards one of the more memorable stops of the race. This stop will remind teams what the purpose of the event is all about. Teams are headed to the Childrens Hospital in Plano. This hospital is built on a very large plot of land, and it has a beautiful stream running through grassy fields. Teams will have to search the grounds of the hospital for a hidden bag of puzzle pieces. Once found, only one member of the group will be allowed to solve the puzzle. After completing the puzzle, teams will be directed to take all their clues and race back to Cowboy Stadium.

Prizes:

Who does not love a great prize? Our goal is to raise money to help Children’s Hospital treat needy children, but we also feel that having some great prizes will be an incentive for people to get involved. Each member of the winning group will win a prize. The prizes are as follows:

1st Prize: Weekend Trip to anywhere Southwest Airlines flies. (Includes flights and hotels).

2nd Prize: Unlimited Season Passes to Speedzone and Sandy Lake Amusement Park.

3rd Prize: $100 Southwest Airlines Flight Voucher.

Map:

As previously mentioned, teams will be dispersed in different directions from the start of the race. This is to help prevent mass build-up at one venue. Also it will help alleviate any major traffic issues. The following map is a possible route that teams may take to complete the course.

Staffing

The Southwest Amazing Race would not be possible without the incredible work of our volunteers. The entire planning of the event was conducted by the organizing committee. These passionate individuals gave up their own time and planned the entire event. Their hard work and organization has given us a clear picture of the exact amount of people we will need to run the event.

In terms of our staffing, the heart and soul of our event is our Volunteers. The majority of our volunteers will come from Southwest Airlines. We are confident that employee participation will be high because in the past our employees have strongly supported similar type events. In 2011, Southwest Airlines Employees volunteered more than 45,000 hours to charities across the country. (Southwest, n.d) The company also has a program called “Tickets for Time”, which is a volunteer incentive program. For every 40 hours Southwest Employees volunteer for a nonprofit organization, the benefitting nonprofit organization is eligible to receive one complimentary, roundtrip ticket on Southwest Airlines for fundraising or transportation needs. (Southwest, n.d)

Venue:

Volunteers needed:

Cowboys Stadium

100

Speedzone

100

Clyde Warren Park

100

Sandy Lake Amusement Park

100

Children’s Hospital (Plano)

100

TOTAL:

500

We’re expecting to have 450 volunteers from Southwest Airlines, and the Children’s Hospital Adult Volunteer Program has promised us the remaining 50 volunteers. (Children’s, n.d) In addition to our volunteers, we will need additional police and security personal to help facilitate the large amount of people flowing through each venue.

Venue:

Police/Security Personal Needed:

Cowboys Stadium

20 Police and 100 Security Personal

Speedzone

10 Police and 10 Security Personal

Clyde Warren Park

50 Police and 50 Security Personal

Sandy Lake Amusement Park

10 Police and 10 Security Personal

Children’s Hospital

10 Police and 10 Security Personal.

TOTAL:

100 Police Officers and 180 Security Personal

In addition to the above staffing requirements, we also plan on ensuring that there is an Emergency Response Team at each venue. (5 Teams) Also, due to the nature of the activities at Sandy Lake we need provide four life guards at that venue to ensure contestant safety. Lastly, after all the events are done we must ensure that cleaning crews are dispatched to Clyde Warren Park and Children’s Hospital. These two crews will take care of the clean up and take down of all necessary equipment. The clean-up company that we are hiring to handle the event is called Jani-King. The clean-up for the other three venues is provided for by their own staff.

After the race is over we are planning on having a family potluck picnic celebration. During this celebration we also plan on having the prize-giving ceremony. We’re encouraging contestants to bring their own food, but we have also invited some vendors to sell food at the picnic.

The Vendors we have invited include:

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

Pizza Hut

Fuzzy’s Tacos

Gatorade

We negotiated a deal with these vendors that 20% of their profits will be donated to the Children’s Hospital.

Southwest Airlines Amazing Race Budget

Refreshments for volunteers/staff will be provided by the following sponsors: PepsiCo

Expenses

Cowboys Stadium (Sponsored)

Sandy Lake

Rental Fee-$4,000

Lifeguards (4 x6hrs/$339) $1,356

Klyde Warren Park

Special Event Permit ($250)

Chili Peppers ($5.98/6ct) $1800

Water ($3.98/40ct/8000ppl) $800

Portable Bathrooms (6*$150)

Speedzone

Rental Fee $5000

Children’s Hospital (Plano)

Printing Puzzle Pieces ($61.50/100) $6,150

Safety

Event Insurance <12,000 ppl $1225.00

Security (100)-$30/hr for 6hrs- $18,000

EMS (5)

Publicity

Radio Ads (30sec) $296 each station

Digital Bulletin (4 weeks) $3000

Staff /Volunteers

Lunch

Hot Dogs (24ct/$8.68) $183

Hot Dog Buns (16ct/ $2.28) $72

Water ($3.98/40ct/500ppl) $50

Supplies for Participants

T-shirts (quantity 5000) ($4.00 each)

Small (750)

Medium (1000)

Large (2000)

X-Large (750)

XX-Large (500)

Total T-shirts-$20,000

Printing Registration Forms (.75/pg) $2,000

Printing Cost-Clue Cards (.75/pg) $7,500

Medals (.75 each) $6,000

1st Place – Vacation/Cowboys Season Tickets ($1,000/per team member) $4,000

2nd Place-Speedzone/SandyLake Season Pass (Donated)

3rd Place- $100 Southwest Airlines Travel Voucher ($400)

Total Expenses: $81,682

Income

Race Entrance Fees (including parking) (up to 2000 teams)

(Up to month prior) $100 per person $800,000

(Within month prior) $150 per person

Vendor Fees (20%) (Expecting $10,000)

T-Shirt Sales (Priced at $20, profit = $16)

Fundraising and Donations

Total Revenue: $880,000 -$1,100,000

Net Donation Total:

$1 000,000

We are confident that our carefully organized event will raise a significant amount of funds for children’s healthcare. With the success of this event we hope to host similar events in other major cities around the country. Southwest Airlines can have a specific event plan and schedule to you by April 16 if you sign the enclosed duplicate copy of this letter and return it to us. The prepared budget is only in effect until April 16.

Sincerely,

Proposal Group #2

Southwest Airlines

Percentage of children without healthcareNationwideStatewide (Texas)Citywide (Cooke, TX)0.080.140.239

Children's Health Insurance (Nationwide)

Children's Health Insurance (Nationwide)Children with health insuranceChildren without health insurance0.920.08

Children's Health Insurance (Texas)

Children's Health Insurance (Texas)Children with health insuranceChildren without health insurance0.860.14