Questions and Answers on the LHL
Sponsorship, Registration and Raffle Draw Scheme.
 

Introductory Note. Due to its attractive prizes, the LHL charity run-walk festival seems to be generating more interest and so the sponsorship, registration and prizing scheme are now being subjected to greater scrutiny. As human beings some are likely to try looking for ways and means, albeit against the rules or unethical, to advance their vested interests in the LHL charity fund-raising events. We do not want these to pose a distraction to the noble objectives of said charity fund-raising festival which is: "to inculcate health and literacy to our people, particularly the youth, and at the same time help raise funds towards the completion of the SMSS dream gymnasium". [To read more on the objective of the SMSS dream gymnasium, please access this web page: The SMSS Gymnasium Project ] It is on this note that the following answers to recent questions on the LHL registration, sponsorship and prizing scheme were crafted.

1. Question: If a runner/walker is sponsored by somebody, will she still be required to pay the registration fee of : 5 pesos if he/she is a kid [12 years and below] or an elderly [60 years and above]; 10 pesos if he/she is a high school student or college student; or 400 pesos if he/she is gainfully employed?
   
   Answer: Yes, he/she will still be required to pay the minimal runner/walker registration fee even if he/she is sponsored by somebody. The sponsorship donation is distinct and separate from the registration fee. The sponsorship donation goes directly to the construction of the gymnasium. The registration fee is to be allocated to the administrative cost of administering the LHL run/walk festival. This is similar to the golf tournament wherein all golf hole sponsorships are allocated to the construction of the gymnasium. The golfers pay for their own registration and caddie fees.
   
   A runner/walker may only be exempted from the registration fee if it is determined that he/she has no visible means of paying – i. e., she is an orphan or the parents are really very poor. The registrars will just have to exercise their judgment on who to exempt. Anybody faking incapacity to pay should not be allowed to join.
   
   [An important reason on insisting that the runner/walker participants pay a minimal amount of registration fee is to try and instill to our people, particularly the youth, that a little sacrifice is needed to get the things we need to improve ourselves and our community; and steer away from the dole-out mentality inadvertently encouraged by the generosity of our missionary benefactors.]
    

2. Question: Who are entitled to a free raffle ticket?
   
   Answer: Each registered runner/walker will be assigned a number called bib. This is his/her free raffle ticket.  In addition, if a runner/walker would like to increase his/her chances of winning in the raffle draw, he/she can solicit  as many sponsors as she can, in which case he/she will be entitled to one raffle ticket for every 400 pesos or US10.00 of sponsorship he/she solicits.
   
   [While the sponsorship - raffle draw scheme was designed primarily to motivate runners/walkers to participate in the LHL events, we would like to point out that a greater motivation for participating should be to help inculcate health and literacy to the youth. This health and literacy effort could be greatly enhanced by the completion of the SMSS dream gymnasium, hence this charity fund-raising run/walk festival. [Please read more on the objectives of the gymn by accessing this web page: The SMSS Gymnasium Project .]
    

3. Question: Will all raffle tickets [bibs] be included in the raffle draw?
   
   Answer: No. Only the tickets [bibs] of those who participate and finish the race will be included in the raffle draw. This is to discourage those who register only for the purpose of participating in the raffle draw which tends to defeat the purpose of inculcating health and literacy as well as honesty.  Exemption: the tickets [bibs] of runner/walkers who were not able to finish because of medical reasons or accident will still be included in the raffle draw.
    

4. Question: Are sponsors automatically given a raffle ticket [bib number]?
   
   Answer: No, only registered runners/walkers are entitled to a raffle ticket [bib number]. And only the tickets [bib numbers] of finishers will be included in the raffle draw. [Sponsors in the USA channeling their donations to the SMSS Alumni and Friends Foundation will be issued receipts which they can use to claim tax deductibility.]
    

5. Question: Can an overseas SMSS alumni or friend sponsor the registration fees of relatives who are participating in the LHL run/walk events?
   
   Answer: Definitely, but this should not be confused with the individual runner/walker sponsorship donation, the whole amount of which will be allocated to the construction of the SMSS gymnasium.
    

6. Question: Can an overseas SMSS alumni or friend pay the registration fees for relatives participating in the LHL run/walk events in dollar or other foreign currencies and whatever amount in excess [after converting to pesos] be donated to the gymnasium?
   
   Answer: Certainly. However, if the excess amount is not equal to the amount entitling the runner/walker relative of one free raffle ticket [which is 400 pesos (US$10) for high school and college students; or 200 pesos (US$5) for kids and the elderly], then the runner/walker relative should not be expecting an additional  free raffle ticket. He/she will only be entitled to the free raffle ticket given to an LHL run/walk participant. If she finish the event he/she is registered in, his/her raffle ticket(s) will be included in the raffle draw.
    

7. Question: Should the local volunteers helping Joe Saley and Sheli Torrevillas administer the LHL run/walk festival be entitled to free raffle tickets [bib numbers]?
   
   Answer: No. If  the organizers allow this, they may also have to grant free raffle tickets to the local first aid crew; the policemen helping direct traffic; the locals serving the snacks; the cooks and what have you. This would greatly reduce the chances of the LHL target beneficiaries [i.e., the students actually participating in the run/walk events] in winning the major prizes of the raffle draw.   [Again, may we reiterate that a nobler motivation for volunteering once service to the LHL festival is to help inculcate health and literacy to our youth as well as finish the construction of the SMSS gymnasium. To read more on the importance of the gymnasium , please go to this webpage: The SMSS Gymnasium Project]
   
   Understandably, the students are more interested in participating in the LHL charity run/walk events. Our suggestion is to recruit alumni and friends who are mainly interested in helping realize the completion of the gymnasium to help administer the LHL run/walk festival. We are sure alumni and friends gainfully employed and practically "over-the-hill" as regards strenuous athletic competitions such as the LHL run/walk events would just be too happy to help administer the LHL charity run/walk festival.
    

8. I would like to participate in either the 8 km run or 8km walk for men. In the course of the race/walk I feel that I could not really finish, could I just give my bib to another run/walk participant so that it will be included in the raffle draw?
   
   Answer. No, this will be unfair to those who have really prepared for the run/walk events as their chances of winning in the raffle prizes is reduced. This is not also in line with the LHL objective of  promoting health and literacy as well as the virtue of honesty.
    

9. I am an overseas alumni. I would like to solicit for runner/walker sponsorships. Can I then assign the free raffle tickets I am entitled to to my son who will participate in the high school run for boys?
   
   Answer: The proper way of doing this is to register the amount of your solicitations as the solicitations of your son who is the one participating in the LHL events. So technically yes, you can do it. However, be sure to do it the proper way and be sure that your son will finish the race so that all of his tickets will be included in the raffle draw.
    

10. How about the sponsorship donations being generated by the LHL team in the internet and mailing solicitations, will the runners/walkers to which these sponsorships will be allocated to be given additional free raffle tickets?
    
    Answer: No, to play fair to all the runner/walker participants particularly those runners/walkers who are exerting their efforts to solicit for sponsors.
     

11. I noticed that the run/walk events will start at 7:00 AM. I am coming from Angkileng and have solicited a sponsor. If for some reason or another I come in late will I still be allowed to participate in the 8km run I am registered in?
    
    Answer: If you are late for 15 minutes or less you will be allowed to run. However, your  starting time will be treated as the same as those who came on time. You will just have to try to catch up with them and make up for the lost time you incurred for coming in late. Try as best as you can to finish the race because only the bib numbers [and whatever additional ticket they have] will be included in the raffle draw.
    
    If you come in late more than 15 minutes or should you decide not to run anymore, you will forfeit your chances of winning any of the LHL prizes. Your registration fee and whatever amount you solicited will be considered your contribution towards the construction of the SMSS gymnasium. This should still make you happy because the gymnasium when completed will be available for use by you, your classmates, friends and the community as a whole. To read more on what your participation/donation, through the LHL run/walk festival, can help achieve, please go to this web page: The SMSS Gymnasium Project
     

12. I plan to participate in the 8km run for girls. I am from Besao and if for one reason or another I feel I can not make it on time for the 7:00 start time of the run, can I just text a friend in Sagada to run for me instead. What happens now to whatever sponsorship amount I solicited for the run?
    
    Answer: Yes, you text a friend to run the race for you but your friend should immediately inform the registration desk about your arrangement. In this case your friend will be the duly registered runner.  Your bib number [if you already received it] and whatever additional raffle tickets you are entitled to for your solicitation efforts will all be in the name of your friend.

Submitted by the LHL Team.