Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
Registration Questions
Can you explain the price?
We’ll play it straight with you: Pledge the Pink prices aren’t what they used to be.
We’ve grown, and so have our goals. And so have the economic hurdles of herding 1500ish people around 3 islands, over the course of 3 days.
We do offer early-bird discounts and incentives to sign up early, but when you consider the logistics, permits, and perks that go into a three-day, three-island, race… our full price is a steal.
We do it by constantly cutting overhead, soliciting sponsors anywhere we can get ‘em, and relying on a kickass force of dedicated volunteers.
Could we do it cheaper? Maybe. But not if we want to give you the one-of-a-kind race experience, that you’ve come to know and love.
And not if we want to meet our fundraising goals. We’ve got tons of money to raise. And every penny of our proceeds goes to meeting that goal and fighting breast cancer.
What’s included in my registration?
Four days of hope, inspiration, and seriously stunning courses. Training resources, confidence, and a few thousand new friends. The pride that comes with fighting for a cause, the satisfaction of doing a good thing…
Oh you mean, like, “the stuff?”
- A fun evening at our Thursday night Packet Pickup Party (waterfront sunset included).
- Post-race parties at each of our finish lines with live entertainment, a hot lunch (yes, REAL food), cold drinks (adult beverages are also avail!), and endless shenanigans that’ll make you pee yourself.
- A style-defining swag bag complete with official long sleeve tech shirt, sunglasses, headbands, shoe charms, and other pretty pink things you’ll love.
- The bling a weekend like this deserves: four gorgeous medals. One for each day, and a bonus 5” honker to celebrate the big 30.
- Surprises. The good kind. Trust us, we’re full of ‘em.
Is my registration tax deductible?
Sorry, registrations aren’t tax deductible. It’s an IRS ruling and out of our control. While we give all proceeds from the event to the cause—registrations count as “payments,” not contributions.
Because your registration buys your participation in the event, it’s classified as a purchase, not a gift.
However, individual donations (made independently from your registration) are 100% tax deductible. See our Donation Page for more information.
Is there a discount for kids?
Children 12 and under can sign up for a flat fee of just $100.
We’ve watched dozens of kids grow up in our races every year. Seriously empowering stuff.
And they love going back to school dripping in our medals!
Is there a survivor discount?
Having survivors at our races is important to us, and we would absolutely love to give everyone discounts.
But the end of the day: our priority is the cause. And every penny of the proceeds goes there.
So we feel the best way to honor those who have been so personally affected by breast cancer, is to contribute everything we can towards putting an end to this disease. And we’ve made the (difficult) choice to cut discounts, with this in mind.
Weekend Logistics
How do I get to this magical place you call Fripp?
Fabulous question.
Fripp is the last of the sea islands off of Beaufort’s coast. It’s about 30 minutes from downtown Beaufort, 60 minutes from Bluffton, and 75 minutes from Hilton Head (unless you have a boat, then you could be there in like 10 minutes).
If you are flying in, the closest airport is Savannah, GA which is a 90 minute drive. You’ll take 95N to 278 to 170 to 128 to 21. It is an easy drive with moderate traffic during rush hour.
Your other option is to fly in Charleston, SC and take 17 down to highway 21. It’s a two hour drive but damn it is pretty! Charleston also has Southwest and other discount airlines so this could be a cheaper option for many.
Where will I stay during race weekend?
Most people decide to stay on Fripp Island. There, you’ll find thousands of beach houses, villas, and studios to choose from. Go to the resort’s website and see what’s available, and then feel free to call them directly and they’ll help you choose which options are best for you!
TIP: Meet new friends in our Facebook group and consider sharing a house together- save money and have a ton more fun!
There are also villas on Dataw Island and campsites at Hunting Island State Park.
Budgeting for Your Weekend
About 75% of our registrants come from out of town (49 states and 17 countries in 2018!) They tell us that $300-$500 pretty much sums up your weekend expenses (especially if you buddy up on accommodations).
- Use our Facebook group to meet your new besties and save money by carpooling down here with folks in your area.
- Go in on a beach house or condo and save even more money– splitting up a bigger place that sleeps several people is much cheaper AND you can have breakfast and dinner at home vs going out to eat.
When should I get there?
Immediately. It’s beautiful here.
But in case that doesn’t work for you: you’ll want to be in town at least Thursday through Sunday of race weekend (Oct 24-27).
And you’ll probably want to stick around for all the post-race festivities on Sunday. So yeah, try to stay until Monday if you can.
If you decide to stay longer, you’ll be in good company. Tons of our peeps stick around after the blisters have healed and make the best weekend of their life, the best week of their life!
Come on, you worked hard and kicked some serious cancer-butt. We sure think a vacation is in order.
How do we get from one island to the next?
You ask the best questions!
- Friday – start line is at the Fripp Island Market (ride your golf cart) and the finish line/after party is at the Fripp Island Beach Club. We’ll have golf cart shuttles to run you back to the market to get your cart. Or you can catch a ride with a new friend.
- Saturday – walk or ride your golf cart to the Beach Club and our buses will take you to Dataw Island at 8am (and bring you back to the Club between noon-2pm ). Easy peesy.
- Sunday – the start and finish lines are both at the Fripp Island Beach Club. Shazam.
Course Info
What are the hours every day? Is there a certain time limit to finish the course?
Friday and Saturday are 9am starts and Sunday kicks off at 7:30 so we can catch the sunrise.
You’ll need to be at the start line for instructions and announcements at least 15 minutes before START every morning.
Most people finish our 10 mile courses in 3 hours but you’ve got up to 4 hours to complete it, so enjoy!
And yes, we do offer 5-mile routes for those of you that want an abbreviated version of the fun!
The after-parties usually crank up 2 hours after the START and go for about 4 hours total.
Will there be water/snack/aid stations along the course?
Yup! We have water and snack stations along the routes. All our course amenities will be shown in detail on our course maps, which will be released this spring. Our cool volunteers will have water, Gatorade, trail mix, fruit, frozen treats, salty snacks, Bandaids, sunscreen, and lots of high fives!
Will there be bathrooms?
We love to boogy, except when it’s the potty dance! We’ll have plenty o’ potties for yall this year- we’re literally doubling up on the portajohn order!
And we try to maximize the use of REAL bathrooms at our public parks and golf courses as much as possible.
Can my friends & family come cheer me on?
Yes, we love friends and family! In fact, we probably have a few things they can do for us while you’re out beatin’ feet. See if they might be interested in volunteering for an hour or two.
Can I walk with a stroller?
As long as they have cute babies in them! We love showing the kids how cool Pledge the Pink is, and how even cooler it is to exercise and help people!
Please note that our Friday course includes trails through our state park and also 2ish miles on the beach, so you’ll definitely want to have a legit “racing stroller” with fat wheels. Our beaches are hard-packed sands, but 2 miles with a stroller is a long way!
For safety reasons, we do ask that strollers start at the back of the pack.
What if it rains?
If it is pouring rain, we are racing. If it is snowing, we are racing. If it is hot, we are racing. If it is cold, we are racing. If the sky is full of locusts (ha, or love bugs), we are racing.
A little rain won’t stop us but Pledge the Pink does have the right to delay, cancel, or suspend the race due to inclement weather or other potential safety risks (like lightning).
Fundraising
Is fundraising required?
Nope, not at all! But a lot of our registrants like to do it.
Some raise tens of thousands, and some raise a few hundred.
And some just want an easy way to make a small donation on their own.
Are donations tax-deductible?
Yup! Donors will get a tax receipt via email if they made a donation online.
For those donors sending a check, we can email a tax receipt to them if they write their email address on the offline donation form.
How do I collect the money and get it to you?
Start by creating a fundraising platform here to collect online donations.
You can also collect money the old fashioned way (i.e. in person). Checks can be made out to Pledge the Pink Foundation and you can mail those to PO Box 3195 Bluffton, SC 29910 along with an offline donation form. Yay!
I have donors that want to write checks. To whom should they be made out?
Pledge the Pink Foundation. This is our 501c3 entity (so donations are tax exempt).
Don’t forget to have them fill out an offline donation form and mail everything to PO Box 3195 Bluffton, SC 29910
Should I mail the checks or bring them with me to the event?
Great question! If you receive any checks prior to October 15, please mail them to us at:
Pledge the Pink Foundation
PO Box 3195
Bluffton SC 29910
Please bring any cash or checks you receive after that to us during event weekend (and thank you!).
Remember: all checks MUST be made out to Pledge the Pink Foundation
Where do these donations go and how are the funds used?
Now YOU get to determine who receives our funding. If you, or your team, raises at least $5,000 we will donate 75% of your funds to the charity of your choice.
It can be in Anchorage or Austin or Africa, just as long as it is a US registered 501c3 breast cancer charity in good standing.
Support the cancer center that is treating your sister, or the clinic that provides free mammograms in your hometown, or a research group that is working 24/7 to find a cure.
If you raise less than 5k, our nonprofit will distribute your fundraising dollars to some of our favorite breast cancer charity partners like Hollings Cancer Center and Volunteers in Medicine clinics around the country.
Regardless of how much money you raise, we work hard to squeeze those funds back into the communities to fund life saving screening, treatment, and research. Our goal is to maintain the highest Guidestar rating for nonprofits year after year.
And what about the whole flamingo thing? What's Flocks of Love?
For every $100 you raise, we will add a (plastic) pink flamingo to our beautiful Flocks of Love display.
Your bird(s) will proudly wear your name and personalized message, and heroically stand in our sea of pink flamingos in October.
Each bird represents one free mammogram. One life possibly saved.
It is a jaw dropping, and an intensely poignant display of honor and gratitude, knowing that each bird was adopted in dedication of a loved one.
Our Flocks of Love has held the Guinness World Record for several years. And with your help, we will shatter our previous records and our flock will stand 5,000 strong this year.
A lot of people bring little birdie costumes to decorate and dress up their flamingos (it is hysterical)!
If you wish, you can take your flamingos home with you to give them to your donors as a thank you gift, or put them in your yard so you can see what a difference you’ve made.
Cool! I want lots of birds and I want to help a lot of women, so how do to set up a fundraising page?
You’re awesome!
2019 Fundraising is in full effect with a new, super fancy custom fundraising system! Login to your Flockstar Dashboard and follow the prompts to create a fundraising page to get started!
Do donations I receive on my individual page get tallied onto my team page?
Yes, they will! Let’s say your personal page has a fundraising goal of $500 (thanks, by the way) and your Aunt Sue makes a $50 donation on your page.
You’ll see that donation reflected on your page and on your team’s page and you’ll both be $50 closer to your goal.
How do I share with others?
Once your page is set up (it literally takes less than five minutes), you can paste your page’s URL link in a social media post and ask your friends to support you. Or you can send them a personal email and include your page link in the request.
Tell them why Pledge the Pink and the fight against breast cancer is important to you. People want to know your story!
Why did I receive a donation for a random amount (like $52.49 or $104.99)?
Your donors are asked if they want to provide a “gift assist” to cover the fees and processing charges for their donation. If they select “yes”, an additional 3% will be added to their total and will be used to pay the fees we are charged to process credit cards.
Can I get credit for Facebook fundraisers?
Yes! For the first time ever, we will be giving credit for funds raised on Facebook. To get credit you MUST set up a fundraising page and you must provide us with screenshot confirmation of your total amount raised. No Exceptions. Learn more here.
Can I get credit for employer matching donations?
Yes! However, to give you credit for matching donation, your employer MUST include your name on either the check or the letter that accompanies the check. No exceptions.
Does Pledge the Pink fund things other than mammograms?
We sure do. Pledge the Pink supports the fight by funding biopsies, treatment, and research.
Every penny of our race proceeds goes straight to 501 (c)(3) nonprofits, such as the American Cancer Society, Mayo Clinic, Hollings Cancer Center, Volunteers in Medicine, Comprehensive Health Services, and countless other cancer-fighting beneficiaries. These dollars provide funding for heroic, budget-restricted, non-profit, service providers.
We also provide special grants to help with things like patient transportation to treatment, childcare/elder care during their appointments, home care, insurance co-pays, lymphedema support, and medications.
Quite simply, we fill the gap and help people that need it most. Without the red-tape and bureaucracy.
Miscellaneous
Who should attend Pledge the Pink?
EVERYONE.
Seriously. Pledge the Pink is for everyone who thinks cancer sucks. Bring your besties, bring your kids, bring your mom, husband, neighbors, boss, barista, high school crush, George Clooney.
(Please, please bring George Clooney).
Whoever you bring, form a team! All ages and fitness levels are welcome, supported, and encouraged, here. We don’t care if you run, walk, crawl, or push a stroller across that finish line (psst – short cuts are available with no shame attached!)
We just care about kicking cancer’s butt. Together.
And having fun doing it.
What other races do you have?
While our big 4-day love-fest in Hilton Head is our signature event, we produce multiple virtual races throughout the year. The fun, goofy, and casual races keep our flock active and help us raise money year-round.
What is a virtual race?
They are pretty darn cool. We come up with unique challenges, create training schedules, and design the most awesome bling possible. You pay like $25 or $30 to register, you train your tail feathers off (using our private Facebook group for support and accountability) and then you do your “race” whenever is convenient for you. Walk it, run it, bike it, crawl it. Your race, your rules. We’ll ship your bling and you can upload your celebration selfie when it arrives. Click here for more scoop.
How else can I help?
Wow, super thoughtful of you to ask!
Signing up for Pledge the Pink is already a HUGE deal. And we’d be eternally grateful if you would recruit all your peeps to join you. The more registrants we have, the more money we raise.
Speaking of moolah, every year, our big-hearted pledges raise thousands more for the cause. Fundraising isn’t required, but it sure makes a big impact!
Any chance you (or someone you know) might want to sponsor us? We have sponsor packages starting at FREE, and we also love to customize sponsorships for in-kind donations that help us defray event costs (water, snacks, portajohns, tent rentals, signs, etc).