Q: AFC Hikathon - Where does the money go?
A: All the money raised in this event goes to support the ministry of Ambassadors For Christ in Canada and AFC Student Centre. Ambassadors For Christ in Canada (AFC) is a national, government-registered and not-for-profit organization that helps students understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and integrate the Christian faith with their everyday life through innovative programs and personal mentoring. Our vision is that generations of Chinese students in Canada will become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ. AFC Student Centre is a ministry of AFC Vancouver that focuses on serving the needs of immigrant students and parents in the community through academic consultation, academic assistance and leadership training. Your financial support is vital for the next generation of Chinese Canadians.

Q: Who can join the AFC Hikathon?
A: Everyone can join - young people, parents and children - as long as their physical condition allows. We will be hiking the Lynn Loop Trail at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. It is 5.6 km long and includes some mild uphill sections. It will take approximately 2 hours to finish.

Q: Why should I join as a group?
A: People love to act together, and forming a group can attract more people to participate in the event - thus helping us raise more money for students in need. It will also help your fundraising effort - it is easier to convince people to support if there are more people in your group. We will give all group participants who raise at least $50 a special gift - a special edition JJ959.com hand towel - available only to group participants. Afterall, it is just more fun to hike together, isn’t it?

Q: Where do I get sponsors?
A: Anyone and everyone you know can be a sponsor - relatives, family, neighbours, aunties and uncles in your church, colleagues, classmates and friends. Call them, e-mail them, MSN them, Facebook them, and ask them personally. They may donate immediately, or they may need some time to think about it. In the later case, remember to follow up with them. The more people you ask, the greater your chances of reaching your fundraising goal.

Q: How can I get started?
A: Set a goal for yourself - without a goal, you will have nothing to look forward to. We suggest a minimum goal of raising $200 per person - but of course you can adjust this number according to the size of your network. Some people may raise as much as $1000 while some may raise only $100. Either is OK - any donation will benefits the students in need.
Then, just go out and ask people. The first step is the most difficult, but it is not as difficult as you think.

Q: Do you accept donations online?
A: We understand that many people prefer to give online, but we currently are unable to accept online donations due to technical issues. We are working on it and we hope to provide this service in the future.

Q: Is the donation tax deductible?
A: Yes. We will send out tax receipts to your sponsors directly early next year if they donate $20 or more.

Q: When will my sponsors get their souvenir CD’s? And when will I get my gifts?
A: We will be handing out the souvenir CD’s on the day of the Hikathon for you to pass onto your sponsors. We will also hand you your gift on that day too if you are eligible.

Q: What will we do during the hiking?
A: Hike, of course. But we have actually prepared something more for you - more gift winning opportunities in fact. We’ll keep that a secret for now - but remember to bring your digital camera!

Q: Can I just go without raising money?
A: Sure, but why not? You can turn your effort to hike the trail into something more meaningful.

Q: When will we get the details for the event?
A: Once you have submitted your donation sheet, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with all the detail information and instructions about how to prepare for the hike. You can also check this website for the Hikathon for latest updates:
www.afcvancouver.org/hikathon/