Wake Up, Everybody! - NonProfit PRO

By Erica Waasdorp

Today I wanted to start your week off with a little music. It’s been a very loooooong year, and as many of you are about to wrap up your fiscal year, you might need some encouragement to keep pushing.

Let me share with you one of my all-time favorite songs with you: "Wake Up Everybody." I found it by accident.

A few years ago, my husband and I attended a big local charity event. It was the No. 1 event to be seen at, held just before Memorial Day, and they always had two amazing bands.

That year, one of the bands was Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes with lead singer Teddy Pendergrass. I had never heard of them before, but I will certainly never forget them!

One of their songs is simply amazing, and its message still applies today, almost 50 years later. If you’re not familiar with "Wake Up Everybody," it is a classic R&B song written by John Whitehead, Gene McFadden and Victor Carstarphen. It was the title track from their 1975 album.

It captures the essence of what we fundraisers try to do every day: change the world. One child at a time. One animal at a time. One meal at a time. One smile at a time. One (monthly) donor at a time.

To this very day, I love listening to it, because it really lights my fire. It gets me going. It keeps me motivated. I’ve even used it at breakfast events, because it really gets everybody moving.

I must warn you, once you check it out, you may be rocking all day, but I suggest taking just a few minutes and listening to it.

Enjoy and thank you for all you do! You help change the world. What you do makes a difference!

If you’d also like to see the lyrics, check out this version:

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Monthly Giving

Erica Waasdorp Author's page

Erica Waasdorp is one of the leading experts on monthly giving. She is the president of A Direct Solution, a company serving nonprofit organizations with fundraising and direct marketing needs, with a focus on monthly giving and appeals. She authored "Monthly Giving: The Sleeping Giant" and "Monthly Giving Made Easy." She regularly blogs and presents on fundraising, appeals and monthly giving — in person and through webinars. She is happy to answer any questions you may have about this great way of improving retention rates for your donors.

Erica has over 30 years of experience in nonprofits and direct response. She helped the nonprofits she works with raise millions of dollars through monthly giving programs. She is also very actively supports organizations with annual fund planning and execution, ranging from copywriting, creative, lists, print and mail execution.

When she’s not working or writing, Erica can be found on the golf course (she’s a straight shooter) or quietly reading a book. And if there’s an event with a live band, she and her husband, Patrick, can be found on the dance floor. She also loves watching British drama on PBS. Erica and Patrick have two step sons and a cat, Mientje.