Thank you for your interest in Runners of Compassion. We're very pleased to provide you with information about starting a Runners of Compassion chapter in your community.

Following are a few basic steps to get your group up and running. Please read the section Use of the RoC Logo (below) carefully.

1. Pull together a group of like-minded runners. If necessary, advertise for runners in your local YM/YWCA, athletic club, community newspapers, or even athletic footwear stores.
2. As a group, determine your goals and mission statement
3. Work with a registered charitable organization - this will lend credibility to your organization during initial start-up. We initially affiliated with the YM/YWCA of Greater Victoria.
4. Establish a membership fee (our chapter is $10 a year).
5. Hold regular meetings and keep the incentive alive. We rotate our meetings — each member hosts a potluck dinner where we can gather and meet in a relaxed environment about once a month. A half-hour "fun-run" usually precedes the dinner.
6. As a group, determine which charities and/or charitable organizations you would like to support. We strive to support charities who are less vocal and not necessarily well-known or sport/running-related charities like our Shoes for Youth Program. Consider global issues when deciding.
7. Participate in pledge runs and organize other fundraising events such as a silent auction or a film fest. Use your imagination!

Use of the RoC logo
Our name and logo are the property of Runners of Compassion and are prohibited for use by any organization other than approved chapters of RoC. To qualify, a group must apply for chapter status and agree to abide by the RoC Vision, Values and Primary Objectives. Following approval, the official name of your chapter will be: Runners of Compassion (name of your city) Chapter (e.g.: Runners of Compassion Winnipeg Chapter). This convention must appear on any lettehead used by the chapter and website if one is established.

To apply for chapter status:

1. provide us with a name of a contact person, email address, telephone number and full location address of your intended chapter.
2. send us a list of charitable organizations your group intends to support, and
3. approximate number of members at start-up.
4. Following a review and approval of your request for chapter status we will provide a link from our website to your chapter's site. Any link from your site to our main Runners of Compassion site must simply read: Runners of Compassion.

Note that RoC T-shirts, sweatshirts, socks and running caps are available through our website. See Cool Clothes.