Instructions

How to set up your own Phelps-A-Thon

Step 1: Check out the Westboro Baptist Church’s schedule

You can check this page to see when they are coming to protest in your area.

Step 2: Decide who will get the money you raise

Choose a local group to recieve the funds raised during the Phelps-A-Thon. This should be a group directly affected by the protest. If they WBC is protesting high school, the schools gay / straight alliance  or a local LGBT community center might be good options.

Step 3: Contact us!

Use this form to contact us. Let us know when and where the WBC is coming to protest in your area and what organization you would like to the funds to go to. We will set up separate Phelps-A-Thon webpage for you event and send you the link.

Step 4: Spread the word and share the link

Publicity is key. The more people who know about your Phelps-A-Thon, the more money you will raise for your cause. Here are some ideas for spreading the word:

  • Create a Facebook Event
  • Email all your friends and listserves (and ask them to forward the email to their friends)
  • Write a letter to the editor in your local papers
  • Create a press release with all the pertinent information
  • Contact blogs to help spread the word
  • Spread the word on Twitter

Step 5: Counter-protest

You may or may not want to organize a counter-protest for the day of the WBC picket. Sometimes it is best to ignore them and put all your effort into the online Phelps-A-Thon, while other times it is a good idea to organize an on-the-ground effort to show that your community does not tolerate hate. If you do create a counter-protest, make sure it is a positive, fun event. Try to raise funds from the crowd. Steer the chants to be a positive message. Don’t hate, donate!

Step 6: The Follow Up

The next part of our work is to follow up with the people who have pledged, asking them to fulfill their donations. We then distribute the funds to the organizations specified.

Step 7: The Thank You Card

We will make it known exactly how much money you raised for your cause. Then, if you chose, you can send a thank you card to Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.