Pitching Your self to Native Media

December 11, 2025

Jackie Roberts McDonough

Your Empire State Journey within the Information

As an Empire State Journey street warrior, you’re doing one thing wonderful: driving 500+ miles throughout New York State to boost funds for most cancers analysis. The extra eyes we will get in your unbelievable efforts, the higher, and we want your assist to make that occur! Since our riders come from greater than 27 states, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, think about the folks we may attain if we had native media protection (or, hey, even nationwide) in every of your hometown markets?

Right here’s your information to pitching your ESR journey to media.

1. Make a listing of the media retailers in your space

Is there a characteristic present that looks like it could be match? Is there an anchor or reporter with a connection to most cancers who may take an curiosity on this story? Discover their contact info and get began!

2. Take into consideration messaging

After you have your checklist of contacts, take into consideration your messaging and make that first contact. It at all times makes extra of an impression for those who can embody particulars in your private connection to the trigger. Right here’s an instance of an introductory electronic mail:

a. [Subject] Story Pitch: I’m driving 500+ miles throughout New York State to boost funds for most cancers analysis

b. [Body] Hi there, [name]

c. My title is _______. I’m a _____ native, and I’m biking 500+ miles throughout New York State to boost funds for most cancers analysis at Roswell Park Complete Most cancers Heart, the nation’s first institute devoted to most cancers analysis. My aim is elevate $____ for the trigger. Thus far, I’m at $______. This seven-day journey, Empire State Journey, begins in New York Metropolis on July 25, 2026, and ends in Niagara Falls on August 1, 2026. My ‘why’ for taking over this problem is ____________________. I’d like to do an interview with you to boost consciousness for this unbelievable trigger as I put together to tackle this journey. In case you’re curious concerning the occasion, try the ESR press-kit right here. Please be happy to contact me at XYZ.

d. Thanks to your time,

e. [Name]

f. **Hyperlink to your fundraising dashboard**

3. Let Us Know!

In case you hear again from a number of retailers, tell us! We’re glad to give you video content material of earlier Empire State Journey occasions, impression info and extra. In the event that they’re , we may even get somebody from our staff to do an interview (digital or in-person, relying on the world), as properly.

4. Here is Some Quick Details

To assist your pitch, listed here are some quick information:

Empire State Journey street warriors every elevate $3,500 for most cancers analysis at Roswell Park Complete Most cancers Heart.Practically 250 riders joined Empire State Journey on the street in 2025, 46 of whom have been most cancers sufferers or survivors.Over the occasion’s historical past, riders have raised greater than $12 million for the trigger, with $1.9 million raised for most cancers analysis in 2025 alone.Empire State Journey formally began in 2015, however one 12 months prior, occasion founder Terry Bourgeois set off on a solo journey throughout New York State to check the concept of a cross-state biking fundraiser.For each greenback raised via Empire State Journey, Roswell Park scientists are capable of leverage an extra $23 in exterior funding towards their analysis initiatives.

As a company, we may also pitch tales all through the recruitment season, however generally pitches from people can attain a special viewers.

Hold us within the loop as you’re pitching to native media. We might help information you alongside the best way, out of your first contact main as much as a possible interview. Prepared to your close-up?! Use your ardour to assist get the phrase out about Empire State Journey in your hometown and throughout the nation.