The key to anything successful is the message. If you have a message that includes everyone—or at least as many people as possible—then there’s a good chance that your endeavor will be a success.

If the message excludes, whether intentionally or through carelessness, anyone or makes them feel like they’re not a part of the fun, that creates schisms that put success in peril.

I recently woke up to a text message from my sweetheart, Todd. It has become an annual tradition for the two of us to walk for the American Cancer Society in an event over in Green Bay. After trying other assorted fundraisers that didn’t seem to fit us, it was heartwarming to participate in something simple, yet meaningful.

The walk is always a colorful event, and after last year’s fun, I decided to purchase a couple of customized football jerseys in pink and black to wear at this year’s cancer walk. Todd was very excited and eager to participate in the walk in October, where the weather is always a guessing game. We’ve walked in gusty winds. We’ve walked in rain. Last year, the temperatures were still summer-like, so we really sweated for the event.

Anyhow, getting back to the text message, Todd was quite upset that this year’s walk was relocated almost three hours away to Milwaukee, and he had to find out second hand. It was baffling. Think about how it’s inconveniencing people right in Green Bay, who usually just have to travel a few miles to participate.

For most other years, plenty of those folks would make the sacrifice because the cause is so important. However, with gas prices almost doubling in the last six months and being over $1 above what prices were at this time last year, people are going to look at their pocketbooks and make some hard decisions—pay for the gas and not be able to contribute as much, or skip the walk and figure out how to help from afar.

Not the smartest decision for an organization dedicating to curing cancer, a disease that kills over 145 people per 100,000 annually, more so with men than women.

We tried looking up other cancer walks, but it seems as though they are few and far between in Wisconsin. It begs another question of whether cancer walks are even seen as a way to continue the fight anymore.

That’s not the only mixed message I’ve come across recently. Closer to home, a new restaurant is opening, promising an experience that no other restaurant has. There are pretty pictures of wine bottles on the wall, new deco and more.

That sounds really great on the surface, but then taking one look at the menu, and the prices for the delicious food, it becomes quickly obvious that their invitation to come experience something awesome is not for everyone. A 10-ounce bone-in pork chop is $30. Prime rib ranges from $38 for 10 ounces to $60 for 20 ounces.

The message failed on two points. First, I live in an area where farmers dominate, and many of them are struggling to make ends meet. Second, the aforementioned gas prices, along with soaring food costs, housing expenses and more make it clear only the rich and powerful will get to dine at the new establishment.

I have to wonder how long the restaurant will last, considering it was a supper club before, with higher prices than your standard restaurant but not as high as the new kid on the block. Only time will tell.

When you send mixed messages, you’re showing that you’re only out for yourself. That’s a bad message to portray in places where people come together during good times and bad to support one another, especially when you’re an entity with a reputation for good.

One is an organization set up to help end a horrific disease, and the other is seeking to be an icon in the community. The only way either can succeed is to bring more people together and provide a show of support. If they can’t do this, then their message has truly failed.