3-Day Walk for the Cure

My 3-Day contributors never cease to astound me.

You would think after 14 years, their generosity would be expected. But, I will never take their support for granted.

With their help, I have raised the minimum required to walk my 14th 3-Day Walk – in record time.

After only one fundraising email! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

3-Day Contributors Inspire

When I started this 3-Day, 60-Mile journey in 2003, I dreaded the fundraising more than the 60 miles of walking. Seriously.

In fact, I decided to crew in 2004 so I wouldn’t have a minimum fundraising requirement. I hate asking people for money.

My 3-Day contributors helped me quickly get over the fear of fundraising. Over the years, I have heard so many stories of individuals and their loved ones battling cancer.

I started this journey because of my sister’s diagnosis. Up to that point, I didn’t know anyone who had breast cancer. I wish I could still say that.

Perhaps I was fortunate. Or maybe I was in an isolated bubble of unawareness. My 3-Day contributors helped change that.

They shared stories of their own struggles or those of their loved ones. The list of names I wear on each Walk to honor those affected by cancer and those we lost continues to grow.

The great news is the survivor list is much longer.

Hearing their stories inspired this Old Lady Walking to keep walking. I could never do this without my 3-Day contributors and all of my supporters.

Sharing Their Stories

I could write volumes on the stories I have heard over the years. The following are just a few.

Teammate Connection

I often refer to my teammates as the lovely ladies who walked into my heart. We have three teammates who are breast cancer survivors. Three of us have experienced other forms of cancer.

Is it any wonder why I cannot walk away?

Penny’s story is perhaps the best example that this journey is something much MORE THAN PINK.

I’ve told the story before. Penny invited me on my first Walk to join her and two other teammates as I was walking alone. I overheard Penny talking about her sister-in-law. It turns out, I had worked with Penny’s sister-in-law for 11 years.

• Despite assurances to see me at the 2004 Walk, Penny, Suzanne, and Diane were not there
• I had misplaced Penny’s contact information
• After the Walk, a client emailed me to tell me the business card I gave her had something on the back
• It was Penny’s contact information
• I contacted Penny and discovered the reason they were not there in 2004
• Penny had been diagnosed with breast cancer

Destiny has us sharing this journey.

Penny later shared her story.

Contributor Stories

In my corporate days, I worked as an Account Executive and a Communications Manager for a brokerage firm. In that role, I met many representatives from the insurance industry.

Outside my office door, I had a picture of a barometer that showed my fundraising efforts. Tom, an Account Executive for a major insurance carrier, asked me about the barometer.

When I told him about my 3-Day Walk participation, he became visibly shaken.

• Tom was a two-time cancer survivor
• I asked if I could give him a hug
• After our hug, he told me he wanted to contribute
• He got his company to match his contribution

You never know who has been touched by this insidious disease.

On one of my daily walks, I passed by a man who was raking his lawn. He asked me if I was on some kind of team.

At first, I did not know what he meant. Then I realized I was wearing one of the bajillion 3-Day t-shirts I’ve gained in 14 years of walking.

I explained about my participation in the 3-Day Walks. Again, I witnessed a man shaken by my story.

• His wife had breast cancer – three times
• She had lost her battle to cancer after nearly 15 years
• He was selling the home they had shared for years

I asked if I could wear her name on my Walks to honor her. He thanked me and asked if he could contribute.

A stranger except for this sad connection.

Thank You

I have had contributors who have donated one year and many who do so every year.

I never take for granted their generosity. There are too many stories like these.

Thank you to this year’s contributors and to all of my supporters. You help keep this Old Lady Walking.

Aaron Davis
Barb Whitaker-Lewis
Bruce Cutting
Carol Wells
Cindy Simmons
Dianne Wingfield
Fortech Products, Inc.
Harriet    Rotter    Bell
Julie Ewert
Kim Lemon
LaVerne Richards
Linda Benefiel
Lori Widmer
Melissa Medve
Nicky Parry
Randa Forrester
Sharon Hurley Hall
Vince Williams

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Walk on.

Lucky #13 did not disappoint.

My Pink Tahoe Ladies teammates and I participated in another 3-Day Walk for the Cure.

We were back in my beloved San Diego, walking 60 miles in 3 days, the weekend before Thanksgiving.

This was the 13th anniversary of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, as well as the 13th anniversary of the meeting of our earliest teammates (including moi). As I told my teammates, it really is all about me. 😉

Lucky #13

There’s nothing like a 3-Day newbie to refresh your view of yet another 3-Day Walk.

This year we were thrilled to welcome Kellen, Martina’s daughter.

San Diego has always been a wonderful place for the 3-Day Walk.

• Incredible ocean views
• Perfect weather (usually)
• Unbelievable community support

Seeing all that through the eyes of Kellen, increased our level of appreciation. And what a trooper Kellen was. Despite several newbie blisters, Kellen persevered through all 60 miles.

As our own personal trainer, teammate Beth, said, “It’s really more like 70 miles.” Kellen admitted it was tough to keep going. But she did. And always with a smile.

It reminds us of why we walk. Cancer survivors (like Kellen’s mom, Martina) endure so much more than blisters, sore muscles, and a weary body. They are our true heroes.

Mother/Daughter Teams

In addition to Kellen and Martina, the Pink Tahoe Ladies rock another mother/daughter team. Penny (also a breast cancer survivor) was unable to walk this year due to a still-healing broken ankle.

Although she had her walking boot removed, her doctor didn’t think walking 60 miles in 3 days was a good idea. Go figure.

But like all survivors who never give up, that did not stop Penny. Joined by her daughter, Lauren (another veteran teammate), Penny and Lauren donned Pink Poodles costumes and cheered 3-Day walkers. Check out these moves.

Truly Blessed

I’m not sure if it was the relief from our country’s current unrest or simply the event itself, but I went back home rejuvenated. More so than I can remember in recent history.

When you stand behind two seventy-something-year-old survivors who just finished walking 60 miles in 3 days, it is easy to count your blessings. When you have teammates who are participating for their daughters (and their daughters for them), you feel connected to hope.

So, Lucky #13 is under the feet. We move on to Fabulous #14. I wish you and your loved ones good health and much happiness throughout the coming year.

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Walk on.

A wonderful tradition of the 3-Day Walk for the Cure is wearing the names of survivors and those we lost.

Each year, I create a list with “In Memory Of” and “In Honor Of.”

• Some are names I added myself
• Most are names shared by my supporters

After 13 years, the list has grown. The good news is the survivor list (In Honor Of) is longer than the names of loved ones lost to cancer (In Memory Of).

One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to wear the names. Putting it in the context of those battling cancer, it’s not a very big challenge. More funny than challenging.

In Memory of Lists Gone By

I started this 3-Day journey in 2003. For that first Walk, I was lucky I got myself there. I was a total newb with no idea about 3-Day traditions.

As I walked, I noticed some walkers wore pictures of loved ones they lost to cancer. Others had pink ribbons attached to their shirts, hats, fanny packs.

What a great idea.

I crewed in 2004 so it wasn’t until the 2005 3-Day Walk when I searched for a way to honor those affected by cancer. What followed was an often hilarious search for comfort.

The Counter-Irritant Year

One of my dad’s southernisms when we complained about something was ~

I can give you a counter-irritant to take your mind off it.

You’d think walking 60 miles in 3 days would give you plenty of counter-irritants.

That didn’t seem to be the case with my first brilliant method for honoring the names of loved ones.

For years, I’d worn a pink bracelet, inscribed with – Sharing the Promise. I thought why not write the names on the bracelet.

Remember, this was the very early days when my sister was one of the few breast cancer survivors I knew. I planned on wearing multiple bracelets for the few names I had.

One problem. Absolutely NO writing element stuck to the slippery silicone. (Isn’t it ironic a breast cancer awareness bracelet is made of silicone? Sorry, I digress).

Next, I decided to write the names on labels. Nope. They wouldn’t stick to the bracelet either.

That’s how I came up with the idea of writing the names on stiff paper and taping them to the bracelet. Sounds brilliant, right? Wrong.

• It’s amazing how irritating tape can be when wrapped around a bracelet
• The edges become like the razor-sharp teeth of a flesh-eating predator
• Sweat seeps into the tape’s pores, curling them into laughing caricatures of disdain

I needed a Plan B.

Plan B

No more names on bracelets.

My next method for capturing the names was writing them on heavy printing paper.

Similar to paper used for printing business cards.

I attached the sign to my lanyard.

That method seemed to work so well, I used it for several years. Then, the irritants appeared again.

At first, those irritants were pretty minor.

• The edges curled
• The slightest rain waterlogged it

Then came a slap in the face – literally.

One Walk had higher wind than usual. Soon my In Memory – Honor list began slapping against my face, as if to say ~

WHAT – WERE – YOU – THINKING !?

Now what?

The Memory Scarf

I figured I would foil the slappers by wearing the names on my back. But how to do it?

Because we wear a different shirt every day (for way obvious reasons), writing them on at least three shirts seemed a bit much. Knowing me, I was bound to miss some names.

Enter the memory scarf.

• I purchased a pink ribbon scarf
• Printed the names on business card stock
• And used pink safety pins to fasten them to the scarf

Sometimes crass commercialism works.

That method, too, was successful so I wore the names that way for several Walks. However, even my clever solution had a few problems.

Even though I used business card stock, the names would get bent and beat-up along the way. So, I came up with yet another twist.

Hey, you have a lot of time to think about these things when you’re walking 60 miles in 3 days.

The Laminate Touch

The next phase of Operation Memory Scarf was to toughen up those name cards to survive walking 60 miles in 3 days. My feet know all about toughening up for the 3-Day.

• I used the same pink ribbon scarf and safety pins
• The business card layout still worked
• But I laminated them for extra strength

Success. We were ready to roll. Well almost.

The weight of the laminated cards kept twisting the scarf. Curses. So close.

Memory Scarf Reborn

You have to admit, I don’t quit. Once more I revised the carrier for my 3-Day Walk Names.

I purchased a new scarf I designed at my Old Lady Walking Store.

• One side has “In Memory Of”
• The other reads “In Honor Of”

I used markers specifically designed for clothing to hand-write all the names. My plan is to tie the scarf to the strap of my water bottle holder.

Have I discovered the secret of the Memory Scarf?

Counter-irritants be damned.

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Walk on.

The 3-Day Walk contributors are predictable – in a good way.

No, make that a great way.

Since 2003, when I first started asking for contributions for the 3-Day, 60-Mile Walk for the Cure, my contributors delivered.

Now as I prepare for my 13th Walk, I should not be surprised my contributors knocked it out of the park again. And they did it in record time.

Thank you is so inadequate.

3-Day Walk Contributors Keep on Giving

I hate to ask for money. Well, except if it’s for my business writing services. At least then I am delivering something to the person giving me the money.

It doesn’t matter that contributions for the 3-Day Walk are for a great cause. I simply find it difficult to ask.

In my corporate days, it was a bit easier.

• There were company match contributions
• Who feels bad about hitting up a huge corporation for money?

In my second Walk in 2004, I volunteered as a crew member instead of a walker. A big reason for that was my aversion to asking for money.

While not required to raise a minimum amount, crew members do fundraise. But for me, the pressure was off.

I admit, the generosity of my 3-Day Walk contributors has made asking easier.

In 2008, I lost some contributors as I left the corporate world behind to start my own business. That was expected. What was not expected is how many of the individuals I knew from that time continue to contribute. Year after year. I am humbled by their support.

By June, I raised the minimum required to walk another Walk. Once again, the San Diego Walk takes place in November. I can’t wait.

Thank You 3-Day Contributors!

With my 13th Walk around the corner, once more I want to send a huge THANK YOU to all my contributors. You keep this Old Lady Walking. Let’s hope a cure is found soon.

• Ada Kersey
• Barb Lewis
• Bruce Cutting
• Chad Forester
• Cindy Simmons
• Courtney Lercara
• Debbie Ressler
• Elaine Conway
• Emily Fowler
• Jackie Harris
• Jeffrey Friedli
• Judi DiMatteo
• Judy Craig
• Julie Ewert
• Kathy Slothour
• Ken Lautsch
• Kevin Miller
• Kim Lemon
• Laura Wiggins
• LaVerne Richards
• Lori Widmer
• Margie Miller
• Martha Giffen
• Mitchell Allen
• Nicky Parry
• Rachel Marturello
• Randa Forrester
• Rosemary Lopez
• Sharon Hurley Hall
• Tammy Reed
• Terri Parsons
• Vince Williams

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Walk on.

 

Walking the Walk before the Walk. Sounds like a bit of double talk, doesn’t it?

If you follow this blog, you know what I am referring to. The 3-Day Walk for the Cure.

2016 marks the 13th anniversary of the Susan G. Komen event. And my teammates and I were there from the start in 2003.

Here it is. The summer of 2016. My 13th Walk takes place in November in my beloved former home of San Diego.

So, of course, I just signed up for the 2017 Walk.

Crazy, huh?

Why Walk 60 Miles?

I often ask myself what the draw is about 3 days + 60 miles. Why is it I cannot walk away?

Being a writer, I even have a partially written book exploring that question. Of course, I do. That’s what writers do. Create partially written books.

Every year I wonder if the contributions needed to participate will dry up. And every year, my fabulous contributors come through in grand style. This year was no exception.

In fact, I hit the $2,300 minimum required to walk earlier than ever before. Some contributors still want to donate. Don’t you love them?

So, I told them I would sign up for 2017 as soon as it became available online. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Let’s Get This Party Started

The event coordinators open the following year’s event shortly before the current year’s first Walk. Hey, you want to make sure you grab those 2016 walkers for 2017 while they are still in 3-Day euphoria.

Michigan kicks off 2016 this weekend (August 5- 7). It also happens to be the 3-Day’s 150th Walk. Can you spell P-A-R-T-Y?

There will be seven Walks this year with San Diego closing out the year. Definitely saving the best to last. 🙂

Thanks once again to all my supporters. You keep this Old Lady Walking. And thanks to my teammates, all the crew, volunteers, and the always fantastic San Diego community. You make each year special.

As we get closer to my Lucky #13, I am sure the posts at this blog will pick up again – until they go into hibernation. Until the next Walk. Did I mention, I am already signed up for next year? 😉

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Walk on.