As if I don't have enough to do, I have now joined a team of wonderful women,Team Cristina, from my church, Twickenham Chuch of Christ.
Team Cristina was formed to race in support and honor of a friend at our church, Cristina Boudah, who has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful group of ladies
In case you don't know, the Liz Hurley Ribbon Run is a 5K race used to raise money for the Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation. When Liz Hurley, a local television news anchor, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, she put a courageous face on breast cancer for all of us in the Tennessee Valley. In 1999, the Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation was established. Since its inception, more than $1 million has been raised and thousands have been touched through this fund.
Some of us will walk it (me!) and some of us will run it, all in an effort to raise money and help bring Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) to the Tennessee Valley. BSGI: the newest weapon in the fight against breast cancer. BSGI is a follow-up to mammography that can significantly aid in the detection of early breast cancer by providing a more precise image of breast tissue. BSGI aids in determining the extent of the disease and provides less false positive readings than previous technologies. Early detection saves lives…help us make every breast cancer patient a survivor!
If you feel inspired from reading this post, then CLICK HERE to PLEASE donate to this wonderful cause. I am trying t raise $500 for this event!!
The 7th Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run will be held Oct 16th. Please come out and support all of us walker/runners!! We would love to see you there!!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
In the spirit of the Energizer Bunny.....$2300 raised....but Keep Going....
Keeping going.....with fund raising....with training....keep going it's never enough.
Well thanks a MILLION to all of my supporters and donors in this fight to raise money for breast cancer research and education!!
I have raised a total of $2507.65!! That surpasses the required $2300 minimum. But that is not enough. We need to keep going to raise more money to fight this awful disease and let me share with you why.
On the day I found out I had reached my $23oo, I was ecstatic, elated and joyful beyond words!! I had done it! I couldn't believe that I had actually set out on what seemed like an insurmountable task and I had accomplished it (at least the financial side of it!). I wanted to shout it to the roof tops, post it on FaceBook and Twitter, email all of my wonderful friends and donors!!! But I didn't.... I didn't do anything of those things. In fact I didn't tell one single soul of my accomplishment. Why?
Because on that same day, I received an email from our church secretary. In it she told us that a friend of mine and a lo of others, Cristina Boudha, had just been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Wow! That news hit me like a ton of bricks.I was devastated and crushed beyond words. At the time, they thought I had spread to her lungs as well. But thankfully it had not. It has only spread to her lymph nodes. Now she is facing the fight of her life, just beginning the struggle to one day be known as a survivor.
This news brought it all into perspective. I am not collecting money just to collect money and reach a goal. In the end the goal is meaningless. In the end, all that counts is having enough money to fight this disease and bring treatment to the women that need it most.
So when I say $2300 is not enough, it's not. What is enough? Who knows. Just keep going. Keep trying to raise all the money that you can to fight this and being hope to women around the world, fighting everyday to to be able to say the words "I did it!" "I accomplished what seemed like an insurmountable task!"
Cristina Boudah, this post is dedicated to you and your fight. Keep going..keep inspiring us all to Keep going!!
Well thanks a MILLION to all of my supporters and donors in this fight to raise money for breast cancer research and education!!
I have raised a total of $2507.65!! That surpasses the required $2300 minimum. But that is not enough. We need to keep going to raise more money to fight this awful disease and let me share with you why.
On the day I found out I had reached my $23oo, I was ecstatic, elated and joyful beyond words!! I had done it! I couldn't believe that I had actually set out on what seemed like an insurmountable task and I had accomplished it (at least the financial side of it!). I wanted to shout it to the roof tops, post it on FaceBook and Twitter, email all of my wonderful friends and donors!!! But I didn't.... I didn't do anything of those things. In fact I didn't tell one single soul of my accomplishment. Why?
Because on that same day, I received an email from our church secretary. In it she told us that a friend of mine and a lo of others, Cristina Boudha, had just been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Wow! That news hit me like a ton of bricks.I was devastated and crushed beyond words. At the time, they thought I had spread to her lungs as well. But thankfully it had not. It has only spread to her lymph nodes. Now she is facing the fight of her life, just beginning the struggle to one day be known as a survivor.
This news brought it all into perspective. I am not collecting money just to collect money and reach a goal. In the end the goal is meaningless. In the end, all that counts is having enough money to fight this disease and bring treatment to the women that need it most.
So when I say $2300 is not enough, it's not. What is enough? Who knows. Just keep going. Keep trying to raise all the money that you can to fight this and being hope to women around the world, fighting everyday to to be able to say the words "I did it!" "I accomplished what seemed like an insurmountable task!"
Cristina Boudah, this post is dedicated to you and your fight. Keep going..keep inspiring us all to Keep going!!
Wow! I am behind....Summer Recap!!
Wow! I am behind....where do I start?
Ok so it was a CRRRRAAAZZZY busy summer and now it's an even busier school year.
Since my Yard Sale fundraiser post, let me get you all caught up.
Atlanta Vacation:
Immediately following the yard sale, we took a much needed family vacation to of all places Atlanta, GA, the city I will be walking 60 miles in three days. It was fantastic. The kids had a great time, despite the smatterings of whining here and there due to the hot temperatures and long walks between subway stops. (Well, I think if we had known what we were in for just a few short weeks later (100+ temps), we would have been very thankful it was only 95 or so most days. Also, I secretly used those walks as training for the 3Day. Gotta get those miles in somehow!!) But I digress.
So what all did we do? What all did we not do should be the question. We did just about every major Atlanta attraction you could do in a week. Our first day, we took the kids to Six Flags for the whole day. They thought it was great and all of them rode their first roller coaster (mind you they are all 7!). Madison even rode the Scream Machine (A much brave girl than me! Did I mention how much I HATE those steep hills on roller coasters? Well in case you missed it, I HATE steep hills on roller coasters!!) She LOVED it and rode it twice!! You go girl! The next day was spent at the Coke Museum and was loved by all! It was nice and cool inside. Maybe that's what got 'em! Then the next day we just hung out most of the day did some shopping and then a Braves game that night. Girls thought the game was boring and hot, except for the snacks of course, but Taylor loved it and thought it was the coolest. We also spent some time one had at the Margaret Mitchell house, the Federal Reserve Building and the MLK historical site and home. Overall, it was a great and much needed get away.
Fund raising:
During June my fund raising really took off!! All of the promised donations came flooding in! I cannot thank all of my generous supporters enough! I have also continued to receive donations beyond my expectations! Now we are currently doing a 2 fund raisers, because $2300 is a minimum but not nearly enough to fight this disease. I will post about those separately on my blog.
Actual Training again:
After our Atlanta trip I was able to train some but only on Saturdays. With the kids home all summer and no sitter, I was not able to go out and walk any days but Saturdays. I did manage to DRAG my kids along on some 3 mile early morning walks during the week and they really enjoyed that. (Now they keep asking to go walk with me, but the walks are just too long and they are in school.) At the start of June I was walking 10 miles on Saturdays. In July, we bumped it up to 12 miles and walked that for about 3 weeks. The first time I walked 12 miles I thought I was going to pass out. (Did I mention I hate what has now become known as "bump up days"? Well I HATE them and they are the hardest days EVER to walk.) After that first 12, I nearly did pass out in the shower. I had to run and lay on my bed soaking wet because I felt so bad and light-headed. Plus the heat that morning probably didn't help. Needless to say 12 got easier after that.
Louisiana trip:
At the end of July, we took a trip to visit my grandmother in Jennings, LA. We spent about 4 days there and needless to say I got ZERO training in but I did spend 2 days painting her front porch, for which she was very grateful. I had intended on walking my 12 miles, but after spending 2 days straight in the 98+ heat I was too drained and exhausted to do it. Figured I'd just make it up when I got home.
Back to training:
Back from Louisiana and now it was time to get back to training not to mention the kids ready for school...maybe training would be easier to schedule too...ummmm NOT! Well we decided another "bump up" day was needed if we were going to stay somewhat on training schedule. So we bumped it up to 15. Ugggghhhhh!! I thought 10 and 12 were hard, 15 was nearly impossible but we did it and then the next week did it again. Really?? Really!
School starts and training.....well...:
Now the kids have started back and I have been busier than ever!! Even less time it seems to do training. So still going like clockwork on Saturdays @ 5am like it's a religion or something. And yep, you guessed it, time for another "bump up". Now we are up to 17 miles. Hard to believe I am doing 17 miles when 8 seemed sooooo hard and now soooo long ago. Only 7 more weeks to go...hopefully I will make it 20 before the 3Day.
Wow!! Almost there, in what seemed like plenty of time to train, now only a few weeks!! Where did all of the time go?
Ok so it was a CRRRRAAAZZZY busy summer and now it's an even busier school year.
Since my Yard Sale fundraiser post, let me get you all caught up.
Atlanta Vacation:
Immediately following the yard sale, we took a much needed family vacation to of all places Atlanta, GA, the city I will be walking 60 miles in three days. It was fantastic. The kids had a great time, despite the smatterings of whining here and there due to the hot temperatures and long walks between subway stops. (Well, I think if we had known what we were in for just a few short weeks later (100+ temps), we would have been very thankful it was only 95 or so most days. Also, I secretly used those walks as training for the 3Day. Gotta get those miles in somehow!!) But I digress.
So what all did we do? What all did we not do should be the question. We did just about every major Atlanta attraction you could do in a week. Our first day, we took the kids to Six Flags for the whole day. They thought it was great and all of them rode their first roller coaster (mind you they are all 7!). Madison even rode the Scream Machine (A much brave girl than me! Did I mention how much I HATE those steep hills on roller coasters? Well in case you missed it, I HATE steep hills on roller coasters!!) She LOVED it and rode it twice!! You go girl! The next day was spent at the Coke Museum and was loved by all! It was nice and cool inside. Maybe that's what got 'em! Then the next day we just hung out most of the day did some shopping and then a Braves game that night. Girls thought the game was boring and hot, except for the snacks of course, but Taylor loved it and thought it was the coolest. We also spent some time one had at the Margaret Mitchell house, the Federal Reserve Building and the MLK historical site and home. Overall, it was a great and much needed get away.
Fund raising:
During June my fund raising really took off!! All of the promised donations came flooding in! I cannot thank all of my generous supporters enough! I have also continued to receive donations beyond my expectations! Now we are currently doing a 2 fund raisers, because $2300 is a minimum but not nearly enough to fight this disease. I will post about those separately on my blog.
Actual Training again:
After our Atlanta trip I was able to train some but only on Saturdays. With the kids home all summer and no sitter, I was not able to go out and walk any days but Saturdays. I did manage to DRAG my kids along on some 3 mile early morning walks during the week and they really enjoyed that. (Now they keep asking to go walk with me, but the walks are just too long and they are in school.) At the start of June I was walking 10 miles on Saturdays. In July, we bumped it up to 12 miles and walked that for about 3 weeks. The first time I walked 12 miles I thought I was going to pass out. (Did I mention I hate what has now become known as "bump up days"? Well I HATE them and they are the hardest days EVER to walk.) After that first 12, I nearly did pass out in the shower. I had to run and lay on my bed soaking wet because I felt so bad and light-headed. Plus the heat that morning probably didn't help. Needless to say 12 got easier after that.
Louisiana trip:
At the end of July, we took a trip to visit my grandmother in Jennings, LA. We spent about 4 days there and needless to say I got ZERO training in but I did spend 2 days painting her front porch, for which she was very grateful. I had intended on walking my 12 miles, but after spending 2 days straight in the 98+ heat I was too drained and exhausted to do it. Figured I'd just make it up when I got home.
Back to training:
Back from Louisiana and now it was time to get back to training not to mention the kids ready for school...maybe training would be easier to schedule too...ummmm NOT! Well we decided another "bump up" day was needed if we were going to stay somewhat on training schedule. So we bumped it up to 15. Ugggghhhhh!! I thought 10 and 12 were hard, 15 was nearly impossible but we did it and then the next week did it again. Really?? Really!
School starts and training.....well...:
Now the kids have started back and I have been busier than ever!! Even less time it seems to do training. So still going like clockwork on Saturdays @ 5am like it's a religion or something. And yep, you guessed it, time for another "bump up". Now we are up to 17 miles. Hard to believe I am doing 17 miles when 8 seemed sooooo hard and now soooo long ago. Only 7 more weeks to go...hopefully I will make it 20 before the 3Day.
Wow!! Almost there, in what seemed like plenty of time to train, now only a few weeks!! Where did all of the time go?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Yard Sale SUCCESS!! How to run a successful sale and shut the skepics up & then some!I go
WOOOOHOOOO!! My own PERSONAL Yard Sale fundraiser was a HUGE success today!! With the help of donated items from friends and my adoring husband's grunt work, we were able to make, in only 4 hours,.........drum rolllllllllll
$615!!
Awesome!!
My goal was $400-500. If I made that, then I would have chalked it up to being a decent success. But I surpassed that by $115 despite what my VERY skeptical husband thought. He kept telling me "there was nooooo wayyyy anyone was going to pay the prices I was asking, they usually come out for cheap, cheap, cheap stuff. They won't want the bigger things we had to offer @ a yard sale. I would have to craigslist those to get anything"...BLAH,BLAH, BLAH BLAH!
Well I persevered.
I put an ad in the paper, on craigslist, on facebook, on our local tv station web yard sale tracker. I made big colorful signs with balloons and posted them @ the entrances to our neighborhood with smaller directional signs to our house. I put out coffee, muffins, & bottled water.
I advertised that we took credit cards as well. So that even though we had larger more expensive items, people would be more apt to come out and look knowing they had an alternative way to pay.
I canvassed my neighborhood with fliers letting my neighbors know that we were having a yard sale so if they wanted to put stuff out I could call it a neighborhood sale, which they did.
I let my friends know I was having a sale and what it was for asking for them to donate stuff that they did not want or need. They did!!
I started mine @ 6 instead of 7 since there were alot of sales in our area just to get a jump start on the others and I did. Everyone else was @ 7 & 8.
I didn't price anything, just let people either ask or make an offer.
It was FANTASTIC!! We had very steady traffic all morning. I sold 90% of the big items and most for about the mid-range price I wanted.
Well, I couldn't have been happier with the success. Never underestimate sheer will, determination and above all else God" Anything is possible!!
$615!!
Awesome!!
My goal was $400-500. If I made that, then I would have chalked it up to being a decent success. But I surpassed that by $115 despite what my VERY skeptical husband thought. He kept telling me "there was nooooo wayyyy anyone was going to pay the prices I was asking, they usually come out for cheap, cheap, cheap stuff. They won't want the bigger things we had to offer @ a yard sale. I would have to craigslist those to get anything"...BLAH,BLAH, BLAH BLAH!
Well I persevered.
I put an ad in the paper, on craigslist, on facebook, on our local tv station web yard sale tracker. I made big colorful signs with balloons and posted them @ the entrances to our neighborhood with smaller directional signs to our house. I put out coffee, muffins, & bottled water.
I advertised that we took credit cards as well. So that even though we had larger more expensive items, people would be more apt to come out and look knowing they had an alternative way to pay.
I canvassed my neighborhood with fliers letting my neighbors know that we were having a yard sale so if they wanted to put stuff out I could call it a neighborhood sale, which they did.
I let my friends know I was having a sale and what it was for asking for them to donate stuff that they did not want or need. They did!!
I started mine @ 6 instead of 7 since there were alot of sales in our area just to get a jump start on the others and I did. Everyone else was @ 7 & 8.
I didn't price anything, just let people either ask or make an offer.
It was FANTASTIC!! We had very steady traffic all morning. I sold 90% of the big items and most for about the mid-range price I wanted.
Well, I couldn't have been happier with the success. Never underestimate sheer will, determination and above all else God" Anything is possible!!
Promises turn into REALITY!!
Well, my wonderfully supportive husband shook a few trees and guess what fell out? $800!! I should have him shake some trees more often.
Only a week and a half ago, I was STILL at $235 for my fundraising after having begged, emailed, and facedbooked everyone me and my husband and I know, over and over. Well, we did a little shakedown over the last 10 days and really put peoples' feet to the fire on their donation promises and guess what?
They finally came through in a BIG way.
I cannot thank people enough for the generosity to this event! Thanks so much!!
Hang in there. Just when you feel like giving up, shake a few trees and see what falls out. You never know what you might get!!
Only a week and a half ago, I was STILL at $235 for my fundraising after having begged, emailed, and facedbooked everyone me and my husband and I know, over and over. Well, we did a little shakedown over the last 10 days and really put peoples' feet to the fire on their donation promises and guess what?
They finally came through in a BIG way.
I cannot thank people enough for the generosity to this event! Thanks so much!!
Hang in there. Just when you feel like giving up, shake a few trees and see what falls out. You never know what you might get!!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Fundraising.......Promises, Promises......
You know the song....You made me promises, promises
Knowing I'd believe, Promises, promises.......
well as far as fund raising is concerned I have had a LOT of promises but no follow-throughs.
I been @ $285 with no donations since April. This has been very disappointing and discouraging. I have even considered quitting the walk at times. Most of my team is already at their goal of $2300, while I have only collected a small amount.
We have had a few successful team fund raisers. However, I really don't want my team to have to "carry" me. I want people to support me on my own because they believe in the cause and in what I am doing for it. However, most of the people I know do not have a lot to give but would give you the shirts off their backs. Usually I am the one giving, giving because I know others can't.
So what's a discouraged fund raising girl to do?
This is the part I hate. Asking and asking for money. I feel terrible asking people for donations given this. But this is a cause I believe in and the goal of finding a cure can only be accomplished if we all pitch in, no matter how little or big the donation, even $5 can make a difference. If I have to do this $5 at a time , then I guess that's what I am going to have to do.
So once again I decided to get out and shake some trees again this week and see what would fall out. To remind people that I am doing this for all other women and men out there that are or will be affected by this disease. It is not about ME wanting your money. It is about Susan G Komen 3Day needing your money to find a cure for this debilitating, deadly disease.
And I guess a few people heard my pleas, thanks to my wonderful husband and the supportive people he knows. So, now I am @ $510 with $45 more mailed in to post and about another $500 to come in the next few days.
So thanks, thanks, thanks to ALL who have to decided to make those promises a reality and help make a difference in this fight!! Let's all keep making those PROMISES a REALITY!!
Knowing I'd believe, Promises, promises.......
well as far as fund raising is concerned I have had a LOT of promises but no follow-throughs.
I been @ $285 with no donations since April. This has been very disappointing and discouraging. I have even considered quitting the walk at times. Most of my team is already at their goal of $2300, while I have only collected a small amount.
We have had a few successful team fund raisers. However, I really don't want my team to have to "carry" me. I want people to support me on my own because they believe in the cause and in what I am doing for it. However, most of the people I know do not have a lot to give but would give you the shirts off their backs. Usually I am the one giving, giving because I know others can't.
So what's a discouraged fund raising girl to do?
This is the part I hate. Asking and asking for money. I feel terrible asking people for donations given this. But this is a cause I believe in and the goal of finding a cure can only be accomplished if we all pitch in, no matter how little or big the donation, even $5 can make a difference. If I have to do this $5 at a time , then I guess that's what I am going to have to do.
So once again I decided to get out and shake some trees again this week and see what would fall out. To remind people that I am doing this for all other women and men out there that are or will be affected by this disease. It is not about ME wanting your money. It is about Susan G Komen 3Day needing your money to find a cure for this debilitating, deadly disease.
And I guess a few people heard my pleas, thanks to my wonderful husband and the supportive people he knows. So, now I am @ $510 with $45 more mailed in to post and about another $500 to come in the next few days.
So thanks, thanks, thanks to ALL who have to decided to make those promises a reality and help make a difference in this fight!! Let's all keep making those PROMISES a REALITY!!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Catching up!!
Well it's been nearly 2 weeks since my last post and boy how time flies!!
DONATIONS: I had one friend that took me up on my offer for the free tax return in exchange for donations. I really appreciate her help!! Yeah! If anyone needs last minute help, the offer is still available!!
TRAINING: I completed my first back to back long 2 day walk last week, doing 6 miles on one day and then 8 miles the next! Whew! that was some walk!! Doing the same again, 8 miles tomorrow and then 6 miles the next day. We'll see how this second walk goes. Hopefully I am getting more into shape with each walk.
My schedule has been sooooo CRAZY lately, I am having to use my kids' walk to school each day to get in my daily 3-4 mile training walks. but hey, whatever it takes to get them done!!
FUNDRAISING: Well, I am behind on this for sure! Every week I think I am going to get going and every week there seem to be a mountain of activities to do. Thankfully I have a great team that has put together some events already and I am trying to help out as much as I can.
Next week I REALLY am going to hit the fundraising circuit hard I PROMISE!!
Caught up: Well that pretty much gets you caught on how this is going for me. I hope to update more often.
This has been a struggle for me to complete when I add my already hectic and crazy schedule into the mix. However, I can only imagine what the women sick with this disease have to face every day as well. And they don't get to say "I quit" or "I'll just take a break for awhile". So I trudge along on this journey hoping that my little bit somehow makes a difference.
DONATIONS: I had one friend that took me up on my offer for the free tax return in exchange for donations. I really appreciate her help!! Yeah! If anyone needs last minute help, the offer is still available!!
TRAINING: I completed my first back to back long 2 day walk last week, doing 6 miles on one day and then 8 miles the next! Whew! that was some walk!! Doing the same again, 8 miles tomorrow and then 6 miles the next day. We'll see how this second walk goes. Hopefully I am getting more into shape with each walk.
My schedule has been sooooo CRAZY lately, I am having to use my kids' walk to school each day to get in my daily 3-4 mile training walks. but hey, whatever it takes to get them done!!
FUNDRAISING: Well, I am behind on this for sure! Every week I think I am going to get going and every week there seem to be a mountain of activities to do. Thankfully I have a great team that has put together some events already and I am trying to help out as much as I can.
Next week I REALLY am going to hit the fundraising circuit hard I PROMISE!!
Caught up: Well that pretty much gets you caught on how this is going for me. I hope to update more often.
This has been a struggle for me to complete when I add my already hectic and crazy schedule into the mix. However, I can only imagine what the women sick with this disease have to face every day as well. And they don't get to say "I quit" or "I'll just take a break for awhile". So I trudge along on this journey hoping that my little bit somehow makes a difference.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
