Finding My Way...

These Shoes

These shoes took a special journey this weekend. I wore them on the train as I traveled to Philadelphia and they walked in Day 3 of the Breast Cancer 3-Day. It was cold, it was wet, and by 7am I had planted the left one square into a puddle and soaked through the shoe and two pairs of socks. 

They covered my feet through 15 miles from Fairmont Park through the city to the Navy Yards. They were with me when I cried a little at mile three because I couldn't keep up with my team. They were with me at City Hall when I needed a break and took a sweeper van a half mile to the next pit stop to sit and refuel.

These shoes carried me through Chinatown, and down Elfreth's Alley. They were with me as I met Sharon, who was walking in her 5th Breast Cancer 3-Day this year, despite having been laid off from QVC a year ago and still being unemployed. 

They carried me to my loyal and proud husband who was cheering me on just before Pit Stop 4. They almost failed me when I tripped and nearly laid out in the street, but Tini caught me, and I forgave them. They stuck with me when I decided to keep walking instead of stopping for a cheesesteak at Pat's or Geno's. They stopped with me to greet cheering teams, to high five, to woo, to wow, and to give "Making a Difference" bracelets to children who were out braving the cold and rain to cheer me on.

These shoes moved slower as we approached lunch. They held feet that were tired and stiff and cold. These shoes found the energy to dance a little as I entered South Philly High to blaring rock 'n' roll to get my lunch. I sat and wanted to take these shoes off. I knew though, that as soon as these shoes were off, I wouldn't want to put them on. I needed these shoes to finish the job.

Your "little bit" helps.

A friend stopped by this morning to see how the Philly Breast Cancer 3-Day went, and to bring me a donation.  A group of my friends play Bunko, and she hosted this month.  Usually we bring $5 and pay in to allow the hostess to provide prizes.  This month there were no prizes, the $5 was collected and donated to my fundraising efforts for the 3-Day, which benefits Susan G Komen for the Cure and The National Philanthropic Trust.  Each of my wonderful friends chipped in $5.  Not much, right?  A Venti Frappacino at Starbucks, a pizza from Dominos, about 2 gallons of gas...how much can that possibly help in wiping out cancer?

Yet those ladies joined together and brought me $160.  And that money was joined with other donations and monies from fundraisers to make up the $2602 I have raised so far.  That money was joined with the monies raised by the other nine ladies on my team, Team Dash, to make up the $29, 848.10 we raised. That money was joined with the funds raised by the approximately 3,000 participants in the Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3-Day to make up the nearly $8 million dollars that was raised.  And Philadelphia was one of fifteen walks this year!

So, no, alone you cannot wipe out breast cancer.  I can't do it alone, doctors can't do it alone, NO-ONE can do it alone.  But lots of ordinary people, coming together with their "little bit" can do extraordinary things.

The Time Has Come!

The time is finally here to head off to Philly for the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk.  Team Dash rocked the house, raising nearly $30,000 for breast cancer research and screening!!  I cannot tell you how proud I am to be a part of this group of ladies.

I am packing my Mom's flip cam to take some videos, and DD's Canon for some photos.  It kills me not to bring my D70, but lugging it around is not worth it for some stellar photos.

To the right in that column there are constant updates from my Twitter account.  I will be tweeting from most pit stops and in the evenings.  I will also upload some photos as I go to my Facebook page.  If I can figure out how to post here from my Blackberry without killing the battery, I will do that as well.

Go Team DASH!

This Woman's Work - SYTYCD

I don't watch this show, normally, but a friend linked to this video on Facebook and it is so beautiful, I have to share here.

A Cause "Close to My Heart"

In case you've been under a rock, in October I will be walking in the Breast Cancer 3-Day with a team of awesome women.  Another awesome woman, my pal Laurie, wants to support us by holding a fundraiser through her Close to My Heart business.

Here's the incredibly simple deal: for all orders you place through her between today and August 31st, she will donate 10% from her commission to support Susan G Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust through the Breast Cancer 3-Day!  Doesn't she ROCK?!?!

Visit her Close to My Heart site HERE to shop online or find her number and address to contact her personally to place your order by the end of August!

For those of you who are not my scrapping pals, Close to My Heart has a fabulous line of acryllic stamps, scrapbooking papers and other paper crafting supplies.  You can click HERE to see their products from pens and ink to stamps and papers.  I own many of these sets myself, and LOVE to use their products in my scrapbooks and on homemade cards.

In the current economy, who needs to spend $3 or more on a nice greeting card?  Check out CTMH's Happy Everything card kit or It's Your Day card kit.  $12.95 to make 12 cards!  How can you beat a little over a dollar a card PLUS the gasp factor when Grandma or Aunt Evelyn sees that you made her a card BY HAND!?

Many thanks to Laurie for this generous gift of her earnings from her home business, and thanks in advance to my friends and blog readers who take advantage of this offer to support Team DASH!

I'm full of excuses...

My good friend Angie recently led me to find a lovely blog called Zen Habits.  I have been working my way through old posts and was reading THIS GEM this morning.  At the end it links to this video, which I think I need to start watching EVERY DAY.

Fundraising Update

I have had two fundraisers in the past month to raise money for the Breast Cancer 3-Day.  The first was a Used Book Sale at a local indoor flea market.  I collected donated books from friends and others in the community for several weeks.  I set up in my 10'x10' space and sold over $300 of books that day.  Once I subtracted the cost of the booth, I submitted a $250 donation to the fund.  Thanks to all of my local friends who supported me by donating books and/or visiting my booth and making a purchase!

This past weekend, Jenni and I spent a couple of hours in front of a shopping plaza in Northern Virginia to collect donations from shoppers preparing for holiday barbecues and parties.  We didn't gather a ton of cash, but we did raise awareness and chatted with a lot of nice people!

I will be back on track this Friday with Photo Finish Friday, so tune in!

Fell off the wagon, did ya?

Yup, I did.  Between a weeklong visit from Dad and the Easter holiday my eating and exercise suffered.  I even skipped a weigh in at WW because I didn't want to know the number.  But I'm back on track this week with a HUGE training walk on Saturday.  So watch for Photo Finish Friday this week.  Thanks to the friends who noticed it was missing and wrote to check in on me.  Knowing that folks are following along and cheering me on makes a world of difference!

Still collecting used books for my May fundraiser!  Going to be making pickups in Northern Virginia on Saturday, May 2nd.  E-mail or call to arrange a pick up time!  Williamsburg pickups can happen anytime!  Looking especially for kids picture and chapter books, local Virginia interest/history books and paperback fiction.  Thanks!

I wanna do something that matters...

That's part of the chorus of the song by Lady Antebellum "I Was Here" that is featured in this one minute video.  I will confess I have slacked this past week with my walking and food choices with it being Spring Break.  It's time to rededicate myself to preparing for something that matters, the Breast Cancer 3-Day.  Just a little more than six months!

To my friends in Virginia...

I have decided to try a used book sale as a fundraiser to support my participation in the Breast Cancer 3-Day.  I am signed up to participate in a couple of indoor flea markets throughout the spring.  I am looking for used book donations to help out.  Kid Lit from birth through youth is especially welcome, as are Virginia Local Interest and History titles.

I will be up in Northern Virginia the weekend of May 1-3 to cheer on one of my 3-Day teammates as she runs in her first 5k!  I would be happy to pick up books from you that weekend.  E-mail or call!  Local friends here in the Burg can call any time!