Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Hello everyone,
It’s that time of year again. There’s still no cure so I’ll be lacing up my shoes and captaining my little team to participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. This year it will be on October 19th and 20th. And as always, I am required to raise $1,800 to participate.
Over the past 4 years you have all done so much to help me raise money to help. Together we have saved lives by making sure someone can get the screening and medical intervention they need to fight this dreadful disease. We’ve gotten testing done, we’ve given rides to appointments and we’ve eased their minds and touched their hearts. We’ve done our very best to make sure that no child has to grow up without their mother or father and that is something very, very special.
I am truly thankful to each of you for your generous support, both financial and moral. While the walk does get a bit easier every year, I guess because I know what I’m getting into and that whole muscle memory thing, 39 miles is still a long walk no matter how you look at it. Every year there comes a point when I wonder why I keep getting myself into this. A point when my legs are on fire, my blisters have blisters and I just don’t want to do it anymore. A point when the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other seems like it would take a herculean effort and makes you want to cry. But there is always something that keeps me going.
Last year, as I was walking, thinking how crazy I truly was, out of the blue, I was given a sash. During the walk weekend, the people who volunteer to keep us safe and supported on the route are each given some pink sashes. They are given a certain time window in which to give out their sashes. The concept behind it is that every three minutes someone is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in this country. To symbolize this, a sash is given out every three minutes. It hit me, I had just been “given” cancer. Just like that, I was “fighting for my life” I was a statistic. All thought of giving up went out of my mind.
So, I once again ask you to please help me by making a donation either by check made out to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer or via my webpage ://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/redspage Thank you once again for your help and support. Together, we make a difference.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Ta-Ta's will once again be walking the walk
Hello my friends,
I hope this finds you all healthy and having a wonderful year.
Last years walk was a personal best for me. I completed all 39 miles for the first time. It was difficult and tiring and painful and totally amazing. I could not have done it without the support of each and every one of you. I met some wonderful people and together we raised 8.4 million dollars. The highlight of the weekend was closing ceremonies when the Avon Foundation ambassador Reese Witherspoon was there to give the money to the hospitals and organizations that benefited from our efforts.
Breast cancer is still out there, so once again I will be tying on my shoes and walking with my team in October. I am proud to say that my daughter Maggie will be walking with us this year. She has committed to raising the $1,800 required to participate in the walk. It is quite a task for a 16 year old and we are very proud of her.
I am so grateful for all the help you have given me these past years. I know your commitment to fighting this disease in all it's forms is as strong as mine. Your generosity has been much appreciated. But once again I must ask for both your moral and your financial support. Remember to make your tax deductible donation by check to the "Avon Walk For Breast Cancer" or by going to our team page info.avonfoundation.org/goto/sisterhood
Together, we can make a difference. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and my feet .
Kris
I hope this finds you all healthy and having a wonderful year.
Last years walk was a personal best for me. I completed all 39 miles for the first time. It was difficult and tiring and painful and totally amazing. I could not have done it without the support of each and every one of you. I met some wonderful people and together we raised 8.4 million dollars. The highlight of the weekend was closing ceremonies when the Avon Foundation ambassador Reese Witherspoon was there to give the money to the hospitals and organizations that benefited from our efforts.
Breast cancer is still out there, so once again I will be tying on my shoes and walking with my team in October. I am proud to say that my daughter Maggie will be walking with us this year. She has committed to raising the $1,800 required to participate in the walk. It is quite a task for a 16 year old and we are very proud of her.
I am so grateful for all the help you have given me these past years. I know your commitment to fighting this disease in all it's forms is as strong as mine. Your generosity has been much appreciated. But once again I must ask for both your moral and your financial support. Remember to make your tax deductible donation by check to the "Avon Walk For Breast Cancer" or by going to our team page info.avonfoundation.org/goto/sisterhood
Together, we can make a difference. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and my feet .
Kris
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The experience of your life
First of all you need to get into the right mind set. Don’t look at this as “training for a marathon” or in this case a marathon and a half, in the traditional sense. No one is keeping track of how or when you cross the finish line. You need to think of the walk itself is your reward for all you’ve done up to that point.
You will spend the next months raising funds and awareness and yes doing your training. $1,800 is a good amount of money and you will have to work hard for it. 39 miles is a long walk and you will have to prepare yourself for it. But this will be one of the most amazing, challenging, and fun things you will ever do.
My first suggestion is to go to the Avon website and read it, all of it. Learn the statistics, learn where the money is donated to, learns what their mission is. Then go to In it to end it and read the message boards. Both sites are linked on the right side of this page. There are some wonderful people there who will tell their story, answer your question, and welcome you into a very special community.
My next suggestion is don’t be like me! Join a team. There are a couple of ways to go about that. There are several what I call “seasonal teams” these are teams that do all 9 walks of the season. The one I am familiar with is “Solo Strutters” it was started by a woman named Judy a few years ago. She had registered to do a walk and was by herself. She figured there had to be others out there who had registered by themselves and thus started a team of people who were there on their own. Judy herself does all 9 walks and heads her team in each city. You can also check the teams registered in your area. The Avon website lists all the teams in the host city. Post a message looking for a team in your area. That way you can meet your team mates for training walks and get to know them before the actual walk. Then there’s always the option of starting your own team. It only takes two people to constitute a team. Get a couple of friends together and form your own team.
Some people can do this walk by themselves and be just fine and then there’s people like me. I got into such a groove and so focused on finishing the first 26 miles that I forgot that it’s not about how far you go. My stubborn streak will one day be my own demise. I’m the kind of person who needs a reasonable person there to smack me upside the head and tell me to get into the sweep van.
This really is a wonderful experience. You will laugh and cry and have a fabulous time. The whole weekend has very much a party atmosphere. The crew and volunteers that take care of the walkers are phenomenal. They really go out of their way to care for us. All the rest stops and happy fun places, the sweep team is encouraging and friendly, the moto crew on the motorcycles at all major intersections are encouraging and upbeat. The wellness village is full of people who go out of there way to make you comfortable, right down to taking care of your blisters and sore muscles, after a day of walking.
Then there are the other walkers you will meet along the way. Their stories are amazing and varied and inspiring and you will want to hear as many stories as you can. It really is a good time had by all.
You will spend the next months raising funds and awareness and yes doing your training. $1,800 is a good amount of money and you will have to work hard for it. 39 miles is a long walk and you will have to prepare yourself for it. But this will be one of the most amazing, challenging, and fun things you will ever do.
My first suggestion is to go to the Avon website and read it, all of it. Learn the statistics, learn where the money is donated to, learns what their mission is. Then go to In it to end it and read the message boards. Both sites are linked on the right side of this page. There are some wonderful people there who will tell their story, answer your question, and welcome you into a very special community.
My next suggestion is don’t be like me! Join a team. There are a couple of ways to go about that. There are several what I call “seasonal teams” these are teams that do all 9 walks of the season. The one I am familiar with is “Solo Strutters” it was started by a woman named Judy a few years ago. She had registered to do a walk and was by herself. She figured there had to be others out there who had registered by themselves and thus started a team of people who were there on their own. Judy herself does all 9 walks and heads her team in each city. You can also check the teams registered in your area. The Avon website lists all the teams in the host city. Post a message looking for a team in your area. That way you can meet your team mates for training walks and get to know them before the actual walk. Then there’s always the option of starting your own team. It only takes two people to constitute a team. Get a couple of friends together and form your own team.
Some people can do this walk by themselves and be just fine and then there’s people like me. I got into such a groove and so focused on finishing the first 26 miles that I forgot that it’s not about how far you go. My stubborn streak will one day be my own demise. I’m the kind of person who needs a reasonable person there to smack me upside the head and tell me to get into the sweep van.
This really is a wonderful experience. You will laugh and cry and have a fabulous time. The whole weekend has very much a party atmosphere. The crew and volunteers that take care of the walkers are phenomenal. They really go out of their way to care for us. All the rest stops and happy fun places, the sweep team is encouraging and friendly, the moto crew on the motorcycles at all major intersections are encouraging and upbeat. The wellness village is full of people who go out of there way to make you comfortable, right down to taking care of your blisters and sore muscles, after a day of walking.
Then there are the other walkers you will meet along the way. Their stories are amazing and varied and inspiring and you will want to hear as many stories as you can. It really is a good time had by all.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Ongoing: These are things you can do or sell for months and just keep it going.
Flamingo Flocking: Get a bunch of pink flamingos you know those hideous things they put on their lawn in Florida. This one works especially well for a church group or some such where you can pass out fliers explaining the game but not necessary. Find someone willing to be the first victim. You put the flamingos on their lawn with a note saying that they have been flocked. The flock will not leave their yard until they make a donation to the AWBC and call this number to arrange for the flock to move on. Now, for an additional $10 they get to pick the next flockee. For $10 they can buy insurance to make sure they are never flocked again. Now the best thing to do is deliver them after dark so no one knows their being flocked. until it’s all set up. Just be careful of sprinkler lines and such. This can go on for months. Just keep careful track of who’s paid insurance so you don’t accidentally do them again.
Candy Bars: Buy candy bars from BJ’s or Sam’s Club they work out to about .50 each. Sell them for $1 each. I bought a flip top box at the craft store that is used for scrap booking supplies and decorated it with pink ribbon paper. Sell them at work, at your kids games, we live a tight knit neighborhood and my kids went door to door and sold them to the neighbors. You can do this periodically for months.
Recycle: If your State has can deposit and recycling, put a clean empty garbage can in the break room and ask everyone to put their empties in there. Here in NY we pay a .05 bottle deposit for every beer/soda bottle we buy. When you return the bottle to the recycling you get your nickel back. It’s worth the effort. Try the kids school, maybe they’ll let you put one in the office or teacher’s lounge.
Donation cans: The donation cans you put in town can be used for months also. Move them periodically to different businesses. That way you get new people that see them and may drop their change in.
Lapel Pins: There are several web sites that sell different pink ribbon pins. I use pinkwings.com. They have 170 different styles. If you buy them in bulk, over 25 I believe they cost you $2. You can sell them for $5-10 each.
T-Shirts: there are places you can either buy shirts or have them made. I like zazzle.com because I can design my own. These are great for selling to the men. Put a pink ribbon on it and you they can get away with wearing risqué sayings that would otherwise get them slapped.
Some of my favorites are “Don’t let cancer steal second base”, “I saved a life and groped my wife”, also can be “Save a life and grope your wife” “I’m a boob man” and the outline of two hands with the words, “free screening” “Tough enough to wear pink” "Big or small let’s save them all”
But remember, most of the men in my life are construction workers. We can get away with things that a guy in an office wouldn’t be able to. And some women who wouldn’t appreciate the humor.
Buttons: you can also get buttons with different saying on them from zazzle.
Candy Bars: Buy candy bars from BJ’s or Sam’s Club they work out to about .50 each. Sell them for $1 each. I bought a flip top box at the craft store that is used for scrap booking supplies and decorated it with pink ribbon paper. Sell them at work, at your kids games, we live a tight knit neighborhood and my kids went door to door and sold them to the neighbors. You can do this periodically for months.
Recycle: If your State has can deposit and recycling, put a clean empty garbage can in the break room and ask everyone to put their empties in there. Here in NY we pay a .05 bottle deposit for every beer/soda bottle we buy. When you return the bottle to the recycling you get your nickel back. It’s worth the effort. Try the kids school, maybe they’ll let you put one in the office or teacher’s lounge.
Donation cans: The donation cans you put in town can be used for months also. Move them periodically to different businesses. That way you get new people that see them and may drop their change in.
Lapel Pins: There are several web sites that sell different pink ribbon pins. I use pinkwings.com. They have 170 different styles. If you buy them in bulk, over 25 I believe they cost you $2. You can sell them for $5-10 each.
T-Shirts: there are places you can either buy shirts or have them made. I like zazzle.com because I can design my own. These are great for selling to the men. Put a pink ribbon on it and you they can get away with wearing risqué sayings that would otherwise get them slapped.
Some of my favorites are “Don’t let cancer steal second base”, “I saved a life and groped my wife”, also can be “Save a life and grope your wife” “I’m a boob man” and the outline of two hands with the words, “free screening” “Tough enough to wear pink” "Big or small let’s save them all”
But remember, most of the men in my life are construction workers. We can get away with things that a guy in an office wouldn’t be able to. And some women who wouldn’t appreciate the humor.
Buttons: you can also get buttons with different saying on them from zazzle.
One Shot Wonders
Bake Sales: make or buy cupcakes, cookies, cakes. Honestly, if there’s a Sam’s Club or BJ’s in the area it might be just as cheap to buy them and save you time. Now while this is a one shot thing, it can be one shot in several different areas. Think, kids little league games, not necessarily your kids. Go to the town hall, ask them if you can do a bake sale on the fields on Saturdays. At the school in the lobby, at work, at your spouses work, at the church or at a strip mall. Anywhere you can think if. If you own a business, set up a table out front.
Tomboy Tools: is a national sponsor of the AWBC they do home parties to teach women basic tool skills. All the tools are pink
Home Parties: Do you know someone who does home parties, Tupperware, candles, home décor, or jewelry? See if they would be willing to do a party at your house and donate all the proceeds.
Garage sale: Spring is a perfect time for this. As you’re doing your Spring cleaning and deciding what to part with, don’t put it in the Goodwill pile, put a price tag on it and put it in the garage sale pile. Ask your neighbors to donate things. Now, there’s a reason for tagging it right away. If you gather it all first and then try and go through and tag it all, you look at this big pile and it’s going to take forever to sort and tag, and next thing you know you’re loading up all that available cash and taking it to Goodwill. Ask at least 2 people to help you for the day. Come help set up and stick around so you can all take turns making potty runs and such. Decorate in pink and put out a donation jar. Maybe they won’t find some thing they want but will drop in a couple dollars. Price reasonably and NO HAGGLING!! Remind them this is for charity.
Matching Funds: a lot of companies will give matching donations for charity. Ask your boss. Have your friends ask their boss, or the HR dept. If yo find someone who does matching funds, by all means have a fundraiser there.
Car Wash: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE Now before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me explain why the car wash is my favorite. I put a twist on the concept. My car wash was topless. Now calm down, Im not suggesting anyone gets arrested here. Just listen.
Find a parking lot, a gas station, a church (this one would be good) a bank somewhere that will let you use their water and you can do this behind the building or where it can’t be seen from the road. Peak their curiosity people…. Have someone stand on the road with a sign stating AWBC fundraising TOPLESS car wash $5. Honestly, they’ll come in just to see the topless women. And they will assume that since it’s a breast cancer thing that there are going to be topless women.
Now when they get around back, they see men in pink shirts with pink rags, (ask the local volunteer fire dept. if they’ll help out or church youth group, call the high school and see if the kids have to do community service) when they ask about the topless part tell them that their $5 only gets the bottom half of their car washed. If they want to top washed they have to pay an extra $5. Most people thought that it was great and paid the extra 5. Besides, ain’t no one in that line going to admit out loud they were just there to see naked women. See why it’s my favorite?
Silent auction: If there is a hall you can use, remember always, always ask for the hall to be donated. If they won’t outright donate maybe they will let you use it for a reduced rate. Ask local businesses and restaurants to donate gift certificates or services. You can also have people donate nicer items. Maybe a leather purse that someone gave them they never use or some such. Set a time that the auction will be closed to bidding. They can be run two ways that I know of. First you can put a box next to each item. Let people put a bid and their name on a piece of paper and put it in the box. When bidding is ended you go through the slips and find the top bidder (make sure you have a tie breaker method in place in case you need one) or you can assign each person a number. Leave a pad of paper next to each item. People can write their number and bid on the paper. That way no one knows who is bidding but does know they’ve been outbid and might raise their bid. Don’t forget to sell water bottles and maybe hot dogs for $1 if you can. A cupcake and cookie sale would work well too. This has to be well advertised about a month in advance put flies up in store windows and where ever you can legally place them. See if your local paper will run an add in the local happenings section for free.
Penny Social: along the same lines as the auction. But here you collect a whole bunch of donated stuff. inexpensive but usable Place it all out on tables. Put a paper bag next to each item. Get rolls of double raffle tickets. The kind that you tear in half and they keep half. . Doors open at such a time, and “pulling” starts at such a time. Usually give them a couple of hours. People will come in and chat and look over the items. Each ticket costs a penny (so you’ll need not of tickets) people go around and put a ticket in the bag for items they would like to win. When it comes time to “pull” you begin pulling a winning ticket out of the bag for each item. This really needs one person at each table to answer questions, such as is this bag for this item? Don’t forget to sell your refreshments here too.
Tomboy Tools: is a national sponsor of the AWBC they do home parties to teach women basic tool skills. All the tools are pink
Home Parties: Do you know someone who does home parties, Tupperware, candles, home décor, or jewelry? See if they would be willing to do a party at your house and donate all the proceeds.
Garage sale: Spring is a perfect time for this. As you’re doing your Spring cleaning and deciding what to part with, don’t put it in the Goodwill pile, put a price tag on it and put it in the garage sale pile. Ask your neighbors to donate things. Now, there’s a reason for tagging it right away. If you gather it all first and then try and go through and tag it all, you look at this big pile and it’s going to take forever to sort and tag, and next thing you know you’re loading up all that available cash and taking it to Goodwill. Ask at least 2 people to help you for the day. Come help set up and stick around so you can all take turns making potty runs and such. Decorate in pink and put out a donation jar. Maybe they won’t find some thing they want but will drop in a couple dollars. Price reasonably and NO HAGGLING!! Remind them this is for charity.
Matching Funds: a lot of companies will give matching donations for charity. Ask your boss. Have your friends ask their boss, or the HR dept. If yo find someone who does matching funds, by all means have a fundraiser there.
Car Wash: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE Now before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me explain why the car wash is my favorite. I put a twist on the concept. My car wash was topless. Now calm down, Im not suggesting anyone gets arrested here. Just listen.
Find a parking lot, a gas station, a church (this one would be good) a bank somewhere that will let you use their water and you can do this behind the building or where it can’t be seen from the road. Peak their curiosity people…. Have someone stand on the road with a sign stating AWBC fundraising TOPLESS car wash $5. Honestly, they’ll come in just to see the topless women. And they will assume that since it’s a breast cancer thing that there are going to be topless women.
Now when they get around back, they see men in pink shirts with pink rags, (ask the local volunteer fire dept. if they’ll help out or church youth group, call the high school and see if the kids have to do community service) when they ask about the topless part tell them that their $5 only gets the bottom half of their car washed. If they want to top washed they have to pay an extra $5. Most people thought that it was great and paid the extra 5. Besides, ain’t no one in that line going to admit out loud they were just there to see naked women. See why it’s my favorite?
Silent auction: If there is a hall you can use, remember always, always ask for the hall to be donated. If they won’t outright donate maybe they will let you use it for a reduced rate. Ask local businesses and restaurants to donate gift certificates or services. You can also have people donate nicer items. Maybe a leather purse that someone gave them they never use or some such. Set a time that the auction will be closed to bidding. They can be run two ways that I know of. First you can put a box next to each item. Let people put a bid and their name on a piece of paper and put it in the box. When bidding is ended you go through the slips and find the top bidder (make sure you have a tie breaker method in place in case you need one) or you can assign each person a number. Leave a pad of paper next to each item. People can write their number and bid on the paper. That way no one knows who is bidding but does know they’ve been outbid and might raise their bid. Don’t forget to sell water bottles and maybe hot dogs for $1 if you can. A cupcake and cookie sale would work well too. This has to be well advertised about a month in advance put flies up in store windows and where ever you can legally place them. See if your local paper will run an add in the local happenings section for free.
Penny Social: along the same lines as the auction. But here you collect a whole bunch of donated stuff. inexpensive but usable Place it all out on tables. Put a paper bag next to each item. Get rolls of double raffle tickets. The kind that you tear in half and they keep half. . Doors open at such a time, and “pulling” starts at such a time. Usually give them a couple of hours. People will come in and chat and look over the items. Each ticket costs a penny (so you’ll need not of tickets) people go around and put a ticket in the bag for items they would like to win. When it comes time to “pull” you begin pulling a winning ticket out of the bag for each item. This really needs one person at each table to answer questions, such as is this bag for this item? Don’t forget to sell your refreshments here too.
Businesses
Restaurants: There are several chain restaurants that will do fundraisers. Apple Bee’s, and Chili’s, are two of them that I know of. Contact any in your area and ask, Bowling alley’s do them.
Bars: Try a local bar. Make a deal with the owner. Do say, a 4 hour block of time on a Friday that they will donate 10% of the till. You put up fliers in the area and bring in as many bodies as you can. See if the local radio station will announce it for you. Set up a table by the door and run a 50/50 raffle for that time period that you have to be present to win, that way people will stay until the end of your time block. If the owner doesn’t want to donate part of the profits, then maybe they usually don’t have a cover charge. See if they will let you set up a table and charge say a $10 cover. You give anyone who pays the cover a pink bracelet. Then they get $1 off draft beer.
Letters: Send every business you ever use a letter asking for a donation. Everywhere you shop, doctors, everywhere you can think of. Give them both your website and mailing address. Maybe the owner/accountant doesn’t want to donate but maybe someone else in the office wants to.
Bars: Try a local bar. Make a deal with the owner. Do say, a 4 hour block of time on a Friday that they will donate 10% of the till. You put up fliers in the area and bring in as many bodies as you can. See if the local radio station will announce it for you. Set up a table by the door and run a 50/50 raffle for that time period that you have to be present to win, that way people will stay until the end of your time block. If the owner doesn’t want to donate part of the profits, then maybe they usually don’t have a cover charge. See if they will let you set up a table and charge say a $10 cover. You give anyone who pays the cover a pink bracelet. Then they get $1 off draft beer.
Letters: Send every business you ever use a letter asking for a donation. Everywhere you shop, doctors, everywhere you can think of. Give them both your website and mailing address. Maybe the owner/accountant doesn’t want to donate but maybe someone else in the office wants to.
Go To Town
Donation Cans: You’ve seen those collection cans at gas station and convenience stores right? So what’s stopping you? Do you go to the dry cleaners, dentist, doctor, stop at the deli for a coffee most mornings, get your hair cut? Anywhere you are a customer, ask them if you can put a collection can up. You are their customer, they want you happy, they DON’T want you telling everyone they wouldn’t support the fight against breast cancer. They can also make a corporate donation for the tax deduction. I got cans with the plastic lids, duck taped the lid on and wrapped it in pink paper. Write on it who you are and what it’s for and your website so they can donate online if they want. I also put the saying “The change in your pocket can change a life” on them.
Fliers: Print up fliers with your website address and put them on every public bulletin board you can find. Town Hall, library, grocery store, Laundromat, where ever you can hang fliers.
Flowers: Ask a local florist or nursery if they will donate pink flowers preferably roses but carnations work to. If not outright donate, maybe sell them to you at cost. On Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day wrap a single flower and some greenery in pink tissue paper. Attach a tag stating that a donation has been made help fight breast cancer in honor of the recipient. Sell them for $5. You can gather pre-orders at work, kids schools, PTA, the gym, and deliver them to those locations on a certain day to be picked up.
Fliers: Print up fliers with your website address and put them on every public bulletin board you can find. Town Hall, library, grocery store, Laundromat, where ever you can hang fliers.
Flowers: Ask a local florist or nursery if they will donate pink flowers preferably roses but carnations work to. If not outright donate, maybe sell them to you at cost. On Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day wrap a single flower and some greenery in pink tissue paper. Attach a tag stating that a donation has been made help fight breast cancer in honor of the recipient. Sell them for $5. You can gather pre-orders at work, kids schools, PTA, the gym, and deliver them to those locations on a certain day to be picked up.
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