Wow!
What a week!
First the earthquake tremors.... pretty scary here on the east coast even if there was no damage. The only feeling I can remember even remotely like it was during a hurricane when trees were falling all around the house and they shook the house and ground. But this was no warning..... beautiful sunny day and, as I was working on my hurricane preparation list, everything started shaking. Very weird... And then, of course, Hurricane Irene blew through here! I am still praying for all those folks north of me dealing with flooding and loss.
On a more personal note.... training has taken a bit of a twist this week as I rack up my miles wandering around the yard cleaning up debris and getting ready to burn it off. I am spoiled with my treadmill / television system! I find it hard to believe that I will be walking in just 3 weeks. My heavy duty mileage weeks are over... today is "just" 10 miles and tomorrow 8 miles. Whenever I start training, those look like large numbers... but by this time, they are not (last week was 18 and 15 - so 10 and 8 look pretty do-able)
So now that our power is back on.... and we clean up and put things away... and keep one eye on the next weather system, it is time for me to locate the items I will need for my trip. I recently found out that I am going to be doing this walk this year by myself. Unfortunately, my walking partners are not able to join me so I am preparing myself to take a deep breath and go SOLO! I already miss you ladies!
One noteworthy item that I am excited about... a friend who has been job hunting... has found a bilingual position working with marginalized women... a job made possible by a grant from the Susan G Komen Foundation. So HER new job helping women get needed screenings is made possible by the funds YOU donate. I don't know about you, but I LOVE it when I can put a face and a story to the work I do :-)
The economy is still struggling and that makes it harder than ever to give money. It also makes us stop and think about the money we DO give away.... I think we all want to make sure our dollars stretch the farthest - whatever we are doing with them. The funds you donate to Susan G Komen Foundation are needed now more than ever. Donations can be made online at www.the3day.org/goto/kvanattaDC2011.... or you can print out the attached form and send in your donation that way!
While I appreciate any monetary donations you can make to the minimum $2300 that I am committed to raise, there are other things that you can (and DO) to help me.
***Support - Your friendship and prayers are the spirit that keep me going! I have names of loved ones from most of the people receiving this email that I have walked and trained in honor of during these last 4 years. I keep the names of your heroes with me and continue to pray for you and them!
***Mail - IF you are so inclined... cards and letters are delivered to us at the base camp. It is FUN to have a note from a friend after a 20+ mile day. Just envelopes - no packages, please... and MUST be postmarked by September 13. Send letters to:
3-Day for the Cure Post Office
ATTN: INSERT NAME OF PARTICIPANT
P.O. Box 417
Gore, VA 22637
***2 fundraising opportunities: a book fair through Usborne books (the BEST - I think - children's books around) www.ubah.com/BF47461. Do some Christmas shopping early!
and saving printer and toner cartridges. Thank you to all who are doing this already!
Thank you for all your help! Blessings and love to you and yours!
