The Yards Wore Ribbons in Their Hair

Posted By: Jenn Latino
This weekend the first walk of the 2010 3-Day schedule took place in Boston, MA! Our friend Caroline and her family were there staffing a cheer station and supporting family members who were participating in the walk. Before she took to her cheering post for the Boston teams, Caroline made a donation to my walk. Cheers to the Joy/White families who have been greatly affected by breast cancer. Team NKOTW is inspired by your strength.

My current total is $892. On June 28th last year I had $1895 raised and was well on my way to reaching my $2300 goal. I realize it is time to step up my fundraising efforts. I have been so focused on my walking that I haven’t been as deliberate with reaching my goal and with only 87 days until the walk, I need to get moving fast. Send any fundraising ideas my way!!

As soon as the 2010 season began, the 2011 events were announced! For those of you who have considered participating as a walker or volunteering as a crew member, you have a full year or more to prepare!!

2011 3-Day for the Cure Schedule
Boston July 22-24
Cleveland July 29-31
Chicago August 5-7
Michigan August 12-14
Twin Cities August 19-21
Denver August 26-28
San Francisco Bay Area September 9-11
Seattle September 16-18
Washington, D.C. September 23-25
Philadelphia October 14-16
Atlanta October 21-23
Tampa Bay October 28-30
Dallas/Fort Worth November 4-6
Arizona November 11-13
San Diego November 18-20

While the Boston walkers were taking to the streets of New England, my weekend walks took me through the streets of Brunswick Plantation in Calabash, NC. It was girls weekend with Valerie and Melissa and we hit the jackpot with a condo at a snazzy resort!

Getting to Know You, Part 8

Posted By: Kim Sterritt

Voila! Katie Lynch-Holmes

Katie Lynch-Holmes
Location: Memphis, TN

Are you a NEW New Kid or a New Kid With Experience?
NEW New Kid!

What made you decide to take the plunge and sign up for the 2010 3 Day?
I had the great experience of living last year’s walk and training through Jenn Latino. After being totally amazed by her dedication and commitment to the cause… I too became inspired to help vicariously through her. A little after Jenn finished her walk, a very inspirational woman in my life was diagnosed and later beat breast cancer. Knowing her experience and that of her family, I decided that living through another person’s dedication was not going to cut it this year.

Little Packages … and BIG Surprises

Posted By: Michelle Ashcraft

Last week was full of milestones! First, I completed my 10th week of training! Can you believe it? Wow, the time has flown by! I also completed my longest walk to date … 10 miles! (Well, sort of … more on that later.)

Knowing that big training miles were coming up, I knew it was time to add a new piece of equipment to my 3-Day gear … something to carry things longer walks require, like fluids, snacks, a cell phone (for emergencies) and personal identification. I recruited my new friend Shelley (she’s the intern in our office this summer) to go along with me on an adventure to Dick’s to find the right item.

The Hello Walk

Posted By: Michelle Ashcraft (for week of July 5-11)

I went to college at Purdue University. As some say, I may have been born a Hoosier, but I became a Boilermaker by the grace of God. (I realize that some of you have crimson blood that is starting to boil right now … it’s a friendly rivalry, I promise.) At Purdue there is a beautiful green space called the Memorial Mall. There is a maze of sidewalks that pass through this beautiful space, but smack dab in the middle of the Memorial Mall is one unique sidewalk. It’s the Hello Walk.

Rise and Shine!

Posted by: Jenn Latino
This week I received 2 donations from “old friends.” The first was from Linda Byrne who, with the exception of blood relatives, is the person who has known me the longest. The Byrne daughters (all 3 of them at one time or another) were mine and Joyce’s baby sitters growing up. The Latino/Byrne family connections run deep and this weekend during their annual summer visit to SC, Linda made a late night donation from inside my house while she was up hanging out with the kids in our families and I was resting up for an early morning walk the next day. The second donation was from Paul Bright. The Latino/Bright family ties run as deep as the Byrne’s from shared classes (Joyce was in Paul’s class, his brother Nino was in mine) to a shared stage when Paul and I starred in Love Letters, a 2-person play, during our college years. Paul is also the lucky man who married and has made a family with my beautiful college roommate, Michelle. Thanks to these old friends for your continued support.

In an effort to beat the heat, I try to walk first thing in the morning. On weekends, this is a great plan because if I start early enough, even 10-14 mile walks can be completed in time to still enjoy a full day in a far too short weekend. I’m a morning person anyway. I am at my best between the hours of 6am and 12pm. By lunchtime, any great ideas I have are usually less than great and any ambitious plans I had to tackle the “to do” list are usually less than ambitious.

Getting to Know You, Part 7

Posted By: Kim Sterritt

wait for it.....wait for it........Karen Wagner!

Karen Wagner
Location: Alpharetta, GA

Are you a NEW New Kid or a New Kid With Experience?
I am new to the team, but I have previous AVON 3-Day experience.

What made you decide to take the plunge and sign up for the 2010 3 Day?
My Aunt Robin was diagnosed with breast cancer last year (thankfully she is a SURVIVOR!) so I decided to walk in celebration of her.

How did you get suckered into joining, I mean, get connected with Team New Kids?
All of Kim's emails from last year really inspired me and she made it sound like so much fun that I decided to join.

It's Not a Race...It's a Journey

With high temps and threat of rain most of the week, I took my 3 mile walk Thursday to the treadmill in the gym. We belong to a gym on a college campus and I was surrounded by college students working out. On the other treadmills beside me, there were plenty of young men and women running on the treadmill. It made me jealous that they were finishing their miles in a much shorter period of time than I was! A couple came and left while I was still walking at a decent pace but yet still walking. I had to keep reminding myself that the 3-day isn't a race.

This is something that the 3-day coaches drill into your head at Getting Started Meetings, on emails, and finally even on the race. The 3-day is all about achieving something on your own, at your own pace. Running isn't even allowed! As a person that doesn't believe in running unless someone is chasing me, I wholeheartedly support the no running rule. In fact, last year the only times we ran were to get in line for the bathrooms - but that is a different story for a different time! Each individual on the 3-day can walk at the beginning, middle or back of the pack. If you need a little help, there are sweeper vans to help you along the way. It is all about a personal journey and doing the best that you can.

The 3-day isn't just a journey during those three days in October. I have realized that it is a journey for the entire training and fundraising process. As selfish as it sounds, I love having an hour to myself to walk a couple times a week. It gives me time to think and the training process makes me put myself first. The hardest part of training is making home and changing into workout clothes before I hit the couch. However, knowing the commitment I have made, I have to put on my workout clothes and start putting my walking first. It's healthy and fun.

The fundraising process is also a journey. It is hard to ask for money but knowing that my $2300 will be added to others from Atlanta and the other walks is important. I know that I am making a difference in funding for research to help end breast cancer and other cancers.

Each thing that we get involved in, we should look at the journey that we are on and not just the end result!

Thanks for helping me during the 2010 3-day journey.

Happy Walking!

I'd Rather Die While I'm Living Than Live While I'm Dead

Posted by: Jenn Latino
Fundraising update! This week I am sending a shout out to the Lowe family! Valerie's parents have been wonderful supporters of many of my adventures in life. In their most recent demonstration of support, I received a generous donation toward my fund raising efforts. I ca also credit Sue and Stan for my new kicks!! I will go through 2 pair of training shoes and then a 3rd to complete the walk. Walking shoes are not cute, but they are necessary I am going to survive with limited blisters and other foot related discomfort. Thanks to the Lowe's for the sponsorship. Maybe I'll get a patch to wear on my shirt during the walk-just like those NASCAR drivers!! (Note: This still does NOT dismiss the fact that from August-December we are dire enemies on the football field.)

I have a lot of friends who have birthdays in July. It seems like every day I am calling to sing my signature birthday medley to a friend or family member. What is it about July? Blame it on the cold winter months when folks are cooped up in the house. Meredith’s husband Ben and my coworker Bert kicked off the month with July 3rd celebrations. Last week fellow 3-Day veteran, Amber, my friend Chip, and my favorite now 5 year old, Julia, celebrated. My friend’s Heather and Reese both have birthdays this week. Yesterday was a trifeca of birthday madness with Dana, Sara, and my uncle, Robert, all blowing out a few candles. My mom, dad, my cousin Vincent, and Aunt Bunkie will close out the month with all four birthdays in a 6-day period. Like my sister and I, my mom and her sister are separated by only a few days. When we were growing up, we always thought I was older since if my birthday was on a Monday, Joyce’s was Wednesday. If mine was Tuesday, her’s was Thursday. Mine came first. It made sense to us.

Getting to Know You, Part 6

Posted By: Kim Sterritt

This interview is brought to you by the letter S, Shawn Seuberling!

Shawn Seuberling
Location: Raleigh, NC

Are you a NEW New Kid or a New Kid With Experience?
I am a NEW New Kid and looking forward to meeting all of my teammates!

What made you decide to take the plunge and sign up for the 2010 3 Day?
2 words: Jenn Latino!

Is it hot enough for you?

Posted By: Meredith Perlman

Hot 'Lanta has really been living up to its name recently! With temperatures in the upper 90s each evening, it makes it difficult to walk but as the 16 week training schedule approached I knew that I had to start training. I am so excited to be on this exciting journey again this year and with some old friends and new ones on our team!

Since we were traveling on Tuesday, I postponed my first official training walk to Wednesday evening. I packed up from work, went to the grocery store, and then headed home to hit the trail. My car on the way home read 95 but I was excited to get back to walking. I grabbed my water bottle and put my new favorite drink in it - crystal light pure fitness.

I decided to walk without headphones on my first walk and reflect on the experiences I had last year and look forward to this year. As I was walking (and sweating), I walked past a woman who was visiting a friend and she said "Is it hot enough for you?" I replied with a little laugh and "I just started a training schedule and you have to walk no matter what." She told me good for you and got in her air conditioned car :) It made me think of the women that have been effected by this horrible disease. They don't have a choice of leaving their scheduled appointments for radiation and chemotherapy. They don't have a choice when their skin is burned and scarred by the same treatment that is meant to save their lives. Instead, they get up each day and work towards their goal - being cancer free. I walk for this reason. I walk so these women - our friends, family, aunts, grandmothers, sisters, mothers, and my future niece - won't have to walk and won't have to face a world with breast cancer.

Thank you for all of your support last year and I am so excited about this year!

Happy stepping!

The Boom, Boom, Pow!

Posted by: Jenn Latino
I have some fund raising shout outs to give!! First, to Stuart and David Hunter from USC. Stuart is my co-worker and one of my greatest cheerleaders, both in the fight against breast cancer and other personal challenges. Stuart is a regular “stepper” herself, always striving for 10,000 steps a day. The Hunter’s were joined this week by two of my favorite breast cancer survivors!! I introduced you last year to two amazing women, Jan Ziegler and Teri Carpenter. Jan was part of the inspiration for me to sign up for the 2009 3-Day and Teri received her diagnosis during my training. I am thrilled to report that both Jan and Teri are now through with their treatment and are cancer free!! Jan is celebrating with an upcoming retirement from the Univ. of SC. I am looking forward to celebrating with her at her shindig in August. I will celebrate with Teri and her entire family on a cruise in December. Take THAT breast cancer! Thanks to both of these ladies for their contributions. You continue to inspire me and all of Team New Kids on the Walk!

This weekend marked the annual summer pilgrimage from Columbia, SC to Fayetteville, NC. Between Joyce and me, we had 4 dogs, 3 children, 1 mini van, 1 SUV (both garnet Nissans), 8 suitcases, and 2 dog crates headed up I-95. All we were missing was granny in her rocking chair tied to the top of the car. We left the 2 birds behind this trip. It was just a weekend visit and we didn’t want to over do it. We haven’t made the trip as a family since Christmas so this was a long anticipated visit to see Mom and Dad/Grandma and Grandpa. (Okay, I totally gave Joe and Linda an upgrade. We were headed to Raeford, NC, not Fayetteville, NC.)

I love this annual trip not only because a weekend with Joe and Linda always means a ton of laughs, usually shared around a table of great food. But also because it’s so much fun to watch the family pile in and cram themselves around my parent’s house. When I say “cram,” I mean it! The house they live in is plenty big for the 2 of them (though the Mickey room upstairs is starting to sag under the weight of the junk-I mean, vintage collectibles.) It is much larger than the house we grew up in. I tell stories about our childhood home on Brentford Dr by telling folks that you couldn’t wear two layers of clothing and still pass each other in the hallway. That hallway was home to the bathroom that housed the ONLY shower in the house. I think my parent’s subscribed to the philosophy that families that live in close quarters form close bonds. It worked!

“It’s the little things in life …”

Posted By: Michelle Ashcraft

This week found me walking in two states and three different cities thanks to the holiday weekend. Tuesday’s and Thursday’s walks were completed in Lexington (KY), Saturday’s walk was completed in Seymour (IN) and Monday’s walk (to replace Sunday’s walk) was completed in Lafayette (IN).

This past weekend was obviously the 4th of July, which always calls for a celebration, and perhaps a little bit of reflection on what really matters. The 4th of July typically brings family and friends together, and that’s just what it did for me. On Friday I traveled to Seymour to spend the first part of the long weekend with my parents and brother, and then I headed to Lafayette to spend the weekend with my sister, Jake, and their friends. It turned out to be a very fun (though very sleepless) weekend.

Getting to Know You, Part 5

Posted By: Kim Sterritt

Ta Da! Meredith Perlman!

Meredith Perlman
Location: Atlanta, GA

Are you a NEW New Kid or a New Kid With Experience?
Experienced. But not much. Last year was an adventure and I'm excited about doing it again.

What made you decide to take the plunge and sign up for the 2010 3 Day?
I had a blast last year and was so inspired. So, why not do it again? AND...I loved my teammates :)

How did you get suckered into joining, I mean, get connected with Team New Kids?
Well see Dooley talked Kim into it and then Kim talked Latino into it and I got curious and got talked into the 3-day by Latino. Then, why not form a team, right? Also, NKOTW tends to have fun...singing Miley Cyrus, freedom hour, etc.