Fourty Five Thousand Walking Angels Hit the Streets of DC

TEAM FIVE & WON

On Saturday, we completed our fourth Komen Race for the Cure in Washington DC, it was awesome! We had a few new members on our team who were first timers , they couldn’t believe the enormous sea of dedicated and passionate walkers. The energy of the crowd is contagious and inescapable; the color of the day is definitely pink and the creativity in expressing feelings for the cause and loved ones is endless. The most moving part of the walk is seeing how loved ones honor those who lost their battle with breast cancer. There are hundreds of posters and signs bearing photos and names, placards pinned to shirts with names of those to remember, t-shirts honoring great heroes as well as the many conversations heard about these great women. We carry a team sign that honors those loved ones of ours who have either survived or lost their battle with breast cancer.


The mood is celebratory and filled with hope that one day there will be a cure. Even though there are 45+ thousand walkers you become part of a community for 3.2 miles. You meet new friends and know that you have many things in common; it is the quickest bond you will ever experience.

Checking out all of the great t-shirts is a sport in and of itself, something I look forward to every year. We saw some great ones including a truly unique one that said “Stop the War in MyRaq”, another fun one "Check Your Bumps for Lumps" while yet another sported “These are Fake, My Real Ones Tried to Kill Me”.

This was Pinky’s first walk and she had a ball. She was in awe at all of the people, the many great friends she made during the walk and loved all of the pictures that were taken of her. She can’t wait to do it again, she’s all about having fun for a cause and celebrating.

All in all, in spite of the very hot and humid weather, we are so very grateful and thankful that we got to participate in another extraordinary walk. Yes, we did as always, headed home and had a great party with great food, family and friends…of course on Celebrate In Pink party ware ;)

To look at all of the great walk day pictures, go to www.Facebook.com/CelebrateInPink, fan us while you are there :)

Walk Day Tips From Pinky

Hello from Pinky! I’m getting ready to walk in the Komen Global Race for the Cure on June 5 in Washington DC and hope to see many of you there. This will be my fourth year doing this particular walk and I have tried and true walk day tips that I want to share with you. These tips can be used for any organized walk so be sure to share them with your friends. Here ya go, Pinky’s tried and trues:

• It’s a good idea to stretch before getting started. It does make a difference in how you feel the rest of the day and the day after. Like mom used to say, “if you don’t do it, you’ll be sorry”, so do this one for mom.
• Wear the right clothes and shoes. That said, do keep in mind the single most important thing - a girl has to look good at all times and a girl has to do what a girl has to do to make this happen. Not sure I would recommend heels higher than 2” but your outfit will dictate the height of the heel. Use your fashion sense or ask a friend for hers.
• Drink plenty of fluids. I drink lots of water before and during the walk, that way I can drink plenty of my favorite ‘pink drink’ at our celebration lunch after the walk.
• Be sure to walk with friends, its way more fun this way. Make it a whole day of celebrating you will be amazed at how you feel (the pink drinks may have something to do with that too ;)

Yours Truely,
Pinky

Tips For an Easy Walk Day Celebration

June 5th will be my fourth Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure in Washington DC. I am accompanied by family and friends and we turn it into a wonderful day of celebration and fellowship. The walk starts at 8:30am and usually has over 50,000 participants. It is the most energizing event we have ever participated in, it’s absolutely fabulous, I highly recommend it to everyone.


When the walk is over, we head back to my house for a celebration luncheon. Last year was the first year we celebrated with Celebrate In Pink partyware and it was one of the most happiest days of my life. To make your walk day celebrations memorable, easy and fun for everyone, here are a few of my tips:

• Keep the menu simple. Since the walk starts early, everyone is starving when we get back to the house. Plan on items that can be put out and served immediately or items that can be set to low in a crock pot right before leaving the house.

• Some of the menus that I have found to be a hit and easy to do are picnic salads such as potato and pasta, fruit salad, served with subs or a sandwich platter. If you prefer a hot lunch, make either sloppy joes or pork barbeque the day before. Put it in a crock pot before leaving for the walk, set it to low and it will be ready when you get home. Serve this with salads and you are good to go!

• I always get a cake for dessert and mention our team. The cake is done in pink and white, has the pink ribbon on it and says something like “Way to go Team 4 2 go”. Our team name has changed each year because we have been counting down to my 5 year milestone. This year we are 5 & Done, We Won!

• I can’t tell you how special the Celebrate In Pink partyware made the event last year. It really reinforced the sentiment of the day and reason for the celebration. I highly recommend the partyware (wink wink) A pink plastic tablecloth and plastic ware completes the table and sets the spirit for the occasion.

I look forward to this celebration every year, it has become a tradition for us and I hope it becomes one of yours. Please share your walk day pictures with us so we can show others how much fun, meaning and importance these walks are to us. To all of our walk angels….here’s to a great walk!

The Best Walk You Will Ever Take On Mother's Day

This Sunday, Mother’s Day, the Network of Strength will be holding their annual Mother’s Day Walk for Breast Cancer. The walk takes place across the country in most of the major cities and they always take place on Mother’s Day. For more information and to register go to http://www.networkofstrength.org/


As many of you know, I have always participated in the Komen Walk for the Cure and will do so again this year. This year’s Komen walk will be a milestone for me and my team as this is my five years from diagnosis and our team name has reflected a countdown each year. Our team name this year is “WE WON!” So, this will be a very special walk for us. I have also done other walks but have never participated in the Mother’s Day Walk and I think it is a great way to start any Mother’s Day. I plan to start this tradition next year due to the fact that my son is graduating from college that weekend and we will be in a town that won’t be holding the walk. I am looking forward to it next year though and can’t wait! If any of my readers have participated in this walk, please share your experience with us, we would love to hear all about it.

We are all affected by breast cancer in some way. Why not use Mother’s Day as day to honor the special women in our lives who have been touched by breast cancer. If there isn’t an organized walk near you, you can register for a virtual walk, why not start your Mother’s Day with a walk for our girl friends?

If a Mother's Day Walk isn't for you, I do encourage you to find a walk and participate in it, it is the greatest walk you will ever take...Kathy