18 days left and I'm ODing on OJ

No, not the delicious and vitamin C filled drink. I mean the wife-beating, got away with murder, pathetically past his prime, former football player known as OJ Simpson. Aren't there enough real issues in our daily lives? Is there really ANY REASON to devote so much media time and attention to his recent arrest?!?!

GET A GRIP PEOPLE!

OK, back to 3 Day stuff!!!

Lesson learned this weekend. STRETCH! I am very bad at doing it. I usually only do it if I feel a cramp. Stretching should NOT be a reactive thing....it should be done as a preventative measure! I read somewhere that you should stretch 5 min every hour that you walk, as well as in the mornings and evenings (whether you walk on those days or not) to help keep your muscles healthy and happy!

I also decided to switch from my fanny pack to my camelback. A lot of people advise against making a change this close to the walk, but the benefits for me are worth it. The buckles are placed in such a way that weight is more evenly distributed. It's a lot lighter and less awkward. I can cram more stuff into it (such as my warm up jacket and sweatshirt after the sun comes up and it's too warm to keep walking in them...or my wonderful walking sandals, which I have fallen completely in love with!).

I walked 11 miles on Saturday and 7 on Sunday (schedule called for 10 and 8...close enough!). Next weekend I have my training walks all mapped out. One day will take me into Manayunk (where I will treat myself to a wonderful lunch at one of the many restaurants on Main Street) and the other will take me through many of the interesting neighborhoods of Philly.

Tired Feet

This Saturday I walked 17 miles. This is the LONGEST training walk I have ever done and I am glad that I did.

For one, I realized that my original "sock plan" wasn't going to cut it. I have super thick socks and I have super thin socks. I was going to start out with the thicker ones and slowly switch over to the thinner (as my feet got more and more swollen). What I learned on Saturday was that my feet started to really get sore (achy, crampy) as I went to the thinner socks. Next weekend, I am going to start out with the thinner ones and then move up to the thicker ones as my feet get more and more tired. Hopefully that will work better. If not, then I will have to just use the thick ones all day long and hope that I can keep my feet dry enough to avoid blisters.

Another thing I learned.....my feet are NOT blister proof as I had hoped. I actually developed a blister between my pinky and "ring finger" toe. And the cheapie bandaids that I brought are pretty much worthless. Now I know that I have to go out and buy the "flexible fabric" type of bandages and am also going to invest in Second Skin (a type of bandage that is recommended for distance runners/walkers).

I also stretched for the first time on any walk. And I learned (from my wonderful training walk leader) that you have to KEEP HYDRATING even when you are done walking. And you can't run home and jump into a shower. You need to allow your body to cool down naturally for a bit or else the cooling effect of a shower (even a warm one) can shock your system!

This coming weekend the schedule calls for 18 miles, but split up over 2 days. I am looking forward to it. The weekend after that is a 15mile/18 mile back-to-back session. I am NOT looking forward to that one quite as much, but I also know that it is a necessary evil if I wish to handle the 3 Day Walk.

6 weeks!!!!

I am having mixed emotions!

I am excited and nervous. I feel settled now that my last corporate sponsored check has cleared and I have met my $2200 requirement. Yet I feel extremely manic when I think of all the things I still need to buy and do (although that list is growing shorter by the day).

I am looking forward to taking on this challenge and meeting new people. However, I am also dreading it because I have not been traing NEARLY enough. I will have to step it up (literally) in the next month and a half and trust that God will get me through.

7 Weeks!!!

I can't believe it. As of yesterday (Friday, Aug 17) I have only 7 WEEKS UNTIL THE 3 DAY!I have done so much already but have so much more to do!

I have done my fundraising. I am still doing it somewhat. Any additional donations to my 3 Day Headquarters will be more money to a worthy cause. Any other cash donations (from collection jars and upcoming events) will be put in the bank for 2008's walk.

I have started buying the items I need for the walk. Socks, sports bras, toiletries (sp??), sneakers, etc. I have a fanny pack with water bottles. I have lots of sunscreen.I've been walking! Not as much as I'd like but I'm getting more in each week.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

Jumping for Joy!

I received my check from WalMart today, which matched the funds that I raised during a bake sale I had there about 6 weeks ago.

This officially puts me at my $2200 mark......at least it will once the check makes it through the postal system and posts to my HQ!

YIPPEEEE!!!

To Honor my MOM!!!

Well... I just wanted to let everyone know that I found yet another way to honor my MOM and her survival of the horrible disease of Breast Cancer. On Saturday July 7th I went threw PAIN for her. I got a tattoo of a Pink Ribbon on my left ankle with her name on it. And let me tell you IT HURT!!!! But I will do anything for my MOM. I was sure that she was going to be mad when she saw it. I was sure that she was going to slap me up side my head ( like she did for the other ones) but she had tears in her eyes when I showed her. This was the least I could do other then raising money to help find a cure for Breast Cancer. I am sure that the pain that I endured for my tattoo was NOTHING compared to the pain that she had to go threw in her fight to survive. Or any of the pain that women go threw each day who are battling this horrible disease. I look at my tattoo and know that I still have my mom. And with everyone's help so will hundreds of other daughters.

My Fundraising

Well.... So far I have done two (2) Flea Markets and one (1) craft fair. Oh wait I forgot to explain. I sell hand painted trivets. ( Tiles that I paint myself) I have created three (3) trivets for Breast Cancer. One is a pink ribbon with "Find the Cure' on it, one is a purple ribbon on it with "Survivor" on it and the third is a pink heart that says " Hope is believing in a brighter tomorrow" on it. I have been selling these along with all the other styles that I have at Flea Markets and craft fairs. So far I have only done 2 flea markets. Both in New York, one on Memorial Day weekend and then again July 4th weekend. And one craft fair in my town of Summit Hill this past weekend. I will be doing another flea market in New York over Labor Day weekend as well. I am looking into setting up at some other craft fairs and flea markets between now and October. I am still trying hard to raise as much as I can. I even have my kids making little things to try to help. I will keep you posted as I move along. If anyone would like to see some of my trivets, just drop me an email and I will be more then happy to send you some photos of them.

Kimm's Story

Hello All! My name is Kimm Alvarado. I am a thirty five year old working mother of three young active children. You would think that I would have more sense then to volunteer to walk sixty miles in three days. And if that weren’t enough… to camp out for 2 nights as well. But this October that is exactly what I will be doing. I am going to be walking (or crawling…whatever it takes) every one of those sixty miles in the Breast Cancer 3-Day event in Philadelphia, PA.This walk will be more then “just a walk”. It will be raising money to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure.This is a very important event for me. My mother, Andi, from Bethlehem, PA was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in early 2002. I can still remember exactly how I felt when I found out. Absolutely terrified that I was going to loose the only parent that I had! I watched as my mother fought every day to beat this horrible disease, and all I could do for her was to stand by and watch as she went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments. My mom won her fight (Five years Cancer free December 2, 2007.) She is a survivor. She has shown me how to be strong, how to fight. How to be a survivor. She is an inspiration. She is my inspiration. I walk in her honor.More recently my Aunt Sandi, from Massachusetts was diagnosed with Breast Cancer as well. She too went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments. She too is a survivor. She too is strong. She too is an inspiration. I walk in her honor too.You may know someone who has been affected by Breast Cancer, and I would be proud to walk in his or her honor as well.As I prepare for this challenge, walking mile after mile, I think of those who have traveled the road before me, those who are traveling the path with me and those who are yet to follow. There are times when I don’t feel like training, or my feet hurt or I’m just too tired. Then I think of all the people that I love who have been touched by Breast Cancer. I walk for them. I walk for our friends, wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins. And especially for our beautiful daughters. So years from now, my daughter won’t have to walk in “Memory” of her grandmother.I know that you understand why this is so important for me and understand why I’m asking for your help.The walking is the easy part, but asking for dollars is not. In making this commitment, I have committed (or maybe I SHOULD BE committed) to raising $2,200 to help fight Breast Cancer. I know that I have plenty of time to meet my goal, but I am hoping to meet it early and even surpass it. I am asking for your support in this adventure and consider making a fully-tax deductible donation. A dollar for every mile would be wonderful, but I am grateful for what ever you can do.You can also donate directly online athttp://www.the3day.org/philadelphia07/kimmalvarado.Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope that you’ll share in this incredible experience with me. Please feel free to forward this information on to anyone who you think would like to help in my adventure and to find a cure for this deadly disease.All my best,Kimm Alvarado

Apple, anyone?

I have to say that I love NYC. I had never been there until last summer. Now I try to visit every few months. I am only about 2 hrs away by train (and the train station is a 5 minute walk from my apartment).

This past weekend, my sister and I went to see Beauty and the Beast before the final performance on July 29th. It was.....amazing.

Afterwards, we went to the coolest of cool restaurants, The Jekyll and Hyde Club. People are dressed up in costumes and it's kind of like eating in a haunted house. Prices are not overly expensive, for NY (about $30-$40 per person) but be warned.....CASH OR AMERICAN EXPRESS ONLY!!!!!

We also did a fair bit of walking around the Times Square area.

I can't wait to go back!

LAWN SALE FOR THE CURE!!

**Lawn Sale**
90 Fairview Ave
Verona, NJ
All Profits Donated:

Susan G. Komen for The Cure

Sat. July 7th; 9am – 4pm
Sun. July 8th; 10am – 3pm

House wares
Antique Library Cabinet
Old Hand Tools
Kids Games/Toys
…. and lots more, come see!!

NO EARLY BIRDS PLEASE!

REMEMBER:
All the profits from this lawn sale are being donated to Susan G. Komen for The Cure through two ladies who are participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day. This is a 60-mile walk to raise money for awareness, research, and education about breast cancer. Please help us in any way you can! You can get to all of our donation pages from our blog: http://pinkpenguinteam.blogspot.com/
A HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT DONATED TO US TO HELP MAKE THIS DAY POSSIBLE!!

It's the little things that count!!!

I have to admit to being a bit disappointed in the slowing down of incoming donations. I am still taking in between $10 and $20 a week from collection jars, but that is a far cry from the $50+ I was collecting in the beginning.

It's a natural thing.....these kinds of things go in cycles. But there still is that teeny feeling of "let down".

Today, however, I received a very nice surprise. MONTHS ago, when I was first registered, I printed and cut out 300 pink paper ribbons. The goal was to sell them for $1.00 at local stores. That idea kind of got pushed to the back of my mind as I was focusing on the bigger and more detailed fundraisers. Then on a whim, about 3 weeks ago, I decided to drop a few off at a deli up the road from where I work.....as a trial. The manager agreed to ask the owner about displaying them and I left my number for them to call with a Yes or No.

I never heard anything and I was so busy with things that I never bothered to attempt to call and speak with the owner personally.

This morning, I stopped in to pick up a breakfast sandwich. I was honestly expecting for them to hand me back the ribbons with a "thanks, but no thanks". Instead, the manager was very excited to show me that she had all but 3 ribbons "sold" and she said she had a few people who had agreed to stop back this Friday (payday).

I cannot tell you how excited I was over finding out that I had another $20 donation!!! It's not that much when compared with some of the checks I have coming to me from corporate sponsors, but it still meant as much to me as some of those bigger donations. First of all, because it was unexpected. Secondly, because it has shown me that all it takes is a little change in direction to keep moving forward. I am now motivated to go out and get some other businesses to sell the ribbons.

Phew! So much going on....

GO HEATHER!! You Are so Good!! Keep It Up!!

We may have another "Penguin" joining our Team ladies!! Keep an eye out!! How exciting is that??
The Jersey garage sale will be the weekend of July 7 & 8, in Verona, NJ; on Fairview Ave. I will post more details as we get closer. We are currently accepting donations to be sold there. All the money raised will be donated, of course, to Susan G. Komen for the Cure (& the National Philanthropic Trust, as noted on www.the3day.org ). All the items pictured below will be available, as well as your usual garage sale items. We have a lot of terrific new and like new items donated so far, and are expecting many more. There will also be FREE informational breast cancer handouts available.

(We are thinking of face panting, or may be temporary tattoos for the kids, but we have to see what kinds of things are allowed through the town first. we have a lot ideas, but need to see what will be allowed.)

This weekend there will be two "Official Training Walks" being held by an Official Training Walk Leader, right here in NORTH JERSEY in my (ok, I will share) very own VERONA PARK!! oh, oh, my...I better sit down, my heart is all a flutter, I think I feel the vapors coming on.....oh, wait I am sitting, sorry. So, you may ask, how did little Old VERONA PARK get so lucky as to be bestowed this wonderous, most magnificent honor??? Well.....that would be because, little old me wanted to have people to walk with here, and a place to walk. So I signed up to become a Walk Leader, and the rest is written right above. If you go to www.the3day.org and click on the calendar tab, then scroll to training walks, and over to New Jersey, this week will come up. There you will see Verona Park, Verona New Jersey. Big as Day.

WE ARE FAMOUS!!! WOO HOO!!

i am sure there is plenty more for me to say...but i am off to bed now! night night everyone!! hopefully more tomorrow....and news about the walk!!

Fundraising is done...time to walk

I have pretty much met my fundraising goals. I am not quite at the $2200 mark yet, but with the few events I have left on the schedule, I will be there within a month.

Now it's time to WALK. I've been going out 1-2 days a week, 4-6 miles each time for the past few weeks. This week I am going ot go back to following the actual training schedule that the 3Day has recommended.

I seem to have an inability to multi-task. If I'm in fundraising mode, walking takes a backseat. When I'm walking, fundraising suffers. Guess the lesson here is for me to start my fundraising early (for next year's walk) so I can focus entirely on training once the 24 week countdown starts.

PS: I also am having a fundraising yard sale. This one is NOWHERE NEAR VERONA NEW JERSEY!!! LOL. It will actually be in Bloomsburg, PA on June 30/July1. In addition to yard sale type items, my aunt and I will be doing a bake sale/hot dog stand.

Breast Cancer Items Added

Hello Everyone! Sammie Here,

Don't you just L-O-V-E the picture of the Penguin that Heather posted? I know that I do. But then I happen to love PENGUINS!! THEY TOTALLY RULE!! YEAH!!

ok. ok. sorry....I just wanted to let you know that I posted some photos of some Breast Cancer Items that we will have for sale at our up comming garage/lawn sale. We also have plenty of Literature and lots of knowledge on the subject. <----that, is all FREE! It will be on July 7 & 8 in Verona, NJ. We are looking for any donations towards this sale that anyone would like to give. All you need to is get in contact with us (Barbara or Samantha for this one).

As long as you are in a 10/15 mile radius of Verona, and the items are not big, bulky, are in working order, and not trash, we will pick them up or we can arrange for you to drop them off to us. We would like to see pictures before we come to pick anything up though. I do not aim to be rude, but please keep in mind, the cost of gas, and that this is a fundraiser.

Anything that is still left at the end of the day Sunday will be donated to appropriate charity organizations.

Thank you!!

Samantha
Team Captain

Hello from Heather

Hello all. My name is Heather. I am living in Bucks County, PA and am proud to be a penguin! I love penguins, which is why I joined this team (even though they are from Jersey and not exactly around the corner).

This is my first year doing the walk and I am a bundle of emotions. Nervousness that I have bitten off more than I can chew. Excitement about being part of such an amazing thing. Fear (at least initially) about approaching people to ask for money.

I registered in mid-march and have already raised $1500. Not all of it is reflected on my donation page. Some of it is in the form of loose change (from collection jars I have scattered about), which I plan on depositing into my savings account as soon as I fill my BIG jar up. Some of it is in the form of checks from businesses, which I have to mail in (or have already mailed in and am just waiting for the donation to be posted). I still have several fundraisers planned over the next few months, so I am really confident that I will be able to hit my $2200 mark and then some.

OK, enuff 3 Day stuff. Now a little about me. I am 35, live outside Philly, was raised in the Poconos. I am a hybrid of country girl and city girl. I LOVE animals. I LOVE Harry Potter (7-21-07 can't come soon enough! But JK better NOT kill off Ron!!!). I am a complete slob. I have recently gotten into a Broadway Musical kick thanks to my younger sister, Erin. She begged me to take her and her friends to see Rent last summer and I was hooked. This year we've seen Grease as well as Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat at local dinner theaters. This summer we are going to see Beauty and the Beast before it leaves Broadway.

Guess that's all for now.

YEAH! The First Post!

Hello Everyone!!


Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!


We finally have our blog up and going for our Pink Penguin Team!! WooHoo!! Please take a look around to see what is here and remember to come and visit often. I believe that there is some kind of link around here someplace that lets you know anytime we post something new. Since this is my first foray into the whole Blog thing maybe Heather can help us out with that. By the way, check out her blog...it's great! There is a link down there someplace.


The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a 60-mile walk over the course of three days. Net proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust, funding important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment.

I just wanted to get a quick note up here to say hello to all our adoring fans :)! Please


Thanks for visiting! More soon!
Samantha