October is right around the corner. Of course it is breast cancer awareness month, but as you know I support and participate in activities all year. This summer we walked in the 2011 North Texas Race for the Cure, and October happens to be the month for Dallas’ event. If you are interested in making a donation toward my walk, here is my fundraising page for this event.

As always, I appreciate any support you can give– both monetarily and with encouragement.

It was still a pretty (albeit hot) morning, but we headed out early to beat the crowds and make our way to the starting line.

There was a nice breeze, especially around the water at HP Headquarters while we checked in and picked up our race bibs and t-shirts. We were ready to enjoy the day!

The 5K was easy this year– might have something to do with all the practice Nikki and I have gotten in the past few years, or the month at the gym Dave and I spent. Afterward we wandered around the festival and picked up some freebies. It’s always fun to see the cheerleaders and support from the community too.

We especially missed our friend Cathy and her husband David this year, but we bought her a butterfly to let her know we were thinking about her. Of course Dave’s mom was on my mind as well. We are already looking forward to next year’s race. Thank you to everyone for your support, as always.

Interested in our walks from previous years? Here are some links to 2010, Summer 2009, Fall 2009, 2008. I wish I had posted about all of them, so I’m glad I finally made time to come back and write about this year.

I admire everything Bumble Bee does to raise money for those impacted by breast cancer. They have a wonderful program where you can log your fitness miles (walking, biking, running) called BeeWell for Life. Each mile translates to a monetary donation to the charity Y-ME, which is dedicated to providing immediate emotional relief to anyone affected by breast cancer. Back when I was training for the 3-Day I logged a lot of miles. It’s also a fun place to track your meals and workouts, so you can benefit too while doing your part to raise money for breast cancer support. See? It’s a win-win.

You can follow @BeeWellforLife on Twitter too, and join in on their #Tag4Cancer game. Each tweet using the #Tag4Cancer hashtag and tagging a friend will help raise awareness for the cause and their program plus you earn an entry toward winning an awesome prize– an iPad2!

You can also sign up for the 2011 Y-ME Race at Your Pace on Mother’s Day, May 8. Here’s a sneak peak at what you will experience, and thanks again to Bumble Bee for all they do for this cause:

I love a challenge though, and I figure once I hit publish on this post I will have to go through with it. Right? Right. On the plus side, you can also walk the 13.1 miles. I already know I can do that, so my plan is to push myself and train as if I were going to run jog. It is my first time after all. I wouldn’t want to kill myself (or my bad knees).

I’m all registered for 2011. You can support me here. My goal is to raise at least $500 for Susan G. Komen. Y’all want to see me run, right? If so, you’ll donate. Otherwise I will be able to say I couldn’t participate because I didn’t meet my fundraising minimum. That would be all kinds of sad. I won’t be participating as a walker in the 3-Day for the Cure this year, so this will be the only time I ask for donations next year. Promise.

To those of you who donated, supported me all year, sent us mail at camp, and came out to support Nikki and I at the cheering stations during our 60 mile journey… thank you! It was an incredible three days, and while I am still resting and recouping from soreness and the flu I wanted to tell you all how much I appreciate you.

I will be posting (with more photos) in the next few days about the experience, and will also be sending thank-you cards to my donors and supporters toward the end of the month. If I don’t have your home address and you would like one, please let me know. You can leave a comment here, or if you would like to send your address privately, my e-mail address is laurie_pooh@yahoo.com.

I could not have done this without all of you. Nikki and I have been overwhelmed by your support of our continued efforts to help raise funds to find a cure of this disease.

BUT… I was recently contacted about a sponsorship opportunity from All Plus Sized Bras who are looking to give $250 to one person who is participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure this year. I entered a short little essay about why I am participating and why I would be a good candidate for the sponsorship, and was selected as one of ten finalists. You have the entire month of September to vote for me and it truly takes less than a minute to do. Easy Peasy. Pinkie swear.

Also, they posted the address to send mail to Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day walkers at camp today. After walking 20 miles on Day 1, you have no idea how amazing it is to return to camp to a handful of letters from your friends and family. You are tired. Broken. Emotional. Your feet might be full of blisters. You’re sore. But opening a letter in which someone says they are proud of you, thinking of you, and routing for you? That is what gives you the motivation to keep going… to walk a second and third day. I still have all of the letters I received during my first event. I read them sometimes when I am feeling down, or am extra worried about making my fundraising and training goals.

I won’t beg (too much), but here’s the address for this year. I would appreciate a little snail mail love if you have a little bit of free time to throw something together:

Laurie Brosius
3-Day for the Cure Post Office
P.O. Box 6244
McKinney, TX 75071-6244

They have to be postmarked by October 25, and I will send a few more reminders with my monthly updates. Thanks so much for all of the support and donations.

Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.

I have always loved that quote by Anne Frank. After spending two entire days sitting in front of Walmart with my best friend fundraising for breast cancer, it is even more ingrained in my head and heart.

I am amazed by the generosity of strangers. Amazed. I realize that not everyone is willing or would want to give money to two sweaty and sunburned women sitting at a folding table decorated in pink and plastic ducks. Even though we wore matching shirts, we didn’t exactly look official. I am inspired by the willingness of others to put trust in us. I don’t think I will ever stop appreciating the collective good that is out there in the world. I am so thankful that my participation in these events has given that gift to me.

We meet and talk to a lot of people. Women who were just diagnosed. Daughters who are missing their mothers, grandmothers, and aunts. Sons who aren’t afraid to wear a pink bracelet proudly. Husbands who have lost their wives. Nikki says those are the hardest ones for her. The men? They silently drop money into the bucket and give us a thumbs up or simply say “thank-you for doing this,” and continue on their way. Some will add a, “I lost my wife __ years ago.” We see a lot of pain.

In 2008 when we were packing up our garage sale for the day, an older man pulled up and parked along the curb. He walked over to us and told us about losing his wife. He said he didn’t have any cash and that he was going through a hard time, but that he wanted to do something to thank us for what we were doing. He ran back to his car and came back with a package of Pepperidge Farm cookies in a pink bag. He said he had just gone grocery shopping, and that he tries to buy products like that to support the cause and remember her. He insisted that we take them. I am pretty sure I will never forget that. This disease destroys so many lives.

Today a woman and her daughter approached the table. The mother told us that her daughter wanted to donate a few dollars of her own money. She talked to us for a few minutes about some friends and family members of hers who have gone through breast cancer, and asked us about why we were doing it. Then she looked at her daughter, and she said that someday she would be taking our places at the table. Nikki quickly told her that no, there would be no need for that because there will be a cure by then. She told the woman about her own daughter, and that making sure she doesn’t have to go through it is such a big part of why she is doing it too. The woman said she had not thought about it in that way, and said that she was right. I am so proud to be her friend.

Oh, and in my book? The People of Walmart are A-Okay.

This year marks the very first 1,000 Cooks for the Cure, a nationwide event initiated by KitchenAid in conjunction with its Cook for the Cure® program benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Between July 16-18, cooks all over the United States are joining together to make a difference by sharing their culinary talents with friends and family all for a good cause – to help end breast cancer forever.

I have joined them by signing up to host a party, and you can too. It’s easy to sign up on their site, and they also have included a party guide with tips to help you plan the perfect soiree or simple gathering. You can also print donation forms to pass out to your guests.

I was the 35th cook to sign up, and you can make a donation to my party online on the Susan G. Komen Cook for the Cure website. My Cook ID # is 35.

Among the Cook for the Cure items on KitchenAid’s website (many on sale right now, by the way), is the Pass the Plate serving dish ($24.99). The purpose of this dish is to make one of your favorite recipes, put it on the plate, and pass it to a friend. KitchenAid will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® every time a plate is passed and registered. You can also earn one of these plates for free if you register to host a party and raise $50 by September 30.

I am looking forward to sharing the details of my party with you here next week. As a thank-you for attending my party both online and in person, anyone who makes a donation will be entered to win this KitchenAid Cook for the Cure® Set of 3 Mixing Bowls.

Would you be willing to Pass the Plate? Let me know, and I just might send it in your direction. Also, if you make a donation, please let me know so that I may enter your name in the drawing. Have a great rest of the week and weekend!

It is rare (if ever) that you will receive a card from me that is not from Hallmark. Except that one time. I hope they will forgive me for that. To be fair, I sent Hallmark New Years cards a few weeks later.

My very first job when I was in high school was also at Hallmark. My parents probably got tired of me dragging them in there to look at stationary, so they figured I would “get it out of my system” if I had to spend 8 hours (or more) up there. AS. IF. The intent of getting the job there was to save money for living expenses when I moved away to college, but errr… a lot of my paycheck went right back into the store.

It was pretty fabulous. I got to spend all day reading cards (while putting them away), gift wrapping presents, and building displays. One of my very favorite weekends was always the Keepsake Ornament Premiere. Each store had a theme, and all the employees dressed up. We’d have a staff party at the store the night before to set up and get ready. It was like a great big slumber party. Christmas in July is so. much. fun.

This weekend was the 2010 Premiere, and I have to share my find for all my fellow 3-Day walkers and supporters. I am so glad they did another breast cancer ornament (this is the 11th year Hallmark has done one, by the way). This year’s is just as pretty as the 2009 Komen ornament (which was such a great tribute for us walkers), if not more so. Love. it. I had to snag one for myself, but I have plans on getting it for several friends and family members too. It is $14.95, and $2 from the purchase of each goes to Komen. Also… I happened to win one of the ahem, Twilight Ornaments from the Hallmark blog. SQUEE. I know a certain BFF (name withheld to protect the innocently obsessed) who will have no problem hanging Edward from her tree or anywhere else she deems appropriate.

So there you have it. I am sure you will have no problem finding something there to hang on your family’s tree. It has been a tradition in my family since forever, and will be for many, many years.

That job never led to writing greeting cards, but that okay. I did go back to work for them as a second job when I was out of college. Not because I needed the money, but because I loved it that much. Yes, seriously.

On the fundraising front, I am only about $650 shy of the minimum needed to participate in the event. I am looking forward to being at that goal so that I can focus my attention on training. $2,300 is kind of a daunting amount of money to raise, but I have been very lucky to have great friends and companies who have helped me out. Obviously I still have until November, so I am optimistic. We have been busy with fundraisers, which you can read about and follow on our 3-Day for the Cure blog. I car hopped at Sonic over the weekend with Nikki and our husbands! Yes, in the heat! It was a lot of fun! Craig and Nikki had pink glittery hair. There are a few pictures up on the blog.

Also I wanted to mention that Deuce Brand has designed a Komen Pink Ribbon watch and will be donating $2 from the purchase of each (they are only $20) to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I love mine, and they are offering to give away two to my readers. Hop over to Our3Day.com for the details on how to enter. I have been wearing it everywhere and am getting so many complements. It is perfect for working out, and raising awareness at the same time. They also come in a rainbow of colors, and I have to admit I’m tempted to buy a bunch of other colors to coordinate and accessorize. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!