Avon Walk 2014 - D.C.

Around New Years, I opened a fortune cookie to find this piece of advice: If you continually give, you will continually have. As though the Chinese food spirits knew my spring plans, it immediately got me thinking about the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and how I felt starting my 6^th journey. Each year I give my time, money and heart to this cause. Why? I give because I believe there is hope for a future without breast cancer. I give because I’ve seen both pain and survival. I give because this community of philanthropists inspires me to do more. I give because I can. So then you may ask, what do I get out of it? I’ll tell you. Hope. Love. Strength. And so much more…

One of my favorite things about the Avon Walk is the opportunity to get others involved. Granted most of my friends and family choose to participate as donors and/or cheerleaders, there are a select few women each year who choose to join me as Walkers. Team Tit-Tastic has been as big as eight members and as small as two (just mom and me in 2013), but a force to be proud of nonetheless. So in mid-January I sent out an email to former teammates, friends and family hoping for a few brave souls to join the 2014 team. My mom was ready to tackle another year and two ADPi sisters, Lauren and Anna, signed on as well. I couldn’t wait to get started – I knew this team would be special.

In my first email to the team each year, I like to include a quote that’s resonated with me for a while now: “The greatest thing you can do in your life is – with pride, with power – to ask somebody to change the world. Worlds can be changed a dollar at a time, five dollars at a time. And when somebody is feeling powerless in life, what makes them feel great is when they give. When you give, you feel generous. When you feel generous, you feel powerful.” This quote reminds me that I’m asking my teammates to join me in changing the world. I’m asking my donors to join me in changing the world. I’m asking myself to continue dedicating my life to changing the world.

I won’t bore you with the highs and lows of fundraising, but rest assured, January through May brought forth many solicitation emails, quite a bit of social media posting and teammates constantly motivating each other to push harder to achieve our $1800 minimums.

Toward the end of January I got a call from my mom with some fun news! Guess what she found while surfing the Avon website? Team Tit-Tastic holding the Food & Friends sign back in 2012. What an honor to be featured on the page of a program that has provided 1 million home-delivered, nutritious meals and specialized nutrition support to more than 2,250 breast cancer clients and their families in Washington D.C.!

At the beginning of February, the Avon Walk held a Great Start Party. In my six years participating in this Walk, I’d never been, so I was excited to check out what the evening had to offer. Anna and I were the only two teammates able to attend, so we arrived, grabbed some food and took a look around. There were probably 200 people there – a much larger crowd than I was expecting. It was a mix of veteran Walkers, rookie Walkers and people who hadn’t registered yet looking for more information. A few speeches were made – sweet and tear-jerking as I expected. There was a table to check out Reebok gear, a banner from a past year to take your photo in front of, a raffle (oh my goodness, I won a foot spa/massage thing!) and some other information tables. All in all it was a good night and I’m glad we went if for no other reason than to get a little more pumped about the coming months.

 

The next important matter for our team was creating t-shirts. Each year I ask that team members brainstorm slogans and imagery to reflect our journey, then come together and pick one best suited for us as a whole. This year, to mix things up, we decided to ditch the pink (I know, it was scary for me, too) and go with red, white and blue writing. It made sense – we Walk in the U.S. capital. And it would be different – we’d definitely stand out in the crowd on Walk Weekend.  Thus was created – Star Spangled Boobs!

Later in February, it was time to make a huge cut. Haircut that is! While I do love (and prefer) my long hair, I know that someone out there needs it more than I do. I’ve felt really good about donating to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths campaign for the past several years and love seeing friends and family donate, too. Here is a beautiful video of a 3-year old little girl donating her hair. I dare you not to cry...

Another one of my favorite things about the Avon Walk is the attention they pay to milestones. By mid-March of this year, I reached the $1800 minimum and a few days later, I received a postcard from my Walker Buddy congratulating me on the accomplishment. That made me feel great! And then a few weeks later, I surpassed a 6-year total of $21,000 raised, and received a phone call from the NYC office. Of course I’m always striving for more and want to push my goals further, but every once in a while I have to remember to just stop and smile. I want to make a difference and I want to show others that they too can make a difference. I am doing what I set out to do 6 years ago – changing the world one dollar at a time – and amidst all the fundraising and training, I have to give myself a pat on the back.

With such a busy work schedule this spring, the month of April went by in a flash and before I knew it, it was Walk Weekend! First on the agenda was Event Eve – an evening hosted at a D.C. hotel where Walkers can turn in any last minute donations, get their tenting assignments, purchase items from Avon, Nike and Reebok, sign up for next year’s Walk (you know I did!), take fun pictures, grab more swag and meet other Walkers. I just love the energy and feel proud walking among both rookie and veteran philanthropists!  One new thing for me this year – I was asked to be a Volunteer Spokesperson during Walk Weekend. That basically means that I get a special button that reads Avon Walk Media Walker and if media outlets are looking for a Walker to speak with at any time during the weekend, the Avon staff have my phone number and will pull me aside to do an interview. I’d never applied for this before, so I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity.

Our wake-up call was bright and early – 4:30 a.m.! We rushed around checking everything twice and then head into D.C. In the car my mom fastened my ribbons, because she’s just so much better at it than I am. These ribbons have the names of my donors and their loved ones and are safety pinned to my Camelback. Their names and hearts are with me through the 48-hour journey and I believe, provide me with strength and encouragement. I could not imagine the Avon Walk without my donors. They are my support system. They are my friends and family. They are the ones I’m fighting for. I am honored to Walk for them.

We get to Opening Ceremonies at the Washington Monument and I am overcome with excitement! Another weekend is here and another journey is about to begin! We fill our Camelbacks with water, visit the restrooms and start taking pictures (obviously). We get a great shot of the team with the Washington Monument in the background, wearing our Star Spangled Boob shirts proudly… we get one of my father with an Every 3 Minutes ribbon around his neck because he is the cutest cheerleader ever… we get one of the team and my father with our Tit-Tastic banner that attracts quite a few looks and requested photos from other teams (my mom is a quilting beast)… we get one of the thousand Walkers warming up with some stretching and upbeat music… we get one of the sign that shows D.C. raised $4.5 million this year!

And then we’re off – in a sea of pink (and our red, white and blue) – on the 39.3 mile journey that is the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer! We pass the Jefferson Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Capitol Building… cars pass us and honk and wave… some groups of Walkers speed away while others take photos like tourists seeing this beautiful city for the first time… Mile 1 comes and goes quickly… I give high fives to the crossing guards at busy intersections (some of whom I recognize and are helping in their 10^th Walk)… I read all the shirts that Walk near me – “I walk for babes everywhere,” “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boobs,” “For Tits and Giggles.”

At Mile 6 we spot our first team cheerleaders – Marj & Olivia – dear friends since childhood! It’s so nice to see familiar faces – it sparks our energy and gives us yet another opportunity to take photos (as though I need a reason). They are holding a sign that says “Sara and SherriJoyce have our backs AND our fronts!” Awesome. At this point Papi, who always walks the first few miles with the team, decides to head back home to the pups. We bid him farewell and continue on the journey.

At the Mile 8 rest stop I see my jammin’ friend Kari and grab a few graham cracker with peanut butter sandwiches. If you’ve ever done the Walk, or have ever listened to me talk about the Walk, you know these sandwiches are the bomb. Around Mile 9, Lauren’s friends come to meet us and walk a few miles. We pass a group of male cheerleaders, one of whom has a sign cut out so his hands fit through that reads “Free Mammograms.” Love it. At this time, my mom decides she’s gone as far as she can on her first day. I’m proud of her for knowing and listening to her own body. We will eat lunch together and then see her later that evening at the Wellness Village.

Lunch is always at the 13.1 mile / half marathon mark, which is good because we are starving by that point! We hunker down to devour our turkey sandwiches, apples, carrots and Gatorade before continuing on for the 2^nd half of our journey on day one. Before we head out though, one of the Avon volunteers, who is wearing a Captain America shirt, asks to take a photo with us. We oblige of course! Around the 15 Mile mark, another awesome photo opportunity – there are a group of cheerleaders with a cut out sign for “selfies.” Dictionary definition = a self portrait photograph, typically taken with a camera phone OR a breast exam that saves lives. #crushedit

At Mile 18 we welcome even more cheerleaders – our sorority sisters Rachel and Debra, 5 months pregnant and brand new baby in tow, respectively. Talk about pi love! They walk with us until around Mile 21 and then we say goodbye with a smile. Soon after, Lauren decides that with the massive pain in her feet she needs to stop at Mile 23. I can tell it’s a very tough choice for her to make, because we are so close to the full 26.2 miles for day one, but when your body tells you something, you need to listen. A shuttle bus comes to sweep her up and Anna and I, the last two standing, continue on for the final three miles. Which were HARD. These miles are not only the final three in your 26-mile journey that day, but are in the back wood trails of the Wellness Village (which is in a park) so there isn’t much to look at besides trees. We just kept pushing each other, telling ourselves that we could do it and that the pain is almost over and we should be grateful that we’re able to walk this at all!

Around 6:00 p.m. we finally arrived at the Wellness Village! My mom and Lauren were waiting for us with open arms and hungry stomachs. We decided to put our gear in the tents (which were set up already, thankfully, by the Youth Crew) and get some carb-filled dinner before showering and heading to bed. Every piece of pasta was like a little taste of heaven. Showering was everything. And going to bed at 9:00 p.m. was the perfect end to a wonderful day.

Our wake-up call was bright and early – 6:00 a.m.! Before even getting out of my sleeping bag, I post a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Papi, who shares his day with the Avon Walk each year. He is literally the best. When I finally leave the tent to grab some breakfast, I’m happy to see that both Lauren and Anna had received Every 3 Minutes ribbons during the night. Background – every 3 minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer. On Avon Walk weekend, crew members pass out one ribbon every 3 minutes to Walkers and volunteers. I have been fortunate enough to receive four ribbons in my six years of Walking. I use the word fortunate because I am proud to wear these ribbons for the millions of men and women affected by breast cancer. Even now as I write this, I am brought to tears because I feel just how important it is to raise awareness.

Before heading out on the route, which opened at 7:30 a.m., I wanted our team to get a photo with the Youth Crew. These kids are amazing – they are between the ages of 13 and 17, they raise money for the cause, and they cheer us on all weekend. Many of them have been affected by breast cancer and they tell us their stories during dinner at the Wellness Village. It breaks your heart to hear of their losses, but it also warms your heart to see how much they value being a part of the solution.

Around Mile 6, we were visited by even more cheerleaders – our ADPi sister Ali and her husband Jeff, along with their two dogs. These pups sure did put a pep in our step, especially with the superhero capes they were wearing! After a few miles they said goodbye and we were greeted by Papi again, who walked the rest of the way with us. Then at Mile 11 we were visited by even more ADPi sisters – Eve and Avi! I’ll tell you – having friends and family come see you on the route is such a boost. They are supporting your efforts, they are giving you something other than the pain to think about, they are high energy and full of smiles! And when they take those steps with you – whether it be for 1 mile or 10, it truly emphasizes that we are all in this together.

When we round the corner near the Washington Monument and can see the finish line, a surge of emotions run through me. I am relieved that the physical walking is over, but I am missing the weekend already. I am proud of the money we’ve raised in D.C., but I know we have more work to do. I am savoring the last moments with my teammates, hoping they’ll come back for another year, but hoping beyond measure that next year it won't be necessary. We clasp each other’s hands and walk through the finish line, having accomplished a great 48-hour challenge together.

I am so lucky that every year I share moments of love, passion and strength with thousands of inspiring souls at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Together we support the fighters, admire the survivors, honor the taken, and never, ever give up hope. It is a beautiful piece of my life's journey for which I am beyond grateful.

PHOTOS FROM OUR WALK>>

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2013 D.C. Walk blog>>
2013 D.C. Walk photos>>

2012 D.C. Walk blog>>

2012 D.C. Walk photos>>

2011 Chicago Walk blog>>

2011 Chicago Walk photos>>

2010 NYC Walk blog>>

2010 NYC Walk photos>>