Monthly Archives: June 2013

Remembering Bridget

The 2013 San Francisco Bay Area 3-Day was emotional to many participants for a multitude of reasons. For the 3-Day Staff, the memory of a fellow 3-Day coach – and friend – made the weekend even more poignant. One person in particular was in their hearts – Bridget Spence. Bridget had been a 3-Day coach and walker since 2006, and shared her very personal journey with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer with the world in her blog, My Big Girl Pants. Bridget passed away on April 4, 2013 and those who knew and loved her are facing their first 3-Day season without her. Coach Melissa Pinkney shared her thoughts and memories of Bridget.

When did you first meet Bridget?
“It was at the Boston 3-Day in 2011. Until that point, my only contact with Bridget was over the phone. In Boston, I remember how she came up to me like we had been friends for decades.”

What was it like to know her?
“She made you feel as though you were the most important person to her in that moment. She loved to fuss over people, make them smile, feel needed and comforted. With her, you always knew you were special.” Continue reading →

Surprise Donations

Joan and her daughter, Amanda share a special Chicago 3-Day moment

Joan and her daughter, Amanda share a special Chicago 3-Day moment

Many people go into fundraising thinking they know who won’t donate, who will, and how much they will give. But there’s a common experience among 3-Day walkers – the surprise donation! Joan DeFilippo, 3-Day coach and 10-year 3-Day walker and crew member, has been on the lucky receiving end of an unexpected surprise. Here’s what she had to say about it:

  • Even experienced fundraisers can face hesitation. “Every year when I write my letter, I take a momentary pause before hitting the ‘send’ button. But I tell myself, ‘If I don’t ask, I won’t get.’” Continue reading →

A Busy Mom’s Guide to Training

One of the biggest challenges of the 3-Day is the time it can take to prepare. With my San Diego 3-Day four months away, it’s time to start training. My routine is to do a 3-4 mile walk each morning (or as often as I can), and add longer walks to the weekends. I use the Virtual Personal Trainer email to keep me on track, and I forgive myself if I can’t get in every mile every week!

Debby Rich, a training walk leader and six-time Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day walker echoes the sentiments on the importance of training while sharing her own motivation for being a 3-Day participant.

  • Find a time that works for you and stick to it. Weekends are Debby’s only opportunity to walk, and she takes her weekend training seriously. Debby said, “If you can follow the weekend training schedule, even if your ‘weekend’ is on a Monday and Tuesday, you can do the walk without any problems.” Continue reading →