Before last year’s Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Series, we introduced the local coaches from each Komen 3-Day. These are the staff members who support the walkers and crew members all year round, answering phone calls and emails, hosting community events, assigning crew captains and juggling dozens of other tasks to make sure that the 3-Day® participants make it to their events excited and well prepared.

Since we gave you the coaches’ full profiles last year, we’ll delight you with just a fun update before each event this year. The Philadelphia 3-Day coaches are in the spotlight this week (you can read last year’s “Meet the Philadelphia Coaches” here)!

What was your favorite memory from the 2014 3-Day?

Jen (Philadelphia Participant Coach) – A favorite memory I had from working at the 2014 Michigan 3-Day was when I was doing overnight security. One of the volunteers helping out that night was a police officer who shared his personal story with me around 3 a.m. while we were chatting in the parking lot. I dissolved into tears in the middle of the night! It was a very powerful and emotional story and a great connection made in the wee hours.Joanne (Philadelphia Local Events Coach) – I was new to the 3-Day staff last year, and getting myself up to speed before the Philadelphia event was difficult and stressful. My favorite part of the 2014 Philadelphia 3-Day was after Closing Ceremony, seeing the work I did unfold so successfully. Having been the new kid on the block, it was so rewarding.

Joanne (second from right) and kids

Melanie (Philadelphia Crew & Volunteer Coordinator) – My favorite part of the event in 2014 was gathering together as one large crew in the Participant Finish Area before Closing Ceremony. It was a special moment to celebrate all that we had accomplished together over the past 4 days.

Melanie (left)

Fun facts about the Philadelphia 3-Day Coaches – Can you guess which fun fact is true about which coach? (There are 3 facts about each coach; answers will be at the end of the Atlanta 3-Day coaches’ check-in later in October!)

1. I love chocolate and champagne.
2. I am a HUGE Paul McCartney fan. Oh, and of course the Fab Four!
3. I recently had foot surgery for a torn ligament, and I just finished six weeks on a knee scooter. My nearly 3 year-old son was the only one sad to see it go since we were “scooter buddies” over the last several weeks!
4. I played the clarinet for 4 years as a kid and squeaked on the violin for 2 years.
5. My husband and I share the exact same birthday. I am about 8 hours older, which I like to say makes me older and wiser.
6. I’m obsessed with whale watching and could stare at the ocean for hours in hopes that I might see a splash, a spray, a fin or a tail.
7. I was an English teacher in Poland in the mid-1990s and did some breast cancer awareness projects while living there.
8. I walked my first 3-Day in San Francisco in 2004 and crewed Philadelphia in 2008.
9. I’m going to Italy next year with my daughter (shhh, the other kids don’t know yet!).

Looking for the answers from the Seattle Coaches’ Fun Facts post? Here they are!

1) Aubrey; 2) Jon; 3) Aubrey; 4) Paula; 5) Jon; 6) Paula; 7) Jon; 8) Aubrey; 9) Paula