Meet the 3-Day Team: Karen Odell, Atlanta Coach

We are lucky to work with some of the best in our 3-Day family. From coaches to volunteer coordinators to event planners, we are always working to make your sixty miles the best they can be! With that in mind, we are highlighting some of our amazing team members each month, so you can get to know the people working to help you every day.

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Our 3-Day rock star of the month is Karen Odell, a new coach for our Atlanta 3-Day. She will be out and about in the community, working with our amazing participants to help bring new walkers and more awareness to the Atlanta 3?Day this year.

Karen has just re-joined the 3-Day team working with a lung cancer non-profit, and she is very happy to be settled in with the Atlanta 3-Day team.

“I love the nature trails along the river. We have several miles of hiking that take you along beautiful hilly stretches and lead to lovely views of the Chattahoochee River!”

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The trails are perfect for 3-Day training for Atlanta natives, and walkers from all cities should keep an eye out for Karen on the event.

“I am looking forward to reconnecting with participants and volunteers who I haven’t seen in a few years. It is wonderful to see how many are still engaged with the event!”

That includes Karen herself, who became involved with the 3-Day after realizing she had a true passion for cancer research fundraising. She then turned that passion into her daily work, and now focuses her work “to drive registrations to the best of my ability, to connect and communicate with participants on a personal level and to ensure that the event experience is of the highest standard.”

Have a question or a concern? Don’t worry! Karen says the 3-Day is “easier than you expect,” and encourages first-time walkers, potential walkers, and even veterans to reach out to her.

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“We are available to coach and mentor you through the journey and have the tools to make sure you succeed. I think when we have the opportunity to meet face-to-face and introduce new participants to our seasoned veterans, they are put at ease and realize this event is something they can do!”

That support also helps participants to create their own experience as they trek those 60 miles.

“The 3-Day is unique for each participant because everyone comes to it with a different perspective and world view. When they arrive on event, all the training and hard work culminate in an experience that unfolds as uniquely their own. Although the experience is shared with many, each person creates their own personal journey.”

Want to know more about Karen’s journey? Offer her a trip to Greece or some seriously good seafood, and she just might tell you! These are a few of the Southern girl’s favorite things, along with tunes by Florence and the Machine, The Eurhythmics, Paul Simon and Prince.

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Plus, if she ever needs a new career, she could always be a chef or an actress! She earned a culinary degree, and was also an extra on Saturday Night Live before joining the 3-Day team. So, when you see her on the Atlanta 3-Day, feel free to tell her a joke or share a recipe, as well as asking any of your questions about the 3-Day.

See you in Atlanta!

Monday Motivation: Inspiring Quotes from our 3-Day Playlist

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There’s nothing like a good song to perk up your Monday morning. It gets you moving and grooving and puts a smile on your face, even if you’re just heading into the office. Good music also keeps us motivated and gets our feet moving at the start of each day of our 3-Day walks.

To keep you motivated this Monday, we are sharing some of our favorite uplifting lyrics from our 3-Day playlists. These are perfect to have you singing along on your morning commute or your evening training walk. You can see all these songs, and more, on our Spotify playlists.

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The sun began to rise when you came my way
You fell out of the sky and you made my day

Sheppard “Smile”

This is the part when I say I don’t want ya
I’m stronger than I’ve been before
This is the part when I break free

Ariana Grande “Break Free”

You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder, gonna shake your ground

Katy Perry “Roar”

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Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

Sara Bareilles “Brave”

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up, to more than I can be

Westlife “You Raise Me Up”

When I took my first step
And I’m clinging to the promise                                                                                                 You’re not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire

Ginny Owens “If You Want Me To”

Everyday people do
Everyday things but I
Can’t be one of them
I know you hear me now
We are a different kind
We can do anything

Alesso “Heroes”

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Good morning to the future, good night to the past
It’s gonna be a good day
Looking for the good life

Mary Mary “Are You Ready?”

Tonight become alive
Stand up ’cause you got the pride
Dancing and the sweat don’t dry

Selena Gomez “Like a Champion”

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am the champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar!

Katy Perry “Roar”

What are your favorite pump-up songs? Tell us in the comments! And don’t forget to check out our Spotify for more motivational songs!

May Fundraising Calendar

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Hooray, it’s May! Hopefully we have seen the last of April showers, and have only flowers to look forward to for this coming month. We also hope your fundraising efforts will be blooming, thanks to new and creative ways to take advantage of warmer weather.

Plus, there are all kinds of holidays and events happening in May. Let’s get moving!

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May is a big month in terms of honoring all things fun and festive, and there are plenty of ways to use those holidays to your advantage:

  • National Photography Month: It’s time for team photos! Take shots of your team to use on your social media pages when you promote your fundraising goals. Also, send out the photos in your fundraising letters, so potential donors can put a face to all the amazing work you and your teammates are doing. You can include photos of the people for whom you are walking as well.
  • National Recommitment Month: This means it is the perfect month to re-evaluate your goals and get back at it! Circle back with potential donors that you haven’t reached out to in a while, or whom you haven’t heard from yet. You can also recommit to your training goals as well!

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  • National Barbecue Month: This one is a no brainer! Host a barbecue for your team, and work with local restaurants to help donate or subsidize the food. Invite friends, family, neighbors and previous donors, and ask for a donation to attend. It’s also National Hamburger Month, so you can encourage guests to bring recipes for their best burger, or the most unique one.
  • National Bike Month: While we are all about walking, biking is also a great to get in cardiovascular training for the 3-Day. Grab your teammates for group ride over a weekend, and ask donors to pledge a donation for every mile you ride as a team. National Bike Week starts in the third week of the month, so you can hold a long group ride then and raise money for the 3-Day.

There are a whole heap of training walks, New Walker Meet-Ups, Get Started Meetings, Video Conferences, and more happening in May. You can check out all the upcoming walks, meetings and more on our website. One to surely keep on your radar is our Get Started Meeting Video Conference, which will be available across the country online. This is great for any 3-Dayers who don’t live in the same city as their team, or who are new to the 3-Day.

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Other key days this month include:

  • Kentucky Derby (May 6): Host a fun and fancy brunch at your house for friends and family! Encourage people to wear their Churchill Downs best, and keep the races on TV so you can keep an eye on the races…and the fashion! Have guests vote on their favorite hats, snack, and enjoy the afternoon. This is a great team event for fun bonding, and a perfect event to invite potential donors to so they can meet the rest of your team.
  • Mother’s Day (May 14): Show all the moms, aunts, grandmas and wonderful ladies in your life some love! Send out pink cards or flowers to remind the women in your life that they are loved on that holiday and always.

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  • Flower Day (May 20): Sell bouquets, or even single flowers with a message explaining why you are walking the 3-Day. It’s a simple and sweet way to encourage donors while also brightening someone’s day.
  • Memorial Day (May 29): Need a date to host your National Barbecue Month event? Memorial Day is the perfect time! Everyone has an open day on their calendar, and what a better way to spend their day off than on a good cause like the 3-Day?

What are your fundraising and training goals for May? How will you work to achieve them?