2016 Atlanta 3-Day – Saturday Award Winners and Honorees

On the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, Saturday night is when we gather to celebrate: walkers rejoice in completing 40 astonishing miles of route, crew members high-five over giving hours upon hours of service to their fellow 3-Dayers, and everyone celebrates each other. Every walker and crew member is worthy of a medal for their accomplishments, but even in this sea of outstanding individuals, there are some walkers and crew members who stand out even more. At the Saturday evening camp show, we recognize these special someones, and in Atlanta, we were pleased to award the following outstanding walkers, crew members and teams:

Top Training Walk Leader

The 2016 Atlanta 3-Day’s top training walk leader is Angela Baldwin (Atlanta 3-Dayers may have recognized Angela from Opening Ceremony). Angela has been participating in the 3-Day for 8 years, and has been a training walk leader for 5 of those years. This year, Angela hosted 36 training walks with 25 attendees. In addition to being a training walk leader, she is also the captain of Team – Hope in Motion, and when she’s not out accumulating mileage on her feet, Angela loves being a band mom, going to the gym, reading and geocaching.

Top Youth Corps Fundraiser

Congratulations to Kira Young from Cumming, GA, who is the top Youth Corps fundraiser on the Atlanta 3-Day this year. Kira, who is 12 years old and participating on the Youth Corps for the first time, raised $3,611 raised. Honorable mention: The #2 YC fundraiser is Ryan Parks, who raised $3,049.

Remember, the 3-Day Youth Corps is made up of kids between the ages of 10 and 16, and though they are required to raise at least $500, most Youth Corps youngsters exceed this minimum, often by hundreds of dollars. This year’s Atlanta Youth Corps team was the #6 top fundraising team in Atlanta, and the only crew team in the top 10; they raised an average of $1,800 per person. Amazing!

Top Crew Fundraiser

We’re happy to honor Jake Stefan, a Camp Operations crew member (you might remember Jake from Atlanta’s Opening Ceremony), who was Atlanta’s top crew fundraiser. Jake brought in an incredible $14,870 this year which also made him the #2 overall fundraiser for the Atlanta walk. This year’s Atlanta 3-Day is Jake’s 10th event in 10 years, and his lifetime fundraising total is $71,073. On the 3-Day, you can spot Jake sporting a pink bra, but you may also find him clowning around–as an actual clown–in the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade.

Top Individual Walker Fundraiser

The top individual fundraiser (walker) on the Atlanta 3-Day is Christi-Ann Wiltberger, who raised $29,500 this year. Wow! Christi-Ann’s lifetime fundraising total is an eye-popping $204,282, an amount that is even more impressive when you learn that this is only Christi-Ann’s 6^th event. Christi-Ann is the captain of the team Grand Ta Ta’s and works as a nurse, as does her husband (they met in nursing school!).

Top 5 Fundraising Teams

The top fundraising teams for the 2016 Seattle 3-Day are:

5. Michele’s Monarchs – $28,770 in 2016; $51,441 lifetime – 12 team members, 2 years as team – Team Captain: Krystle Murray
4. Angels 4 Angels* – $33,180 in 2016; $1,231,796 lifetime –8 team members, 10 years as team – Team Captain – Rina Wolfe
3. Grand Ta Ta’s – $33,505 in 2016; $537,105 lifetime – 5 team members, 6 years as team –Team Captain: Christi-Ann Wiltberger
2. Pink Angel Street Walkers – $38,070 in 2016; $395,073 lifetime – 28 members (largest team in Atlanta this year), 7 years as team – Team Captain: Lori Camp

And big congratulations to Feet to Beat Breast Cancer, Atlanta’s top fundraising team, with $54,724 raised this year. In their 12 years as a team, they have raised $698,774. Feet to Beat Breast Cancer is captained by Carolyn Parks and had 18 team members this year.

*The 2016 Atlanta 3-Day marked another big milestone for Angels 4 Angels, who blew past the $1 million mark and as of this week, have raised over $1.2 million. Wooooooo!!

Milestone Award and Local Impact Award

These two other special awards are presented to participants who stand out and shine extra brightly in a sky of very bright 3-Day stars. The Milestone Award is given at each event to one participant who has an extraordinary history of involvement with the 3-Day, and the Local Impact Award recognizes a participant in each 3-Day city who has been instrumental in strengthening the 3-Day in their community throughout the year.

We’re happy to congratulate the 2016 Atlanta 3-Day Milestone Award winner, Alison Glancz. Alison has been a remarkable 3-Day participant for 12 years; the 2016 Atlanta 3-Day, where Alison was part of the Camp Support crew team, was Alison’s 24th 3-Day event. In her lifetime as a 3-Dayer, Alison has worn dozens of hats (figuratively and literally, as she is usually in a costume of some kind), both as a walker and a crew member, and has personally raised over $56,000 for the 3-Day. Her friend and fellow crew member, Jake, said about Alison, “Talk about being dedicated to the cause… I am pretty sure when Alison sweats at the 3-Day, it comes out pink.She has been a captain for one of the largest and most logistically challenging crews for as long as I can remember. Then she started taking her talents all over the country to captain other crew teams in other 3-Day cities. Alison may be small, but she has a big fire within her. And when that fire is pointed at you: watch out! I’m just glad she is pointing that fire at breast cancer.” Another crew friend, Julie, shared this about Alison: “Through the years, events, and shared experiences with Alison, I continue to grow more in awe of her. Each year she dedicates her time to multiple 3-Day events, often as a Crew Captain.I joined the staff of the Greater Atlanta Affiliate of Susan G. Komen in 2014. And now, every day, I meet people who can afford a mammogram thanks to Alison. There are people across this country, and maybe even the world, who are alive today because Alison cared enough to step up to the challenge of walking and crewing those 24 3-Days, and because she knew that raising a minimum amount of money was just the beginning of what she could do, so she boldly chose to push for more.” Congratulations, Alison, and thank you for your amazing spirit and your years of commitment to the 3-Day!

The recipient of the 2016 Atlanta 3-Day Local Impact award has truly made her mark on the Atlanta 3-Day family. Carolyn Parks first walked the 3-Day in Atlanta in 2001, and has since walked in Atlanta (and nowhere else) 12 times, achieving a lifetime fundraising total of $52,700. Carolyn’s friend Mandy said this about her amazing friend: “Carolyn is the most caring and compassionate person I know! Her constant and tireless commitment to put others before herself makes her such an inspiration to more people than she probably realizes. Year after year, not only does Carolyn continue to lead the top fundraising team for the Atlanta 3-Day, she is constantly giving back to her community through her work with Meals on Wheels, American Red Cross and other local charities. Carolyn brings hope to us all and she truly wants to make a difference.” Carolyn is also the team captain of Feet to Beat Breast Cancer, the top fundraising team in Atlanta this year. Her her friend and teammate, Debbie, shared, “I’m not sure I have met anyone more dedicated to the 3-Day than Carolyn. We met when my five friends decided to walk the 3-Day because I was going through breast cancer and chemo. As luck (or fate) would have it, they joined her team (Feet To Beat Breast Cancer) and she made our first 3-Day experience incredible. Carolyn always puts others before herself and is constantly thinking of fundraising ideas because of her commitment to this cause and to helping others. I am so grateful that Carolyn was one of the people sent to me during my fight with cancer. She inspires me to be a better person every day and I know the whole Feet To Beat Team feels the same way.” You inspire us too, Carolyn! Thank you for your incredible dedication to the 3-Day!

2016 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day Route Update

Last year on the 3-Day® blog, we shared some detailed “Insider’s Peek at the Route” posts with you. We pulled the curtain back on the overall process of planning and executing a 60-mile route, and then got even more in-depth with each individual 3-Day walk’s route.

This year, we wanted to keep you looped-in with the updates and changes that have been made to the 3-Day routes for 2016. We’re also bringing in members of the 3-Day Advisory Council to share their thoughts about the 2016 changes. These participants stand as the “voice” of the 3-Day community and their input has been instrumental in strengthening the communication and camaraderie between Komen and the 3-Day family, so we’re thrilled to have their insight here on our route updates. We’ve previously shared route updates for Michigan, Twin Cities, Seattle, Atlanta and Philadelphia, and today, Dallas/Fort Worth is front and center!

Need a refresher about what the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day route was like last year? Read our 2015 “Insider’s Peek” post here.

New for 2016

We chatted with Kiki, the amazing Event Planning Manager for the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day, and the awesome Coach Gayla. They used feedback from seasoned walkers to make a few small changes between pit stop 3 and pit stop 4 on Day 1. Coach Gayla said “We’ll visit a new stretch just off of Forest Lane that will be a welcome change to our long time #DFW3Day walkers on Day 1. You’ll also be greeted by Susan G. Komen Headquarters staff members and the three Komen Affiliates from Greater Fort Worth, North Texas and Dallas County along the Survivor Stretch from pit stop 4 to camp.”

On Day 2, the total mileage will be one mile less than before, to give your sore feet a break. “Day 2 and 3 you’ll see a new Cheer Corps spot that has never been seen before. Soak up the love from them and I know you’ll appreciate the surprise break,” said Coach Gayla.

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On Day 3, “There’s a small change in Downtown Dallas after pit stop 3, with a pretty straight shot to Deep Ellum where you’ll get the final uplift you’ll need from private cheer stations before you enter Fair Park and the new Participant Finish Area,” she said. The Participant Finish Area at Closing Ceremony is getting a makeover, with a new gathering area with grass, shade, and a much more comfortable atmosphere for family and friends. The Victory Walk will also be a little bit different from last year, freshening up those amazing final few steps until Closing Ceremony.

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In Their Words We asked Thomas and Melissa, two of our 3-Day Advisory Council members who are participating in the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day, for their thoughts on the 2016 route updates.

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Thomas (3x participant) – Thomas, a member of Dallas/Fort Worth team Presbytittans, said, “There are three parts I’ve always looked forward to since my first walk: I love the elementary school where the children are outside and cheering; I look forward to coming back through the tunnel on the Brookhaven campus; and the stroll through Deep Ellum on the way to Fair Park is always a treat.” He encourages first-timers to really take their time through downtown Dallas on Sunday. “There’s a tendency to ’finish strong‘ after lunch on Sunday, but enjoy the sights of downtown,” he said. How about any awesome Kodak Moments for our 3-Dayers? “Most of my pictures over the years have been at cheering stations and at the beginning/ending of the route. However, I always get asked to be the person to take pictures for others at the fire stations!”

Melissa (10+ year participant) – When we asked Melissa what she loved about the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day, she said many of the same things as Thomas. “I think the best and most consistent parts of the route would be the HUGE cheer stations. Many ladies really love the Richardson Firefighters who happily pose for photos on their truck, and there are always school kids who line the playground fence to give us a high five!” Melissa and her husband also always find the B I G letters and snap a few pics like the one below. Does she have any other advice for walkers who are about to hit the streets for the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day? “The weather is always gorgeous, but being Texas, it can change quickly – so please check the weather frequently and even if the forecast is warm and dry, bring gear for cold and wet! Also beware of curbs! We have a LOT of them!”

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We can’t wait to see you in a few weeks, Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Dayers, and we think Thomas summed up what we think you should do just perfectly: “Embrace the weekend! Laugh, hug, cry, high five and love your way through the event. You’re in a unique place of affirmation and mission, so enjoy it!”

We know you will, and if you have any questions or concerns before your event, remember the coaches are just a call away at 800-996-3DAY. See you soon, #DFW3Day!

A Survivor’s Story: Sherri O’Berry

Editor’s Note: Survivors are the heroes of the 3-Day, and we celebrate them with every step we take. Breast Cancer Awareness Month means not only talking about how we can save more lives, it means talking about the lives that have been saved. As you read this, the first of a set of stories about survivors, know that every dollar you raise for the 3-Day is helping to save lives like Sherri’s.

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My name is Sherri O’Berry. I was diagnosed with breast cancer on August 1, 2013. I was only 42 years old. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 2. The news was grim as I had lost both of my grandmothers to cancer (one to breast cancer) and only knew this disease to be a death sentence. I am a single mother raising three teenagers. When I was diagnosed, I was so afraid I would not be here to watch them grow up. How would they take the news? How could they live without me? Would I get to see them graduate? Get married? Know my grandchildren? I was so scared, in shock, denial, angry. The only thing I could do was make a plan to kick cancer’s butt!

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Within 3 weeks of being diagnosed I was headed into surgery. I opted for a partial mastectomy. Following that surgery, I had another surgery to have my port put in and by October 1st, I was starting treatment. I had six rounds of intensive chemotherapy in 16 weeks. The next several months would determine my fate.

I lost my complete identity. Slowly, the chemo overtook my body. First my hair, then my eyebrows and lashes. I was devastated. Following my first treatment I was hospitalized because my body became so dehydrated and I was really sick. Following my second treatment, in the middle of the night I hit my head falling down the stairs and had to be hospitalized again. It was my 43rd birthday. This was definitely not where I had planned to be at this young age.

Following chemo, I was scheduled for 35 rounds of radiation. Radiation did not seem nearly as difficult as chemo but only time would tell. I had to be tattooed, marked, measured, and on camera day after day. Fatigue was taking its toll on me. The effects of chemo were lingering, as I was warned it would. On day 18 of 35 the Doctor made a choice to stop my radiation treatments because my blood levels were extremely low. Every day that passed at this point was making my previous treatments inactive. Whoa! What another blow! I was terrified.

Every second of every day was a roller coaster of emotions. Finally on April 20th 2014, I completed my 35th round of radiation. I was cancer free! Or was I? That is the question I asked myself over and over. Wasn’t there a test they could give me to tell if the cancerous cells were gone? No, I had to walk away confident that between my surgery and my treatments that I was now cancer free. I learned that being a “survivor” was being alive every day after diagnosis.

My family and friends embraced me tightly and we moved forward, the only direction I chose to look! I was surrounded by an outpouring of support from everyone in the community. My dear friend set up a meal plan and people I didn’t even know were delivering hot meals daily during my treatments to feed me and my kids. Packages were arriving daily, flowers delivered and my friends put together a benefit for me and raised thousands of dollars for me. I could focus 100% on fighting this awful disease.

One day during my hospital visit someone told me about the Susan G Komen 3-Day. I knew immediately this was a way for me to give back. I was so extremely grateful to learn about all the people who had already been a part of the 3-Day. I started fundraising right away. The first year I walked with 2 dear friends, one of whom was also going through breast cancer treatment at the same time I was. The 2 of us still undergoing treatment were not even sure we would be healthy enough to walk by that August, but raising the money was more important to us than actually participating at that point. This became so important to me. I wanted to raise awareness. I wanted to help find a cure! I was so proud to be part of this movement that would help those diagnosed after me. I was hooked! Once I learned about the 3-Day Youth Corps, I knew right away that my girls would participate with me the following year.

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As a family we started fundraising for the following year’s walk. We did so many bottle drives to collect money, we made crafts and sold them at craft shows, we were given private donations, Euchre Tournament, Dining for Dollars at a local restaurant and garage sales. The walk was not only about the three days, it was about paying it forward. Bonding with my girls. Making sure they understood exactly why we were doing everything we were doing.

Ten months later, it was time for the grand experience. I was so proud of my girls (ages 13 and 15), as they had become just a passionate as I was. The amazing weekend brought us even closer together. We were surrounded by so many other people that were affected by this awful disease and it was like our new extended family. My girls bonded so well with the other 18 kids in the Youth Corps that they have a close relationships that will likely last a lifetime. The weekend was life changing for all three of us. Both of my daughters had to speak in front of a group of 500+ people and explain how they have been affected by cancer.

This past August 2016 my older daughter (age 17) walked with me, and my younger daughter (age 15) was part of the Youth Corps again.

August 2017 will be another change for us, as my youngest is now old enough to join me as a walker. She is beyond excited and looking forward to the challenge.

I always say cancer was the best worst thing that has happened to me. My life has forever changed and I am forever grateful! The 3-Day will be part of my life until we find a cure.