2016 Michigan 3-Day – Saturday Award Winners and Honorees

What a fantastic Day 2 we had here in Michigan yesterday, starting with a beautiful day out on the route, and capped off by a camp show that was packed with recognition for some fantastic Michigan walkers and crew members. Keep reading and give a virtual “HIP-HIP-HOORAY!” for all of these extraordinary participants.

Top Training Walk Leader

The Michigan 3-Day’s Top Training Walk Leader for 2016 is Janice Shore. Janice has been a 3-Day participant and training walk leader for 8 years, and this year, she hosted 41 training walks with 162 attendees. Janice, who describes herself as stubborn, is known as someone who keeps going no matter what. So on training walks and the event, she’s always telling people to “do as I say, not as I do,” as far as listening to your body.

Top Youth Corps Fundraiser

Ten-year-old Dylan Rawlins from Silver Spring, MD, who was recognized as the top Youth Corps fundraiser in Friday’s camp show, raised an amazing $4,513 for the Michigan 3-Day this year. This is Dylan’s first year on Youth Corps.

Top Crew Fundraiser

Amy Nadeau from the Camp Services crew team is Michigan’s Top Crew Fundraiser, bringing in $8,021 this year, for a lifetime total of $79,491. Wow! Amy has been part of the 3-Day for 11 years, with this year’s Michigan walk being her 12th event. “I have always said my purpose in life is to make everyone else feel tall…and I do it really, really well!”

Top Individual Fundraiser

Huge thanks and congratulations to Bert Stein, the Michigan 3-Day’s top individual fundraiser. This year’s walk is Bert’s 12^th 3-Day, and he alone raised an astonishing $22,559 this year. His lifetime fundraising total over the last 12 years is equally remarkable: $218,785. Bert’s friend of 45 years and his 3-Day walking buddy, Sye, says Bert is the Energizer Bunny: he winds him up and lets him go. Bert gets up at 5:30 AM every day and never seems to stop. At age 83, Bert is in the process of retiring from being a CPA.

We also gratefully acknowledged the next two top fundraisers. With $9,390 raised this year and a $76,109 lifetime total over 7 years/events, Nancy Turken was the second highest individual fundraiser. And rounding out the top three was Nancy Schulman who raised $8,747 for the Michigan 3-Day this year, and $56,884 total over her last 9 years/events.

Top Fundraising Teams

The funds raised by Michigan 3-Day teams are a big part of what drives Susan G. Komen to be able to do so much good in our communities. The top five fundraising teams in the Michigan 3-Day this year are:

5. Juju’s Angels for the Cure – $21,910 – 10 team members, first year as team – Team Captain: Jennifer Curtis.
4. Team LIVErnois – $34,525 in 2016; $55,167 lifetime – 13 team members, second year as a team – Team Captain: Amy Woznick
3. Coconutter Strutters – $44,362 in 2016; $417,055 lifetime – 18 team members, 10 years as a team – Team Captain: Vanessa DeKoekkoek.

A small margin separated the top 2 fundraising teams (which also happen to be the two largest teams in at the Michigan 3-Day this year). The fundraising totals from these two teams for this year alone is impressive, but in 2016 both teams also achieved the prestigious milestone of surpassing the $1 million lifetime mark. Congratulations, teams!

2. Hines Pink Pathers – $86,837 in 2016; $1,056,341 lifetime – 65 team members, 10 years as a team – Team Captain: Janice Shore.
1. BC Babes – $91,015 in 2016; $1,041,439 lifetime – 70 team members, 12 years as team – Team Captain – Beth Northman.

Milestone Award and Local Impact Award

These two other special awards distinguish 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 goes to a participant in each 3-Day city who has been instrumental in strengthening the 3-Day in their community throughout the year.

Michigan’s 2016 Milestone Award winner is Amy Nadeau, who was also the top crew fundraiser. Amy has participated for 11 years, always as part of the crew, often as a crew captain; she has never walked, but her husband did last year to celebrate her 10 years as a survivor. The fact that Amy has never been required to raise any money makes her lifetime total of over $73,000 that much more remarkable. But Amy remains humble, never taking credit for her fundraising, always saying, “I work with very generous people.” She leads with love and humor and her crew teams adore her. Amy first signed up to do the 3-Day when she and her husband saw a TV commercial for it six months after Amy completed her breast cancer treatment. Her advice to walkers is: “Don’t be too concerned about walking every step. It is more important to take the time to savor the experience–you will never have another experience quite like this. You’ve done the hard part with your training and fundraising; now enjoy!”

Amy’s fellow crew member and friend, Tracy, shared this: “Amy is one of the most committed, caring, AMAZING persons, and I am proud to call her my friend. She is passionate and steadfast. She works hard to take care of people both on and off event. She will send care packages and notes to check in on folks and help them know that they are thought of and loved. Amy is also a fundraising machine! She has raised SO much money and by turn, awareness, for the cancer fight and research. No matter what her goal, she puts forth the effort needed to go above and beyond what is required. Amy is a great example of the good that is out in our world. Whether it is battling cancer for herself or her husband or friends, her armor is on and she is ready to take on whatever comes their way. Hearts do not come much bigger than Amy’s. Small and mighty is an apt descriptor of my friend. I am blessed beyond measure that we were on the same crew team so many years ago and we are still friends to this day. My world is richer for having her in it and I am the lucky one!”

For the Michigan 3-Day, the 2016 Local Impact Award was presented to Rhoni Hamel. Rhoni has been part of the 3-Day for 11 years, with this Michigan walk marking her 12^th event, and she has raised a lifetime total of $54,692. Rhoni’s enthusiasm and commitment for the 3-Day reaches far beyond the event weekend itself and her own personal fundraising and training. She has said that from the moment Closing Ceremony is over, she is counting down the days, hours and minutes until her next Opening Ceremony. Rhoni is a dedicated supporter of the Michigan 3-Day year-round. Ann Love, the Local Events Coach in Michigan who presented the award to Rhoni, is especially grateful for her help with street team activities in the months before the walk. An ambitious fundraiser, Rhoni is currently coordinating a fundraising cruise trip that will donate a portion of the proceeds directly to Komen. In addition, each year she gives of her own time and money to shuttle traveling walkers to and from the airport on 3-Day week so that they do not have to incur additional expense to get to their hotels. It is not unusual for her to make 5 or 6 trips (it was 9 this year!) a day—up to 6-10 hours of driving—to the airport once the event draws close. Rhoni’s fellow participant Robin said about her friend, “What a wonderful lady. She amazes me! I love the shuttle she runs to the 3-Day from the airport, which costs people nothing except ‘a big 3-Day hug,’ in her words. When I walk and I’m tired and I feel I just can’t keep going, I see her and I can walk 20 more miles. She’s just amazing and a true 3-Day sister.”

Our warmest appreciation and congratulations go out to all of these irreplaceable Michigan 3-Day walkers and crew members. Thank you for making this event and the Michigan 3-Day family so special!

2016 Michigan 3-Day Opening Ceremony Speakers—We Are the 3-Day

The 2016 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® began this morning in Michigan with a beautiful and stirring Opening Ceremony. Walkers, crew members and supporters joined their hearts and hopes in the shared promise of bringing about the end of breast cancer, one footstep at a time.

As part of the Ceremony, we were honored to welcome some special 3-Day participants to the stage, where they shared their own inspirations—both heart-warming and heartbreaking—for being part of the 3-Day. #WeAreThe3Day

“This morning, I carry the ‘My Father’ flag in memory of my dad, who I lost last week. I inherited so much of my character and drive from him, so while I walk in remembrance of those we have lost to breast cancer and in honor of those who have survived, I dedicate this 3-Day to my dad. I’m Cathy and I AM the 3-Day.”

“This is my sixth 3-Day. I walk in memory of my friend Jenny and my mom’s friend Kathy. I walk to continue the battle our friends have lost, and to honor all the friends everywhere who have traveled the same journey. I’m Heidi and I AM the 3-Day.”

“My aunt. My mom. My aunt again. My cousin. My mom again. Then my cousin again. I can’t stand the thought of the next generation of my family going through this and losing more than they already have. My cousin’s 48^th birthday would have been last Friday and that is why I am here today. I’m Amy and I AM the 3-Day.”

“I walk for those who can’t walk. I walk for my coworker, a breast cancer survivor of 17 years. I walk for the sister of a coworker who has breast cancer. I walk in memory of my cousin, who passed away at 37. I walk to bring awareness to women and men, young and old, everywhere I go. I’m Charmaine and I AM the 3-Day.”

“When I was young, I promised my mother that when I was old enough, I would join her on the 3-Day. This year is that year! The 3-Day has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. Now I can finally take part in this incredible journey as her teammate. I asked to carry the My Children flag today, in the hope that one day, any children I might have can live in a world without breast cancer. I’m Logan and I AM the 3-Day.”

“I am walking this year because my mom passed away on March 19^th. I’m walking to honor her strength and grace and to raise money to help others. I’m Blake and I AM the 3-Day.”

Together, we are strong. Together, we can defeat breast cancer. Together, we are the 3-Day.

Twin Cities 3-Day – 2016 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 don’t need to dive quite so deep, since most of what we shared last year still applies. But we definitely 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.

Last week, we shared the Michigan route update, and today, TWIN CITIES is in the spotlight.

Need a refresher about what the Twin Cities 3-Day route was like last year? Read our 2015 “Insider’s Peek” post here. 3DAY_2016_Social_CityHashtags_LocalHashtag_TC2

New for 2016 – I got the inside scoop on route updates from Kiki, the Event Planning Manager for the Twin Cities 3-Day, who told me that there are not too many big changes from last year. Day 1 is the same, as is most of Day 2, though “we’ve tweaked the beginning of the route a bit to take walkers off of the Bruce Vento Trail and see a bit more of Maplewood’s neighborhoods.” Day 3 has a couple of changes, including a new location for pit stop 1 (changed due to construction at the old site). Additionally, about one mile of the Day 3 route was cut after lunch; instead of walking through the Battle Creek Trail (which is beautiful trail, but has very limited access for sweep vans), walkers will travel along a street to get to pit stop 3 at Indian Mounds. What’s great about this new route is that it eliminates a long, tedious stretch along a busy highway and a rather steep pedestrian bridge. Kiki shared, “The new route will keep us within neighborhoods which allows us to [have a more visible presence and] spread the word of breast cancer in the community.”

The Participant Finish Area and Closing Ceremony on Harriet and Raspberry Island were new sites to us last year. Kiki said, “There was a bit of confusion for spectators trying to find their walkers at these locations, so this year, we’ll simplify things by having the Participant Finish Area and Closing Ceremony both on Harriet Island. The Victory Walk will be shorter than last year and all walkers and spectators will all be on one site. The layout of the Closing Ceremony will be different than last year too, providing much more scenic photo ops.”

In Their Words – Keep reading to see what Maureen and Kim, two of our 3-Day Advisory Council members, had to say about the 2016 Twin Cities updates:

Maureen (13x 3-Day participant – 10x Twin Cities walker) – “The stretch on the highway and the huge hill to get to the pedestrian bridge at the end of Day 3 were brutal in the heat, so I am a fan of that change! It’s also a good idea to have the walkers out in neighborhoods instead of on the highways. It’s great that we’re doing the whole Closing Ceremony in one area; Harriet Island is gorgeous so I am glad it will be utilized.

The Twin Cities 3-Day walk in general is such a gorgeous route. I love the fact that we can be in urban areas and then pass through amazing parks, then lake areas, then historic mansions all in the same day—three days in a row! A few years ago, we had a walker from out of state, Glen, who walked all 14 3-Days and he was randomly put on our team. He told us at the beginning of the walk that he was going to pick his favorite 3-Day route/team to come back to the following year. He of course chose the Twin Cities 3-Day to come back to. He said the people are the friendliest and the route is the most beautiful!”

Kim (7x Twin Cities 3-Dayer – Event Support Crew for 2016) 2015-c “I like that the route is changing up a bit. Over the years I’ve heard several walkers mention that the route is the same. I’m sure the walkers will prefer the view of a neighborhood rather than a highway view. For the Closing Ceremony changes, I had heard people had issues last year getting around and finding their walkers and parking, so I hope these changes help this year’s event go more smoothly for everyone. As for ‘scenic photo ops,’ yes please! Participants love having these opportunities to create better memory books. The more the merrier!

“I enjoy having an event in my home town. I’m a Minneapolis girl, but it’s nice to walk through my city’s twin, St. Paul, and seeing areas that I’m unfamiliar with. Personal favorites: walking around the lakes, having lunch in Loring Park, walking past the Sculpture Garden (I’m bummed that the Walker Art Center in undergoing renovations so walkers probably may not get a chance to take a picture with the Cherry and Spoon Sculpture) and walking past my college, Metro State University. And how could I forget…I loved having coworkers cheer me on in downtown Minneapolis.

“Since participating in my first event in 2009, I have met some really great people. Some have become lifelong friends and I want to thank the Komen 3-Day for this!”

Keep an eye on the 3-Day blog in the coming weeks when we’ll continue sharing updates about all of the 2016 3-Day routes.