Tag Archives: 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk

Tamara M.’s Story: The Crazy Sign Lady

 

Tamara M. the Crazy Sign Lady at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

If you’ve walked in the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day®, you’ve likely seen—or taken a photo with—Tamara M., known in the Pink Bubble community as “the Crazy Sign Lady.”

Tamara has been a familiar face along the San Diego 3-Day route since 2013, but few know the story behind why she shows up year after year. It started when her sister walked the 3-Day in their hometown, and Tamara decided to cheer her on. 

“I came out to show her my support and that’s all it took. I was hooked,” Tamara explained. “The signs I made for her that first year were simple; teasing her about how many miles she had left and encouraging her at the same time.” 

Tamara M. creating her signs for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day.

But “the Crazy Sign Lady” didn’t truly emerge until the next year, when other 3-Day walkers began noticing her. 

“Some of them hated it at first, and I get it,” she said with a laugh. “The sign telling you how many miles are left when you just started can feel like a lot.” 

Over time, walkers grew to appreciate her presence along the 3-Day route.  

“They’d say, ‘Wow, you’re crazy. You’re everywhere!’” she said. 

 Growing Up With the 3-Day 

Tamara has lived in Arizona for the last seven years but returns to San Diego every fall for the 3-Day. Her children, now 10 and 8, have grown up attending the event, often holding signs beside their mom to support the walkers. 

Tamara M.'s kids at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

“I held signs while I was pregnant. I held signs with a baby carrier on my chest,” she said. “There are walkers who have pictures with my kids. They’ve hugged them and loved them. They’ve grown up with this community, too.” 

A Deep Connection to Walkers 

Tamara M. making her "Crazy Sign Lady" signs to support the walkers of the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day.

While some supporters eventually become walkers, Tamara believes her role is exactly where it needs to be. Her heart has become tied to every person on the 3-Day route and to their stories—walking in celebration, in memory and in support of those undergoing treatment for breast cancer.  

“If I walked, my signs would be missing, and I think I’d be letting the 3-Day family down,” she said. “This is my role. This is how I serve. They walk miles; I hold the signs. We carry each other through.” 

Tamara M. the Crazy Sign Lady at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day finish line.

And at the finish line, that connection is undeniable. 

“When I’m hugging walkers who are tired and blistered, sometimes I’m physically holding them up,” Tamara explained. “We’re both crying. That’s the symbolism for me—they may be walking miles, but they’re not walking alone.” 

To learn more about the 3-Day visit the3day.org. 

3-Day Fall Fundraising Ideas

There are only a few months left in the year, but we also still have three more 3-Days ahead of us. So, let’s get to work! Don’t let the change of season slow your fundraising mojo…instead, use this time of year to reinvigorate your goals and dedication. It’s the perfect time to test out new fundraising strategies, and perfect classic tactics to make the most of all the 3-Day tools at your disposal.

Check in with your 2019 goals: If you set goals at the start of this year, now is the time to check in and see what progress you have made. We are officially in our final quarter of not only the year, but the decade! This makes it the perfect opportunity to check in with yourself, and see not only where you can go, but to acknowledge all the amazing work you have done so far.

Make sure your Personal Page is up to date: Your personal page is the simplest way for potential donors to learn your 3-Day story, and to directly donate to you. Make sure it reflects exactly who you are and shows why you walk!

This is especially important because its super easy to send donation emails from your Participant Center, and then any emails you send from that platform will automatically include the direct link to your personal page. Since most donations to 3-Day participants are made online, you will want to make your page impactful and inspiring.

You should also make sure your personal page is public so that donors can find you in the search results on the 3-Day website.

Lastly, you can use the blog function on your personal fundraising page to keep your supporters updated on your progress as you fundraise and train. You can also use this to countdown to your 3-Day and remind people to donate!

Remind past donors: Use email, social media, and in-person reminders to keep the 3-Day top of mind for all your friends and family. This is especially important for people who have donated before. Past donors, on average, give 38% more than donors who are giving for the first time. If you use your Participant Center to send emails, at the “Set Recipients” step, select Group>Past Donors to send your email too all of your past donors at once.

Don’t forget recurring payments: One way you can work with donors is to remind them of the easy way you can set up recurring payments. If someone can donate $25 to you this month, take that next step and see if they are willing to donate $25 a month for the rest of the year. By taking advantage of the monthly recurring payment option, you have the potential to turn a $25 donation into a $75 or $150 donation.

To make a monthly recurring donation, you just have to donate online at The3Day.org like normal, then select the number of payments (two, three or four monthly payments of $25 or more) you want to make!

Always be ready: You never know when someone might want to know more about the 3-Day! Just in case, make several copies of your personal donation form (you can find it in your Participant Center and at The3Day.org/DonationForm) and 3-Day informational business cards (you can find these at The3Day.org/Cards).

You can also check out The3Day.org/Fundraising for more printable tools, like 3-Day posters you can put up at work.

It’s all about the app! Add the 3-Day Fundraise app to your phone so you can continue to fundraise from anywhere…even on the go. The app is free, and you can use it to ask for donations, track fundraising, and send thank you messages to your donors. It also syncs up to your social media, and you can easily find it in your app store if you search for “Susan G. Komen 3-Day Fundraise.”

Make the most of your resources: There are so many tools out there to help you hit your fundraising goals! Make sure to watch our fundraising webinars at The3Day.org/FundraisingWebinar for quick, successful tips from coaches and fellow participants. And speaking of coaches, don’t forget about them either! Call your coach at 800-996-3DAY if you are feeling stuck. They have been in your shoes before and are always here to help.

Remember that every minute counts: There’s no bad time to send a fundraising reminder, even if it’s right before you start your 60-mile journey! Send one final email in the week leading up to your walk to pick up any last-minute donations. You never know who might help in those last few days!

 

What are your fall fundraising plans? Or your tips to make the most of the last few weeks of fundraising? Tell us

Not-to-Miss 3-Day Infographics

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We are now less than six months away from the first 3-Day of 2018, so it’s time to kick your training, recruiting and fundraising into high gear! When you’re reaching out to people for donations, or to asking them to walk with you, it’s natural that people might have questions about the impact of the 3-Day.

Luckily, Susan G. Komen has created new infographics that make it easy to answer these questions, and to learn more about the cause you are working so hard for. You can see the full range of infographics on the 3 Day website, or easily download some of the newest additions below. They show the latest and greatest of all the work the 3-Day does, and how you are helping us reach Komen’s Bold Goal.

These are eye-catching and to-the-point breakdowns to motivate you, and those around you, to continue working and walking towards a cure.

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There is also a “Fast Facts” section right on the Infographics homepage, where you can find quick and easy links to topics like:

  • Early Detection, Diagnostic and Risk Biomarkers
  • Nutrition and Breast Cancer
  • Metastatic Breast Cancer
  • Targeted Therapies
  • and more!

If you want more information about Susan G. Komen and the 3-Day, reach out to your local coaches with questions, or check out the 3-Day website to find answers to Frequently Asked Questions, along with more information about the 3-Day experience.