Congratulations to the 2018 Twin Cities 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Patty Miller

Please join us in congratulating our 2018 Twin Cities Milestone Award Winner; Patty Miller! The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the Twin Cities 3-Day camp show, we presented Patty with this special honor.

Patty has walked in the Twin Cities 3-Day for ten years, and has raised more than $120,000 total for the 3-Day!

Her son Austin says, “My mom is truly amazing. While most sons, when asked to describe their mother, would state that she is “amazing”, I am not alone in this assessment of my mom. As a young child, I remember people calling our house and telling me, “You’re Patty Miller’s son? She is an angel. Do you know that your mom is an angel?” I do know that. In fact, for my entire life she has been completely dedicated to serving others and to making all around her better.”

He went on to describe her dedication to the 3-Day, and was the consummate proud son.

“My Mom did not start doing the 3-Day until she was nearly 60 years old. I will never forget her first year doing the walk. I believe she was the number two fundraiser and the fifth or six walker to cross the end line. We stayed around the finish for hours cheering in the other walkers and ultimately partaking in the closing ceremony. It was clear to me on that day that Komen would become an important part of my mom’s life.”

And so it has! We heard just how much the 3-Day means to Patty when we spoke directly to her…

What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day?

My dear mom stopped walking when she was only 35 years old. Cancer killed my vibrant, young mother and left motherless, me at age 4, my brother at age 7 and my sister at age 1. We’ve forever had that hole in our hearts of missing her. So I walk for and other her because I can.

What brings you back year after year?

I return year after year to walk because cancer has devastated our world and families as much as poverty or oppression. Komen helps others throughout the world while working on advanced treatments. Komen reminds us to care for our bodies as health means everything. And so I walk.

What is your secret to fundraising success?

I talk about Susan G. Komen and our 60 mile journey as often as I can. I ask on Facebook if anyone wants to contribute as well as add a name on my shirt of a loved one who has fought against cancer or is fighting now. I tell my mom’s story. I offer to speak at community events. And I THANK and THANK! Anyone who helps me with training walks or donates money, I send email thanks and Facebook thanks and snail mail thanks and kudos throughout the year.

Best advice to anyone walking 3-Day?

Make it a celebration! Celebrate YOU for taking this commitment of time and energy! Mostly, celebrate the lives you’re touching by making a positive difference in the fight against cancer.

Tell us a fun fact about you!

I support every kind of event that benefits cancer – it’s my retirement volunteer job.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned on 3-Day?

People who are passionate about ending cancer are among the greatest people anywhere. Every walker, every helper, every person who comes to cheer or work the course, every staff and every person in a car that passes and honks on the 3-Day journey seems to be bonded in a positive caring goal to find a cure and meaningful treatments. Differences disappear to work together on this most urgent goal and purpose. I’m humbled to be a part of Susan G. Komen 3-Day!

A to Z of Fundraising for the 3-Day

We know fundraising for the 3-Day can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! You have support from your coaches, our social media community, and other participants…not to mention all the amazing people in your own life. You can do it; we promise!

To get you started, we have some simple ideas that will give your fundraising a jump start. It’s as simple as A, B, C.

Ask, ask, ask!
- This seems simple, but it really does do the trick. Ask everyone and anyone you can think of. Ask them early and ask them often. Ask them and then remind them. Keep asking until you get a “yes” or a “no.” A non-response is not a “no.” Ask them in different ways and with different modes of communication. Just ask!
Birthday time
- Birthday presents are great, but you know what’s even better? Getting 3-Day donations as a birthday present! Instead of presents, ask for donations from your family and loved ones.

Corporate Matching
- Take advantage of corporate matching gift programs. Many of your donors work for companies that have a match program, so their donation could double simply by filling out a form from their HR department. Check out org/Matching for more info!
Donate for Days
- Ask people to donate a certain amount per day or month of your Komen 3-Day commitment. Instead of a $25 donation, encourage them to make three $20 donations over time! Reminding your donors of the option to donate over time is a great way to increase the size of donations. It’s like layaway for a good cause!
Everyone is a potential donor
- Dog walker. Accountant. Dry cleaners. Teacher. Trainer. School nurse. Anyone can be a potential donor! If you’re not sure if you should ask someone, just ask them. It never hurts to ask!
Follow the 3-Day blog
- We post fundraising tips and tricks all the time, plus you can look back through years of archives for ideas aplenty.

Gift for any occasion
- If your birthday isn’t coming up before the 3-Day, don’t stop there! Graduations, promotions, engagements, hitting a fundraising goal, even just surviving the week – any of these are worth celebrating! If you hit a milestone, shoot out an email to your donor list with the good news…and a reminder to donate ?
Host a party – any party!
- Plan a summer barbecue, a movie night, or Sunday brunch. Just make sure you can throw the party with as much at-home materials as possible, so you can keep your spending to a minimum. Then, invite pals over for the event, and encourage them to donate to your 3-Day cause instead of contributing food or drink to the party. This is also a great way to recruit new team members!
Invite donors over
- Going along with this, you can just cut right to the chase and hold a 3-Day informational event at home. This is great for a team to do together, because it allows you to really tell your 3-Day story and share your motivation with donors in-person.
Join us on social media
- Following the 3-Day on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will also give you access to fundraising tips! We love tracking the hashtag #FundraisingFriday for tips from across the net.

Kids can help too
- If you have children (or your friends have kids you can recruit), make them a 3-Day task force! They can help with canning, putting fundraising flyers in mailboxes, or planning your next fundraising event. Now that school is out for the summer, it will give them a fun way to pass the time and give back!
Local businesses are your friends
- Ask local businesses to sponsor you! You might be able to hit your fundraising goal with just one donation. Just be sure to give them a thank you and shout out on social media.
Make the most of mail (email too)
- We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Ask more than once! Email is free and direct mail is very cost efficient, so these are the best ways to reach your donors without breaking the bank.

National Holidays make a good reminder
- Don’t forget about Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend, Columbus Day and all those funny, random holidays. If you can think of a funny way to use one of these holidays to get your donors attention, then use it! We love finding funny holidays here.
Organize your plan and stick to it
- Some of our 2018 3-Days are still months away, so it can seem like a far-off deadline. Make yourself a plan and stick to it. Continuous fundraising efforts will have you accumulating donations for months on end.
Pancake Breakfasts make fundraising delicious
- Encourage your place of worship, work, or school to host a pancake breakfast to benefit your 3-Day fundraising. Have all your friends help with the cooking, then ask for a suggested donation amount to join in the fun. Make sure to have plenty of donation forms or 3-Day business cards on hand for the donors who want to give more.

Queen (or King) of the 3-Day
- Not a lot of words start with the letter “Q,” but this one is a fun one! Make a crown, sash, even a fun scepter, and ask for donations to help you become “Queen 3-Day” on event. Then, for every person that donates to your goal, add some more flair to your outfit. Think sparkles, pins, feathers and fun décor! That way, you can also send status emails to your donor list with photos of how your costume is coming along, and reminders to donate.
Remind, remind, remind
- We’re going to keep reminding you to remind your donors ? That way you won’t forget to ask, and they won’t forget to donate!
Social media is your friend
- Change your Facebook status to remind people to donate. Send out some tweets. Post photos on Instagram of amazing 3-Day memories. Social media is the perfect, instantaneous way to remind donors just how much the 3-Day means to you. Also, we post fundraising challenges and tips and tricks often on OUR social media, so be sure to follow us!
Tribute Donations
- Encourage your donors to make their donations in “honor of,” “support of,” or “memory of” someone they know who has been affected by breast cancer. This is a great way to let them feel part of your experience.

Use your talents
- Offer any talent or skill you have for a minimum donation; graphic design, massage, hair stylist, photography, sewing, cake decorating, etc. People always need help with random tasks, so you’ll have no shortage of potential donors this way.
Voicemail…it’s still a thing
- Voicemail isn’t used as much as it used to be thanks to texts, but it’s important to leave no stone unturned. Change your voicemail and answering machine messages to announce the fact that you are walking in the 3-Day. This will be news to some and a reminder for all!
Walk it out, 3-Day style!
- Make sure to wear your 3-Day gear whenever you go out on training walks! You never know who will see you and want to donate, so bring those 3-Day business cards with you too if you can.
X marks the spot
- Host a fundraising scavenger hunt! There are tons of ideas online and most of them can be put on for free. Try to incorporate the 3-Day into clues or goals and use it as a fun reminder to your donors.

Your workplace can also be your fundraising hotspot
- Put up a display in the lunch room, break room, or front desk at work (a sign with your picture and a note about what you are doing); be sure to include a jar for donations and a stack of your donation forms.
Zone in
- And stay focused! Fundraising is a long-term game but don’t get discouraged! Here are even more ideas to help you reach your goal. You got this!

What else can we add to this list? Comment below – you just may be the person who inspires someone else to hit their fundraising goal! ?

What You Can Expect from a 60-Mile Walk for Breast Cancer

What is the 3-Day? It’s been called everything from “The Pink Bubble” to “Pinklandia” and more. Those who have walked or crewed or even seen the 3-Day experience each have their own feelings about the 60-mile life-changing journey.

Those who haven’t can only look forward to the 3 days that lie ahead of them. If you want a sneak peak of what it’s like to be a part of our 3-Day family (and who wouldn’t?), we are giving you a look from the outside in. And now is the perfect time to learn more, because through February 5th, you can register for only $50! Read on, and we’re sure you’ll want to sign up!

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On the 3-Day, you can expect…

To be challenged

For some people, training is the toughest part. For others, it’s fundraising. No matter who you are, raising money for a good cause and training for a good long walk, all while making new friends or working with existing ones, can be a lot to put on a to-do list. However, part of joining the 3-Day family is to challenge yourself! It’s in challenging yourself that you grow, find new strengths, and create a support system you’ll have long after you walk.

One tip is to identify what most scares or challenges you about the 3-Day, and really focus in on that. Stick to a training schedule and get a work out buddy to motivate you. Give yourself small fundraising goals and reward yourself when you hit them. Make new friends on your team by the end of the weekend. Whatever helps you, go for it and grow! Don’t forget that your coaches is an excellent resource for you if you need support in any way – you can find them on their Facebook pages, separated by walk, on these Facebook Event Pages, on our website at The3Day.org/Coaches or by calling 800-996-3DAY.

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To make lots of new friends

In speaking with coaches, walkers, and crew, everyone has a story of someone they have met and connected with on the walk. Some meet on training walks, others with a random tent-mate, at the dining table or along the route. The welcoming spirit is pervasive throughout the whole 3-Day experience, so lean in and go for it! Walk up to a stranger. Compliment someone’s shoes or tutu or team T-shirts. You never know, you could be meeting your brand new bestie.

To feel a whole lot of emotion

Yes, even those who claim to “never cry” might shed a tear or two, especially during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. That’s okay! Emotion is welcomed and encouraged at the 3-Day. You will meet survivors, people currently battling breast cancer, and people who have lost loved ones. Maybe you are one of those groups of people. Maybe that’s why you walk. No matter the reason that brought you to the 3-Day, you’ll likely get hit with all the feels on the walk – and we embrace it, because the 3-Day is healing.

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To be tired and sore

Walking 60 miles is no joke. No matter how fit you are, this will take a toll on your body. That is why it’s important to properly train, continuously hydrate, and pay attention to your body during each step. Also remember that there are Sweep Vans patrolling the entire route that can take you to the next rest stop, or camp, if you have walked as far as you can. We know you can do it, and we know you know yourself and just how far you can go. You got this!

To spread the love

Once you’ve walked the walk, you’ll want to talk the talk too. Tell your friends, your family, your doctors, teachers, dog walkers, book club, financial advisor, and anyone you can! Spreading the 3-Day love will help you recruit new team members, expand your fundraising list, and put smiles on people’s faces. You can also spread the love online by interacting with our community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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To come back again

One of the greatest part of the 3-Day is seeing people year after year, and often times in multiple cities each year. Once you get hit with the 3-Day “bug,” you’ll probably want to come back for more. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself signing up for your tenth walk before you even know it! We’ll be happy to have you back, and welcome you into the 3-Day family with open arms every time.

Have we convinced you to join us on this 60-mile journey? Register now! Through February 5th, you can take $20 off your registration. So, join us in 2018! We can’t wait to have you on the 3-Day!