National Volunteer Week: Join the Heart of the 3-Day

It’s National Volunteer Week, a time to highlight the incredible impact volunteers make through acts of service. At the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, volunteers make every step of the journey possible through their commitment to creating an unforgettable experience for participants across the Pink Bubble community.

Whether it’s managing parking at camp, cheering walkers on with a high-five along the route, or helping participants unload their gear when it gets too heavy to carry and ensure it makes it back to camp, there are countless ways for individuals and groups to get involved and make a difference.

A volunteer giving support to a walker at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

People like Amy S. and sons are what make the 3-Day so special. After nearly 20 years supporting the 3-Day Crew, Amy encouraged her sons to start volunteering.

“Over the past four years or so, my sons and their philanthropy group have supported the 3-Day by helping set up tents and serve food,” Amy shared. “I’ve simply tried to model for my boys the importance of giving back and sharing their time.”

How to Get Involved

Volunteers at the 3-Day typically commit just a few hours during a single day, with no fundraising commitment. Whether you’re signing up individually or with a group (corporate teams, school and university groups, scout troops, community organizations, faith-based groups, etc.), there are many ways to make an impact, including:

Volunteers posing near one of the sweeps at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

Cheering squads along the route

Hydration station and pit stop support

Camp set-up and breakdown

Finish Line Festival support/T-shirt distribution

Gear transport and participant assistance

Traffic control and shuttle support

Age requirements vary by role, with many opportunities available for younger volunteers with adult supervision, and others reserved for those 18+ or with specific medical qualifications.

Join the Crew

If you‘re able to commit to the full 3-Day event weekend (Thursday afternoon through Sunday), consider joining our amazing crew! Crew members take on assigned roles that support participants throughout the entire event and commit to raising at least $100.

Medical professionals are also encouraged to join the medical crew which is an essential part of the 3-Day, providing medical assistance to walkers during the 60-mile event. All medical crew members must hold current, valid licensure. If you’re interested in joining the crew, register here.

A member of the Medical Crew assisting a walker at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

The 3-Day is powered by people who show up, give their time and create moments that participants carry with them longer after they reach the finish line. We invite you to be a part of that impact at one of our upcoming 3-Day events:

Boston (Aug. 21-23, 2026)

Dallas/Fort Worth (Oct. 23-25, 2026)

San Diego (Nov. 13-15, 2026)

Tampa Bay (Feb. 19-21, 2027)

If you are ready to volunteer your time to do something meaningful, contact us at volunteer@komen.org.

Jessica’s Story: Volunteering With a Crown at the 3-Day

Jessica Ashmore wearing her Mrs. Oklahoma crown and sash at the ShareForCures tent at the San Diego 3-Day.

Jessica A. took a unique approach to volunteering at the Susan G. Komen San Diego 3-Day® — wearing her crown as the reigning United States of America’s Mrs. Oklahoma 2026 to draw attention to breast cancer research.

At the 3-Day in November, Jessica volunteered in the tent dedicated to ShareForCures® — a breast cancer research registry by Susan G. Komen, connecting researchers with information from people who have or had breast cancer to close gaps in breast cancer research data to make new discoveries faster.

Jessica A. at a Susan G. Komen event in San Diego.

“I initially found out about the Komen 3-Day about 10 years ago when we first came to San Diego,” explained Jessica, whose husband serves in the U.S. Marine Corps. “Back then, I volunteered and cheered along the route. It was a fantastic experience, so I wanted to be part of it again when we moved back here last year.”

As part of her role, titleholders must participate in community service during their reign, and she saw the 3-Day as an opportunity to do just that.

“My platform typically centers around all things military — supporting veterans, active-duty service members and their families, and finding ways to better serve them,” Jessica explained. “But breast cancer is something that affect so many women and families, and it felt important to use my voice to support that as well.”

Like many, she has seen the impact of breast cancer firsthand.

“My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a mastectomy and reconstruction, and she had a lot of issues with that pre- and post-surgery,” Jessica said. “And my husband’s grandmother had breast cancer I believe three different times.”

In preparation for volunteering at the 3-Day, Jessica took the time to learn about ShareForCures so she could speak confidently and direct potential participants on how to join the registry.

ShareForCures volunteer Jessica A. is also Mrs. Oklahoma 2026. “The crown and sash — it’s a talking point. It gets people to come over and ask, ‘What are you here for?’” Jessica said with a smile. “Whenever I got those questions, I would tell them I was there volunteering for ShareForCures. I am hopeful my volunteer efforts resulted in people signing up for this important program.”

Outside of her volunteer work, Jessica is a research program coordinator supporting the Extremity Trauma and Amputation Center of Excellence for the Department of Defense. She lives in San Diego with her husband and three children.

For more information on joining ShareForCures visit komen.org/shareforcures.

Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.

Why 3-Day Volunteers Matter

We are only a few weeks away from our first 3-Day of the year, and there are still ways to get involved! If you are still looking for ways to join the 3-Day family but can’t commit to walking or crewing all three days or walking 20 miles, we are always looking for volunteers. The 3-Day volunteers help with so many parts of our weekend and support the walkers and crew in immeasurable ways.

Think you might be interested in the 3-Day? Volunteering is the perfect way to get started!

If you need more convincing, here are just some of the ways that our 3-Day volunteers matter so much, coming right from Coach Gina and the other 3-Day Crew & Volunteer Coordinators.

Volunteers are the heart ??of the 3-Day.

Volunteers share the load. One person can not make the 3-Day happen on their own and volunteers are constantly collaborating and working together to make More Than Pink magic.

Volunteers are helping hands. You’ll see them taking care of everything from working at pit stops to cheering on the walkers as they cross the finish line!

More hands mean more hearts, and more hearts mean more fun!

Volunteers share a passion and energy to make a difference. They help us in such a huge way as we work towards Komen’s Bold Goal.

Volunteers are that special ingredient that makes the 3-Day a success. You’ll see their work and effect throughout the weekend.

“There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.” James Doolittle said it, and we couldn’t agree more!

Volunteers are ordinary people with extraordinary hearts. Anyone can be a volunteer, so never hesitate to sign up!

Volunteers matter because they are selfless. They make the 3-Day a seamless experience for our walkers and crew.

Because they give without expectation. Who doesn’t love that?

Volunteers are the people you turn to when you need something done. If you need dinner served, or photos taken or help finding your camp mail…the volunteers are there for you!

Because volunteers are people you can count on.

Without volunteers, there would be no 3-Day.