Atlanta Coaches’ 3-Day Highlights

20776386_1161134174030445_6129694618968724444_o

You already know coaches Karen, Libby and Susan from your Atlanta 3-Day team. They are the group who have been (im)patiently waiting for our walkers and crew to begin their 60-mile journey this weekend. And they will be welcoming everyone with open arms!

As you get your final preparations, training and packing done this week, they’re giving you more to get excited about. From favorite spots on the route, to their most prized memories, to their “must-visit” Atlanta spots, the coaches are sharing their personal 3-Day highlights.

21688252_10159366750665392_6632642853469309586_o

Coach Susan

Favorite memories of 3-Days past

Coach Susan: Walking in the pouring, freezing rain in Atlanta in 2008! Plus, working with Youth Corps for 2 years! And of course, all the laughing…so much laughing. More than the moments, it’s the community that I look at with gratitude and fondness. I’m grateful that I can be a part of something that brings out the best that humans have to offer.

Coach Libby: I have lots of favorites over the years but seeing friends and family connect with participants at the Closing Ceremony gets me every time.

14650502_10153905911173244_3302278674328546174_n

Coach Libby

Favorite parts of the 3-Day this year

Coach Karen: I am looking forward to reconnecting with walkers who I haven’t seen in a few years. It will be great to get a big hug and catch up! Then, on the route, I love Virginia Highland. I lived there when my kids were little and it is such a fun, diverse and creative place to live.

Coach Susan: I love the areas around Decatur and Emory on Day One, the beautiful Buckhead homes on Day Two, and I love the Vinings area on Day Three. I’m also looking forward to a new Closing Ceremony site along with a new Day Three route! Everyone, including 20-mile walkers will get to enjoy our all new Day 3 route this year! We’ll be walking through parts of Atlanta that we haven’t been through on the 3-Day before.

Coach Libby: This year we are walking through Vinings and I am excited to see what walkers think out such a cute area of Atlanta! I also love the new route and closing at SunTrust Park – Go Braves!

18920750_1108236085986921_5958630463744715372_o

Not-to-miss Atlanta spots

Coach Susan: I love the Atlanta Beltline! We are big baseball fans in our family, and the new stadium is great (Go Braves!). I love eating at some of the unique Atlanta places. Table & Main in Downtown Roswell is one of our favorites!

Coach Karen: I love to eat, and my favorites right now are Miller Union, The Optimist and Bacchanalia. For local favorites, I love Mac Magee in Roswell and Murphy’s in Virginia Highland.

What are looking forward to most on the Atlanta 3-Day? Tell us in the comments!

Meet Your Atlanta 3-Day Coaches

19264675_1118513174959212_593455342616239960_o

The 3-Day is heading south to Atlanta this weekend, and we are ready for another sunny 60 miles with all our amazing 3-Day walkers and crew. Part of your Georgia welcoming committee will be your amazing Atlanta 3-Day Coaches: Karen Odell, Susan Wynne and Libby Riordan. These ladies have been preparing all year long to host another fantastic weekend for our 3-Dayers, so before you put on your tutus and lace up your walking shoes, we wanted to help you get to know them better.

The first thing you need to know about Libby, for example, is that she is “is rock solid, she knows her stuff and conveys a sense of confidence while being completely approachable and helpful.” That’s according to Coach Karen!

15202707_10104436100675602_3736730337780435869_n

Coach Libby (right)

If you ask Libby about herself, she will also let you know that she would choose Mexican food all day long, and that she listens to FloRida when she needs extra motivation on her training walks and other work outs. She has been involved with the 3-Day since 2005, when she applied for a job on our team one month after walking her first 3-Day.

“It’s been a long journey with a community that I am lucky to call family!”

12088036_10153371453604735_5063677196010619755_n

Coach Susan

Coach Susan joined the 3-Day family not long after Libby, walking her first 3-Day in 2007 in honor of one of her closest friends, whom she had lost to breast cancer. She still walks in other 3-Day cities to this day!

When she’s not 3-Daying, she is craving Mexican food and sushi, and listening to The Lumineers and The Avett Brothers. They might not seem like the traditional “pump up jams” to some, but she says they’re still her favorite to train to.

Coach Karen says Susan “makes our participants feel as if they’ve known her forever and she is a great resource for any question.”

Susan echoes that same love when talking about Coach Karen, saying, “Karen is so thoughtful and dedicated to making our participants have the best experience possible.”

20621810_10212191123244551_3390721730786702508_n

Coach Karen (center)

Karen says that is she could have one superpower it would be to have “the ability to always know the right path in life,” and if you want to make her dinner, make sure to bring the seafood! She loves halibut, scallops, lobster, mussels and more!

Through and through, these ladies are a fun and enthusiastic group who are anxiously waiting to welcome everyone to Atlanta next week!

20621189_10213926628550024_7349082188674140085_n

Coach Karen (left)

Karen describes their coaching team as “supportive, cohesive, and thoughtful,” and Susan says they all work their hardest to “connect with our participants and crew on such a personal level and truly care about our 3-Day family.”

Who wouldn’t want to spend a weekend with these women?!

3-Day September Fundraising Calendar

In September, we will be walking in the Seattle 3-Day! As fall approaches, it’s the perfect time to get in some final fundraising for your fall 3-Day, or even get a jump start on your 2018 fundraising! Luckily, we have plenty of ideas to help you get started.

First, make sure you are encouraging your donors to send you mail and sweet treats if your 3-Day is this month! They can also come cheer you on along the route! All the needed information can be found in the Spectator Info section on our website, listed here for the next two events:

race_3021_photo_44702680 (3)

September is Better Breakfast Month and Self Improvement Month, which are great for training and fundraising ideas:

In honor of Self Improvement Month, look at what goals you have for September. Whether that includes goals for the 3-Day, or otherwise! Write down your goals for miles walked or dollars raised or local events attended and stick to it. Writing goals down can be a helpful reminder not to miss a walk or send out another round of letters!
In honor of Better Breakfast Month, get your team together for an early morning weekend walk, and then host them for a fun breakfast afterwards! Or, make easy on-the-go breakfast packs to give to donors when they hit a certain dollar amount. It was help them start the day on the sunny side.

There are some workshops happening this month. You can find the complete list on our website here. We will also be calling out more local events on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out. Also, don’t forget to follow your local coaches’ page for more information and inspiration!

Other key days this month include:

September 10: Swap Ideas Day: Fundraising is an ongoing effort, and sometimes a little creativity can help! Talk to your teammates, post on the 3-Day message boards, or ask you coaches for new ideas. We also have 101 Fundraising Ideas on our website!
September 13: Fortune Cookie Day: We hope your fortunes are always sunny and bright – and you can share the same wish with your donors! Fortune Cookies are easy to get from your local Chinese restaurant, so attach your own “3-Day Fortune” with inspiring quotes to the cookies, and drop them with your donors as a thank you! Need ideas? Check out our Inspiration Page for quotes, statistics and fun images.

September 17: National Women’s Friendship Day: You love your friends and they love you! They’re the family you choose, so reach out and remind them about your fundraising goals for this year and even next. You could get your next big donation, or even recruit a pal to walk with you on your 60-mile journey.

September 21: World Gratitude Day: “Thank you” are words you can never say enough, especially to your donors. They support you before you even attend the Opening Ceremony, and help us raise such important funds towards research and local efforts by Susan G. Komen. Remind them how important their donations are on World Gratitude Day! Thank those who have already donated, and share with those who haven’t yet, just how far their donation can go.
September 28: National Good Neighbor Day: Be a good neighbor, and help raise money for your 3-Day walk! Offer your services near your home for chores like mowing the lawn, raking leaves, cleaning windows etc. for donations. Don’t forget to wear your 3-Day pink while you work to spread awareness!

Also, make sure to join our 3-Day Social Stars! This is an easy-to-join group that’s part of our social media community, where you can earn prizes for interacting with the 3-Day on social media. Talk, connect, and share with us! You can also pick up good fundraising ideas from your fellow 3-Dayers.

Are you walking in our Seattle 3-Day? What are your fundraising and training goals for September?