Meet Your San Diego 3-Day Coaches

If you’ve been following along with your San Diego 3-Day coaches on social media, you already know they’re a pretty fun group who love working together! But you can expect more than just smiling faces and lots of laughs with coaches Amy Schwager and Staci Roos, and Event Planner Meredith Parker! Before our California 3-Dayers arrive at our final Opening Ceremony tomorrow, here are some things you need to know about your hard-working San Diego coaching team.

They are here to support your every step…

They have been looking forward to seeing the smiling faces of all the San Diego participants since the Closing Ceremony last year! Staci has been emailing and talking on the phone with all of you for weeks and can’t wait to put a face to each of your names.

Coach Amy at right

Amy is also waiting with open arms for her 3-Day Crew to arrive!

“I’m so excited to see the smiling faces of my crew. It is a magical feeling when you are surrounded by people who desire nothing more than to give all that is asked of them and so much more. We’ll also be welcoming new Crew Captains to the amazing Sand Diego Crew Captain leadership team!”

And they support each other too!

The love is real for this group of women:

Amy does “magical work with our awesome crew,” according to Staci. “They arrive with great energy, inspired to serve and sprinkle love to the walkers and their fellow crew members.”
Meredith loves ice cream, pumpkin chiffon cheesecake, and “has an easy-going personality that makes you feel comfortable instantly,” says Amy. She also is the ultimate problem solver, taking on all the challenges and exciting aspects of planning a great 3-Day route like the pro she is!
Staci has an “ability to emotionally connect with her walkers and develop deep relationships” that Amy admires. “She is always always ALWAYS finding the time to support our participants in order to make sure they are successful with their fundraising and training, so they ultimately end up having the opportunity to experience the magic of the 3-Day.”

Coach Staci

Keep an eye out for them throughout the weekend – They can’t wait to meet you!

The 3-Day is personal to them

Staci and Amy have long been involved with the 3-Day family, and each of them have a personal reason for working hard for this cause all year long.

Staci says this weekend allows her the opportunity to “honor the memory of my mother in law, Grace Lennon Roos. I get to honor the many survivors I’ve come to know. I get to do work every day that empowers people to have an impact on a cause that is near to their hearts. I get to hear people’s stories and connections to this cause and learn of their passion for making a difference.”

Amy honors and welcomes all our 3-Day participants with her trademark enthusiasm 😊

“The 3-Day weekend is magical. On the 3-Day, you will experience something that defies explanation. You will be challenged, inspired, pushed harder and appreciated more than you have ever have before. It is a magical feeling and I wish I could bottle it up and sprinkle it all year long!”

But they sure know how to have fun

From beach boardwalk to celebratory hilltops, the coaches will be celebrating San Diego all weekend long!

Their favorite spots for the route are:

The top of Torrey Pines
Waves crashing along Sunset Cliffs
Sunrise at Mission Bay
All our lunch stops

But more than any photo op, they are excited to shower all the participants with love.

Coach Amy says, “I can’t wait for everyone to feel the love of the 3-Day community. The 3-Day is a beautiful example of what happens when you allow love to rule over everything you do.”

Meet Your 2018 Atlanta 3-Day Coaches

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Coach Stephanie at right

The Atlanta 3-Day is tomorrow, and guess who’s excited? We are! Your coaches, Stephanie and Jen, plus your amazing Crew Coordinator Libby and Event Planner Melanie, have been counting down the days to this weekend for a whole year.

Before we officially kick off the weekend, the Atlanta team is here to share their top tips and advice, toot each other’s horns, and get you pumped for your sunny 60-mile journey.

And there is a lot to get pumped for!

From the Opening Ceremony site at Stone Mountain, which Stephanie promises is “so beautiful and picturesque” to the charming neighborhoods on Day 3 as you make your way to the new Closing Ceremony location, every step is going to be a fun one in Atlanta.

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Coach Libby (center)

Other not-to-miss sights and experiences?

The natural beauty of the park where we will walk our first few miles of the 3-Day will set the stage for a memorable journey. Especially combined with the cool morning air and the energy of our 3-Day participants!
Finding all the Tiny Doors…this is a special art project in Atlanta that you’ll have to watch for!
Less hills on Day 3 this year 😊 That’s always good news.
The last few miles of this year’s Atlanta 3-Day journey wind through some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city with grand southern homes and rolling lawns.
And of course, the Atlanta International School, a new and intimate venue for our Closing Ceremony!

There is so much to see and enjoy, but Coach Jen wants to remind everyone to “relax, have fun and live in the moment!”

“The hard part is over – you’ve done the fundraising, you’ve done the training. Now it’s time to lean into it and enjoy the journey! Make new friends. Deepen old friendships. Laugh together. Cry together. And soak up every moment on your 3-Day journey!”

Coach Stephanie also recommends enjoying the journey with new friends!

“I always tell participants to introduce themselves to people they don’t know on the event. Find out why they’re walking and share your story with them. We really are a great big family and you will meet some of the most amazing people on this event. For three days you will be surrounded by love, hope and inspiration and of course, so many laughs.”

And this team knows something about laughs! They have the best time together and can’t stop singing each other’s praises.

Coach Libby can’t wait to welcome everyone to Atlanta and is even hosting some out of towner staff at her house before the 3-Day! She’s been Coach Stephanie’s “go to gal for all things related to Hotlanta! I love her willingness to lend a hand and get things done and she’s just so much fun to work with.” She also keeps the team laughing and has an extra tight relationship with all the local participants.

Coach Jen is new to the team, but she’s already been welcomed with open arms. She’s honored to be part of this “incredible team of dedicated professionals in the fight against breast cancer,” and Coach Stephanie loves having Jen’s “calm demeanor, her positive outlook on life, her sense of humor and her willingness to jump in and help wherever needed.”

And that love is mutual! Jen praises Coach Stephanie’s deep desire to “create the best and most impactful experience for our 3-Day participants!” And Melanie loves Steph’s passion and thoughtfulness.

Melanie brings the group (and the route!) together with her “care, honesty, and commitment to the cause.”

Every single member of the team has been working hard and long to make this the best event possible for all our participants. And they can’t wait to show you the fruits of their labor! See you soon, Atlanta 3-Dayers!

Working Women’s Day: Meet 3-Day Coach Heather

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Coach Heather with her 2017 Michigan 3-Day coaching team

Today is International Women’s Day, and we are so honored to have so many amazing women working for Susan G. Komen and our 3-Day team. Everyone works hard every day to reach Komen’s Bold Goal, and to create the best 3-Day experience for our participants each year. No one knows that dedication and drive better than our local coaching teams!

On this International Women’s Day, we salute all our coaches, including our Programs & Local Events Coach for Michigan and Philadelphia, Coach Heather. She walked her first 3-Day in 2015 in Michigan and was immediately hooked! By 2017, she had joined our full-time 3-Day team and knew she would be forever changed by our family.

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Coach Heather (at left) with Coach Gayla

“The people……my co-workers, the walkers, the crew… are my favorite part of my job. Truly, being among all the awesome people involved in the 3-Day makes my heart so full! To think that even a year ago, folks who are now so special to me were completely unknown, is insane.

What I feel on the event is indescribable! To witness such concern, compassion, love, and support for other human beings is incredible. I am blessed to be able to do this every day.”

And she truly is working every day. Being a 3-Day Programs & Local Events Coach is a year-round job that includes everything from recruiting new walkers, assisting participants with fundraising and training, as well as taking part in walker meetings and training walks. They also partner with local businesses, community groups, large 3-Day teams and other groups to provide support and excitement on the 3-Day.

This 24/7 commitment means Heather is an expert at training and fundraising, too! Her fundraising advice is simple but effective.

“Ask, ask, ask. Honestly, the worst someone can say is ‘No,’ but they usually say ‘Yes!’ If they don’t respond, ask again, and if they still haven’t responded as you get close to the 3-Day, ask one more time. Often, people have every intention of donating, but time gets away from them. A little reminder usually is appreciated.”

She also recommends using social media to spread your story. The more your donors can relate to you and your goals, the more likely they are to donate to help you make a difference. This also applies to potential new teammates! She says educating your friends, family, co-workers, even your neighbors can be a great thing when you’re looking for to expand your team.

“Be encouraging, positive, and assure potential new team members: Yes, you can walk those 60 miles! Haven’t most first-time walkers felt the same way? It’s the opportunity to be part of something incredible!”

So, join Heather and be part of something incredible in 2018. She can’t wait to welcome all the participants! She knows, and deeply appreciates, the impact that all our 3-Day participants make.

“Every day someone’s mom, daughter, wife, sister, best friend, aunt, granddaughter could hear the words ‘You have breast cancer.’ When I see little girls cheering on our walkers on the 3-Day, I hope that all the efforts put forth today will lead to a breast cancer-free world for them.”

Heather won’t stop working until that hope becomes a reality. She knows you won’t stop working either.