What the 3-Day Team Loves MOST

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Valentine’s Day is here! That means it is a time of love and appreciation and happiness…and that doesn’t have to be only about romance. We feel SO much love throughout the year from 3-Day friends and family. That love is based in support and shared commitment, teamwork and inspiration, much of which is gained during our 60-mile journey over our 3-Day weekends throughout the year.

There is plenty of love thrown around during our time together on the 3-Day. To give you a little taste of that love during this chilly winter season, our 3-Day team is sharing what they love most about the 3-Day…and all of you!

Coach Tisho

I love the community. I have participated in a lot of other events and walks over the years and there’s no other community like ours. We call the 3-Day a FAMILY for a reason!

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Coach Molly

Hands down what I love most about the 3-Day is the people who make up our amazing community. From walkers to crew to volunteers to the staff, vendors, partners, and even the strangers who come out and cheer along the route. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by so many people who are working to make the world a better place.

Stephanie from Susan G. Komen

The thing I love most about the 3-Day is that feeling you get on Sunday after the Closing Ceremony. It’s like graduation! You get to see everyone with their old and new friends, family and loved ones. It’s fun to see everyone so rightfully proud of what they’ve done.

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Coach Gayla

I love the moments before the Opening Ceremony when people start arriving and they’re reuniting for the first time since last year’s 3-Day. There’s so much excitement!

Coach Amy

The 3-Day is a 60-mile-long journey, but it is also a journey of the heart. Filled with love, kindness and pure magic. On the 3-Day, you are overwhelmed and empowered in the most positive ways imaginable. You experience something that defies explanation. You are challenged, inspired, pushed harder and appreciated more than you have before. It is a magical thing and I wish I could bottle up this love and sprinkle it all year long!

Coach Staci

What do I love most about the 3-Day? It’s simple: The people!

The participants, my co-workers — we are all working together to make the world a better place.

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Coach Heather

I just love how I feel when I’m at the 3-Day! The energy, love, support, compassion, sense of family…it really takes me to another level mentally! It’s a good place to spend three days!

What do you love most about the 3-Day? Tell us in the comments or share this post on your Facebook page and share your reasons there. We love hearing from you!

Happy Valentine’s Day from our 3-Day team to you and your family! We hope your day is full of warmth, kindness and everything you love.

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.

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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.

Meet Smokey T. Bear, Honorary 3-Dayer

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“Christa was an amazing human being. She was very giving and loving. She always had a smile and a hug for everyone. She never met a stranger.” —Sharon Ray

Christa Cannon was a part of the 3-Day family starting in 2013. She was an active participant, even through two breast cancer diagnoses, and had signed up to walk all seven cities in 2017. However, Christa sadly lost her battle with breast cancer in June of 2017, before she could walk alongside her pink family this past year. In her honor, all our 2017 seven-city walkers wore her name on their credentials as they crossed their final finish line in San Diego.

Smokey with Jeryl

Also in her honor, a special 3-Dayer came on the seven-city journey Christa had planned on making. His name is Smokey T. Bear.

This small stuffed bear was carried by a different walker in each city, but always had Christa’s photo pinned to his chest.

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His 2017 journey began in Michigan with walker Sharon R., who has been a 3-Dayer in various cities since 2011. She knew the power of Smokey and Christa’s story.

“It was an honor like no other. Being the first person, I had to set the bar for everyone else. It was like Christa was still walking with us. I made copies of her picture for everyone that carried Smokey to have. I think Christa was watching from above.”

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From there, Smokey walked with a new participant in each city, including Melissa W. (at left above) and her other members of Team Shenanigans. It was Melissa who came up with the idea to carry Smokey this year in Christa’s honor, and she said that “support just poured in” as soon as she told a few people about her plan.

Sharon and lots of participants were more than happy to carry Smokey, and “tell Christa and Smokey’s story for all to hear.” Sharon says she is still so grateful to Melissa for “touching so many people with Christa’s story.”

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In addition to the 3-Day, Christa (and Smokey) has watched over Melissa in an MS Society bike ride and an Ironman in the form of a smaller stuffed animal version. Melissa also plans to bring this mini-Smokey on her next Ironman attempt this coming April! Melissa keeps Christa in mind when she needs motivation, and felt that Christa’s spirit helped her in her times of need.

“Christa was a special person. She was very giving and loving. Positive and tough but knew how to make people laugh.”

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If you’re joining us on the 3-Day again in 2018, be sure to keep an eye out for Smokey, and other memories of Christa. Melissa and Sharon are both signed up to Crew in all seven cities and look forward to keeping Christa’s memory alive.

We will carry her in our hearts for years to come.

Melissa says, “I will continue the quest of the memory of my dear friend Christa, my mother in law Delores and of all my other friends who have lost the battle or who are fighting the fight.”

Because we will never quit.

Thank you to everyone who carried, hugged and supported Smokey T. Bear (and his walking buddies) throughout 2017! See more of his memories below.

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