3-Day August Fundraising Calendar

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August is going to be a jam-packed month, with the Michigan, Twin Cities and Philadelphia 3-Days all happening, plus training walks and holidays galore! If you’re participating in any of the first 3-Days of the year, it’s your last chance to get a few more donations, so we have fun and simple ideas for you to use this month.

First, make sure you are encouraging your donors to send you mail and sweet treats on event 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:

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August is National Family Fun and Admit You’re Happy Month, plus there are a lot of weekly celebrations for you to take advantage of:

  • In honor of Family Fun Month, get your family involved in your fundraising! We’ve got tons of crafts, baking projects, and fundraising party ideas on our Creative Fundraising Pinterest Board that would be much more fun with a few extra helping hands. Your family will love seeing your passion for the 3-Day, and it will give you some quality time together.
  • National Friendship Week Starts on August 21st, so bring your friends into the 3-Day family! If you haven’t recruited a pal to walk with you yet, there’s still plenty of time to get registered for our fall 3-Days. If they’re nervous about doing the whole sixty miles, tell them about our one-day, 20-Mile walker option. Then help them start their fundraising efforts!

August Fundraising Calendar

There are plenty of Walk & Talks, Get Trained Workshops and Training Kick-Offs happening this month. Some of these events are highlighted in the calendar above, but 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.

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Other key days this month include:

  • August 6: Sisters Day and Friendship Day: Have a sister or a friend walking in the 3-Day with you? Challenge each other in honor of the holiday! See who can raise more fundraising money on August 6th. Whoever “loses” (really everyone is a winner here) must pack a special surprise present for the winner to receive on the 3-Day. Think favorite snacks, a foot massage coupon, or anything else that might make them smile.
  • August 9: Book Lover’s Day: Clean out your bookshelf and send an extra special fundraising package to potential donors. Make a 3-Day bookmark (we just posted a bunch of ideas to our Pinterest page!) and slip it in the book, along with a fundraising letter. Then drop those books off in potential donors’ mail boxes. It’s a great way to clean out old books, and spread 3-Day joy through the written word.
  • August 10: Lazy Day: This isn’t really a fundraising tip, but we are giving every 3-Dayer the day off on August 10th! Take a break from training and fundraising and be lazy for a bit – You deserve it! You can also take the day off for Relaxation Day on August 15th if you really want to go wild.
  • August 16th: Tell a Joke Day: Include humor in your next fundraising letter! Here are some 3-Day jokes that you can add in to make your letters stand out and spread smiles.

We on the 3 Day like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy us.

I have to walk early in the morning for my 3 Day training,                                             before my brain figures out what I’m doing.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

Which?

What which?

Grahamwich!

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  • August 26: National Dog Day: Who could see “no” to a cute pup? Bring your pooch out on the fundraising trail with you today and see the donors line up! You can bring you dog with you canning, have them stand with you at your fundraising table at the grocery store or other local spot.
  • August 30: Toasted Marshmallow Day: Summer isn’t complete without at least one s’more shared between friends! Make s’mores packs with marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers and maybe even a cute pink matchbox, then drop them off at potential donors’ homes. Let them know how sweet it would be if they’d support your 3-Day journey!
  • August 31: Eat Outside Day: This holiday also falls on Trail Mix Day, and you can combine the two by hosting a big picnic for your friends and family! Have easy-to-eat treats like Trail Mix, plus other summer classics like hot dogs and burgers to say thank you for all the love they have shown you so far. Invite people who have already donated, as well as potential donors, and remind them that you’re still accepting donations!

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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 any of our August 3-Days? What are your fundraising and training goals for August?

Motivation Monday: Words of Wisdom to Include in your 3-Day Mail

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It’s the beginning of another new week, and we are just a few weeks away from the Michigan 3-Day! If you’re participating in one of our events, we know you will be hitting the trails and following up with potential donors to make the most of this week. We wish you luck and send all our support!

If you’re looking for ways to send your own support to a 3-Dayer on-event, we can help with that, too! You can send 3-Dayers mail directly to them on their event, and show your love and encouragement. If you’re walking or crewing, be sure to send this link to all of your friends and family who want to support you while you’re on the 3-Day.

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Don’t know just what to say when you write to your 3-Dayer? Here are some words of wisdom to put in your letters to your favorite walker:

Today is the day!

Blisters are temporary. Strength is forever.

If it was easy, then everyone would do it.

There’s a grahamwhich waiting for you at the next pit stop.

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Choose to keep going.

Dream big and think pink!

It always seems impossible until it’s done.

Good things come to those who hustle.

Every step brings you closer to that mac n’ cheese at dinner.

Take it step by step, mile by mile and day by day.

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If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.

Every blister saves a sister!

Go the extra (60!) miles. They’re never as crowded.

You. Have. Got. This.

What are your favorite words of encouragement, 3-Day cheers or inspirational quotes to include in your 3-Day letters? Tell us in the comments!

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Not to Miss 3-Day Cheering Stations

The 3-Day is sixty miles of fun, excitement, and friendship, all of which make a big difference in the fight against breast cancer. Part of that excitement though, doesn’t just come from our walkers. In addition to the camaraderie of teams and walkers and crew members all coming together, there are also cheering stations along the route to give an extra boost of energy.

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We asked our social media community, coaches, and the rest of our 3-Day team which cheering stations have given you an extra special boost! You all had your favorites from 3-Days past, and we highlighted some of them below:

Michigan 3-Day

Rebecca Fox on Facebook: The line of what seems like 100s of cheerleaders in Livonia on Day 3 in Michigan. Also, Plymouth on Day 2.

@amybray1 on Twitter: The Michigan 3-Day. Best cheering station is the hundreds of cheerleaders on Sunday morning. I get all choked up, every single time!!

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San Diego 3-Day

Marianne Masterson, San Diego Coach: In San Diego, my favorite is ‘Lilly the Golden’ the kissing dog!  She hangs out in her RV and walkers can approach the window and sweet Lilly will give them a little dog kiss. Lilly’s RV is called The Mothership and she is associated with the team Save Areola 51. The team has a large following and the RV can be found each day on route. The group started giving out stickers a couple of years ago because Lilly has become famous! Last year she had some special doggie friends helping her out as well.  It’s got to be tiring to have to give so many kisses, so I guess they had to call in some support!

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Michelle Anne Crago Buessing from Facebook: Team Michelle Lemonade stands in San Diego with the CUTEST kids!!

Alyssa, 3-Day Social Media  Manager: The “pickle people” have been providing pickles to walkers for about six years, now.

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“Pickles have potassium, they help leg cramps, and it helps prevent more cramps.

“We come out all three days and hand out pickles – they love ‘em!” said Bill, one of the head picklers. He got involved when his granddaughter started walking. He now passes out pickles every year along with his wife Kathleen, sons, daughters, and grandkids. They set up at the top of San Diego’s infamous San Juan Street Hill on Day 3.

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Philadelphia 3-Day

Heather VanDyke from Facebook: Always a good year walking in Philly when you get to see the Determined Divas & Dawgs … music, high fives & big smiles exactly when you need them along the route (rain or shine) ?

@phillywalker from Twitter: City Avenue on Day 2 in Philly outside the Chili’s, but the absolute best is Day 1 and the kids at the school about a mile in.

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Twin Cities 3-Day

Stephanie Mayer, Twin Cities Coach: The Drum Heart group you’ll find every year on Day 2 at beautiful Lake Josephine Park, right along Mile 10.

There are sure to be some great cheering stations, new and old, on the 2017 3-Days. While all these cheering stations might not be back for another year, we can guarantee that all walkers will feel the love and excitement from our supporters.

Which cheering station do you have great memories of? Tell us in the comments! Or, do you know somebody that wants to set up a private cheering station along the 3-Day route? Contact your local coaches today by calling 800-996-3DAY!