A Family United: Julie G. and the “Trekkers for Tudy’s Tatas”

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I Walk For: My Daughter. My Sister. My Niece. Myself.

On the 3-Day, we hear that people are walking with and for family members all the time. They walk alongside them, in their memory, and with their family cheering from the sidelines. What we don’t always see, though, is four sisters all walking together, alongside their daughters and nieces. All as one, walking for seven years!

That’s the story of Julie G. and her “Trekkers for Tudy’s Tatas” team in Dallas/FortWorth. In 2017, she walked with her sisters Kim, Lori and Chris, along with her daughter Lindsey and her niece Morgan.

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Julie’s sister Chris first brought the family into the 3-Day bubble, walking for two years as a part of another team. Then, in 2010, Julie’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Immediately, all three sisters signed up for the next 3-Day walk, and have walked ever since in her honor.

Julie says they have all walked together simply for the “sheer joy it brings our mother. She is so humbled by the fact that we fundraise, train and walk all in her name.”

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Since that first year, their team has also added Julie’s own daughter Lindsey, and her niece.

“Walking with family members is by far the most special part of the walk. It started out with just my sisters and then it has grown to my daughter and my niece. We are a family of 18 including husbands, sons and other nieces, and to see that whole group standing with matching t-shirts along the route screaming our names and holding up posters bring tears to my eyes.

It really is a family effort. My husband and son are so supportive when it comes time to train and when the walk actual takes place. They are there every day driving around making sure to hit every cheering station along the route. But the most special part of the walk is the finish line and seeing my mother there. She knows it’s for her. We include her in the closing ceremony because she is the reason we walk.”

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Each member of the family approaches the walk differently, although they all swear by the 16-week training program. They try to train together on weekends, and Julie recommends early morning walks for quality time and cooler weather. Also, Julie says to be sure to get your walking shoes EARLY so you can break them in. All of this will have you ready to go when 3-Day weekend arrives and let you just take time to enjoy your 60-mile walk.

That is what Julie says she and her family loves most about the 3-Day: all the small moments of happiness that happen throughout the walk. Her daughter is a fan of “the silly outfits teams wear as well as the signs that husbands hold up along the way,” while Julie can’t get enough of our puppy supporters. The rest of the family loves seeing all the pit stop and cheering station themes, and they will even be hosting their own cupcake-themed cheering station this year.

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It’s a family affair from start to finish for Julie and her family, but it always comes back to the matriarch.

“My mother can’t put into words what it means to have us walk year after year. She knows it’s a sacrifice for us financially and physically and that proves to her more and more how much we love her and how proud we are to call her our mom.”

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5 Ways to Talk a Friend into Doing a Charity Walk with You

Did you know you can already register for the 2018 3-Days? There is no time like the present to sign up to be a part of our 3-Day family, and get moving towards your own goals for next year’s events.

You never walk alone on the 3-Day, but those 60 miles are all the more fun with your bestie beside you! Start talking up your friends to see who will walk with you next year!

Get started now to give all your team members as much time for fundraising and training as possible. If you are planning to grow your team this year, it is also the perfect time to start asking new recruits to join you. There are plenty of ways to talk someone through the great impact of the 3-Day and encourage them to join the cause.

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Tell them they’ll make a difference: This one should be a great opener, especially for anyone who has been personally affected or knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Susan G. Komen® has plenty of infographics and information explaining how all of your fundraising money is put to good work, but you can also see it first hand at any of the 3-Days. When you walk, you meet survivors, their families and many others who are or have felt the direct impact of the money raised by every 3-Day walker.

Tell them they can raise the money: Fundraising is one of the topics our coaches and team captains get asked about the most.  Not everyone is comfortable asking for monetary support, even for a cause as important as ours. However, there are plenty of different ways to effectively fundraise, including letter or email writing campaigns, bake sales, charity events, selling homemade goods and more! New walkers receive lots of support from their teams, their coach, and our online community as well. We will help you find a fundraising plan that works for you, and do all that we can to help every walker reach their fundraising goal.

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Tell them they can go the distance: Another obstacle some people have to overcome is the prospect of walking all those steps. Very few people walk 60 miles in a weekend when they’re not on the 3-Day, so it can seem like a daunting task. Luckily for anyone with reservations, we have your back. With a fully supported route, including Sweep Vans that can pick up walkers and take them to the next rest stop, you only have to walk as far as you can!

Tell them there will be laughter: Is the 3-Day a lot of work? You bet your pink tutu it is! But it is also a whole lot of fun. From sharing stories on the walk, to themed rest stops and lunch tents, to dance parties and glamping, there is no shortage of smiles and laughter on every one of the 60 miles. This is an especially good approach for those who are afraid of potential monotony of walking for 3 days in a row, or who don’t know as many people on your team. No matter who you know, you will always have a friend on the 3-Day.

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Tell them they will gain a family: One of the best parts about the 3-Day is that you become part of a family. Beyond your team, or those who share tents near you at our camp site, you will leave your 3 days with us as part of something larger than yourself. For anyone who has participated in charity events in the past, reminding them of that feeling of family you get when you’re all trying to accomplish something together will be one of the easiest ways to encourage them to participate. It will also probably help you feel reinvigorated for your own training and fundraising goals.

How have you convinced people to join your team?

Outdoor Team Building Activities

Summer is finally here! Who is excited to get outside and into the sunshine? We want to help you and your team get out into the warm weather for fun and bonding. This year’s 3-Days are coming up, so now is the perfect time to get moving! Here are our favorite outdoor team building activities…

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Photo via Austin Schmid

Winning and Losing

Get into pairs, pairing people who might not know each other as well. Then, one partner shares something negative that happened in their life. It can be a personal or work-related memory, but it must be true. Then that first partner discusses the same experience again, but focuses only on the positive aspects. Their partner allows and helps them to explore the silver lining of the bad experience. Afterward, they switch roles. It’s a great way to remember that even life’s tough times can have a great lesson or positive ending.

Battle of the Air Bands

Lip sync battles are a dime a dozen these days, so expand the idea into a full-on “Battle of the Air Bands!” Split your team up into smaller groups, then let them decide who will be the singers, guitarists, drummers, etc. Give them a set time to rehearse, and then perform a lip-synced version of whatever song they like. After the performances, teams can vote on the winner, and award 3-Day swag!

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Photo via Rawpixel

Afternoon at the Races

This one isn’t for the faint of heart, but it will give you and your team a great time outdoors! Pair up and build, then race your own mini race cars. You can use wagons, boxes, pinewood cars, or whatever else their imagination can dream up! If you want, go all out and let pairs create mascots and themes, and host a mini-tailgate with snacks and music. This could also be a fun team fundraising event!

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Photo via Samuel Zeller

The Longest Shadow

Need a simple activity? This outdoor team building activity has the group working together to form the longest shadow they can, using only their bodies. Take advantage of the summer sun, then tag us in the photo of your epic shadow!

Night Trail

Get out into a park, and set up a series of obstacles in a large open area. Working as a team, blindfolded team members follow a rope and try to navigate their way around a series of obstacles. Trust, support, leadership and communication is the key!

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Photo via Cameron Kirby

Picture Scavenger Hunt

Join our 3-Day Social Stars in our online community with a Picture Scavenger Hunt. Give team members a list of items, locations or landmarks in the area and have them race to go around town and take pictures in front of them! You can even add an extra element, like asking them to build a human pyramid or do a hand stand in the photos for added points!

What are some of your favorite outdoor activities for summer? Let us know in the comments!