July 2014 3-Day Meet-up Round-up

We hope you all are having a wonderful summer, and we’re happy that so many of you have shared some summertime moments with your Susan G. Komen 3-Day® family! Here are recaps of some of the Komen 3-Day events where we saw you in July!

Michigan

Since the Michigan 3-Day® is just a few weeks away, packing was high on everyone’s minds in July. Michigan participants gathered for packing workshops in Plymouth and Holland. The latter workshop also included a training walk hosted by Michigan 3-Day team the Coconutter Strutters.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up  michigan packingsusan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up  michigan packing workshop training walk

Seattle

Coach Aubrey met some new and veteran 3-Day walkers at a fundraising workshop held at Elliott Bay Brewery on July 19. They shared their creative fundraising ideas, went over how to use the Participant Center to personalize their fundraising pages, and discussed how to send emails to potential donors.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up  seattle meet up july

Philadelphia

Philly 3-Day crew members were busy with meetings and get-togethers in July. The crew captains gathered for an info meeting, complete with a fun selfie.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up july meet-up philadelphia

Over 40 crew members also got together for “All Crew Day,” a fundraiser planned by Philadelphia’s senior crew captains. Crew veterans and newbies sported their favorite pink gear and gathered to learn about the 3-Day, meet their crew teammates and get pumped for the event while raising money for the Philadelphia 3-Day Crew.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up  philadelphia meet-up crew fundraiser

Atlanta

The Atlanta 3-Day had its Training Kick-Off Event at the Buckhead New Balance store. It was a great event with about 30 of Atlanta’s most energetic 3-Day walkers. They were led by training walk leaders Renee M. and Shawna L. There was lots of shopping done, and lots of great connections made!susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up july atlanta meet-up july training

Dallas/Fort Worth

The 3-Day hosted a special event for bloggers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in July. These well-known internet personalities enjoyed a yummy brunch while learning all about the 3-Day. Many of them will be part of the Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day in November, where they’ll be volunteering or walking, and all of them will be talking about their 3-Day experiences on their blogs. susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up dallas fort worth blogger event julyWalkers and crew members gathered on a beautiful morning in Southlake to celebrate the Training Kick-Off Event.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up dallas fort worth southlake training eventsusan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up dallas fort worth training walk southlake crew

San Diego

Walkers also gathered for the Training Kick-Off Event in San Diego last month. Everyone enjoyed some time with a New Balance rep, then a nice group stretch followed by a 3- or 7-mile training walk. There was even a pit stop along the way, manned by some San Diego crew captains.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up july san diego training walk

Bonus Meet-up!

Boston-area walkers and crew members held a reunion dinner in July, before many of them head out to participate in the 3-Day in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Seattle.susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up boston meet up julysusan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk july meet-up round-up boston meet-up july

 

August’s meet-ups will include our first two 3-Day events (woo-hoo for Michigan and Twin Cities!), which will have loads of pictures and recaps. Make sure you’re following the 3-Day on social media so you don’t miss a shot.

Movin’ and Groovin’ With Dr. Sheri

The 3-Day blog is happy to welcome back Dr. Sheri Prentiss, National Spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®. Training for the Komen 3-Day is well underway for most walkers, and Dr. Sheri joins us this week to share some of her go-to tunes for staying motivated and moving.

“Music for me is a good distraction and ups my effort. It also puts me ‘in the zone’ and makes me want to move. Here are some of my favorites when I’m training for the 3-Day:

‘Survivor’ (of course!) (Destiny’s Child)

‘Good Feeling’ (Flo-Rida)

‘I’m Every Woman’ (Whitney Houston)

‘Let’s Go’ (Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo)

‘Right Now’ (Van Halen)

‘Turn Up the Music’ (Chris Brown)

‘Run the World’ (Beyoncé)

Whatever your favorite tune might be, your body automatically feels the beat of the music you listen to. You instinctively adjust your walking pace and heart rate to the tempo of the music. Listening to music while exercising can create an increased sense of motivation, as well as the ability to distract the mind while increasing heart rate. Training for my 3-Day experience is a wonderful distraction from everyday life, and my music takes it to a whole new level. So, get out there and get training!”

 

Thanks, Dr. Sheri! We can’t wait to boogie down with you on the 3-Day events this year!

Double Duty: Raise Funds WHILE Training for the 3-Day

Summer is a busy time of year for Susan G. Komen 3-Day® walkers, most of whom are right in the thick of their training schedules, while also continuing to raise money toward their fundraising goals. But with only so many hours in the day, wouldn’t it be grand if there was some way to knock out your Komen 3-Day fundraising and training all at once?

Look no further! We’ve got a few fantastic fundraising ideas that incorporate training right into them. Talk about efficiency!susan g. komen 3-Day breast cancer walk blog fundraising

Get Down to Business – When you’re heading out for a training walk, put on a 3-Day shirt, hat or wrap and tuck a few of your personalized 3-Day business cards (The3Day.org/cards) into your pack. When folks on the street take notice or ask about the 3-Day, hand them your business card and tell them why you’re walking. Whether it’s a neighbor you know or a complete stranger, remember that most potential donors simply need to be asked, and they’ll be happy to support you.

Smile and Say “Pleeeeease!” – You know all those selfies you take on your training walks then post to Facebook or Instagram? Include your personal fundraising URL on every single one. Need help setting up your personal web address? The coaches can help with that! Call them at 800-996-3DAY.

Work is Exercise – Seek out donations in exchange for services such as dog walking, babysitting, house cleaning, yard work or washing cars. These tasks will require some physical exertion on your part, so guess what: you just did some cross-training. Donations for services is an especially good strategy for young walkers who may not have as big a network of potential donors. (Think about it: if a teenager showed up at your house with a bucket, sponge and soap, wouldn’t you let them wash the car in your driveway for a $10 donation?)

You Train, Donors Gain – Set a date for a training walk where you’ll be covering an impressive number of miles (10 – 15). Advertise the training walk date on your Facebook page and/or by email. Ask people to pledge $1 – $5 per mile you will walk, and to make their donation to you online before your training walk day. Everyone who donates will be entered in an hourly drawing with a chance to win some prize of your choosing (a donated gift card, home baked cookies, etc.). Write the names of all entries on your training shirt (or on something else you are wearing) and post a Facebook or Instagram photo of yourself at the beginning of your walk. Also write their names on individual pieces of paper that you will carry with you. At every hour mark (when you’re stopping to stretch anyway…you are stopping to stretch every hour, right?), draw a winner and post updates on Facebook. Your donors will be excited about following your progress throughout the day.

“No, no, don’t get up. I’ll come to you!” – Reach out to friends and family members who live reasonably close to you, and tell them you’ll walk X miles to their homes to pick up donations from them. That way, you get a few minutes of face time with a friend or neighbor, you log some training miles and you collect money toward your fundraising goal.

Get Moving in One Place – If you have access to a treadmill, ask a local business if you can set it up outside by the front door, hang a donation bucket on the front and walk on the treadmill for a few hours. This will be a training walk and a fundraising event all in one. Of course people will want to know what you’re doing (or just gawk), and that’s your cue to tell them about the 3-Day. Share how much money you’re raising to fund a cure for breast cancer, and show them where the bucket is. If they don’t drop any money into the bucket (even if they do), hand them your 3-Day business card and ask them to read your story online (where you have personalized your fundraising page) and make a donation from their computer or smart phone.

 

What other ways can you think of to combine training and fundraising?