Tag Archives: Twin Cities 3 Day

Top 3-Day Photos from 2019

We are getting fully immersed in the holiday season, 2019 is coming to a close, and the new decade is almost here! We can barely believe it! But, instead of getting nervous about gifts left to buy, parties to attend, or New Year’s Resolutions you need to plan still, let’s focus on the AMAZING year that was ??

We certainly had some heartwarming, inspiring, and unforgettable moments this year! If the memories below are any indication, 2019 was full of fun and love 🙂 Don’t forget, you can always see all of our event photos on our blog and Facebook page whenever you like. These are some of our favorite highlights from the year…but there are so many more to love.

Thank you for such a wonderful year…We can’t wait for 2020! We know it’s going to be our best year yet!

 

Congratulations to the 2019 New England 3-Day Milestone Award Winners, Carol Holt & Cynthia Crisp

Please join us in congratulating our 2019 New England Milestone Award Winners; Carol Holt and Cynthia Crisp. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the New England 3-Day camp show, we presented not one but two amazing ladies – Carol and Cynthia – with this special honor.

Together they have walked for 16 years and each participated in more than 20 3-Days each. They have each also raised more than $68,000 for Susan G. Komen and the 3-Day. And they’re not done yet! They are part of team Wild Women Originals, and teammate Jay Dorval says that even while “Coaches changed. Team dynamics changed.” and the years passed, Carol and Cynthia kept their dedication to their team and this cause. “A few of us die hards kept our focus  and our hearts strong,” and that included these amazing sisters.

Teammate Lynn Ostberg also had so many things to say about these amazing women.

“As individual walkers and fundraisers Cynthia and Carol are great, starting at the beginning and making sure friends and family dress in pink and go get mammograms together. They have lost good friends to this disease and have continued to fight and raise awareness in their memory. They are dedicated to the cause for sure and are such good stewards of the event, walking injured, having knee replacements and more.”

We are honored to have them at our New England walk this weekend, and as a part of our 3-Day family. Let’s now hear from Cindy and Cynthia themselves…

What was your inspiration to do the 3-Day?

Cindy: My maternal grandmother had breast cancer. She had a mastectomy and lived many years after until she passed away from heart disease. My cousin, however, was diagnosed with breast cancer after having her 3rd child and passed away within a year at the age of 26. Because of our family history, we were advised to start having mammograms at age 35.  My sister Carol and I were very good about having ours annually, but I had another sister, Tina, who kept putting it off.

Finally, one year when she asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I asked her to go with me for a mammogram; I would make all the arrangements. I was very excited when she agreed! When I told Carol that we were going, she asked if she could join us, then when I told my Mom, she said she’d also like to go. I called Tina back and told her I was going to have a mammogram birthday party! Her reply: “What will you do if one of us gives you breast cancer for your birthday?”

I said, “I can only hope it will be an early detection.”

As it turned out, my mother in fact was diagnosed with breast cancer…time gets away from us and she thought it had only been 2 years since her last mammogram when in fact, it had been 4 years. She had surgery, radiation and tamoxifen. Within a month a dear friend, Joanie, who had lived with our family while growing up, was diagnosed for the second time with breast cancer.

At this time, 2002, Avon ran the walk. When Carol and I saw the commercials on TV, we knew this was something we wanted to do. The following year, two of my daughters walked the Avon was which now was a 2-day walk. Then Susan G. Komen took over the 3-Day and we preferred walking the 60 miles, so we began walking the 3-Day again.

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

Carol: My sister Cindy and I promised each other we would walk until we no longer could or a cure was found.

Cindy: When we started walking the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, we heard about the promise that Nancy Brinker made to her sister Susan. So, Carol and I made our own sister promise: We would continue to walk if our health allowed or until they found a cure. We never thought that 17 years later, we would still be doing multiple walks a year.

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

Carol: One simple idea is just sending out personal letters and talking about finding a cure.

Cindy: We’ve done many things to raise money. One year we held a pig roast, hired a band and sold tickets. Another year we had a sports memorabilia auction and sold raffle tickets for a signed David Ortiz Pink baseball bat. The restaurant also donated a portion of their proceeds. […] But I would have to say, I built up a very loyal base of supporters and send out a letter every year and that is where I have raised the majority of my money.

What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?

Carol: Enjoy the walk….take your time and meet all the wonderful people!

Cindy: Take your time….it’s not a race. Talk to people. Hear their stories…and count your blessings.

What is a fun fact about you?

Carol: Cindy and I just finished walking 500 miles across Spain!

Cindy: We started walking from St. Jean Pied de Port, France. We hiked over the Pyrenees mountains into Spain and walked 500 miles over 40 days, ending in Santiago. It was amazing! I like to think of it as our 3-Day training walk.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?

Cindy: Live each day to the fullest.  Cancer isn’t choosy…it can strike at anytime to any person.  Count your blessings and take nothing for granted.

Carol: Never give up. Breast cancer touches everyone, and everyone is like family.

2019 Twin Cities 3-Day Wrap-Up

The weekend could not have been brighter or more fun for our Twin Cities 3-Day. 400 walkers and 150 crew gathered together to honor our community and celebrate the start of an amazing 3 days. Our 60-Mile journey began with an emotional Opening Ceremony at our hotel camp. Local participants shared their stories, then our local survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer led our walkers out into the sun and onto the route…

The walk began with time for photos and famous Minnesota sights in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and through Kenwood Park. The local community came out with cheer stations at William Berry and Lynnhurst Parks before lunch. Lunch was shady and relaxing thanks to the sunglasses from Amgen and bright pink mats and shade tents from Mohawk Flooring. Before they knew it, our walkers had already conquered 10 miles!

At Grab B, walkers could stop and take in the picturesque Minnehaha Falls and relax under some shady trees. It was there that we also met our Twin Cities Youth Corps team, who spread smiles and enthusiasm all weekend long!

Pit Stop 3 was a great selfie opportunity, thanks to crew fun, and then a few miles later, our walkers came home to the hotel camp. Down the pink carpet, and into our 3-Day Camp Main Street, walkers were reinvigorated thanks to the Bank of America massage chairs, sweet treats from Amgen Oncology, and a hearty evening meal. After dinner, we played a rousing game of 3-Day BINGO and ended Day One with lots of laughs.

Saturday began with our Bank of America Breakfast of Champions, where we awarded our Top Fundraisers for Twin Cities, as well as honoring our Milestone and Local Impact Award Winners. It was the perfect way to start our Day 2, and we were excited to cheer on our walkers as they headed out into the sunlight.

The cheering and support continued all day long thanks to community support like the Susan G. Komen Minnesota Affiliate, who supported our walkers at Pit Stop 2. The excitement reached a peak at lunch at Central Park in Roseville. There we held our halfway celebration, as walkers were already 30 miles down in their weekend journey. There were extra photo opps and celebratory decorations, as well as a dance party led by Mark and our Youth Corps and Crew. It was the perfect way to start the second half of our day!

From there, walkers passed through the beautiful areas of Little Canada and White Bear Lake. The walk along the water, and underneath shady trees, helped make the sunny afternoon a comfortable and enjoyable one. There were plenty of cheering stations, and even free pink ice cream cones at Cup and Cone in White Bear Lake. The day ended with a bus pick-up from White Bear Lake Area Schools. Walkers took a bus back home to our hotel camp, and after our Day 2 final walker arrived, we were all united.

From there, we held our second Honor Ceremony, hearing stories from local participants and our Twin Cities Youth Corps. We raised our voices and our hearts together to remember why we walk, and why we will never give up. Everyone went to sleep on Saturday night with hearts full of love and excitement for our final day together.

Day 3 brought perfect walking weather, thanks to some evening rain the night before. Walkers made great time as they trekked through Falcon Heights and into St. Paul. Van Cleve and Como Regional Parks brought beautiful sights and easy steps as walkers made their way into lunch. By midday, they had already walked more than 11 miles!

Our afternoon was spent throughout St. Paul, including a stop at the Summit Overlook Park, which provided great views of the city and many a photo opportunity.

But soon enough the day, and the 60-mile walk, were over. Our walkers crossed the finish line in front of the Minnesota State Capital building, cheered on by friends and family. They received their Bank of America medals, and proudly wore them while they celebrated, took photos, and relaxed in our Finish Line Festival area. Then, our last walker came home, leading the crew and all our local survivors into the cheering crowd of our 3-Day participants.

There was much to celebrate! Our 400 Twin Cities walkers and 150 Crew raised an amazing $1.1 million this weekend in the fight against breast cancer! We danced under the sun, hand in hand, and ended the weekend with smiles all around. Thank you, Twin Cities, for yet another amazing 60-mile journey with us!