A WAR AGAINST BREAST CANCER

I have mentioned in some of my previous posts that our daughter, Tami, is a breast cancer survivor.  She has been free of cancer for the past 8 years.

After she was diagnosed and completed her surgery and radiation treatments, she decided that the 'Big C' wasn't going to get the best of her and she joined the Avon organization, Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, San Francisco division.  The walk is held every July in San Francisco for a 2 day period.  It starts at Event Eve on Friday evening, where everyone signs up and then at around 5:30 on Saturday morning all participants meet at a designated place and have a light breakfast, with opening ceremonies and then the start of a 26 mile walk.

At the end of the day, there is a huge catered dinner and entertainment.  A lot of the participants then camp in tents for the night and then leave again, after a good breakfast, for another 13 mile walk on Sunday morning.

Around 3 PM on Sunday, after everyone has crossed the finish line, the closing ceremonies take place.  There are guest speakers and the total of the money raised, and where it goes, is announced.  Normally, between 4 and 5 million dollars is raised for the weekend.

I have supported Tami every year in her endeavor, not with walking, but as a Crew member.  Let me tell you, it is a grueling task, but one that is very rewarding.  My job is relatively simple.  I am a member of the Hospitality team.  That means a lot of cheering and encouraging of the walkers and we are literally on our feet from 5 AM to 8 PM Saturday and 6 AM until 3 PM Sunday.

There are approximately 400 crew members with different jobs, ranging from manning the route, rest stops, setting up tents, tearing down tents, serving food and making sure there is plenty of water and gatorade for participants to drink throughout the event.  When the Hospitality team is finished cheering the walkers out and in the gates, we then aid every other team that needs help.

Tami and I do not tent.  We stay in a nice hotel in San Francisco, The Westin, where we have hot showers and a comfortable bed to sleep in.  That is not to say that Avon doesn't provide hot showers for the participants, but usually it is cold and foggy.  Thanks, but no thanks!

I tell you it is an eye opening experience to hear the stories and see the many participants who are undergoing chemo or have just finished.  There are a great number of brave and courageous souls in this world and it certainly puts everything in perspective.

This is just a little bit of the background of what goes into a walk of this kind.  Over the past 8 years, Tami has raised a total of $14,400 plus to benefit the Avon Breast Cancer Foundation.  For each walk she has to raise $1800.  She relies on donations from family and friends and one of the ways she raises a good majority of the money is through an annual garage sale.  This is where the Captain and I come in.

We don't have a pickup, we just have a small SUV, so we trade vehicles with our SIL so we can load up with the junk(other people's treasures) to sell.  We are meeting him half way in the middle of our two homes to exchange vehicles on Wednesday.  Then we will drive back home and fill up the truck and then drive back down to Santa Cruz on Friday, and the sale is on Saturday.  Tami sends out flyers to all of her neighbors and before long their garage is full to the rafters with stuff that they have contributed.  She has girl friends who stop by and help sell, one's who have walked with her in the past, and Jake and his friends spread the word around, as only healthy, young boys can!

Hopefully the sale will be a success this year, as it has been in the past, and she will be able, once again, to do her part in the war against breast cancer.

So, reminiscent of the Beverly Hillbillies:

Ma and Pa have loaded up the truck, and goin down the mountain to the young uns and we's goin to have us a Garage Sale...

Have a great weekend....Judy

Am linking up this week with:

Wow Us Wednesday

Show and Tell Friday

Saturday Showoff