Karen’s Training Log

Low-lifes and other office scourges

To raise a little more money, I went to Costco and purchased a box of candy bars and small packs of crackers and cookies. I put them in a bowl with an envelop labeled “Eat Candy - Help women with breast cancer. Candy bars $1 each. Please place money in envelop”. The first box I put out contained 30 bars and after the last bar was taken, there were $30 in the envelop. I refilled the bowl this week. Yesterday I checked the envelop. There were more bars taken than dollars in the envelop.

What is it with people. I don’t see how one can steal from women with cancer. I told a few people at work and each one said “What did you expect. That’s the kind of people that work here”. One woman told me that in her department a coworker had placed a wrapped package labeled with her name in the fridge. The package contained 24 chicken cutlets which she was taking to a co-worker’s home after work. A group was going to sit shiva (a seven day mourning period). When she went to get the package, half of the chicken was missing.

I guess I am just foolish in thinking that people are inherently good. Do things like this happen in your office or is it just my company that has low-lifes?

100% THANK YOU EVERYONE

WOW ! Thanks to the generosity of everyone who made a donation I have surpassed my goal for this year. Of course, I am not going to stop fundraising. With 40 days left, I want to raise as much money as possible, because there is a huge need. There are many women who rely on the services of the organizations who receive funding from the walk. Here is a list of just a few places where your money is going:

Since 2000, the Avon Foundation has provided more than $21 million in support in New York and the surrounding region including:

* Founding of the Avon Breast Imaging Center at the flagship Avon Center at the Herbert Irving Cancer Center at Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital

* 5 clinical trials at institutions in the region to prevent, treat, or stop the recurrence of breast cancer

* Support of 7 public hospitals or community health centers in the region to provide breast care services to uninsured, underserved, and minority women

* Direct financial support to more than 1,900 low-income women undergoing breast cancer care

Super administrative assistant

I spent my day off at the Avon Foundation in NY city. I was asked to perform a few administrative tasks.

1. Reviewing e-mails sent to Sarah, I created a spreadsheet of volunteers.
2. Organizing the paperwork for event day drivers.
3. Adding edits to the event route driving directions.

I think I impressed the ladies with my admin skills… the spreadsheet contained the names and email address of the volunteers (as requested). What I added were decorative column headers, a detailed breakdown of each meeting the volunteers would attend, as well as a total count of the number of volunteers who would be attending each meeting. For the driver paperwork, I alphabetized the documents (as requested). In addition, I placed a sticker on each set of documents detailing what was missing: Form, copy of driver license and/or vehicle registration.  While I added the comments to the route document, I used Google maps to make sure that the route information was correct. I noticed a few errors, and added this information to the document.
Later during a teleconference, I provided input on what I have done to raise funds for the walk I have to admit I really enjoy performing these assigned tasks. It is a break from my typical day of managing a department of 19; completing more work while not being able to replace 2 headcount and with 20% less budget than the previous year. My company has been on a cost reduction kick since March.  When the layoffs come, maybe I could get a job as a secretary some place.  I think I would be a pretty good one.

Hazy, hot and humid

Fifteen ladies showed up this morning at 9:00 a.m. for the training walk, despite the 100% humidity and temps already in the 80’s. It was hard to tell if my shirt was dripping wet due to sweat or humidity, probably both. Six of us walked together, chatting as we went. Having people along on the walk makes the time go by much faster. When I walk alone, I often reached a point of boredom. Walking between 3 - 3.5 mph, I need to walk for almost 3 hours to cover 8 miles. Some days I can achieve a meditative state, other days I am counting each and every step till I finish. Sometimes I route my walk so that I pass an ice cream shop or bakery. Probably why I don’t loss any weight despite all the miles logged

Super Star Evening at God’s Love We Deliver

Jane and I attended the Super Star Party in New York City to celebrate the Avon Walkers who have participated in at least 8 Avon events, such as organized training walks, introduction meetings, the Expo, etc. We saw many of our friends from the Avon staff, Kelley, Meghan, Sarah, Mandy and Jennifer, to name a few. We also had the opportunity to meet the dedicated staff of God’s Love We Deliver.

This non-profit organization provides nutritious meals for people living with AIDS/HIV, cancer and other serious illnesses. Over the past 23 years, they have delivered over 8.7 million meals. Currently they feed about 1,500+ people a day a warm lunch and dinner. Ten percent of their clients are women battling breast cancer.

Gods Love We Deliver received $200,000 from the 2006 Walk to continue meal delivery service to breast cancer client families. The funds also supported an Avon Foundation Nutritionist and the creation of a Spanish version of the Nutrition Breast Cancer brochure. Copies in English and Spanish can be downloaded here.

To learn more about this very worthwhile group, visit their website –> www.godslovewedeliver.org. We were given a tour of the kitchen where we watched volunteers cutting up vegetables for tomorrow’s meals.

Two ladies who have breast cancer and are recipients of these meals spoke about how important the meals and the organization are to them. I don’t think there was a dry eye as we listened to how something as simple as a hot meal can improve a person’s long term outcome. These women are real inspirations and make me even more committed to raise as much money as possible.

I took some photos during the evening. Click to view the slide show.

#2 on Yahoo !

I’ve moved up in the search rankings on Yahoo.  Type: Avon Walk 2007 and I am the 2 listing, right behind the avonfoundation.org site !!!!  Type: Avon Walk, and I am #67 out of a total 2,370,000 !  On Google, I rank #5 for Avon Walk 2007, and #60 for Avon Walk out of 2,270,000.  How cool is that???

Surpassed last year’s fundraising level

Thank you everyone who has made a donation !  I have just passed the $4,000 level.  I am feeling more confident that I will be able to reach my goal of $5,000.

There are still 51 days left until the walk, so if I can average just $18 a day between now and then, I will have succeeded.

Earthbound Angels makes the list

Earthbound Angels made the latest Avon Teams newsletter. We are one of 47 teams who have more than 10 members. We currently have 16, which means we have preferential tenting on Saturday night. A few of our team members have already decided on the team-hoteling option. As far as I’m concerned, Marriotts are only a half step above camping. I’ve been a little spoiled with business travel, having stayed at the Ritz Carlton, W, and similar hotels. Of course when it’s my dime, I stay at Comfort Inn or similar establishment.

You’ve got to love some of the team names. People are so creative.
From the newsletter:
TEN TEAM MEMBERS, ONE HAT AND YOUR OWN ROW OF TENTS!

While there are benefits of being a team, there are even more benefits of being a team of ten or more. Team Captains with teams of ten or more walkers will receive an exclusive 2007 Team Captain Hat! Teams of 10 or more are also eligible for TEAM TENTING. Team Tenting provides you the opportunity to choose your tentmates before the event and they will already be assigned before you arrive! This will help cut down on check-in time for large teams and ensure that everyone has side by side tents. I’ll be distributing more specific information to eligible teams as we get closer to the event.

Congratulations to… Clubs for the Cure, Solo Strutters USA, Team Avon, Peggy’s Spirit, Wellness Warriors, Shore to Find the Cure, Sole Ryeders, Sole Mates, Hartstrings, Avon Mini Walks, Walk Together, E*Trade Financial, Mohawk Spirit, Team Delaware, Pink Socs, Pom Pom Buddies, Team Cares, Saving “The Girls,” Team Eileen, Warren Walkers, Boobala’s, Pink Pandemonium, Simply the Breast, The Boob Squad, Breast Friends Forever, Earthbound Angels, AVON GOLD COAST DIVISION, Briarcliff Breakfast Club, Pink Pearls, The Pink Ribbons, Berry Breast Friends, Team Verizon Wireless, Brest Buddies, E*Trade Financial NJ, Erin Go Bra, Grace Under Fire!, Lifesavers, Lore’s Brest Friends, Starbucks Sirens, Team Serena, Wind Beneath Our Wings, GoldenGlutes, We Walk, Woo-Hoo Girls, Woo-Who! For Tricia, Worth the Walk.

Well attended training walk

Jane and I hosted a training walk in Loantaka Brook Reservation in Morristown. The day was sunny with low humidity. By 9:00 am there were almost 30 people who showed up ! We walked 8 miles along the paved trail within the park. Many walkers are participating in their first walk. It was really great to meet so many people who would be walking with us in October. The walkers were so happy to find a training walk in NJ that they requested we set up additional ones. I’ve contacted Kelley and asked her to add more walks to the calendar.