Walk for the Cure

Today, I did something good for someone besides myself.

Imagine that.

My mom has worked with the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara for years, so I have participated in their events and volunteered with the organization sporadically since high school. Today was their annual Barbara Ireland Walk for Breast Cancer Research, and 100% of the money raised goes directly towards research at the Cancer Center.

A few weeks ago, I put my sponsor sheet up on the white board in my office kitchen and wrote a note that I was trying to raise $100 for my walk. I'd earned it within a few hours. Within a day, I'd doubled it. I am still completely blown away by the generosity everyone at my company showed! By today, with my coworkers' help and the assistance of  two friends from Weight Watchers, I earned almost $500 for the cause. Thank you to everyone who sponsored me!

It was a beautiful, if chilly and foggy morning in Santa Barbara . My mama had to get up super early to be there for registration, and my dad and I headed down around 8AM to be there for the kick-off. The energy was awesome, everyone was there to show love and support for friends or family that have had their lives touched by cancer, and I was so happy to be there to help out my mom.

Senator Hannah Beth Jackson, herself a breast cancer survivor, was there to say a few words.

The event is hosted by, obviously, Barbara Ireland, mother of Kathy Ireland. Who was there, so of course I took a creeper pic, with Barbara in the background. Is that better or worse than asking to take a picture with her, like one lady did?

You could run or walk a 5k, 10k or 15k. along the foggy coastline. I walked the 5k with my daddy ('cause this squishy bitch don't run yet), who went on to finish the 15k running/walking. We did it in about 40 minutes or so, which is pretty quick, right? I don't know. I'm a speedy walker. My heart rate monitor was on the fritz, but I got my sweat on.

A bunch of business in Santa Barbara donated their time and services to create a "Spa Zone" for participants after they finished their portion of the course. You could get a manicure (which I needed, but didn't get), a 10 minute massage (did it!), a chiropractor adjustment (no), or attend a mellow 30 minute anusara yoga class (well, duh). Then I volunteered at the lunch booth for a couple hours handing out sandwiches, chips and water to the hungry walkers.

It was such a wonderful event and I'm so happy that I not only participated, but got to volunteer my time and help out. It was great to see the wide variety of people who showed up, from the very young to the very old, from the cancer survivors in shirts that proclaimed, "Yes, they're fake. My real ones tried to kill me!" to their granddaughters who insisted the whole family turn out for the walk. Everyone was so positive and friendly, and I'm just glad I got to be a part of it.

Also, dog in a stroller.