WhyHunger Video Full Version

Happy Thanksgiving ... I Am Thankful For ...

I woke up early to walk to the Port Washington Thanksgiving Day Run.  I arrived at the parking lot where Joan and I had decided to meet ... and I waited and waited.  No Joan!  Just before 8:30 the runners/walkers made their way to the starting line.  I was carried by the crowd but moved to the side to get a better view ... still no Joan!  I fell behind and waited for the last group of walkers ... no Joan.  So I started walking my first Thanksgiving race solo. It wasn't a race for me so I treated it like a nice training walk on a beautiful day.  I passed some people I know and asked if they had seen Joan.  They said "Yes!  She passed us a while ago." So ... the stroll turned into a fast walk.  Finally, after marker 2.5, I caught up with my buddy and finished the five miles in 1 hour 26 minutes. 

NEXT YEAR I WILL TREAT THIS LIKE A RACE! A walker race, that is.  I just checked the results and I came in 13th in my division.  (Don't ask my age!)  Not great since it was 13th out of 14!  Joan came in 2nd in her division!!! ( 2nd out of 2!)  

OK ... so we weren't the fastest but we finished and we had a lot of fun!
...

I am thankful that my family and my friends were able to partake in a delicious and bountiful meal yesterday.  I don't take that for granted!

In 2010, 17.2 million households were food insecure.  In 2010, children were food insecure in 9.8% of households.  Food insecure. I am sure that some children in my school, in the "middle to upper income" community in which I teach, are food insecure.
It's something to think about.
I hope your Thanksgiving was beautiful and bountiful.

Click here to see what the Harry Chapin Foundation does to help.
And click here to learn more about "Why Hunger"

Port Washington Thanksgiving Day Run 2011

Joan and I registered for the Port Washington Thanksgiving Day Run.

It is 5 miles and we will most certainly WALK!

Let's call this the first training walk of the season.

It should be fun.

...

Tonight is Monday night so that means weigh in night!

I am pleased to report that I lost 2.6 lbs for a total of 7.4 lbs since October 30th.

Not bad.

My friend Fran reminds me every day that if I lose 1 lb a week I will lose 20 lbs by spring.

That would be just fine by me!

Team Ra-Ras Kicks Breast Cancer - Susan G. Komen for the Cure Philadelph...

Help us hit 5 million views by December 13, 2011! When this video reaches 5 million page views, UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania will donate $50,000, to the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure to empower the fight against breast cancer. Please help us achieve this goal by clicking the "share" link above to tell your friends about this video via email, Facebook, and Twitter.

For the first million views, UHC has already contributed $100,000 for this inspiring, powerful campaign.

Thank you for your support!

Why We Walk

When one of Burt's Babes returned from the Boston walk in July, she emailed this picture of a little girl seen on the route at a cheering station.

The title of her email was "Why We Walk."

The picture was moving enough ...

Yesterday she emailed a link to YouTube via Facebook that featured a video submitted by another walker who saw this little girl.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2576450820507

Hopefully you will get to the video if you click on the link above.

It IS ... why we walk.

WOW!

Get a load of this ... (because it won't last long!)

Top fundraiser on team Burt's Babe:  Roberta Harris

Tenth place in top fundraising teams in Dallas 2012:  Burt's Babes!

Now the top fundraiser on our team won't last long because once Burt sends out his first letter he will jump ahead. (He's pretty amazing ... he walks 2 events and is always among the top 5!)

As far as the top team ... who knows what can happen in the next 360+ days!

Perhaps we'll move up to the top 5 ... or even higher!

...

Here's something new!  I am a member of the Commitment Club.

 

Here's what the Commitment Club is all about:


There are two ways to qualify:

1. Raise $5,000 or more for the 2012 3-Day season.
2. Participate as a walker who raises $2,300 or more each year for three or more years, including the 2012 3-Day season.

Commitment Club perks:

• Designated phone number and email address to your 3-Day^® coaches through the Commitment Club Help Desk
• Free on-event towel service
• Recognition on the 3-Day website
• Recognition at the 3-Day camp show
• Commitment Club badge on your personal fundraising page and event credential

Well now ... the MOST exciting perk is the free on-event towel service.  We have to pay for those towels, you know!
I went to the link and found my name listed with hundreds (and maybe more) of other names.  That's impressive when you multiply that by (minimum) $2300 for breast cancer research... just as a start!
...
OK ... drumroll please:
I lost another 1.2 pounds this week.  The total in two weeks is:
4.8 pounds!
Boy Howdy ... this is NOT moving along as fast as it did when I was in my (ehem) 30s ...
But ... I WILL carry on!
As a Weight Watcher would say "It's better to lose 4.8 than to gain it!"
 

This one is for Sarge ...

There is another new member of Burt's Babes.

Meet Liz ...

Liz and Sandy are demonstrating a breast exam on a recent training walk!

(You wouldn't know from this picture that Sandy is disturbed every time we pose at "Eyes"!)

I knew you would enjoy it Sarge. I hope it cheers you up and makes you feel better!

...

So now we are five!

There's always room for more!

The Blossoming of Burt's Babes!

Lesley, Burt, Roberta

Roberta and Sandy

Our Dallas team is blossoming!  Today Lesley joined. So Burt's Babes has four fabulous members ... Burt, Sandy, Roberta, and Lesley.  Two more "babes" will be joining soon ... I am excited!  I sent in my first donation yesterday ... (Thank you Bob!) so I'm on my way.

...

OK ... I'm going to tell you a "sort of" secret.

I joined Weight Watchers last week.  Bee and Lesley ... you are my inspiration!

I'm doing just fine.  I have found foods that are satisfying and keep me on track.

So ... drum roll ... I lost 3.6 lbs this week.

It used to be 5 lbs the first week ... when I was younger!!!  but I'll happily take 3.6 lbs.

So you, dear readers (Bee and Charlie and Thumper and SANDY!) are going to keep me honest!  I will report to you on Monday nights!

The ... beginning!

Here I Go Again!

When Lesley and I saw this sign held by a lovely woman in Atlanta, who is finishing her Dallas 3-day walk today, we just had to take a picture!

Our next journey will be to Dallas ... in just under a year!

We will be team BURT'S BABES!

We will be walking in honor of Burt Lipshie, our New York training leader, who walks in Dallas every year for his cousin ... who did not survive breast cancer.

 This will be a really special walk because we will train TOGETHER and walk 60 miles side-by-side!

Here's Bert (me) and Burt, side by side before a training walk.

...

 My NEW 3-day page posted the following this morning:

363 days until the event!

Participant ID: 3038281

 Registered as a: Walker

...

The minimum fundraising goal for a walker is $2300.

Fundraising for me is always the scariest part.  

I HATE rejection and I worry "what if they say 'no'?" 

So, sometimes, I don't even ask!

  This year I raised $3500... and that's GREAT!

  This time I am aiming HIGH!

My  personal goal is $5000.

Whaddya think?

Day 3 ... and a New Journey Begins!

We awoke Sunday after a restful sleep for me ... not so much for Paula in the next tent (I guess I snore) ... and gathered as team Pink Slips for our last day.  We were all very excited that we had accomplished two amazing days so far.  We were anxious to get the show on the road as Closing Ceremonies were near!

 I saw this sign as we left camp. 

I think it says it all for me.

I am "lucky" that I can walk and that, with your help, was able to raise $3,500 this time around.

Atlanta is great.  I especially liked the reflection of the building in the glass building behind it.  Can you see it?

The 3-day Coffee Kids were out in force again on Sunday.  This group was terrific and will be one of the great memories I will have of the Atlanta 3-day.  They had this amazing bread that they offered with butter and honey.  

Did I mention it was amazing?

Thank you Coffee Kids!

I was moved when we walked past the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial and past the Ebenezer Baptist Church.  We had just enough time to walk in and view the tomb and eternal flame.

Throughout the three days spent walking through Atlanta I was moved by the wonderful support we were given.  The cheering stations were fantastic!  It was an emotional walk to say the least!

Thank you Atlanta!

Just before we walked into "holding" a small group of Pink Slips gathered to toast our accomplishment!

Other walkers were in the bar and, as each group walked in, we cheered for one another!

It was a great moment of camaraderie!

(and Atlanta has some mighty fine home brew!)

Holding is where all the walkers and crew gather just before Closing Ceremonies.

Walking in to Turner Field was really special for this walker!

Before we were officially welcomed by thousands of walkers and crew ... we hammed it up in front of the day 3 banner.

Another 60 miles in the books!

Before receiving the 3-day shirt and a rose ... walkers complete this part of the journey by making their way down a path flanked on both sides by fellow walkers and crew.  The cheers and high fives make you feel so much a part of a spectacular community!

Turner Field is just a bit smaller than Yankee Stadium.

I loved it!

Team Pink Slips gathered one last time as we locked arms.  We marched with all the walkers ... all the crew ... our 3-day family ... to Closing Ceremonies.

Lesley wore a pink shirt and walked with the survivors.

The heroes.

Survivors Circle ... 

Walkers salute is a sneaker in the air!

...

And so, dear friends, Bee and Sarge and Thumper and those of you who read my blog but don't often comment (!)  thank you for joining me again this year.

Your support means so much to me.

You have made a difference!

...

Sarge ... this last picture is for you!

Whaddya think?