Every Little Bit Helps!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are all doing well!  

Since I last wrote, online donations have slowed down, but cash donations have not!

Last Thursday, Jack had a last minute appointment with his orthodontist.  His retainer was bothering him, so he wanted to have it checked.  While we were there, Dr. Noguchi's wife, Margaret, acknowledged that she had received my letter (sent 2 weeks earlier), but that she was having difficulty donating online.  She then proceeded to donate $100 by check!  THANK YOU!

The next night, Friday, my every-other-Friday-night regulars, Marjie and Norm, came in for dinner.  Marjie commented on my pink ribbon earrings and asked if they were for sale.  It just so happens that I had a pair on me, and she bought them ;)  She took off the earrings she was wearing and replaced them with the pink ribbon pair.  They are such a cool couple.  THANK YOU!

Sunday, we had a BBQ fundraiser here at our apartment complex.  For apartment tenants only, we served a hot dog, chips and a soda for $5.  We also had Hawaiian shave ice (we have 16 flavors now!), all of my pink ribbon merchandise, and some of my mom's craft stuff.  It was a beautiful day, we had fun, and we made $250 in 3 hours!  Plus, I LOVED the easy set up and break down just outside my front door :)  THANKS to Seth for all of his hard work in getting the food and shave ice stuff ready.

Now my focus is on the next event:  Our All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast at Coyote Cantina.  This is going to be our biggest event by far, and I am going to do everything I can to be sure that it is a fabulous and profitable event!  I even added a few new items to my pink ribbon merchandise collection.  I'll get you some pictures when I can :)

Until then, here are a few pictures I took at the BBQ:

Take Care!

Lisa

BJ'S Restaurant Fundraiser

Ah, a day off AND dinner with friends!

Since most of the work for this fundraiser involved getting the word (and lots of flyers) out, this day was relatively relaxing.  I made 3 batches of Rice Krispie treats for the BJ's restaurant crew (and their manager, my friend Mike, who has a fierce sweet tooth!), made a sign, and got some balloons (thanks, Seth!), and that was about it.

The flyers that would get us a 15% donation were good from 4pm to midnight, but we headed down there about 5ish.  We had left Seth's car there earlier in the day, so we would have a prime parking spot.  My plan was to put a sign on his car with some flyers, so that people passing on their way to the mall would see the flyers and hopefully take one.  I'm not sure how effective it was, but I think it was a good effort:

We had reservations for 15 of us at 6:15, and Gina and her family got there right on time.  Her aunt and uncle ended up coming, too, so then we were 17. Then my manager Martin and his wife showed up and sat with us, pushing us to 19!  It was fun!

Over the course of our time there, quite a few of my friends, family, and co-workers stopped by to say they were there to support us--some were eating in and some were taking out.  A woman I had met at the farmer's market even brought me some pink ribbon pins that her daughter made :)

I have no idea how much we raised, but it was nice to sit down to dinner with Gina and her family, and to spend time with friends, all for a good cause.  THANK YOU to everyone who came out in support of us!!

Although I brought my camera, I didn't take any pictures except this one on the way to the car.  It's blurry, but it's still full of smiles!!

Steven, Gina, Lisa, and Nicholas

Today, Seth made a huge batch of shave ice syrups for the BBQ we are having here at our apartment complex this weekend.  I have no idea if anyone will show up, but we are having a hot dog lunch for a $5 donation, shave ice, face painting, and all my craft and breast cancer stuff.  I think the boys are actually hoping that no one shows up so that they can eat all of the hot dogs and chips themselves ;)

I also received a surprise from my mom in the mail today...she made checkbook covers and cute drawstring bags out of pink ribbon fabric!  THANKS, Mom!  I will take some pictures and post them in the next couple of days.

And finally, I received my first donation for the 2012 walk!  Because I have already reached my minimum for this year, I went ahead and registered for the 2012 walk (which I hope Gina will walk with me!) and switched my donation page over so that all donations I receive now go towards next year's minimum.  Now I'm trying to figure out if I want to walk or crew in a 3rd city next year!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Lisa

Tuesday Market

Today was my second day at the Wilson Park farmer's market.  As Seth and I were setting up at 7 am, this is the very first thing I heard, "What a rip off!  $5 for a little duck?!"  I just had to laugh, especially since those were my best sellers on Saturday!

According to the woman selling delicious plums across the way, the Tuesday market is totally different than the Saturday one, with a different demographic.  Fewer people.  Older people.  Lots of people on a fixed income.  She was right.  But proving once again that cancer does not discriminate, I met even more survivors today than on Saturday!

I met Sue, who told me that she just made her appointment for a lumpectomy on September 17.  She bought a wish bracelet and asked me to put it on her.  I told her I wished for her well being, and we had a tearful hug.  I met Marianne, who's sister died of cancer and who offered to donate baked goods for the Coyote Cantina event.  I met a 50 something woman who told me that after surviving breast cancer felt she had the right to say "Fuck Cancer."  When I told her I could make her a necklace that said that, she bought one!  I met a 70+ year old man that told me his wife already gave...she gave both of her breasts!  I met a Filipino woman who had many members of her family affected by cancer and who was about to undergo genetic counseling because of her family history.  I met a nurse who works in a cancer hospital.  On and on it went.

It was a beautiful day.  We raised lots of money for the cure.  I made new friends, touched some people, and was touched by them all.  What more could I ask for??

Special thanks to Seth, who helped me set up, tended to the kids, and then distributed flyers for tomorrows fundraiser to lots of local businesses.  I love you!

New Friends, and Pattee

I received an email today from last night's strangers-turned-friends!  Dorothy is the name of the woman who is a breast cancer survivor.  Her husband, who was celebrating his 70th birthday (and who is also a cancer survivor) is Alvin, and the younger couple with them was their son, also named Alvin, and their daughter-in-law, Sue.  Strangers no more!

In her email, Sue revealed to me that her best friend is also battling cancer, for the third time.  In fact, Sue was emailing me from Pattee's bedside.  Pattee has had one lung removed, and now has pneumonia in the other.  She was not a smoker.  CANCER SUCKS!  Cancer does not discriminate!


I will walk because I can.  I will walk for those I know and those I don't.  I will walk in honor of those who have survived and those who didn't make it long enough to see a cure.  I will walk because everyone deserves a lifetime.  

Finally! (and more on the support of strangers)

The gods were smiling down on us on Saturday.  I slept well Friday night.  I got up energized.  I was on time.  I didn't forget anything.  Seriously, it was amazing!

By 6:45 am, Seth and I were off to the farmer's market.  Five minutes later, Sean texted me that he was had arrived at Wilson Park.  He had driven up from San Diego with the tie dye shirts and beat us there! 

Once everything was set up, Seth headed home to tend to the boys.  With Sean at the booth with me, the most merciful thing for everyone was to have Seth stay home with the boys and take care of things there until it was time to pack up.  It was wonderful to be able to spend time with Sean, and he was GREAT at talking to people and helping them!!

We got attention immediately after the market opened, and it was steady (and sometimes crazy!) all the way until the end of the market at one o'clock (and even a bit beyond!).   The weather was BEAUTIFUL, and the market was PACKED.  The booth ended up looking great (if I do say so myself!) and I was really pleased with the layout.  I sold at least one of almost everything that I had, which made me happy...I was glad that I chosen things that people liked.  Sean's shirts were a hit, and they were really great at drawing people to the booth!  Other popular items were the rubber duckies (both with adults and kids alike!) and the badge reels.  The car magnets also did well, and everyone loved getting a "together we can make a difference" sticker!  I sold several of my pendants and even make a few custom ones right there at the booth :)

We met countless people of all ages, including survivors and women currently undergoing treatment.  People shared their stories with us, and I felt privileged to hear them.  I met a woman who's hair was just growing back after chemo, and another woman who has had a mastectomy, but has not yet had reconstruction (she had one boob!).  I met a gay son who donated on behalf of his mom and then she turned around and bought something for him.  I met a girl with a pink ribbon butterfly tattoo on the side of her boob (she showed the boys, twice!) that she got in honor of her mom, who was there with her.   I met a woman who's second daughter, Faith, was born after she survived breast cancer.  Every minute of it was a blessing, amazing.  The time FLEW BY!  And every time someone thanked me, I was surprised, because I was thankful for THEM!

Friends and family came out as well, as always, to show their support.  THANK YOU!  Sometimes my activities keep me away from my loved ones, and it means a lot to me that they come and see me!

It wasn't until the drive home that the exhaustion kicked in.  Wow, I was fried!  All that talking and exchange of energy had depleted me!  After lunch I slept like a log, then it was off to work.

As much as I wanted to blog that night and even this morning, I was EXHAUSTED.  My back hurt and my brain was fried!  So it would have to wait.

Oh, and by the way, we raised almost $1,000!!!!  

Honestly, I never thought about how much I hoped to raise at Wilson Park.  I think I was so busy planning that I didn't have time to.  But I promise you, even if I had, $1K would not have been my guess or my dream!  I was floored.

Thank you to all who donated to the fight!!

Still tired, I didn't want to go to work this afternoon.  But no one wants to work on Sundays, so getting a shift covered is close to impossible.  Now, though, I'm glad I did, because of table 43.

I don't know their names (I can't believe I never asked), but I waited on a gentleman celebrating his 70th birthday, his wife, and another (younger) man and woman.  I don't know if the younger couple was one of their kids and a spouse, or their son and daughter (are you following??).  Nonetheless, shortly after they arrived, the younger woman asked my if I was a survivor.  When I told her my story (Gina's story), she told me that the older woman was a survivor.  Long story longer, we talked at length about breast cancer, I learned that she had had a double mastectomy and that the birthday boy was also a cancer survivor.  We were all tearing up at one point or another, grateful that our loved ones were not lost to cancer, but were surviving.  They were lovely people, and I was so happy to have met them!  They asked for my contact information so they could keep up with me, and I gave my pink ribbon pin to her.  I hope they do contact me, if only so I can learn their names.  Thank you, table 43, for sharing yourselves with me!

Next up: planning for the Tuesday market and the BJ's fundraiser on Wednesday!  Lots of flyers to be distributed!  Oh, and we are also having a fundraising BBQ on Sunday exclusively for our apartment complex neighbors!

Hope to see you soon!

Love,

Lisa

Here are some pics from Saturday!  

The booth was right down the middle of the market!

The front featured items for a $10 donation

The adopt-a-can did pretty well!

The $20 donation side had adult t-shirts, mom's hats, and the stuffed animals with pink ribbon pins.

The headband was Spencer's idea, and it's the one that sold first!

Me, all smiles :)

My beautiful niece Olivia wearing one of my necklaces!

I came home to this surprise!!  It must have been torture for them to wait until I got home to eat it!

A SPECIAL THANKS to Seth, Jack, and Spencer, who make everything I do possible, and to Sean, who has gone above and beyond.  I am so lucky to be loved by all of you.

Pink Preparations

Today was the day that we were supposed to do our first farmer's market fundraiser.  Two days ago, however, the manager told us that she really didn't think it would be worth our time to do it.  At first, I was very upset, both because I have been working so hard to prepare, and also because I had taken the night off to do the afternoon market.  After a while, though, I decided to trust that things were working out as they should (something that is not very easy sometimes!).

Since I had the whole day off today, I decided to start prepping everything for Saturday's farmer's market.  By the time midday came and I realized how much more work I had to do, I was grateful that things worked out as they did!  Having this whole day to prep and pack everything is certainly going to make Saturday morning at 6:30 am go a lot smoother, especially since I am NOT a morning person (all of you who know me can stop laughing now).

Here is a list of all the cool things that have happened since my last post:
--I decided to sign up for PIT STOP 1 in next year's San Francisco Walk.  This means that I will be at the first stop that all the walkers come to for the day.  I believe it's a couple of miles into the walk.  I am looking forward to seeing each and every walker for all three days and cheering them on!!
--My friend Sean, who donated the tie dye shirts I'm always in, and who's making more for me to sell, decided to JOIN ME on the Crew of the San Francisco walk next year!  He signed up this morning and is now officially a TEAM TOUGH TITTY MEMBER!
--A woman who I met during the holidays when I hosted a craft fair DONATED the bracelets that she makes so that I can sell them for donations!
--I broke the $2k mark in my fundraising when I received a donation from a friend of Gina's today!
--I got a surprise from my mom in the mail today:  She knitted some cool pink ribbon beanies for me to sell!

That's a lot of good things, right??  Like I have said before...this whole experience has been life changing...and we've only just begun!

THANK YOU to Babbette, Sean, Terri & Mom!!

Here are some pics of more stuff!

Charms for necklaces and key rings

Double Charms

Large Charm

Small Charms.  All charms are interchangeable!

Personalized

Spencer wearing his ribbon pin and helping package them!

Ha ha Jack looks naked.  Our FREE banner from Metro Signs in Torrance.

My signs...Aren't they cute?  CHEAP frames from Ikea!

Fanny Pack.  'Cuz some people still use them!

Earrings that Janna made, packaged and ready to go!

Wish Bracelets donated By Terri Durish

HOW CUTE ARE THESE?  

It's a tweezer and file set!

Pens

Hand Made by my MOM!

Thanks, Mom!

DON'T FORGET:

Wilson Park Farmer's Market this Saturday 8am-1pm!

Gifts from a Stranger

On the first training walk that I ever went on, I saw several cars with breast cancer related stickers on them.  I made a mental note to start carrying the fundraising business cards I made with me on my walks.  Yesterday, I did just that--and sure enough, about a quarter of a mile into my walk, I passed a home with a Susan G. Komen pink ribbon flag outside of the door.  I stopped, wrote a note on the back, simply stating that I was on a training walk and that I saw the flag, and left it on the porch.

Fast forward to today, and just as I am getting to work, I see the ever-exciting email "A donation has been made on your behalf" (it's just as exciting as the first time!), so I check the site to see who it's from.  I don't recognize the name, but for a fleeting second I wonder if it's the person who got my card.  More likely, though, it's a friend of Gina's that I don't know.  I sent an email thanking them for the donation and asking, "Are you a friend of Gina's?"  Then, I went to work.

As soon as I was done with my shift, I checked my email on my phone, and there was a response from the donor.  As I'm sure you have already guessed by now, it was the girl that lived behind that door!!  Her name is Kelly, and she walked in San Diego last year.  WOW.  Cool right?  She also mentioned that she had written me a note with her donation, and that I must have missed it.  Hmm, I thought, what note??

When I got home, I already knew the title of this post.  What I didn't know was that Kelly actually gave me two gifts today.  While searching for this note she said she sent with my donation (it's in an area of my "Participant Center" on the SKG website that I had never clicked on!), I discovered not only her note, but that almost every person that has donated so far had left me notes with their donations as well!  And as I sat there and clicked on each one, I cried and thanked heaven for Kelly!

Here are some excerpts:

FOR IRENE AND ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SURVIVED. 


Good on ya! 


You're wonderful!!! Thanks for supporting Gina!
Love U 


Way to go you guys! What good friends you are. Good vibes to Gina


This is to support all the Tough Titty Woman who have touched my Life and who have fought this fight! 


Proud and lucky to have you in my life! You are an AMAZING friend! Always have and always will love you Lis!! 


Go get um Lisa. 


Thank you very much Lisa.
My wife and I appreciate very much for what you are doing for Gina, we are glad that Gina has such a good friend stands by her side and supporting her all the times.
Thanks again and take good care. 


Love to you for all you do! 


Lisa, What a blessing you are by your example and devotion. We are praying for you.


May God be with Gina and family throughout this difficult but winable journey.


Lisa thank you for being involved with the Komen for the cure. 


And finally, from Kelly:


Lisa, you left a card on my front door when you were out on a training walk - THANK YOU! I walked the San Diego 3 day last year - it rained the whole time!! But it was a fantastic, emotional and fun time. Congratulations to you for taking on this challenge!! I will be taking on the Boston 3-day next July. Take care! 


No, THANK YOU, Kelly!  


And to all of you who's notes I missed the first time, Thank You for your words of encouragement!  What a wonderful way to end the day!


Love,
Lisa