After the Campaign - Why I Won When I Lost

I can't believe it's over... We made it through ten unforgettable weeks of fundraising in my campaign to be the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2015 Woman of the Year. And everyone's wondering, "Did you win?"

Well I didn't earn the title of "Woman of the Year" but I did win. In fact, all of the candidates did. Here's why... 

I won because Cathy Jennings believed in me enough to nominate me for this crazy adventure. 

I won because my employer, Central Penn College, gave me their full support and encouraged me every step of the way. 

 
I won because I got to team up with amazing businesses and organizations like Roundtable Productions, Mint Photobooth, the Conference Center at Central Penn College, Lancaster Brewing Company, the Local 520 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, The Jason Barshinger Band, Pamela's Flowers, Appalachian Brewing Company, Amuse Uncorked, Gold's Gym Linglestown and Camp Hill, Halifax School District, Konhaus Marketing, and Arooga's. 

 
I won because I got to meet and learn from some incredible former candidates! Tania Srouji, Abeer Srouji-Allen, Rene Krebs, Brent Eshelman, Bob Carey, and more. I even got to team up with Nick and Dorothy Ferraro for an Elvis Tribute Show featuring The Philly Elvis! 

 
I won because I got to spend ten weeks having fun and raising money with the BEST CAMPAIGN TEAM EVER - including my husband, my family, and my besties! I can't believe how lucky I am to have this group in my life! They lugged masses of yard sale items all over Central PA, wrapped what felt like thousands of candy bars in gift wrap, allowed their homes to be overrun with BINGO prizes, sat in the hot sun (while getting yelled at by shop owners), dressed up as penguins and hotdogs to collect donations on the street corner, made whoopie pies, sold soup, battled with orange cones, pounded the pavement to solicit donations, and even helped me to Facebook-stalk my competitors (just a little!)! 

I won because I have a circle of family, friends, and colleagues full of generosity and heart who donated prizes, bought raffle tickets, attended events, and donated. Your support meant so much. 

I won because I had some fierce competition to motivate and inspire me! All 11 candidates were amazing! I'm honored to be in their ranks! Huge congrats to our newly-named 2015 Man and Woman of the Year, Bryan Laudermilch and Jen Fertenbaugh (fyi... she raised over $74,000!!!)! 

 
I won because - TOGETHER - we raised a crazy amount of money (our team raised $21,810, and the candidates combined raised over $270,000!!!!). That money will ensure that kids like our Boy and Girl of the Year (Chase and Ady), our spouses, our parents, our siblings, and our loved ones will be able to live in a cancer-free world. Someday truly is TODAY.

Thank you everyone for an incredible ten weeks. I am so amazed and proud of what we were able to accomplish together! 

#somedayistoday #mwoy2015

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

Week Eight and The "Henrietta" Dance

Eight weeks ago I began this crazy adventure to become the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 2015 Woman of the Year. I remember thinking that ten weeks (the length of the campaign) was such a long period of time (It isn't!!). And today we are just 14 days away from the finale - just 14 days until we meet again at the Radisson to see who earned the title!

We've gotten a lot accomplished in the past eight weeks (thanks in FULL to my amazing campaign committee): Two Zumbathons, a yard sale, BINGO, and more. But we still have lots to come in these final weeks: the Poker Run, the Elvis Tribute Show, Wine and Paint Night, and a Murder Mystery.

I'll admit it - this morning I felt tired. I was ready to for this campaign to be over! I kept thinking about all we have yet to do in the next two weeks, and it was overwhelming. Last year's Woman of the Year, Kathy McCauslin-Cadieux, joked that there would be a moment that we would see a bus and consider getting on it (or stepping out in front of it). I may have hit that moment.

BUT... just as I thought my will to fundraise had given out on me, I was given a reminder of why this campaign is so important. 

Today was our monthly visit to the Hershey Children's Hospital as part of the Soaringwords + Zumba Fitness program. Along with Stephanie Okuniewski and Cindy Riess, we led a Zumba Fitness class for the patients and families staying there.

One amazing little girl danced with us the entire time - she was energetic and vivacious and insanely adorable! Forget our choreo, this little girl was creating her own dance moves! She was teaching us! She even helped us to create some fun new choreo named after her chicken, Henrietta (check out the video below)!

This girl should not have to deal with being sick. Kids like our Boy and Girl of the Year, Chase and Ady, should not have to deal with being sick. Our loved ones - spouses, parents, cousins, neighbors - should not have to deal with being sick.

Is it crazy to think that WE have the power to make cancer a think of the past?

Every dollar raised gets us one step closer to finding a cure, and allows kids like Chase, Ady, and our amazing little dancers today to just be kids!

So I am bracing myself for the final charge to the finish line. I can't quit. I have two more weeks - two more weeks to use to change the future for cancer patients and their families.

Will you join me? Please donate now or purchase tickets to one (or more!) of our upcoming fundraising events:

1. POKER RUN - THIS SATURDAY, May 30 (departs 10am) at the Local 520 Union Hall, Harrisburg
2. ELVIS TRIBUTE SHOW WITH NICK FERRARO - THIS SATURDAY, May 30 at Appalachian Brewing Company, Harrisburg
3. WINE AND PAINT NIGHT WITH AMUSE UNCORKED - Monday, June 1 (6-8pm) at Best Western Premier
4. MURDER MYSTERY DINNER - Thursday, June 4 (6:30pm) at The Conference Center at
   Central Penn College
5. ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT - Sunday, June 7 (2-4pm) at Gold's Gym Camp Hill

You can also shop for the cause: 

1. JAMBERRY PARTY - Order online through May 31
2. TSHIRT SALES - Order through May 29, $12 each
3. MARY KAY SATIN HANDS PROMO - Earn some bling when you sell 10 of our specially packaged hand creams, $15 each

Thanks so much for your continued support through this campaign! See you at the finale!! #somedayistoday #mwoy2015

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

 

Look for event and campaign updates on my blog and on my personal fundraising page!

Weeks 5 and 6: Over Half Way!

When people ask me how my campaign to be the 2015 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year is going, I simultaneously experience two powerful and contradictory feelings. Part of me begs for the weeks to slow down - I have so much left to do! Then the other part wonders how I'll make it through the final four weeks! I'm so thankful for my campaign committee (30 people strong). They are such a huge source of support - and I'm continually inspired by all that the team is accomplishing!

Each week of the campaign challenges me to learn and grow in new ways. During week five, the LLS office challenged us to have a CALL PARTY to call 30 people to ask them for $100 - this was painful for me! Luckily Shawna Strine and Deb Schell were willing to join me (and Steph Okuniewski virtually)! We ended up having a fun night drinking margaritas at Arooga's - end earning a $500 bonus for our efforts! I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone (a lot), and I know that will be beneficial to me long after this campaign is over.

TEAM YARD SALE also saw their big event come into fruition! This one was LOTS of work, but a ton of fun! We had face painting, carnations for all moms thanks to Pamela's Flowers, yummy food thanks to Mama's Soup Coupe, baked goods, and masses of treasures for shoppers to take home! I can't say thanks enough to our event team Kim Lehman, Shawna Strine, Steph Okuniewski, Mandie Levan, and Heather Kat Stouffer; our sales "managers" Shawn Thoman and Brian Okuniewski; our "stock team" Rita Goodyear Thoman, Barry T, LuAnn Gallup, and Lexy Pollack Ridgley; and the MANY people who donated merchandise or came to the sale!

Other ways to get involved:

1. We have a jamberry party going on through the end of the month (Thanks Dawn Leeson). 
2. We are taking orders for tshirts (Thanks Artistic Imprints). 
3. We even created a special Mary Kay satin hands promo where you can earn some bling when you sell 10 of our specially packaged hand creams (Thanks Kimm Moore)! 

Upcoming events:

1. ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT - Saturday, May 23 (1-3pm) at Halifax Elementary School
2. POKER RUN - Saturday, May 30 (departs 10am) at the Local 520 Union Hall, Harrisburg
3. ELVIS TRIBUTE SHOW WITH NICK FERRARO - Saturday, May 30 at Appalachian Brewing Company, Harrisburg
4. WINE AND PAINT NIGHT WITH AMUSE UNCORKED - Monday, June 1 (6-8pm) at Best Western Premier
5. MURDER MYSTERY DINNER - Thursday, June 4 (6:30pm) at The Conference Center at Central Penn College
6. ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT - Sunday, June 7 (2-4pm) at Gold's Gym Camp Hill

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

Look for event and campaign updates on my blog and on my personal fundraising page!

Weeks 3 & 4: Pirates, Picture Frames, Campfires, and BINGO

Well, the last two weeks have been BUSY! I can't believe we are almost halfway through my campaign to be the 2015 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year! Here are a few highlights of what's been happening! I included a few personal and professional updates as well!

PIRATES
I took a break from campaigning to head to the Outer Banks with two of my running besties, Shawna Strine and Denise Zern! We had been prepping for MONTHS to prepare for the Flying Pirate Half Marathon (and that was just for the costume contest!) - ok, we ran a little, too! We ran an amazing 13.1 miles through the beautiful Nags Head Woods Nature Preserve and took the stage after the race to accept THIRD PLACE in the costume contest (was there ever any doubt?)!! But don't worry - we kept the campaign in mind! We wore our Woman of the Year pins the entire time we were in OBX - even during the race!

PICTURE FRAMES
Once we were back in PA, it was time to prepare for our FIRST campaign fundraiser - the Harrisburg Zumbathon! Two hours, six licensed Zumba instructors, and a room full of friends ready to dance for a great cause! Stephanie Okuniewski organized this AWESOME event - complete with goodie bags, a silent auction, and fun homemade picture frames for us to take those #sweatyselfies and show our commitment to finding a cure for blood cancers! Thanks to Lindy Aurentz, LuAnn Gallup, Kim Petrides, and Kim Lehman for joining Steph O. on Team "Zthon in the 'Burg!"

CAMPFIRES
The day following the Zumbathon I found myself at Camp Hebron with an AMAZING group of Central Penn students - the participants of the FIRST ANNUAL Women's Leadership Retreat! I co-planned and facilitated the retreat with two of my faves in Student Services - Residence Life Director Megan Peterson and College Counselor Megan Cline. During the retreat we talked about becoming more assertive, managing conflict, and expanding our worldviews. We also had the opportunity to hear from incredible female leaders like Dr. Deb Heath-Thornton, Una Martone, and Tracey Jones! Weekends like this are exactly why I got into Student Services!

BINGO
Today we held our second official campaign fundraiser - PRIZE BINGO! Darla Smith led TEAM BINGO along with Shawna Strine and Denise Zern. 20 games of BINGO, 30 raffle prizes, and at least a dozen door prizes - the hottest items? A football-themed crock pot and a wheelbarrow! And we had plenty more to give away including Longaberger baskets, wine from Armstrong Valley Winery, yard tools from Ames Tru Temper, Mary Kay, home decor from Celebrating Home and MORE! Lunch included homemade soups, BBQ, and some incredible whoopie pies! Thanks to everyone who joined us today!

WHAT'S NEXT? 
We just solidified one final event in our campaign lineup - an Elvis tribute show starting The Philly Elvis, Nick Ferraro! So save the date - Saturday night, May 30, at Appalachian Brewing Company on Cameron Street in Harrisburg!

For info about other upcoming events, click on the links below! We hope to see you there!

AROOGA'S FUNDRAISING NIGHT  - Every Tuesday through June 9
JAMBERRY PARTY - Orders collected through May 31
YARD SALE AND FOOD TRUCK - Saturday, May 9
ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT - Saturday, May 23
POKER RUN - Saturday, May 30

ELVIS TRIBUTE SHOW WITH NICK FERRARO - Saturday, May 30
WINE AND PAINT NIGHT WITH AMUSE UNCORKED - Monday, June 1
MURDER MYSTERY DINNER - Thursday, June 4
ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT - Sunday, June 7

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

Look for event and campaign updates on my blog and on my personal fundraising page!

MWOY Week 2: Penguin Antics and Pre-Meditated Murder

Cancer's not cool!

It is really the end of week 2 already? This campaign seem to be flying by!

Each week we are given a fun bonus challenge to earn extra dollars toward our fundraising total. Our week 2 challenge involved collecting as many cash and check donations as possible. Our plan? To head to Sonic with our donation buckets in hand, and collect donations at the intersection! Oh - and I happened to be wearing a penguin costume, too!

Shawna and Alex Strine

In just two hours, we raised $200, received a visit from the Susquehanna Township Police Department (they received reports of underage penguins on the street corner- haha!!), were visited by lots of familiar faces (thank you, all!), and earned countless smiles from passersby along the way! And did we win our challenge? YES! Special thanks to Shawna and Alex Strine for teaming up with me!

Roundtable Productions

We also made some major strides in the planning of our Murder Mystery Dinner (Thanks Caitlin Copus and Melissa Mahoney)! We will be teaming up with Roundtable Productions for an amazing event on Thursday, June 4 at the Conference Center at Central Penn College! All I can say is that it will be a LOT of fun and will have plenty of surprises throughout the night! Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on my fundraising page (just click on the link to "purchase event tickets"). 1920's theme, so costumes are welcome! Wine and beer to be provided by Lancaster Brewing Co.!

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Here is a complete list of our upcoming fundraising events!!

AROOGA'S FUNDRAISING NIGHT
Every Tues., April 7 - June 9
All day, any location!

ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Saturday, April 25 (2-4pm)
Gold's Linglestown

JAMBERRY PARTY

Orders collected through April 30

Online 

BINGO/FUN DAYSunday, May 3 (2pm)
Faith Church, Halifax

YARD SALE AND FOOD TRUCK
Saturday, May 9 (7am-1pm)
CrossPoint United Methodist Church, Harrisburg

ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Saturday, May 23 (1-3pm)
Halifax Elementary School

POKER RUN
Saturday, May 30 (departs 10am)
Local 520 Union Hall, Harrisburg

WINE AND PAINT NIGHT WITH AMUSE UNCORKED
Monday, June 1 (6-8pm)
Best Western Premier

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
Thursday, June 4 (6:30pm)
The Conference Center at Central Penn College

ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Sunday, June 7 (2-4pm)
Gold's Gym Camp Hill

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

Look for event and campaign updates on my blog and on my personal fundraising page!

MWOY Week 1: Kickoff, A Donkey, and Elvis

“Beginnings are sudden, but also insidious. They creep up on you sideways, they keep to the shadows, they lurk unrecognized. Then, later, they spring.” - Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin

The campaign committee
gets sassy at kickoff!

Campaign Kickoff

It's here! The campaign has begun! We officially kicked off the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Man and Woman of the Year campaign at the Radisson last Wednesday. Thanks to your amazing support, I was one of just four candidates to achieve the first bonus challenge (our team raised over $700 in the first DAY)!

A handwritten message from
the Girl of the Year!

At the kickoff, we were introduced to the Boy and Girl of the Year, Chase and Adyson! These amazing kiddos will be attending events, sharing their stories, and providing inspiration throughout the campaign! I even got a handwritten card from Miss Ady that morning!

I also got to meet my competitors for the first time! 13 total: eight men and five women. And they are FIERCE and FOCUSED on the cause! I can't wait to hear the total dollars raised by this group at the finale! I already know it's going to be incredible!!

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With Leroy, the Easter donkey

Leroy the Easter Donkey
Saturday morning I got to scope out the competition firsthand at a fundraising event I could not resist - Brunch with Leroy the Easter donkey!

Mandie Levan and I traveled to Ironstone Ranch in Elizabethtown. We had an amazing brunch by C&J Catering, took a tractor ride, saw the future home of the Star Barn, toasted marshmallows over a campfire, AND got to meet Leroy (who may be the sweetest Donkey I've ever met)! Congrats to Bryan Laudermilch for a fun event (fundraising totals are top secret until the finale, but I'm guessing it was a success)!

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With Dot and Nick Ferraro

The Philly Elvis
Saturday night it was time for me to do some of my own fundraising! I was invited by past Woman of the Year, Dot Ferraro and past candidate Nick Ferraro to Hershey Italian Lodge for Nick's performance as the Philly Elvis (I'm a huge Elvis fan, so I couldn't resist)! Kimm Moore was my date for the evening.

During the show, Nick and Dot introduced me to the audience and encouraged everyone to donate to the cause. As I was walking through the room with my donation bucket, I met another "why" for taking on this challenge - a survivor (now in remission!) introduced himself and shared his story. More motivation to kick some cancer butt over the next ten weeks.

Our big win!!

And we have a new tool to do it! While we were there, we won the grand prize raffle - a kiddie pool filled with beer, wine, snacks, and more! We are going to pay our luck forward and use our winnings as a prize at one of our upcoming events! Watch for details of how YOU can win our fun PARTY POOL!

Dot and Nick - Thanks so much for all of your support and encouragement! 

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Coming Up Next... 
At the end of our first week, we are going strong! We are busy finalizing the details of our many fundraising events, confirming sponsors, making flyers, and starting to promote! Here's what's coming up next...

Today is our first AROOGA'S FUNDRAISING DAY. Every Tuesday, April 7 - June 9, All day, any location! Just give this VOUCHER to your server and 15% of your bill will be donated to LLS (like we really needed another excuse for their crab pretzel!!)

We are also gearing up for an incredible ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT Saturday, April 25 (2-4pm) at Gold's Linglestown! Don't miss our first official event of the campaign! Just $15 for six instructors, two hours, and one amazing cause! Message me to reserve your spot on the dance floor!

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Save The Date
Here are a few other events that are coming up in May!

BINGO/FUN DAY
Sunday, May 3 (2pm), Faith Church, Halifax

YARD SALE AND FOOD TRUCK
Saturday, May 9 (7am-1pm), CrossPoint United Methodist Church, Harrisburg

ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Saturday, May 23 (1-3pm), Halifax Elementary School

POKER RUN
Saturday, May 30, Local 520 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Hall, Harrisburg

BENEFIT DINNER
Thursday, June 4, The Conference Center at Central Penn College

ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Sunday, June 7, West shore - Location TBD

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org.

Look for event and campaign updates on my blog and on my personal fundraising page!

One Day 'Til Kickoff: MWOY Campaign Updates

Kat Stouffer, Shawna Strine, and Kim Lehman
joined me at one of our first official team meetings!

Are We Ready For This??!!
We are just one day away from kicking off the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Man and Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign!

Since making this commitment, my Facebook Messenger has been firing off non-stop - and for good reason! My campaign team has been BUSY these last few weeks! Here are a few highlights of our pre-kickoff prep work:

• My amazing campaign team has grown to over 25 people! 
• I've heard words of wisdom from three different past candidates! 
• We confirmed our first corporate sponsor - Central Penn College!
• We finalized dates for eight different fundraising events!

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Our First Challenge!!

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has given us our first bonus challenge, and I'm going to need YOUR help to achieve it... On the day of the kickoff (Wednesday, April 1) I need to raise $500 on my personal fundraising website between 12am and noon. That's just 12 hours! Will you help?

I'll be sending emails and posting Facebook reminders early that morning. All you need to do is a make an online donation - and any amount will bring us closer to our goal! Remember that the donation needs to be made no later than noon in order to count toward the challenge!

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Upcoming Fundraising Events!!
Remember those eight fundraising events that I mentioned? Please plan to attend! We are working on Zumbathons, a poker run, a murder mystery, and MORE! We would love to see you there!

1. AROOGA'S FUNDRAISING NIGHT
Every Tuesday, April 7 - June 9, All day, any location! Just give this VOUCHER to your server and 15% of your bill will be donated to LLS.

2. ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Saturday, April 25 (2-4pm), Gold's Linglestown

3. BINGO/FUN DAY
Sunday, May 3 (2pm), Faith Church, Halifax
Looking for prizes and raffle donations!

4. YARD SALE AND FOOD TRUCK
Saturday, May 9 (7am-1pm), CrossPoint United Methodist Church, Harrisburg
Looking for sellable "treasures!"

5. ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Saturday, May 23 (1-3pm), Halifax Elementary School

6. POKER RUN
Saturday, May 30, Local 520 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Hall, Harrisburg

7. BENEFIT DINNER
Thursday, June 4, The Conference Center at Central Penn College
Looking for a wine/beer sponsor!

8. ZUMBATHON CHARITY EVENT
Sunday, June 7, West shore - Location TBD

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Survivor Story: Matthew, Philadelphia
Stories like Matthew's (found on the LLS website) remind me of why this campaign is so important.

Matthew was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma and Leukemia in November 2008 at just two years old. After long and difficult chemotherapy treatments, Matthew achieved remission. He is now part of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia survivorship program.

Matthew finds time for his hobbies like making crafts and running make-believe restaurants and stores. He also stays busy playing baseball, swimming, and basketball. Matthew also enjoys looking for treasure in his backyard. When he grows up, Matthew wants to be a teacher or a restaurant owner because he loves people. 

LLS has invested more than $1 billion in blood cancer research. This research is improving treatments, increasing survival rates, and SAVING LIVES. By supporting LLS, we are ensuring that kid's like Matthew can continue their backyard treasure hunts and baseball games!!

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More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

Look for event and campaign updates on my blog and on my personal fundraising page!

Don't Stop The Party

Wild West at Ladies Night Out

Legend has it that Beto Perez walked into his aerobics class one day and discovered (gasp!) that he forgot his music! So he grabbed some salsa and merengue tapes from his car and improvised the first ever dance fitness party (later named ZUMBA)!

Call it fate, call it magic - but since that day, the party he started has taken on a life of its own. You can now find Zumba classes at over 200,000 locations and in 180 countries!

If you know me personally, you know that I love a party - especially a party with a THEME (costumes are an added bonus)! Those 200,00 locations mentioned above have a theme (one of my favorites)... #zumbalove. Caring instructors, passionate students, and a whole lot of people wanting to make the world a better place. I wonder if Beto ever imagined the infinite number of lives he would affect with the creation of Zumba. The ripple stemming from that fateful class is mind-blowing.

This weekend I was lucky enough to be a part of three different parties for three very worthy causes (and lucky for me, they all had some awesome themes of their own)! Here's a recap:

Ladies Night Out:
For the 6th year in a row, Northern Dauphin County Human Services welcomed hundreds of women to Ladies Night Out. This year's theme? Wild West! The event was free and featured health screenings, a blood drive, and a canned food drive for the Northern Dauphin County Food Bank. Guests could also shop from a ton of vendors (I bought my first bag of fat-burning coffee! Too tempting to resist!) and enjoyed a variety of entertainment including line dancing, music, and more! My awesome Halifax students, dubbed the Halifax Hotties, came to help me share some of our favorite Zumba songs with the crowd!

Purple and Pigtails for Catie's Wish

Catie's Wish/St. Jude: 
In 2009, a beautiful 7-year-old girl named Catie lost her life to cancer. Her dying wish? To raise enough money to cover the operating expenses of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on her birthday, April 23rd. Her family, from Mechanicsburg, PA, works to raise over $1.4 million each year to make Catie's wish come true. Led by my original Zumba instructor and owner of Progress Fitness, Liza Smith, we teamed up to raise over $3,000 for the Catie's Wish Foundation! All while wearing our purple and pigtails!

Zum-bots for NHS Autism School

NHS Autism School:
Calling all Zum-bots (another fun theme)! The CDC's latest statistics show that 1 in 68 children have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). On Saturday afternoon, I participated in a Zumbathon Charity Event to support the NHS Human Services Autism School in Carlisle - a wonderful school that serves all students on the autism spectrum, ages 5-21. We even had a few awesome students join us on the stage!

Beto may have created Zumba unintentionally, but the power of the program is undeniable. One magical "mistake" has led to MILLIONS of lives being changed for the better. 

Beto, THANK YOU for inviting us to the party! 

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year Campaign Update! We are only one week away from the campaign kickoff! Learn more at www.mwoy.org/pages/cpa/hbg15/athoman.

The opinions and views expressed by this ZCOM Volunteer on this website are solely those of the ZCOM Volunteer and do not reflect the opinions or views of Zumba Fitness, LLC, its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and agents.

Prepping for the Hunger Games

Ok, you've seen The Hunger Games... Remember how (after volunteering as tribute) Katniss is whisked away to a training facility to get prepped for the games?

I'm comparing my current state in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Man and Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign to that very scene. The games haven't started yet, but things are starting to get serious!

When Katniss was in training, she had an entire team to help her prep: Peeta, Effie, Cinna, Haymitch, etc. Well, I also have a cast of teammates ready to share in this adventure!

Peeta - I'm lucky to have a slew of "Peeta's" on my team in the form of wonderful friends who just said "yes" - no questions asked. Before I even had an idea of what I committed do, they were offering to help (they are either the most awesome people on earth, or crazier than I am - I know it's the prior). Seriously, I can't imagine a second of this 10-week campaign without this incredible crew: Kim Lehman, Mandie Levan, Shawna Strine, Steph Okuniewski, Darla Smith, Denise Zern, Rita Thoman, Beth Davis, Anita Lenker, Jen Apa, Caitlin Copus, Melissa Mahoney, Nicole Hate, Dawn Leeson, Kim Petrides, LuAnn Gallup, Lexy Ridgley, Kat Stouffer, and Natalie Deibler! I am so thankful for you all!

Haymitch - Those that have gone before me! Karen Richards, Sue Campbell, Dot Kuzo - former co-workers that have all competed in the "Games" before. When trying to decide if I should commit, I reached out to these incredible women. They made a few comments about lack of sleep, but they also clearly expressed how much the campaign meant to them and to the mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thank you for the encouragement!

Cinna - Straight from Panem, I have my Cinna - also known as Ashleigh Pollart. Ashleigh is the Campaign Manager for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since day one she has been calming my fears and arming me with an arsenal of tools to help me in this battle. Whether it's late night supply drop offs, letter editing, or responding to my (sometimes extensive) emails, she has been nothing but supportive. FYI Ashleigh - We should discuss costumes for the kickoff! How do you feel about fire? ;)

Primrose - Primrose was the WHY for Katniss, the reason she raised her hand and volunteered as tribute. I have my WHY, too. And since accepting my nomination, my list of WHY's have grown. Just this week I had two new conversations with families affected by blood cancers. Thank you for sharing your stories, your pictures, and your support (many of you have even joined my campaign team)! You are my inspiration! This is for you LuAnn,  Jessica, Larry, Lexy, Natalie, Kat, Barry, The Gangnam Style Kid, Dot, Karen, and all of the 1.1 million families that have been affected by blood cancers in the U.S.

“Hope is the only thing stronger than fear." 

Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

I'm not ready yet! Here a a few things I could use YOUR help with to get ready for the "Games."

Donation cards - These are the cards that are sold for $1 (or more) in local restaurants and stores. Do you have a contact at a local business that you could ask on my behalf?

• Donation Card Request Letter
• Donation Card Sample 

Corporate sponsorships - Corporate sponsorship levels are established by LLS and levels range from $1,000-$20,000, although sponsorships of ANY amount are welcome and appreciated. Is this something your business or organization would consider?

• Sponsorship Request Letter
• Sponsorship Packet

Silent auction items and prizes - We are working on events that will include silent auctions, raffles, etc. We need donations of all kinds including artwork, show tickets, electronics, whatever! Do you have a prize that you would be willing to donate?

Campaign begins April 1!

#somedayistoday #MWOY2015

Woman of the Year?

For the past few weeks, I've been carrying around this glossy, white folder with the words "Man & Woman of the Year" on the cover. I would leave for work in the morning and throw it in my bag. I would come home at the end of the day and sit the folder next to me. I hoped that by keeping it near me, it would somehow help me to decide how to respond to the challenge that was inside it.

I was given the folder by Ashleigh Pollart, Campaign Manager for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In it are the details of The Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign - a fundraising program for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

I was nominated to participate by Cathy Jennings, CPAFE's past president (I was her VP)! Of course it was a huge honor to be nominated, but also kind of scary. You earn votes by collecting dollars - lots of them. It's not unheard of for participants to raise $50,000 or more!

Here are a few of the basics about MWOY: 

• Ten-week campaign
• Runs April 1 - June 10 
• 15 men and women participate in each community 
• Donations can only be collected within the ten-week period
• Top male and female fundraisers earn the title
• Benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

At first I came up with a lot of excuses: I'm too busy. I just started a new job. I don't have the time, the network, the corporate sponsors, the business connections. I'm lucky enough to say that my family hasn't been affected by blood cancers. Why should I get involved? 

Then I thought about my running coach who's son was diagnosed many years ago (his son is now in remission). I thought about a member of my Zumba family who lost her husband just a few years ago, and a CPAFE leader who lost her mom. These are people who I care about whose lives have been changed forever because of blood cancer. Even though the disease wasn't under my roof, it was still all around me. 

Then as I was at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital teaching a Soaringwords + Zumba class to the patients and families, I was given one more sign. This awesome kid in bear paw slippers came up to us and wanted to dance to "Gangnam Style." Of course we obliged. And as he showed off his dance moves, I noticed the t-shirt that his caregiver was wearing - and the words "Fight Leukemia." 

You just can't say no to that. 

So for Larry, Luann, Jessica, and that Gangnam Style kiddo - I say YES. I'm in the running for Woman of the Year - for you, for your families, and for all of the families that have been affected by blood cancer.

Will I win? I don't know. But as it says in my glossy, white folder - EVERYONE WINS WHEN CANCER LOSES. 

So what happens now? Well, I'm going to need lots of help! If you are willing to join my campaign team, hold a fundraiser on my behalf, ask your company for a corporate sponsorship, plan a dress-down day (or any other great idea you have), please let me know. I can't accept any donations until April 1, but we can start planning today! Will you help?


More than 1.1 million Americans are currently living with or in remission from a blood cancer. Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed. Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers. They are men, women and children of every race and every age. Learn more at lls.org. 

Worried About Vaginas

“I bet you're worried. I was worried. I was worried about vaginas. I was worried about what we think about vaginas, and even more worried that we don't think about them.” Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues

Happy Valentine's Day! Over the weekend my Facebook feed was filled with pictures of romantic gestures: flower deliveries, homemade gifts, shout outs to loved ones, etc. There were also more than a few posts (both positive and negative) about a movie that opened this weekend - Fifty Shades of Grey. Heard of it?

“I gasp, and I'm Eve in the Garden of Eden, and he's the serpent, and I cannot resist.” E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey

Wherever you stand on the Fifty Shades/S&M debate, I'm glad for one thing - There is a conversation happening about sex and the importance of ensuring safe, healthy sexual relationships.

Let me be clear. This blog post is NOT about consensual S&M. And its NOT about that devastatingly handsome Christian Grey (although the Student Affairs professional in me certainly felt a bit protective of Miss Steele). Instead, I want to talk about some real statistics on violence against women:

• According to a report in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 28% of US female veterans reported sexual assault during their careers (Women's eNews, 3/30/03).
• One in six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape (2004 National Crime Victimization Survey)
• Nearly three in four family violence victims are female – 73%. (US Bureau of Justice, June 2005)
• 1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime (fyi - that adds up to ONE BILLION women) 

Are you horrified yet? I am.

Last week Central Penn College students, faculty, and staff gathered to initiate a similar conversation at the College's second annual production of The Vagina Monologues.

Written by Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues shares the voices of a diverse group of females: a six-year-old girl, a sex worker, a rape survivor, a childbirth partner, and more. The monologues were the result of a series of interviews Ensler led about an often taboo topic – vaginas. Now these monologues are used to empower women, increase awareness about violence against women and girls, and raise funds to end that violence. 100% of the proceeds from our Central Penn College performance benefited YWCA Carlisle. 

Cast and Crew: Maria Rodriguez, Maria Thiaw, Laiken Binner, Christine Latchford, Megan Peterson, Anita Witmer, Naydia Bonner, Rebekah Nolt, Caitlin Copus, Teta Gaye, Carolyn Rodriguez, Daniel Blichasz, Jessica Grice, & Jaida May

So whether Christian Grey or a star-studded line up of college students starts the conversation, I'm glad we're talking! Because the statistics above have got to GO. In the words of Christian Grey, "Laters, Baby!" 

Here are a few things YOU can do right now to help: 

• Know what consent is and isn't (hint - there are mutually agreed-upon boundaries and consent from all partners every time). 
• Know the warning signs and reach out to loves ones who may be in an unsafe situation. 
• Support events with the cause in mind. The Vagina Monologues are being performed all over the world - find a show near you!
• Educate others about violence against women. Share this post and keep the conversation going.

V-Day Anti-Violence Resource Guide:  

If you or someone you know has experienced violence in the United States, call one of the the following numbers:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
• Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): (800) 656-HOPE
• 24 Hour Confidential Rape Hotline. National Victim Center: 800-FYI-CALL (394-2255). Operating 8:30AM-5:30PM EST, the NVC hotline helps locate assistance in your community if you have been the victim of a violent crime.

#vday #onebillionrising #rise4revolution 

A Case of Whiplash

At the beginning of the year, I talked about my mantra. 2015 was going to be about, "finding my greatness." I wanted to push myself beyond good, beyond average.

But then it happened. And it was so easy to do...

Like 92% of New Year's resolution-makers who fail (most within the first week), I forgot about being great. I got busy, I lost focus, I forgot to push for MORE. I needed a reminder.

I got one. 

Over the weekend Shawn and I went to see a movie at Midtown Cinema called Whiplash. In the movie, a renowned music teacher uses extreme methods to help his students reach their potential. One of my fave quotes from the movie?

"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job." 

Now I know that is sounds absolutely crazy coming from me - I'm that person that thinks every kid should get a trophy, I don't like keeping score, and I LOVE to celebrate successes both big and small! But the quote kept coming back to me. 

First, let me be clear. I absolutely believe that positive reinforcement is so important. We SHOULD be handing out those trophies and celebrating our successes! However, it's also important to push ourselves to go further. How else will we know how good we really can be?

Regardless of your definition of greatness, unless you fail at achieving it repeatedly, you’ll never appreciate your accomplishments. Elite Daily

At every Central Penn College Open House, I would ask the audience to raise their hands if they believed they had POTENTIAL. And I wouldn't move on until every single hand was raised. Why? Because I wanted those students to know that we could see the greatness that was within them! Regardless of their class rank, their club involvement, or their GPAs, we knew they had the potential to be ROCK STARS at whatever goal they set for themselves.

Want to hear something AMAZING? 

WE ARE ALL ROCK STARS if challenge ourselves to be! You. Me. We all have that same untapped potential - the scope of which we can't even realize or imagine! 

I don't condone the methods of "encouragement" shown in the movie, but I do appreciate the message that we'll never reach our true potential if we allow ourselves to stop at "good job." Whiplash was just what I needed to remember my goals, my mantra, and my commitment to strive not just for status quo, but for greatness.

#whiplash #greatness #potential

Jodi Stuber Calls Me Out!

I'm not somebody that thinks about destiny and fate, but I don't walk away from it when something unfolds.  Angelina Jolie

Fate unfolded for me this week - in the form of Jodi Stuber. 

Jodi is one of those super cool gals that rides a motorcycle, runs marathons, practices yoga, and does a ton of great stuff for charities in the area. She even keeps a blog about her adventures, Tiny Thunder Running! 

This week she did something I wasn't expecting - she decided to tag me in her blog and ask me to join her in the prAna 30 Days of Yoga Challenge (A YOGA challenge??!! Let's just say balance and relaxation are NOT my strengths!). 

And of course, because she IS super cool, she has impeccable timing. It just so happens that this week is ALSO week 5 of the Lose It For Lou Gehrig's Wellness Challenge. And during week 5, we can earn bonus points if we step outside of our comfort zone and try something NEW. Well, a 30 day yoga challenge would certainly qualify! 

So here's what I have to do... 

1. Complete the MadLib below. 
2. Tag 2 other bloggers to join in the challenge (Rachel and Christina, since you are two of my fave bloggers, TAG - You're It!) 
3. Join the Facebook Event and Group.
4. Share a photo of something yoga related using the #taketheleap #sweatpink #prana hashtags and tagging @prana @FitApproach every day for 30 days (Feb. 2-March 8).

Well, here we go!! On to the MadLib!

When I think about yoga, the first thought that comes to mind is I NEED TO FIND MY YOGA MAT. Yoga IS PRETTY UNFAMILIAR TO (verb) me and makes me feel LIKE I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS (noun). 

That’s why I am so NERVOUS & SUPER EXCITED (YES, AT THE SAME TIME) (adjective) to participate in prAna’s Take The Leap 30 days of Yoga Challenge with Sweat Pink. I plan to MOUNTAIN POSE (YES, I GOOGLED THAT) (yoga pose) my way to a more FOCUSED (adjective) and CENTERED (adjective) 2015! 

For me, the biggest challenge when it comes to yoga is BEING STILL. Taking the Leap with prAna and Sweat Pink is a great way for me to face/ conquer / achieve / find REALIZE THAT PRODUCTIVITY AND HEALTH CAN BE FOUND IN STILLNESS AND CALM. 

My favorite place to yoga is TO BE DETERMINED (noun) because it is so NEW TO ME (adj). 

Here’s a photo of me FINDING MY YOGA MAT! 

 

I tag Rachel Strella of Strella Social Media and Christina Wood of 20/30 Enterprises.  

I want these fabulous bloggers to share their very best yoga pose photos, this fun madlib and of course, I challenge them to join me on this fun 30 day yoga journey. Come on y’all, Take the Leap with me! 

Join prAna’s & Sweat Pink’s #TakeTheLeap 30 Days of Yoga Challenge and be eligible for a chance to win $500 worth of new prAna gear from their latest collection as well as gift an additional $500 worth of prAna gear to the person of their choice... because isn’t giving as important as receiving? They just launched their new Spring Collection so you best get on it! 

If I win I would gift the $500 to JODI STUBER OF TINY THUNDER RUNNING) because SHE IS SUPER COOL AND INSPIRING (AND I'M HOPING SHE'LL SHARE!) ;)

Join the Take the Leap with prAna and Sweat Pink Facebook group / event which we’ll use for updates, sharing,and inspiration: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1525412337742204/and event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/423377431152799 

And join the challenge on Instagram, Twitter, and your blog using the hashtags:
#TakeTheLeap
#prana
#sweatpink
And of course, tag @prana @FitApproach 

YOGA ON! 

Want to play? Just copy/paste the above and fill in the blanks where I have bolded & italicized and make it your own. Or use this link for the template!

Let's see how this goes! If you happen to be a yogi and can give me some beginners tips, feel free to post them in the comments below!

Saying Goodbye to Stuff, Part 2: I'm Learning How To Cook!

Last week I talked about how I was on a mission to de-clutter, streamline, and make my home (in the words of Peter Walsh) "reflect the vision for the life [I] want."

Since that post, I've tossed my old makeup, found a new home for my hand mixer that doesn't require me to climb on our kitchen cabinet to reach it, ditched those insanely painful shoes I bought for HACC's Gay Gala, and finally hung those pictures that have been sitting on my floor since we moved in. Whew! It's been a busy week!

But there's more to it than sorting through my Elvis collection. My vision for the life I want includes living simply and sustainably. And to do that, I need to do more than get rid of "stuff." I need to reduce my consumption as well.

I found this thought-provoking video, "The Story of Stuff," that talks about the down side of the "stuff" we bring into our homes. Here are a few stats that caught my attention...

• The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population but we’re consuming 30% of the world’s resources and creating 30% of the world’s waste.
• The average U.S. person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago.
• 99% of the stuff we harvest, mine, process, transport... is trashed within 6 months.

Ok, now that we're armed with this information, what do we do about it?

Chicken Corn Soup

One change we recently made to reduce our consumption (and help our bank account) was to start meal planning (yes, after eight years of marriage we are finally going to give it a go). For those that know me well, you know that I'm not exactly gifted in the kitchen (understatement)! Yet this meal-planning challenge has inspired me! This week I attempted two new recipes (and was so shocked by the fact that I actually made something edible that I took pics to share with you)! 

Baked French Toast

So far, so good! Here are some of the benefits: 

• Only one trip to the grocery store per week saves my time, gas, and patience.
• Less food left unused or spoiled at the end of the week saves $$$ and reduces waste.  
• Less pre-packaged meals means less paper waste and packaging in the trash and in our landfills.
• Planning ahead allows us to prepare healthier meals (well, maybe not the baked french toast, but you get the idea!).
• Plus, meal prep at home means I get to share dinner with my hubs!

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall

What kind of difference do you want to make? Remember, it's not all or nothing (I certainly have plenty of room to improve). But even small changes can make a big difference! Maybe we can make a few changes together?!

Want a few more ideas to green your food habits? Check out Time Magazines "33 Ways to Eat Environmentally Friendly."

How about tips to reduce your consumption overall? Check out these tips from the EPA on how to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

#treehugger #bethechange #thestoryofstuff