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

---

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

---

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

---

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!