Breast Cancer 3Day
Last updated 10/12/2008 – 2008 Contest is closed and Winners and Final Tally have been posted! Thank you all for your support!
This page is where you can find consolidated information about the fundraising contest to support our efforts – Find out how to donate and how to notify me, see the prizes that you could win, and keep up with any new information. So, here’s the skinny!
This October 3-5, my husband Tad and I will walk in our fifth Breast Cancer 3Day event, walking 60 miles in and around Washington DC to raise awareness and funds to support the fight against breast cancer. Net proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Philanthropic Trust, funding important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment. We walk in memory of a very special woman and in honor of her sister who was just recently diagnosed, and to celebrate and honor the loved ones of our supporters as well. You can read more about our walk at the links above or by scrolling down to the bottom of this page for the archives from last year.
What:
A fundraising contest to support our 3day efforts to raise money to fund the fight against breast cancer.
Why?:
- One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes in the United States.
- An estimated 40,460 women and 450 men will die from breast cancer in 2008.
- Without a cure, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will continue to be diagnosed with breast cancer — a devastating disease with physical, emotional, psychological and financial pain that can last a lifetime.
- Without a cure, an estimated 5 million Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer — and more than 1 million could die — over the next 25 years.
- Look around you at your family, your friends, your children. These statistics are staggering and many if not most of us have been or will be impacted by this disease in some way.
How to enter the contest:
- Donate via the pink link over there on the sidebar to the left, or by clicking here. You will receive 1 chance in the drawing for each $10 increment donated ($30 buys 3 chances).
- Notify me via the comments or email (mel*at*purlingplans*dot*com) that you have donated to make sure that I have you on my list.
- Please include in the email whether you would like to be included in the drawing for Knitter’s Prizes, Spinner’s Prizes, or BOTH. If I don’t already have this information (or know this about you!) I’ll be contacting you to confirm.
- I need help giving away all these great prizes! I will enter you in a special drawing for a $30 gift certificate to the online fibery merchant of your choice for linking to my 3Day post or this page to spread the word about the fundraising contest and prizes!
Winner: Tini
When:
The contest will close on Sunday, October 5 at 11:59pm EST. You may donate up until that time to be considered for the prizes below. The drawings will be held on Tuesday, Octber 7th after we’ve returned home and had a day to recuperate & soak our feet!
Final Knitter’s Tally (funds raised by all of you!!):
$1446 – Amazing!
What you could win!
Two lovely coordinating skeins of Harmony from Kim at The Woolen Rabbit – 425 yards each of superwash Merino/nylon sock yarn in colorways Burnished Oak, and Brick House.
Winner: Rachel
From Cosy of CosyMakes, two signed copies of her wonderful book Knit One, Embellish Too.
From an old friend, Melissa Goodale of Stick Chick Knits, several copies of her fingerless mitts patterns, Violeta and Prickly. Mel’s best friend just lost her mom as well – these have been donated in memory of Lynn.
Winners: Prickly – Sarah-Hope & Rachel;Violeta – Princess Pea, Yarnbee, Sue Homewood, Dawn & HalfSoled Boots
A decorative spindle made and stained by Teri of Confessions of a Fiber Drunk! Teri is one of my spinning idols, so I’m so pleased to put this up. Although I am a bit of a klutz with a spindle, it spins very smoothly!
Winner: Barefoot Rooster
There was no way to possibly do this one justice in one photograph! An Absolutely Fabulous hand-dyed Throw Kit from Colinette in colorway Wild One. Eight bright, beautiful skeins of contrasting yarn and a pattern including six different throw designs. Generously donated by my friend Mel of Girl Eats Soup, who lost her mom too. In memory of Carole Nicholson, who is deeply missed.
Winner: Sarah-Hope
Princess Pea has generously donated a skein of Malabrigo Lace (Now I finally understand why it’s referred to as Mmmmmalabrigo!) 470 yards/50g of luscious baby merino wool in colorway Forest. Gorgeous.
Winner: Thorny Desert Girl
A hand-tied lap quilt with wonderful wool batting from the local Border Leicester sheep of Humbug Farm. So snuggly and warm! Kate’s been kind enough to provide instructions for all-natural cleaning and care of her hand-crafted quilt.
Winner: Girl Eats Soup
Earthy Hues Vines yarn in colorway Butter – 850 yards of 100% merino laceweight – So SOFT and lovely. Tricia uses natural dyes, many made from plants grown in her own garden!
Winner: earthchickknits
From Susan of Susan’s Pointy Sticks – 4 oz. of hand-dyed merino roving. A colorway called “Charlotte” in honor and in memory of a dear friend’s mother (hugs to you Susan, and to your friend).
Winner: Katmoget
Green Mountain Spinnery’s Mountain Mohair – Two 140 yard skeins of the very appropriate colorway Pink Pink, and a Green Mountain Spinnery tote bag.
Winner: Ingrid Lalik
I’m so pleased to offer this lovely yarn from a member of our local spinning guild. Two very generous skeins (370 yds each) of dark gray sport-weight shetland wool from the local sheep of Avillion Farm, donated in loving memory of Coyla.
Winner: Aunt Kathy
A gorgeous handcrafted knitting needle roll custom made for you by master seamstress Katrin of Sew-Mad – your choice of color and size from travel size to 15-circular needle size. More photos can be seen here.
Winner: Michele Riggs
The Sanguine Gryphon Eidos – 390 yards of gorgeous handpainted superwash sock yarn. You all know I’m a huge fan of Gryphon’s gorgeous colorways. Beautiful no?
Winner: Physicsknits
A handcrafted pottery yarn bowl from The KnitWitch. Beautiful and SO much better than letting the yarn dance around your lap and occasionally to the floor as you knit and tug from the ball (or is that just me?)
Winner: Jessica Lindsay
A handcrafted pottery spindle bowl, also from The KnitWitch. This lovely spindle bowl is for use with Tibetan or Russian spindles, or other types of wood supported spindles. Both bowls have felted bases to protect your tabletops.
Winner: Sue Homewood
Nancy’s Knit Knacks Easy Lace Scarf Kit, including 2 skeins (260 yards) of heathered Digit fingering weight wool yarn in Wisteria, and a lovely lace scarf pattern
Winner: On My Tiptoes
Nancy’s Knit Knacks knitting tools. Amazing. I could not fit them all in the photo, so here’s a list of all the great knitter’s tools Nancy has donated!
1 Knee-sel (like a copy holder for your knee – ingenious!)
1 set circular needle ID tags, small
1 set circular needle ID tags, large
1 Needle and Crochet Hook Gauge
1 Knit-Kard set (handy reference cards for knitters)
1 Knit-Light
1 Project Kard set of 10
1 Set of 2 DPN WIP Tubes
1 WPI Tool Kit
Winner: Sherry Scott
2 skeins (1000 yards – enough for a beautiful shawl, or a sweater!) of Brooks Farm Primero – 100% kid mohair, silky & soft, in colorway 47 a beautiful blue-green-grey-gold.
Winner: Yarnbee
1 copy of Poems of Color – Knitting in the Bohus Tradition by Wendy Keele (someday I will tell you all how I came by 2 copies of this book – I have heard that Interweave may be reprinting it in the near future, but for now it is still rather tough to get your hands on one)
Winner: StickChickKnits
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2007 Walk Archives:
*********VIDEOS!!! August 13, 2007**********
Did someone say videos?? Oh yes, we have videos!!
*********Wrap Up and Contest Results!! August 13, 2007**********
A huge thank you is in order to all of you who read about, commented on, and even supported my walk in this event, most of you without ever having met me in person. That’s really something. And I truly cannot thank you enough for those generous contributions. There are so many ways to spend your money, and so many worthy charities out there, and I thank you for sharing what you could with this one. Unlike the local Komen Races for the Cure where most of the money stays in the community to support education, screening, and treatment on the local level (also very important), the bulk of the money raised from the 3Day events funds innovative research, that often is not supported by other sources and that would not take place without this funding. I believe that research is the way to prevention and a cure. I believe that it would have saved my mom, if she only had the time. And I believe that it WILL save many of OUR lives.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
This years event was particularly taxing for many of us due to the extreme heat, but we did it!! Thanks to an amazing crew and medical staff that kept us hydrated and fed, reminded us to re-apply, relocated us due to a lightening storm, gave IV’s and ambulance rides, asthma treatments, antibiotics and blister care (just a few of the health hazards our teammates dealt with this year!) Another amazing 60 miles come and gone. It’s impossible for me to verbalize this amazing event and and what it means to me – I try each year and always fall short. So please allow me to present some photos that may help to capture some of what you’ve supported, with your funds, your well-wishes, and your warm thoughts. There are videos too, but in the interests of your load times, I’ve posted them only on the 3Day page – click here to go see them!
Oh yeah, wasn’t there a contest going on? Well, how about it?!
Under extreme pressure and very scientific circumstances, Tad pulled two names out of a hat -
And the first prize goes to Ruth of Ruthless Knitting!! Ruth, you get first choice of the Three Waters Farm sock yarn or the Alpaca Silk Fiber!
and Second Prize goes to (isn’t he damn cute?!):
Elisa of Concateknit!!
Ruth, I’ve got your address I believe, but Elisa, would you send me your new addy when you have a moment in the unpacking flurry? (melATpurlingplansDOTcom)
Once again, I can’t say it enough – Thank you all SO much!!
*******UPDATE!! July 16, 2007********
This weekend, during a training walk for NC participants, Tad and I met a wonderful woman – full of life & great plans. She’s a mom to three children, and an organic farmer; she and her husband raise goats for milk and cheese and chickens for eggs, among other things. And she’s a breast cancer survivor. My friends, if this woman can get breast cancer, any one of us can.
So, with that thought, I’m writing tonight to introduce a modest contest as an incentive/thank you to donate to my 3Day walk. I have a few very generous readers who have contributed already, and if that’s you, THANK YOU, and you are of course included! That also means that as of right now, your chances of winning are pretty good 
Here’s the scoop. Tad and I will start off walking on Friday, August 3, in Framingham, MA; and end on Sunday, August 5, in Boston, having walked 60 miles over the course of the 3 days to show our support for breast cancer research. You can show your support by using the link here or on the sidebar to the left to go to my 3Day website and make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust’s breast cancer initiatives. If you do not feel comfortable making a donation online, the web folks have just recently made updates which allow you to print a form (from the link at the bottom of the page) along with the information to send your donation directly to the breast cancer 3Day.
To say thank you to those of you who have so generously donated up until this point, and those who may still, I am offering the following tasty tidbits:
A 400 yard skein of lovely “Lilac” superwash merino sock yarn from Three Waters Farm, enough for a pair of yummy, squoonchy socks! The girls at the store who helped me pick this out very nearly tempted me into purchasing some for myself (and you know my sock history; so that’s saying something people!)
And, for the spinners (or soon to be!) of the group, a 4oz. bump of chocolate alpaca/tussah silk roving. Now, if there had been two of these in the shop, the second one most definitely would have come home with me. In fact, I almost didn’t pick this one up for you all, because I knew that it would be so terribly tempting to have around the house. Tad has informed me that he is watching me closely to make sure that it doesn’t disappear (he’s got your backs)!
Here’s how it will work.
We will walk. August 1 to August 3 – 60 miles, you’ve got the drill already.
Then, the plan is to spend a wonderful week in New England, visiting family and friends and taking some needed downtime (and epsom salt baths!).
Upon our return on August 12 (possibly sooner, but I make no promises, as our itinerary is still up in the air as well as internet access), I will have a drawing. For every $10 of your donation, your name will be entered once – that’s 2 entries if you were to donate $20, 5 for $50 and so on Again, at the moment, if you have already donated, your chances of winning are pretty good – if enough people donate, I may chip in a few more goodies! This also means that you can donate straight through until the time that the drawing is held (though there’s no need to wait until the last minute!) The first name drawn will get first pick of the prizes and so on.
SO, if you are able, click on over to my donation site and to do so. Thanks so much for your support, and for reading!
Oh, and if you are reading about the 3Day for the first time on this site, please continue on down for more information about what it is we are doing and all the way to the bottom for information regarding the beneficiaries of this fundraiser.
End of Update!!
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THE STORY: Every year for the last 3 (this will be the fourth) Tad and I and a bunch of other crazy people have gathered for an amazing, grueling, gut-wrenching, and heart-lifting 3 Days. 3 Days where we walk, and talk about life, loss, hope, and those that we love. 3 Days where we brush off small complaints, minor aches and pains, blisters, hunger, heat and sometimes pounding rain. These are 3 Days where we hold each other up (sometimes quite literally), hold ourselves to a higher standard, and become something much more than we are in our everyday lives. For many people, walking even a few miles is a challenge – at 60 miles, this isn’t an easy event, and it isn’t meant to be. I’m not exagerating when I say that I feel like a superhero each time that I do it. And still, it really is nothing when compared with what cancer victims are up against. Talk about superheroes.
My mom is my hero. She was incredible – selfless and strong. Being my mother (and a great one at that) would have been enough, but she was also my dearest friend. These miles we walk won’t bring her back – believe me, I would walk the world over if there were even the smallest chance that it could. Somehow though, it does help. This event is so much more than a fundraiser to me, although it’s ultimate purpose is to raise much needed funds for research to fight this disease. In general I’m a pretty upbeat person, but cancer is something that just makes me angry – furious really, and this is a chance for me to re-direct this energy in a positive manner, to a cause that matters. It’s therapy. This event is a chance to grieve with others who know what this kind of loss feels like, a chance to give each other an ear or shoulder if needed, a chance to remember those that have been lost, share good memories, laugh over the funny stories. And a chance to celebrate those that are still fighting, a chance to do something for some truly amazing women and men some walking with us and some carried in our thoughts, those that have or are battling the disease themselves. It’s a chance to do something for all of us who have been fortunate enough to live without cancer, in hopes that we will never have to fight it ourselves.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and breast cancer is just one form of the disease. It happens to be my focus because of it’s impact on my life. Four women in my family including my mother have had breast cancer. My mother is the only one who lost her life to the disease. Those are some good odds, thanks to research and treatment – but they aren’t good enough. And that’s why, each year, I sign on to do this again – walk 60 miles in 3 Days to help raise money for this cause. I believe that the causes of breast cancer can be identified, that it can be fought, that a cure will be found. I’m not a doctor, a nurse, or a researcher, and I feel helpless sometimes (I think there are times when even these people feel at a loss), but this is something that I can do to contribute to the fight. Research is expensive, but necessary if we are going to kick cancer to the curb. So I will walk, and I will raise as much money as possible.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: If you would like to donate, please visit my 3Day website by clicking here, or on the link in the sidebar. If you would like to donate but are uncomfortable doing so online, please email me by clicking on the contact me link in the upper left corner of the sidebar and I will get you the appropriate information. Each year, I carry the names of all those that I know who are battling the disease or who have been lost. And I would be honored to carry the names of your loved ones with me as well, please just share their names and your connection to them with me, if you are comfortable doing so. Those who are gone are not forgotten, and those that are still fighting need our help. I believe in the power of positive thinking, prayer, karma, whatever you may call it, and I carry these names, along with my mom, Linda Chase, in my heart. Our walk this year is in Boston Massachusetts, August 4-6. Thank you in advance for any help you are able to give, whether it be a donation, spreading the word by linking to this post and telling your friends, or positive vibes for safe training and a safe walk. Interested in joining us? Shoot me an email, or click on the 3Day link at the bottom of this post.
THANK YOU & THE PLUG: Thank you so much for your time in reading this post, I recognize that it is not the most uplifting topic, but I feel it’s necessary. What IS uplifting is all the people who are surviving this disease – and the thought that one day there will be no victims, only survivors. I believe that I will see an end to breast cancer as a life threatening disease in my lifetime.
And here’s my plug. Please, if you are reading this and haven’t been screened, please call your doctor and make an appointment today. If there are issues of where to go, insurance coverage, or what have you, there are often resources available and I can connect you with people who can help.
About the Breast Cancer 3-Day
Taking place in 12 cities nationwide, the Breast Cancer 3-Day is a three day, 60-mile walk that provides an opportunity to educate tens of thousands of people about breast health, including the importance of early detection. Breast Cancer 3-Day participants commit to raising a minimum of $2,200 and walking an average of 20 miles a day during each three-day event. Proceeds from the Breast Cancer 3-Day are used for breast cancer research, education, and community outreach programs. As the primary beneficiary of the Breast Cancer 3-Day, Susan G. Komen for the Cure receives 85 percent of net proceeds and the remaining 15 percent goes to the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. Please visit www.The3Day.org, or call 1-800-996-3DAY for more information. Your donation is fully tax deductible and information will be provided with a donation confirmation.
