colours of hope

Ever since seeing the pictures of the Colour Run I have been jonesing for the chance to participate in one myself. Well it took a while for one to finally come to my area, but it did. Today was the big day, the Colours of Hope for the Canadian Cancer Society which if you've spent any time here at all you know is a cause and organization very near and dear to my heart. So, no doubt I was going to participate and lucky for me ML wanted to come along!



ML's new year's resolution was to complete the couch to 5k program and run a 5k race. We both thought this would be a great one for her first race. Oops! We may have been a bit off on that one. Don't get me wrong, the event is fun. Every km they douse with a different colour of cornstarch as you run through the colour station.



My apologies for the blurriness, my phone was in a ziploc bag to protect it from the cornstarch which gets everywhere by the by. So that was fun, unless you weren't paying attention and ate some. That was a little gross. The course though.... oh my goodness it was a bit of a monster for a first time racer. Heck it was a bit of a monster for me and by a bit I mean it was a lot of a monster. It was very hilly and thanks to the endless rain it was also muddy and very slippery in a lot of spots because the whole thing was out on the trail. There's actually another colour run, Colour Me Rad, in the same location in two weeks, but they're using the roads in the park instead of the trail so that one likely would have been better for her. Unfortunately CMR didn't do as good a job at promoting it's event since we heard about the Colours of Hope, but not CMR.



It took us a while to pick our way through the course, but we still had a great time. I'm just thankful it didn't scare her off races forever, but she says she's game to do the Santa Shuffle so ya for running buddies!! I'm so proud of ML, I know how much work it is both mentally and physically to get to a point where you think you can run a race and she did amazeballs in not so great circumstances. Can't wait for the next one xo

juniors

As long as the Jersey Girls have been Relaying we have brought our kiddos along with us. We call them our Junior Jerseys and they really are a part of the team. This year we had nine Jersey Girls and eleven Junior Jerseys at Relay. It's always a game to see which kids will make it all night, which ones will fall asleep first, and which ones Auntie KK will draw mustaches on while they are sleeping. We laugh at the way they contort themselves into lawn chairs when they finally do nod off.



I'm not going to lie I love having them with us. Sure having MyPie there gave this Mama a bit more to worry about. Where was she? Was she staying with her group like I told her? Was she still asleep in the tent? But I know they are gaining something really special. I know they are building life long friendships. I know they are making memories, stories they will tell and retell for years to come.

The Relay for Life isn't easy. It's physically demanding. Twelve hours of walking is even longer than it sounds, believe me. It's also really emotional, but it's also fun and so rewarding. It's a chance to hang out with my best girls' kids and that can be an education believe me. I'd never even heard of twerking before Friday night. Judging by the facebook and instagram posts during and after the big event I think it's safe to say they love doing Relay just as much as we do.

thank you

I am not immune to volunteer burn out. I volunteer a lot, so it can pop up a lot. Usually as I am getting close to project completion. This time around I had Touch a Truck and Relay only six days apart. Both equal out to a lot of people and logistics to organize. I've been lucky though, whenever I start to feel burnt out something always happens to turn the tide be it a sincere thank you, a well timed hug or just the good old feeling of accomplishment from a job well done.



So we're at Relay and the team has gathered at our reserved for Dream Teams picnic table to grab a quick bite of dinner. From the stage they are announcing that year's Dream Teams. There are seven of us out of forty plus teams. Of course when they announce the Jersey Girls our table goes nuts. Arms in the air, woo-hooing our faces off because we are proud of the hard work we put into this year.



While we were acting like teenagers at a Beiber concert, these two local firefighters were finishing their dinner two tables over. They'd obviously been witness to our display... they couldn't have missed it, we were pretty loud. Over they came.... "ladies, we'd like to escort you around the track back to our truck."



So they walked with us and asked about our fundraising, suitably impressed with our numbers. We talked Touch a Truck (they'd been with us the week before) and then just settled into talk about this and that..... well mostly eating raw and juicing. Before you knew it we were back at the truck where they wished us congratulations and good luck for the rest of the night.



It was an incredibly sweet gesture and one I'm not soon going to forget. It was just another perfect instance that you never know how what you do or what you say can impact another person. No matter how burnt out I can get I always somehow manage to find a moment that reminds me why I do what I do.

*thanks to Courtney for the pictures xo

relay number three

So we did it, my fabulous Jersey Girls and I. We survived another Relay for Life. This was our third time participating in this fundraising event for the Canadian Cancer Society and our most ambitious fundraising year yet. So how did we do?



In a word we did awesome. Did we make our $5,000 goal, no we did not. Not this year, but we got damn close and we've already set our sights on next year. So, while not hitting our mark this year may sting for a minute or two... well if we take a minute to look at the big picture......



We celebrated this year as a three time Dream Team and helped to light up HOPE. I was asked to pick three members of the team to do this and it wasn't an easy decision, but I went with my partner in organizing crime ML and my sister-in-law Auntie KK as she was our highest fundraiser this year, bringing in just a shade under $800 all on her own.



We sold 42 luminaries that helped light our way as we walked all night. Our spaghetti dinner brought in 3 times what we made last year. We shared laughs, hugs, tears, trips to the bathroom, cupcakes, junk food, laps around the track, text messages, and pictures. We took selfies, told inappropriate stories and there may have been a prank or two pulled. Remember how awesome sleepovers were when you were eleven.... it's like that only ten times better. Until you get to about 4am, then the going gets a little tough, but you also get a bit punch drunk and everything seems incredibly hilarious.

Our third Relay, in my opinion, was the best one yet. There was just so much love and fun..... I hope the rest of the JG's all felt it too.

So lets talk numbers, shall we.... I know the Jersey Girls are all waiting to hear what our final tally was. This year I am so proud and excited to tell you that we raised $4,626.80! In the past three years we've raised $11,827.60 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Thank you to all who have supported us this year and in years past. It is very much appreciated.



And to my Jersey Girls, there is nobody else I would want to do this with. I thank you for signing up to go on the adventure with me every year. I love you all so much xo

fu cancer bootle drive

Join me, won't you, raise your middle finger and give cancer a really big FU! I lost a friend this week. It wasn't unexpected and yet, totally unexpected.... know what I mean? He was too young and too nice. I will miss his smile. I will miss him. It's just a sucky sucky thing and I hate it. I am heartbroken to have to add his name to my shirt when I walk in the Relay for Life this summer.

Last year my team of newbies raised over $3000, making us a dream team. We hope to do even better this year. None of us want to add another name to our memory shirts. For my local peeps, The Jersey Girls are holding a bottle drive with all funds going towards our team total.




If you have any wine, beer or liquor bottles hanging around consider donating them to our growing collection and help us be a dream team again this year. We will be collecting bottles until May.

bootles for our dream team

It many ways I am in the best place of my life. Right here, right now. Sure the past couple of months have been a bit of a test, but the people in my life made it bearable. All of them. So what's making my life so great right now, the people I have in it. No question, from my family to my funny girls at work who make me laugh like crazy every day, to my Jersey Girls who also make me laugh while they sit around my house in their pajamas.

Those same Jersey Girls are the ones that raised over $3000 for cancer research, who stayed up and walked all night with me just because I asked them if they would. And guess what when I asked them if they wanted to do it all again this year and raise even more money they all said yes. Well the majority of them said yes right away, I'll work on the others... I'm looking at you ML, Sherry, JJ & Jen. It will be an easy sell I'm thinking.... I mean who wants to miss out on this much fun?




The relay doesn't happen until June, so why am I bugging these people in November. Well this year I thought we'd try some group fundraising and I want to get our first one going for the holiday season. Don't worry I'm not going to ask you to empty your pockets when there a lot of other very deserving organizations that may need your support. Nope. I'm just interested in your bottles.

Bottles you say.... or bootles as my very funny friend calls them..... yes bootles. We want your bootles. When you're finished sharing Christmas cheer with your kith and kin consider donating your empty wine, liquor and beer bottles to support the Jersey Girls Relay for Life team. Get in touch with me or one of my fab Jersey Girls if you have bottles you'd like us to pick up.

Help us be a dream team two years in a row!