Cook for a cure: Pampered Chef fund raiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma!

I promised a Pampered Chef fund raiser, and here it is! You have until the end of the month to purchase your favorite Pampered Chef items and have a portion of the proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

My personal favorites are the pots and pans and the knife collection, but there's so much more from which to choose (I love the stoneware too--amazing for pizza!).  Those of you who know me well also know that cooking isn't my favorite activity--but I'm a snob when it comes to kitchen items (OK, you know that about me too!). So, check out my favorites, and find your own as well--all while fighting cancer! It's a bigger win-win than anything you've encountered in the business world!

To shop and help find a cure for cancer, go to my Pampered Chef fund raiser web-site.

To donate without purchasing, go to my Team in Training fund raising website.

Thanks--together we can find a cure for cancer!

Thanks again to those of you who have already donated--we are making a difference together!

Hill repeats and work (wait, hill repeats are work!)

Last night, I ran hill repeats with the team . . . All I can say is . . . I need to find a hill closer to where I live! It was hard, but it was a good workout. I've been working so much--it felt good to just focus on the hill.

I don't have any pictures to share this time--I've been so busy. This upcoming weekend will be my first day off in a long time. I'm going to clean. Seriously--people call reservists "weekend warriors." Let me tell you, we're not. I work with a group of dedicated professionals who work all day at their regular jobs (some of us have civilian jobs and some are full-time reservists--AGR), then come home and put in a few hours for the Army. Toggling back and forth between the two jobs can be tiring, but it's worth it.

Next week, I'll be starting a Pampered Chef fundraiser for LLS. If you like to cook, check back on Monday and see what Pampered Chef's hot items are. You can purchase some awesome cookware and help a great cause at the same time!

And if you want to donate to help fight cancer without the shopping part, well that's great too! Go to my fund raising page to donate:  Running for a Cure.

Thank you--together we are making a difference! 

Recommitment and Two Right Feet

Some people are said to have two left feet--apparently I have two right feet! I grabbed my shoes out of my trunk this afternoon when I was getting ready to run with the team, and this is what I grabbed. I think I've been working too many hours!

I've been asked questions about the deadline that I posted on Facebook. I posted the deadline because we have dates to meet for fund raising. My first deadline is August 6--this is when I give the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) my debit card information and commit to donating the full minimum amount of $2400.

Many people don't realize that fund raising efforts for cures are a commitment, just as running the marathon is a commitment. Those of us who are involved are very aware of this and are willing to make sacrifices to meet this goal. Sometimes the sacrifice is spending time washing cars, selling raffle tickets, selling chocolate, or having fund raisers though companies like Pampered Chef. We can also raise money by volunteering at other marathons, 5Ks, etc. And of course, we reach out to others and ask for donations. In the event that we don't raise the minimum amount, we agree to donate the difference, and that is really a small sacrifice to make when we know the kind of difference we are making.

How are we making a difference? The research done in finding a cure for blood cancers has benefited researchers looking for other cancer cures as well. There is now a vaccine for prostate cancer, and a vaccine for breast cancer will soon be in the testing phase. The money we raise goes to these efforts. But we are also making a difference by building awareness. Every blog post, every Facebook and LinkedIn status update raises awareness. And we are giving people with blood cancers hope where there once was little hope.

About the deadline--even though I have recommitted and given LLS my debit card information, you can still donate via my fund raising page or the widget on my Facebook page. Donations made will still go toward my goal of $2400. I plan to donate $600 or the difference between what people donate to help me and the minimum amount, whichever is greater.

If you can help me reach the $2400 minimum, my $600 donation will bring the total to $3000--how cool would that be? My fund raising page lists increments beginning at $25, but even $5 will help. To donate less than $25, choose "other," and insert the amount you choose to donate.

Thanks again to those of you who have already donated (I'm at 30% now thanks to you!)--know that you are making a difference!

Click here to donate:  Running for a cure--help me raise money to fight cancer