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firecatThis is partly cribbed from the thank-you email I sent to the folks who pledged me.
This afternoon I participated in the WCRC "Swim a Mile for Women with Cancer."
My purposes were to encourage myself to swim more, to raise money for what seems to be a good cause, and to represent for "fat people daring to wear bathing suits in public"!
My time slot was one hour, and I currently can't swim fast enough to complete a whole mile in one hour. So my goal was to swim for an hour.
But because they let me get in the pool a half hour before my official swim time, I had more than a hour in the pool, and I did better than I expected to: I swam the full mile in one hour and twenty minutes. (*I* think it was an hour fifteen, but my time card/lap card/certificate said an hour twenty.)
I got a bit discouraged in the middle, because I realized that I had gotten into a 20-yard lane instead of a 25-yard lane, so I had to complete 45 laps instead of 36.
I'm very tired, but a bit less tired than I expected to be.
So go me!
And I really appreciate everyone's generosity.
The event was very well organized, and there was a lot of activity and fun to keep everyone upbeat. An announcer with a microphone read the name of each person who completed a swim, along with the names of any people that she or he was swimming in honor of or in memory of. (I didn't put any names down - I know several women who are cancer survivors or not-survivors, but I felt kind of private about it.) Also there were volunteer lap counters so we didn't have to keep track on our own, cheerleaders with noisemakers and pompoms, music, free massage for swimmers, and yummy food. I got swag too: a nice tote bag, a swimcap, and a magnet for next year's swim, which is on October 6 and 7. And I won a raffle prize of a free subscription to Bay Area Business Woman.
My sweetie![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jwermont got up extra early to come cheer me on! And we talked about putting together a team for next year.
One final fundraising act: If you meant to make a donation and didn't get around to it, it's not too late; they're collecting swim-a-mile donations through November 11 (and of course they collect regular donations any time).
Donate by credit card using the secure online pledge form (my nickname is "firecat"):
https://www.wsdsecure2.com/secure/wcrc2k5/pledge/index.cfm?mode=Pledge
Mail a check to the Women's Cancer Resource Center
5741 Telegraph Ave.
Oakland, CA 94609
If you put my name (Stef Jones) in the memo section of the check, and they receive it before November 11, I will get credit for your donation. When the WCRC receives your check, they will add your name to my pledge list. If you let me know that you have mailed a check and give me your mailing address, I will send you a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
Donate via my PayPal account (stef AT cat-and-dragon DOT com). I will send the total amount of all pledges received to the WCRC. If you let me know your mailing address, I will send you a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
I know that any money you donate to the WCRC may come out of money you can afford to donate for hurricane relief. So I will do the following: If you make a donation of $10 or more, I will donate $10 to the Red Cross disaster fund or the Acorn Hurricane Fund (let me know if you care which), up to a total of $200. (This also applies to people who have already donated.)
Important
The people I know support lots of wonderful causes while working to keep themselves and their loved ones afloat, and sometimes that's difficult. There is no requirement or pressure to contribute to this cause. Donate if you want to and can comfortably do so.
This afternoon I participated in the WCRC "Swim a Mile for Women with Cancer."
My purposes were to encourage myself to swim more, to raise money for what seems to be a good cause, and to represent for "fat people daring to wear bathing suits in public"!
My time slot was one hour, and I currently can't swim fast enough to complete a whole mile in one hour. So my goal was to swim for an hour.
But because they let me get in the pool a half hour before my official swim time, I had more than a hour in the pool, and I did better than I expected to: I swam the full mile in one hour and twenty minutes. (*I* think it was an hour fifteen, but my time card/lap card/certificate said an hour twenty.)
I got a bit discouraged in the middle, because I realized that I had gotten into a 20-yard lane instead of a 25-yard lane, so I had to complete 45 laps instead of 36.
I'm very tired, but a bit less tired than I expected to be.
So go me!
And I really appreciate everyone's generosity.
The event was very well organized, and there was a lot of activity and fun to keep everyone upbeat. An announcer with a microphone read the name of each person who completed a swim, along with the names of any people that she or he was swimming in honor of or in memory of. (I didn't put any names down - I know several women who are cancer survivors or not-survivors, but I felt kind of private about it.) Also there were volunteer lap counters so we didn't have to keep track on our own, cheerleaders with noisemakers and pompoms, music, free massage for swimmers, and yummy food. I got swag too: a nice tote bag, a swimcap, and a magnet for next year's swim, which is on October 6 and 7. And I won a raffle prize of a free subscription to Bay Area Business Woman.
My sweetie
jwermont got up extra early to come cheer me on! And we talked about putting together a team for next year.One final fundraising act: If you meant to make a donation and didn't get around to it, it's not too late; they're collecting swim-a-mile donations through November 11 (and of course they collect regular donations any time).
Donate by credit card using the secure online pledge form (my nickname is "firecat"):
https://www.wsdsecure2.com/secure/wcrc2k5/pledge/index.cfm?mode=Pledge
Mail a check to the Women's Cancer Resource Center
5741 Telegraph Ave.
Oakland, CA 94609
If you put my name (Stef Jones) in the memo section of the check, and they receive it before November 11, I will get credit for your donation. When the WCRC receives your check, they will add your name to my pledge list. If you let me know that you have mailed a check and give me your mailing address, I will send you a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
Donate via my PayPal account (stef AT cat-and-dragon DOT com). I will send the total amount of all pledges received to the WCRC. If you let me know your mailing address, I will send you a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
I know that any money you donate to the WCRC may come out of money you can afford to donate for hurricane relief. So I will do the following: If you make a donation of $10 or more, I will donate $10 to the Red Cross disaster fund or the Acorn Hurricane Fund (let me know if you care which), up to a total of $200. (This also applies to people who have already donated.)
Important
The people I know support lots of wonderful causes while working to keep themselves and their loved ones afloat, and sometimes that's difficult. There is no requirement or pressure to contribute to this cause. Donate if you want to and can comfortably do so.