A few short months ago on an early Saturday morning, Stacy woke up early to attend a Team In Training meeting at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I decided I couldn't go because I had just had knee surgery and the "Training" part of the organization's title meant that I would have to hike for miles at a time while gaining altitude every weekend to get myself in shape to hike Half Dome in Yosemite, California by June 19. For some reason I decided to go with her to the meeting and we have been hiking, fundraising and feeling good about what we are doing ever since (and the knee is holding up just fine...knock on wood)! I had no idea when I went to that meeting that I would be registering marathon participants into a computer a few months later in the very building I almost never went to.
I got an email a couple of days ago asking if I was free to volunteer some hours of service at LLS in exchange for some "soft credits" to be put toward my donation goal. Even though I am on spring break from work, It was an easy decision to donate my services for a couple of days that could've easily been spent on the beach or by the pool. My decision to work for LLS was based on the fact that I don't want to look back on this experience and feel like I could've done a lot more to raise funds for blood cancer patients than I did. Whether it be through writing letters asking for donations, putting a lot of work into planning our raffle party coming up, working ourselves to the bone at our garage sale, or putting in office work hours at LLS, I think I feel pretty confident that we are going to feel good about the efforts we have put into this fundraiser when this season is all said and done!
So about my day at LLS...My job today was to enter data from marathon participant's registration forms into the LLS database, except for one little problem...we couldn't log in...for 3 hours!!! While we were waiting for the glitch to get taken care of, I got put to work at the most dangerous place in any office setting...the break room by the water cooler!!! I was put to work putting TNT stickers on registration folders, and paper clipping new registrant packets. While clipping the never ending stacks of pastel colored paper (just when I thought Easter was over), I began to think like an office worker making jokes about paper cuts, typing blisters, and paperclip splinters to anyone who came in to brew coffee or grab a snack. 4 boxes of paperclips later (100 count each), the computer problem was solved.
The rest of the day was spent typing new registrant data into a computer so that marathon runners would become new Team In Training members. This job was not without it's share of inspiring moments, as I got to read every participant's purpose for running a marathon in the section about what they want written on the back of their race day jerseys. Most of them were in honor or memory of someone close to these runners, who have been diagnosed with some form of blood cancer. It was inspiring to see how many people there are out there willing to compete in endurance events, make donations, or simply work for the LLS organization to make a difference in the lives of these patients.
It was while I was typing in the data that the strangest part of my day happened. Somebody called LLS asking to speak with me on the one day that I happened to be volunteering to work in the LLS office. At first I thought it was probably Stacy, but why wouldn't she just call my cell? They said it was a guy named Dylan, as I thought...Dylan who (Bob?)? It turned out to be a guy I met at our garage sale who offered to host a gold party where we would be able to raise funds through people selling him there used gold. Even weirder was the fact that I wrote down his info on a gold post it note. He called LLS because he lost my cell phone number. I'm sure this phone call was strictly coincidence, but I am still taking it as yet another sign that I was doing what I needed to be doing by working at LLS today.
My purpose of today's blog is simple. Since day one of deciding to participate in Team In Training, Stacy and I have made the most out of every opportunity that comes our way (such as possible future gold parties) to help raise money toward finding a cure for blood cancers. We have been rewarded by donations from many caring and giving people to help us come as far as we have (over $5000 to date), and by the good feelings that come from helping those that can't help themselves. While we greatly appreciate everyone who has supported us along the way, we ain't done yet!!! We still have $3000 to raise towards our goal, and we still need your support! More importantly, blood cancer patients need your support!
If you would like to donate any amount you can to help our cause, please visit our website at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ocie/Yosemit110/TeamLostDogs
This blog is dedicated to the people who work everyday to help find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma patients, my new office buddies at LLS!!!
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