Why Fundraising for Tri for a Cure is Awesome

So, fundraising is actually awesome. I didn’t realize how humbled, grateful, and supported I would feel seeing people donate. I hoped that some of my family and friends would donate $20 each with a brief “good luck!” message.

I never expected to receive $100 with a heartfelt message from a blog reader telling me she looks forward to my posts and has been inspired by my running journey since 2013 when we both were training for our first half marathons.

I never expected my mother’s cousin to donate $120 because she’s a cancer survivor, and tell me she’s always been proud of me.

I certainly didn’t expect my sister, who is an amazing counselor and dance movement therapist with student loans to match those accomplishments, to donate $52 and call ME amazing.

A friend donated $100, got her husband’s company to match the donation, and posted on Facebook making sure friends knew I was fundraising… which has already earned me another $20 donation.

I’ve gotten emails from my parents, in-laws and an Aunt saying they plan to donate. One of my other mother’s cousins has already donated and left a funny and personal message, and after only 2 days since I even heard I had a number, I’ve reached the minimum fundraising amount and am halfway to my goal!

I was even listed on the sidebar as one of the top fundraisers so far, coming in at number 8 less than 48 hours in.

I didn’t want to ask anyone to donate… but I’m so glad I did. I hope I did it in such a way that people didn’t feel obligated, and I know that I feel incredibly supported in this crazy and exciting endeavor, and in the desire to raise funds to combat cancer.

I hope I keep seeing  more messages roll in from friends and family and acquaintances who dislike cancer and like me. I appreciate both sentiments, and will carry every positive message I’ve received with me in my heart while I’m training, and forever. I hope people will feel comfortable donating much less than $100, because I love receiving every single message of support, and no amount is too small – it all adds up.

We all have days that don’t go so well. I will treasure these comments, this support, the knowledge that people would sit down and click the link and fish out their credit card and enter in 16 digits and say something nice about me… I can’t even find time to do the simplest things like that most days. Life is crazy.

It means a lot that someone would do that for me, for this fundraising cause, for research against cancer. It means a lot to know what great people I have in my life, who would take the time to make a donation, who are willing to help. It makes me feel like the world is a wonderful place.

Katie, who was my first fundraising donor and is an experienced Tri for a Cure athlete, told me that this experience would change my life.

I’m starting to realize she meant more than learning to swim.

You can donate here.