Hi There! - The Toronto Weekend to End Women's Cancers

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Hi There!

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

LOL!
I think this message board has some kinks to work out.

I feel like the administrator doesn't have the proper time set up... i.e Canadian time zone... which could explain people being online at 4 am ! haha

Whatever the case, I am glad they are back and that people are using them.

Ashley
biggrin

HealingSoul · Newbie

First of all, we are on the same time as Toronto. I cannot answer for everyone some of us are night hawks. I am a night hawk due to that the sun does really strange things to me. Lets just say I am multicolor now.

Also I am working on our team masco. Boobie Doobie Doos will have Scooby Doo showing up in 2009. I guess this answer a question for one person on the boards lol.

kazalicoley · Member

Yep - me thinks the times are a bit wacky - I seemingly was one of those online at 4am but if my memory serves me it was actually around 11 pm or maybe midnight which means the boards must be on GMT or thereabouts.

Nice photo Ashley. Wish I'd seen it before the walk I would've looked out for you when I was honking my horn and waving at peeps!

Karen biggrin

-- Edited by kazalicoley at 02:53, 2008-09-21

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Hey Karen,

I figure that if I show my photo now, people have a whole year to study it so they can come up and meet me during the 2009 walk !! haha

biggrin

CherylMac · Newbie

Well next year we can all arrange to to have a beer together :) I must say, I like that at the end of day 1...I was feeling so nauseous and sick when I was driven into camp and then I sat with my team mates and we had a couple of beers and I just started to feel better...gotta love the health benefits of alcohol...lol

I might have been on between 12:00-12:30 but not at 4 am....although I'm a night hock also :)

ctex123 · Member

Hello Everyone,

Well I thought for sure that everyone would of jumped over to these boards, rather than facebook. I watched the members of facebook jump from a handful to over 250 in just a couple of days. I wonder if they are all aware that the 2009 boards are back? I did not spend too much time on the boards last year, but am looking forward to getting to know everyone. It would be great to all meet up at Day 1 at camp for a beer, hopefully next year I won't be sitting in the Medical tent, (I had overexerted myself and felt faint).

Another question I would like answered is does anyone know how long it will take to get the monies that were handed in on Day 0 logged onto our account?? And.....where are those pictures!!!!!

Camilla

ctex123 · Member

By the way, that is a good picture of you Ashley!! I am hoping that once the pictures come out there might be a snap of me that I can put on my personal page.

Camilla

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Thanks Camilla!! :)

I walked in a team of three so everytime one of them stopped, the other two would have a photoshoot haha.

It was fun.

I am very excited to see our pictures too. I heard they should be posted this week some time -- fingers crossed!!

Walker1 · Veteran Member

I don't think that all walkers have been 'officially' advised of this message board....the only way I found out about it was Ashley's post on the 2008 board.

How did you find out about it, Ashley?

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

I was e-mailed the link for this new site by Kim (the moderator of this group and the facebook group). I actually contacted her asking why we were forced on to facebook and if she planned on making it a private group etc. She e-mailed me back with this link.

Someone actually posted this link on the 2009 facebook message boards yesterday... so hopefully more people will join and participate.

I guess we just have to spread the word until The Weekend posts the link on the site ??

biggrin

frankieran · Newbie

Not sure if I'm doing this right, but thank you Ashley for letting me know about the new message board (although I really liked the other one, it was so easy to use, this one I'm not so sure about), I'm not on Facebook, and I don't want to be! Also Ashley, great picture!

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Hey "Frankieran"

Thanks for the picture comments :) It's very easy to upload a picture - click on "AVATAR" under "USER DETAILS". This is also good so everyone can get a good look at us for the whole year, so we meet next walk :)

This site is different from the regular message boards that were on endcancer.ca but I think we'll just need to get used to these -- they are more secure from facebook so I'm happy about that :)

Hope to chat with you soon !
biggrin

-- Edited by Ashley Costa at 14:34, 2008-09-23

ctex123 · Member

Hello Everyone,

Thought I would ask everyone about fundraising. Being as we have a a few weekends off now from training and raising money, when does everyone start their fundraising for 2009??
I thought I might start something at my work in the month of October, being as October is cancer awareness month. I was a bit hesitant to start so soon, being as I was in peoples faces throughout the whole last year (and I don't want to be too pushy). Whats everyone's thoughts?? Should I leave it until after Christmas to start, or start in October. I would be curious to hear how others manage with this.

Camilla

ctex123 · Member

Hey Ashely,

Quick question, in your avator area how come yours says member and alot of other's say newbie. Do we have to change this manually??

Camilla

ctex123 · Member

Ok Ashley,

I think I just answered my question to you when I sent that last email. So you become a member when you reach so many posts. Yeah!! I am now a member...my god, I amazed at how the trivial things in life amuse me.

Denise · Veteran Member

Hi Everyone,

2009 will be my 4th year participating in this GREAT event -- 3years as a walker & next year as part of the crew.

My sister, a couple of friends & I are forming a team, however we can't seem to agree on a name -- so I'm hoping our on-line friends to help smile -- if you wouldn't mind taking a minute & vote on one of the following name

Boob Crew or Cups Runneth Over

Thank you for your time,
Denise

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Hey Denise,
I LOVE "boob crew".
haha
so cute!

Camilla,
I am glad you answered your own question because I had no idea !! LOL
I thought it was just for how long you've been a 'member' but I guess your answer might make more sense LOL

:)

p.s - Start fundraising whenever you get the opportunity !!
October is a great month because it is Breast Cancer Awareness month - but know that you might have some people react negatively as they have already been approached throughout the year. But there is no harm in asking.

:)

-- Edited by Ashley Costa at 11:37, 2008-09-24

Walker1 · Veteran Member

My opinions:

Start fund-raising immediately. It is so nice to have that load off your shoulders...then you only have the easy part left to do - training.

And I like Cups Runneth Over for a name.

Now you need a third opinion to break the stalemate.

Donna biggrin

ctex123 · Member

Hi Denise,

I love Cups runneth over, I think that is quite fitting. Thanks everyone for your response on the fundraising. I will start off slowly with them though.

Camilla wink

jennie@mitchell77.com · Newbie

Hi Denise:

I have to say, I like Cups Runneth Over as well!

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Camilla:

I know I was one of the people who suggested you start fundraising right away. But I should caution you to be very careful if you are going out to supporters to ask them to donate directly. What I have always done is send all of my supporters a newsletter letting them know how my walk went and some of the highlights. In the past I have used this newsletter to let them know that I am walking again, and ask them to donate. I've provided the WE2EBC web site address in the email.

What has happened a couple of time though is supporters have put the donation through to my prior year site (in this case 2008) instead of 2009....even though I have stressed to them not to do so. Perhaps if you put a url directly to your 2009 personal page, it would help to avoid this problem.

This year I sent my newsletter out before my personal page was set up, so I told them I would send them the web address later. biggrin

I think I will wait until the 2008 site is shut down before I do so.

Donna

spope6446 · Member

Well...I need to get cracking in order to catch up to Ashley and become a "member"...lol..

Hey Denise, I think I like "Boob Crew"....whichever you choose is good because both are creative.

Live Strong!!! biggrin

Susan

ctex123 · Member

Donna,

Thanks for the information about tactfully approaching past sponsors. I will send out an email to everyone at work in October, to remind everyone that October is cancer awareness month..and I think I will casually mention that I will be walking again in 2009. I actually called the WEBC office, and they can actually close off your 2008 page so that any donations coming in from now on will go directly to the 2009 account. With them closing it off, you can still go into your page and access, all it does is stop monies being logged onto it. That way if people from now on donate, the money will go automatically for 2009.

Camilla

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Aha....I did not know that!

I will be sure to call the coaches first thing in the morning....so it will not happen for the third year!! I know the money is all going to a good cause, but it isn't easy to raise $2000, so every little bit helps.

biggrin

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Oh wow!
I did not know they could close your 2008 page.

That's really good to know :)

Donna, aren't you trying to raise more $4,500 this year (Ride and Walker?) ? haha

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Oh, yes....thank you for reminding me, Ashley!

And we were thinking of doing the Halifax walk as well, if they decide to resurrect it. Crazy people, we are. weirdface

Hasn't Chad convinced you to join us for the Ride, Ashley? We're always looking for people to join our team, Walkers on Bikes. Sort of the 'misery loves company' scenario???

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

HAHA Sorry Donna HAHA
Yes, Chad has tried to get me to join the Ride... I honestly am so scared to do it haha. I'd need to train like crazy.
I am looking into crewing instead - at least for this year.
We'll see how things work out... how fundraising goes.

For Crew members, is it mandatory to raise $500 or only suggested?

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Well, I guess we'd better not have everyone riding, or we wouldn't have the much needed crew, Ashley. Raising the $500 is suggested, but not required.

However, you shouldn't be overly concerned about training. I really did not do any training until April, and I had not ridden a bike for more than a few kilometres for MANY years before that. I did get to the point where I was riding roughly 30kms a couple of times a week before the Ride, so the muscles were worked in.

I think it helped me with my Walk as well, as I felt the best I ever have after this walk...no sore muscles whatsoever!!!

cori322 · Newbie

Hello! I just wanted to introduce myself.. My name is Corinne, and it is my first year walking. My dad walked a few years ago in memory of my mother. I have been wanting to walk for years but this is the first time I have been allowed to do so because I was too young, you have to be sixteen to walk, but I was 13 at the time. I am now sixteen, and am really excited to do the walk! I have set an absurdly high goal for myself, but thats part of the fun! Nice to meet you all!

Corinne

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Welcome, Corinne:

So sorry to hear about your Mom, but really glad that you are going to be able to join in on the walk with us. It is an awesome event....very emotional at times, but very inspirational as well.

Stay tuned to the message boards...they will be full of good advice from those of us who have done this a few times. And, of course, your Dad will be able to help you out as well, since he has already participated.

Looking forward to chatting with you over the year.

Donna

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Corinne:

Welcome!! Your story was really touching and I am glad you can now participate in this amazing event!
As you've probably witnessed through your dad's experience, it is exactly how Donna described it to be - emotional and inspiring.

I hope to hear from you throughout the year !
Keep up your kind spirit :)

cori322 · Newbie

Thank you Donna and Ashley,

I appreciate your kind words and encouragement. I do have one question.. I have been told by a number of people that the way to make the BIG money is to get corporate sponsors. What exactly would be the role of a corporate sponsor? Like what is it that I would be asking them for? Is it just essentially a larger amount because it is coming from the company rather than a person?

Thanks!
Corinne

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Corinne:

The typical role of a Corporate Sponsor would be to make a "large" donation...in keeping with the size of the organization....and this would generally be a much larger donation than a personal donation.

However, you could be creative and come up with other suggestions for Corporate Sponsorships if they aren't receptive to just making a donation...
- maybe they would 'match' your fundraising through other means;
- perhaps they would let you do fundraising events on their premises;
- perhaps they would donate proceeds from their own fundraising (i.e. a toonie for employees to dress down on Fridays) to your cause.

With all the fundraising out there for so many worthwhile causes, it is becoming more and more important to get creative. But finding some Corporate Donors definitely could be a great way to obtain some big donations.

Hope this helps....I'm sure the others on the board will have additional suggestions.

Donna

Noreen · Senior Member

Welcome to the walk Corinne! I'm sorry to hear about your Mother. It's great that you're now old enough to do the walk, and seem to be looking forward to it! :) I'm sure your Dad is very proud of you.

One thing to add to Donna's comments. Another suggestion for the corporate sponsor is you could tell them that in return for a large donation, you would wear their logo on your shirt, or on a hat during the walk. If you got a few corporate sponsors, you could tell them that you're putting all the logos of the sponsors on your shirt. They could supply you with a jpg file, which you could print and iron on to your shirt. That kind of thing. (or they might have an iron on patch they could give you).
Tell them that it's a great way to advertise their name, by showing they sponsored you for the walk.

spope6446 · Member

Hey Corinne,

I wanted to welcome you as well. It is nice to have such a young person make this decision and have the desire and will to succeed. It is truly an amazing experience, one made more significant for you with the loss of your Mom. I am sure she will be with you in spirit as you take this journey.

Everyone on the message boards has great advice and we are all here to just listen when needed.

Stay in touch.

Susan
Live Strong!!! biggrin