have they committed to the one day option for 2010? - The Toronto Weekend to End Women's Cancers

JulieK · Senior Member

have they committed to the one day option for 2010?

Noreen · Senior Member

Yes, I did see that they have the 1 day option again when registering for 2010 online.

ltldvl74 · Member

I think the 1 day option was great... it allowed my 2 cousins and 1 aunt walk with me; their team raised $5974 in addition to my teams $19341.

They didn't care about the t-shirts and thought the experience was fantastic.

Randy- Think Pink Direct · Senior Member

yes, they are!
There were approx. 800 one day walkers this year, and many of those will register again, or even go for 2 days!. Thier fundraising minimum is $1250 and many exceeded that.
Thier $$ are badly needed, just as much as our $2000

Lots of 1 day walkers register for 1 day because they can't commit to 2 days, aren't sure if they can do 2 days, personal commitments such as weddings, and many other reasons.

When they went to the registration table, they were given a really nice carry bag.

I think it's important to remind those people that were dissapointed not to get a shirt, as to why they actually did the walk! Remember that all the give-aways do cost money, they are not all donated.

Hopefully the one day and two day walkers did re-register at the price of $25, and when they did, they received a fabulous technical shirt that can proudly be worn.

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Are the one day walkers allowed to come to closing ceremony?

Walker1 · Veteran Member

I saw an email or communication somewhere which specifically invited them to participate in the evening ceremonies.

Now off to WALK 18 holes of golf....LOL.

Donna

CherylA · Newbie

Yup... I signed up again for the one day option for next year.

It was great... and that way I was able to help out with the medical team on the 2nd day.

Overall, I loved the one day option. The only real "hiccup" happened at the end of our walk (at Downsview). We had received an email a while back saying that the one day walkers were allowed to have dinner along with the 2 day walkers... due to a generous sponsorship. My group picked up beer/wine after our walk and sat down. Then they went to go get supper. I had no problem getting supper... but others were hassled and told they weren't allowed to have food. Thankfully in the end it was all worked out.

However, next year there needs to be clarification for the volunteers. Either give the walkers food or DON'T give them alcohol. A dehydrated walker with booze & no food is dangerous & not good for the Weekend! Maybe if they can't do it for free, they could at least have an option when you register where you can pay a fee for supper?

Anyways, other than that, the 1 day option is awesome! Had a great time :)

Randy- Think Pink Direct · Senior Member

Hi Cheryl,
I am on the WEBC Cabinet, and we have a meeting at the end of the month to do an overview of what did and didn't go well.
I had heard the same thing from a few people in regards to dinner on Sat. night.
I have it on my list of things to discuss with our group which is comprised of about 25 particpants, & the PMH Foundation. We meet about 6 times a year.

If anyone has suggestions, comments to pass on, I will compile them all for our meeting.
Please send them to me at
rmellon@rogers.com

thanks
Randy

Doreen H · Veteran Member

I think the one day option is good for those who for whatever reason can't do the two day. They bring in much needed funds and they get to participate in a fantastic event. It was nice to find out how many opted for the one day, nothing was said during the event. Too bad about the snafu at dinner time, hope that gets sorted out for next year.

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Randy (or anyone):
My friend and her mother (a breast cancer survivor) was going to walk this year, the one day option but then they read or heard that the one day walkers aren't 'welcomed' at the closing ceremony.... can anyone verify if this is true or not?

I don't know how I feel if this is true.

If this is true, would it because of room/space?

Walker1 · Veteran Member

I thought I heard them being specifically welcomed at closing ceremonies sometime during the weekend. Can't recall when or how I heard it...memory is going as I get closer to being a senior like you, Ashley!!! biggrin

Naamphong · Senior Member

As a first time walker, I had a powerful experience. I am also a cancer survivor. That said: here are some thoughts that I think require a look by PMH for next years walk.
* no food or drink at the first pit stop
* stop and go for 2 hours at the beginning
* walking for 7 hours to be told no massage, no where have I read and I have re-read all my documents does it say you have to be at camp by a certain time to get a massage.
* one medic in the medical tent at 6 am Sunday morning, 30 people were lined up and we finally begged long enough to get syringes so we could drain our own and dress them
* closing ceremonies for me were highly emotional and I was confused about what/where/how...there were no directions, not to mention the walk across the surface of the sun to get into the building
* it was very difficult to hear and I was sitting at the front with the survivors, my family much further back could barely hear
* at times in camp I felt I was imposing on the crew who were doing dinner, and that put a lump in my throat
* no one at the day one finish for those of us coming in late with each other
* no direction for our Sunday morning beginning, some started before I did at 7, there seemed to be a LOT of confusion about the time we were suppose to start.
* this did not affect me, but I heard many in camp concerned about the BRIGHT spot lights that apparently were left on all night long. I heard one lady saying that it is was in her tent all night and day bright. Makes it tough to sleep I would think...

-- Edited by Naamphong on Friday 18th of September 2009 08:32:11 AM

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

LOL!
Oh Donna - you're too funny.
BUT maybe you are confused with dinner at camp for the day one walkers because I know they weren't originally going to get dinner and then it was changed that they could participate in the fest.
(I'm just teasing you but I do know this was a change that occured the week or so leading up to the walk - so maybe them participating in closing was also a change midway through the year???).

Didds · Veteran Member

I don't know how you could not welcome the 1 day walkers to closing ceremonies since it's basically open to the public.

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

I agree with you - that's why I thought it was weird when I heard that day one walkers couldn't attend closing.

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Perhaps it was simply that they would not walk in on the red carpet and receive a sweater. This is reserved as a benefit to two day walkers. Certainly they can attend as a part of the audience.

filipe · Newbie

I had a wonderful experience over the 2 days, as did my friend who was a 1 day walker, however I must share a story that really bothered me.

At the food pit stop (in a park off of Keele, north of Bloor St). we were very thirsty and tired, we felt like there had really been anything before then and were eager to find out how much we had walked already. A sign indicated we had walked 12 and 18 left to go. We were relieved - wow! Then a crew member overhead us and mentioned that it is actually 35km the first day, so the sign is wrong. A number of us gasped, but the crew member reassured us that we will be grateful on the Sunday when it is less km. This is true for a 2 day walker, but what about the 1 day walkers? The crew member without hesitation said that anyone who was a 1 day walker was a wimp and should have signed up for 2 days. Yikes. Both us of were shocked. The crew member has no idea about my friends medical condition. We walked away in disbelief. We walked away knowing that everyone else that is part of this event is amazing, inspiring and thoughtful. It was strange.

At every other instance the crew members were incredible! Helpful, friendly, supportive and providing us the strength we needed, but this one person was having a "bad hair" day. I thought I could block out the story, but I needed to get it off my chest.

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Filipe:

I'm so sorry to hear about that comment. No matter how much or how little one walks, we are each making the contribution that is right for us.

Bravo to both of you for putting that one negative occurance to the side and focussing on all of the positive events over the weekend. Don't let one rotten apple (or one person having a 'bad hair' day) ruin the entire event for you.

Donna

kazalicoley · Member

I think it's great that they offer the one day option... but I have a question.

If you sign up for the two day but can't reach your minimum, can you change to be a one day walker?

And, alternatively, if you sign up to be a one day walker (because you don't think you can raise the two day minimum), but manage to raise $2,000, can you change to be a two day walker?

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

I have a couple of things to address to your post Filipe.

I also noticed that at the pit stops, and grab and gos, the signage to tell us how many kms we walked, and how many more we have to go was either not posted or incorrect.
It was very frustrating to not know how many more kms to go (it's a mental thing haha).

I have heard mixed comments on how many kms we walked on day one. At camp on Saturday night, the MC said we walked 32 kms and UNFORTUNATELY day two walkers were going to walk another 30 kms on Sunday (which made me mad). But I have also heard from motor safety that we walked 35 kms on Saturday - so who knows.
All I know is that we walked way more than 60 kms throughout the weekend.

As for day one walkers. When you register yourself as a one day walker on the 2010 page, it actually does say you'll walk 30 kms - which I didn't find posted last year. I cannot remember where I looked last year but it didn't say 30 kms, it just said one day walk or 2 day, 60 kms walk - which you would only assume the one day walk was 30 kms.

I'm sorry that you over heard someone say that, because Donna is right, no matter how much you walked, you still raised money for a much needed cause. You really did make a huge difference - both one day and two day walkers (there was an additional 800 participants for the one day option last year).

So keep your head up! J

Randy- Think Pink Direct · Senior Member

great feedback everyone!
keep in coming....we need to pass all this info on to PMH!
I'm trying to copy and paste and compile all the comments to be passed on.

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Thanks Randy - your commitment is very much appreciated!!

Denise · Veteran Member

As sweep the paperwork we received said 32.99 KM on day 1 -- from Downsview to PHM was 22.31 KM.
Sorry can't give you a total for day 2 as that's all that was on our paperwork.

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Oh ! Thanks Denise - that's more than I knew!

blankstare

Denise · Veteran Member

biggrin

Anytime Ashley --

canderson · Member

Hi there, thanks for all the feedback on the 1-day option. I work at PMHF and I posted something last night on the General Discussion page that includes comments about the 1-day walk. Let me know what you think. Thanks!