Princeton Walk 2015

A Small Town Raising $22,000:

Should I say I'm shocked? No, its not the right word. I'm blessed, humbled, happy, over-the-moon about raising $22,000 yesterday at the CF Great Strides Walk in my hometown. To think it started as an idea I had and it has grown into this amazing event! Last year was our first CF Walk (but we weren't technically a Great Strides Walk for the CF Foundation, we just donated the $13,000 we raised to the CF Foundation. But it was enough to become an official Great Strides this year!

I can't say I'm shocked, because even though the amount is quite high for a town of 7,400 people, I know it's a very giving, supportive, and loving community! 

It was similar to last year with registration from 9:00-9:40, speakers, walk at 10:00am, with a lunch, dessert to follow after. We had Unique Twist making awesome balloon creations, Chariss did face painting, we had Hit Clips Karaoke & DJ service playing tunes, and tons of raffles & silent auctions to keep everyone entertained during registration. Then after our donated Subway lunch we announced the raffle/auction winners!

 I put a message on my personal Facebook page the other day, but I can't think of a better way to say why this walk is so important to me... So to quote myself:

"My family and most friends know how many treatments, pills I do or take. They know I have keep on top of everything or my lung function will drop. but I want to share with everyone why I walk in Great Strides or CF. I'm currently below 50% lung function and under 100 lbs. But I know CFers who are way worse off than me. This research is important to not only prolong our lives, but give us a better quality one. I mean who wants to lug an oxygen tank around everywhere by the time they are 30. I don't yet, but I know others that do. 37 is supposed to be young still, newly married, maybe starting a family, buying houses, etc. But, the reality is 37 years old is the average life expectancy for someone with CF born today. I've watched as almost every single person I grew up with that had CF pass away. I know what it looks like to be struggling in a losing battle. Then after this September (losing my best friend Laura from CF), made me want even more, to help, to make a difference. So Thank you for listening to me ramble about the walks all the time, and attending walks with me, volunteering, donating. You make a difference!!! You really do. Since I've been born, I've seen CF go from a Childhood disease to seeing new meds help us reach ages we never imagined!" 

I seriously, broke down crying on the way home with Andrew. They were happy, tired, overjoyed, and sad tears. I was sad Laura and all those others with CF won't get to see the advances of today's medicine and benefit from it. BUT, I was happy & overjoyed by the amount of people I felt were there for me. Like me personally. This walk is soooo much more than about me & my life with CF. BUT, having over 100 people (family. friends, classmates, co-workers) come to support me in this, shows me how loved I am. And of course, I was beyond tired from running around that day. So it made for one amazing/happy mess of cry-fest on the way home.

Which led to a long talk, us discussing how I'm going to get my weight back up above 100 lbs & my lung function back into the 50s. I really start to feel the difference in my energy & overall health when I go under 55% lung function. So we all know it's going to be a BIG battle. Every day I spend hours of energy into doing meds, taking pills, drinking supplement drinks, going to the doctors, and calling pharmacies & insurances; and I see very little difference, if not none at all sometimes, in my health. 

So days like yesterday help me. They remind me how much I am loved and all the reasons why I need to fight to stay healthy. It gives me a kick in rear to work out more, eat more food, do extra nebs, and really focus hard!!! These CF Walks are not only motivation for me, but great awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. I really believe the event is fun & that is one the main reason why it is growing in participants! 

I think all the participants loved the walk, I know I had a fantastic time & it was amazing seeing so many family & friends! I'm amazed how much the teams grow each year!

I send out a reminder email to anyone (who wants one) a month or so before the walk inviting them to walk with us! If you want to receive that email next year (no other spam ones, promise) then email me at cysticfibrosiswalk@gmail.com. Include your name, email address, and your team name!

Now let me put it into perspective on how well Princeton, IL ( my lil hometown) did with our walk and take the time to properly thank those who made it happen!  Here are other towns with Great Strides CF Walks too:

Princeton, IL: a town of 7,400 people raised $22,000
Champaign/Urbana IL:  two joined cities of over 121,000 people raised $19,149
Dekalb/Sycamore IL: two joined cities of 60,000 people raised $27,722
Bloomington, IL: city population of 76,000 raised $26,648

I'd say we did amazing! I still can't believe how amazing we did! I'm not going to announce other team totals, but I do have them, so if you want to know ahead of time (before they are finalized with CFF) I can let ya know! I know my Team CF2 raised $7,600 for the Walk. Now, in 2014 my team raised around $8,000. BUT, since last year a couple members have started their own teams growing our walk overall! In fact, I have family on 3 different Teams! So I'm beyond pleased and proud of my team & the others! #TeamCF2 you rock!

I want to give a special shout out to our sponsors & donors (listed below) & thanks to the team leaders: Tom, Robin & Lyndal, (my cousin) Emily, Cathy, Stephanie, Destiny. Also, Janice, Jackie, Peggy, Ada, Kellie for helping plan & organize the event! Also, big Kudos to my sister (Ada). she pretty much ROCKS! She makes registration go so smoothly & keeps everything so organized! Which is why we can give you the amount total at the walk!

Thank you: John, Yohanna, Charissa, Ann, Maggie, Karla, Kathy, Leah, Kym, Annie, Devahn, Kazia, Kenna, Brian, Tammy, Sarah, Chariss for volunteering or donating. AND of course a big thank you to all the people who walked & donated!

THANK YOU!!!

SPONSORS: Blue Way Jay Records, Bruce Jewlers, Central Bank of Illinois, Chapel Hill Golf Course & Event Center, Daniel J. Miller Chiropractic, Dr. Paul Perona, Elvin Krabill D.D.S, Family of Josh P, Gardner Denver, Grant- Johnson Funeral Home, Hit Clips Karaokie & DJ Service, Illinois Valley Eye Care, JoAnne Milani PhD, Marquis Energy, Masonic Lodge of Ottawa, Mchenry Machine Co.,Norberg Memorial Home, Peach Trucking, Prescott Brothers, Peach Trucking, Subway, Timothy J. Puhr D.D.S, P.C, Wyanet Body Shop, Ye Olde Underground


RAFFLE & SILENT AUCTION DONORS:

Tammy R, Brian A & Dan M, Kathy A, Peggy K
Kym P (check out her blog: ), R.P Lumber, Animal Sheltor, Leah K, Blue Jay Way Records, Beck's, Piehls, Skoonerz Bar & Grille, Milk Mustache, Los Ranchitos, Wyanet Locker


If you have a business & would like to sponsor  or would like to donate a raffle item/gift certificate for next year and would like to be adding to our mailing list for next spring, please email Cheriz at cysticfibrosiswalk@gmail.com

Team CF2 (my team at the Princeton Walk)

And make sure to check out our facebook page for all the photos!