IMPORTANT Race Day Information!

Hi Team,

Thursday is our LAST official practice before race day!  WOW - - these last four months have been an amazing adventure!  New friendships, getting in shape, and most of all raising money and awareness for a phenomenal cause BEADS for Education!

We need you at practice this week! We have LOTS to cover about race day, logistics, and our team party! Plus we have another fun surprise awaiting you all! Let's test run your jersey's this Thursday and make for a darling photo op.

On Saturday we will have your race packets available for pick up after 5pm at our house. Since we are running as a group the race organizers asked that we pick them up all at once and distribute. If we are gone, I will leave them out on our front porch, otherwise knock and we'll get them to you. Call or email me if you need other arrangements. I'd prefer to not bring them to the race, as it may be hard to hook up and get them to you.

Again, our address is:
3805 Shelby Road
Lynnwood, WA. 98087

Please, Please, Please RSVP and let me know if you will be coming to our "Victory Party" AND if you're bringing a guest. Remember, that we ask for $15 to offset your guests meal. We have SO many fun things planned I hope you will do everything possible to come celebrate all your accomplishments!

We were so fortunate today, Tammy from BROOKS Outlet donated a gift certificate for a pair of running shoes that we will put in for a raffle drawing at the "Victory Party"!   We  have several thoughtful gifts to raffle . . . original painting, jewelry, etc. 

It has been such an honor getting to know each of you and a total privilidge to be your coach.  I cannot thank you enough for sharing your time, kindness, and resources for such a good cause!

GO BEADS!!!!

Find Joy!

Jen :-)

Couldn't Be Happier!!!

What a total joy it was to see all of you that made it to practice while we were in Arizona for a family wedding! I absolutely LOVE this darling picture of some of our team!!! A BIG thank you to Jeannie McLam and Lorraine Cunningham for leading the practice - - and a shout out to Pat Hamburg, Mary Wahl, JR "Alphabet" Wahl, Donna Vande Kieft, Lori Navarro, and Erica Wolf for coming to practice and sharing your spirit! Rod and I truly missed being there with all of you, as you were sweating and running free, we were packed like sardines in an airplane.

For those of you that were unable to come to practice - - the team jerseys have arrived and the feedback has been great! Stop by on Thursday and pick up your jersey and special gift from Debby Rooney of BEADS for Education. I'd like all of you to have your jersey before race day to wear and wash, so you won't have any unwanted chaffing. No worries if you can't stay for practice, just drop in and say hello!!! If Thursday doesn't work, contact me and we will work it out so I can get it to you. For those far away I will get them in the mail to you! (Sarah & Brian) The shirt is pictured below! Great color - - super comfy!!!

Team, it is so exciting we have about $12,000.00 raised - - we are so close to our stretch goal of $15,000.00. Its so close, we can almost taste it!!! Speaking of tasting it . . . I have one last fundraiser that I think will push us toward the goal! Its actually FUN and oh so easy! The delicious restaurant "California Pizza Kitchen" has offered us a fundraising opportunity. For two nights they will donate 20% to BEADS for Education for all meal tickets that we generate. AND if other restaurant patrons want to join in they will also add those tickets to our totals! Isn't that totally generous???

This will mean all of us handing out fliers to friends, sending out emails, posting on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, etc. announcing these FUN evenings out!!! What a great way to have dinner out with friends. Rod and I plan to be there on both nights - - we'd like all of you to join us and wear your gorgeous teal jerseys and stir up some fun! The dates are yet to be determined and will most like be a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. I'm planning this for May as an "after" party for all of us to connect again!

Another BIG event our "VICTORY PARTY"!!! You will NOT want to miss this festive occasion! We will start the party at 5pm on April 29th after the race! EVERY single one of you is invited - - yes, even those of you that practiced on your own. This party is for ALL of you!!! If you'd like to bring a spouse or friend we are asking for $15 to cover their meals and spirits! There will be many surprises and lots of recognition. Please RSVP and if you are bringing a guest. You have all shared your time, talent, and funds to help others - - let's celebrate that!!!

Thanks to Lori Navarro and Julie Norman for reaching their $300 fundraising committment! Way to go you two!!!

Hope to see MANY of you tomorrow!!!

GO BEADS!!!

SURPRISES this Thursday!!! GO BEADS!

You will not want to miss practice on Thursday! We have some fun surprises in store for you, AND we are getting close to the BIG day so please try to make it! And PLEASE RSVP, so I can gather the right amount of surprises!

Last Thursday it was almost a secret practice - - yet Lorraine Cunningham saved us from it being a total secret! And Tracy Anderson and Debbie Orr came to chat with us about the importance of antioxidants. They scanned Lorraine, Rod, and myself for our antioxidants levels. As Lorraine said, "Too bad others weren't here for the scan. It's great information." Luck has it, Tracy and Debbie have graciously agreed to come back so more of you can be scanned. They will be back April 19th.

Congrats to Jeannie McLam and Jen MacLean for reaching their $300 commitment! Another BIG hooray to Jeannie for sending out fundraising letters and procuring $70. Way to go Jeannie!

The man above, Howard Price, had a tremendous influence on my life. A big part of why we are gathering for a cause is because of this very spirited and inspirational man. Howard was my high school cross country coach, he taught me the importance of excellence, and digging deep and pulling from reserves I didn't know existed. Last Thursday we lost Howard, and as there are "no accidents" in life, our very own Donna Vande Kieft was his hospice nurse. I was so thankful that Howard and his family was fortunate enough to have Donna with them. Thank you Donna for the work you do!

No soup this week - - yet come at 6pm for snacks, surprises, and socializing!

Get out, smile, love, and share your light with the world!!! Thanks for giving of yourself and being part of BEADS!!!

Photos from our first RAINY Thursday!

The weather mixed it up with our first rainy practice, so we mixed it up too! It was a night FULL of cross training - - we did two minute intervals of push-ups, plank, crunches, treadmill, and bicycle. I think we would have been just as "wet" had we run in the down pouring rain! It was a hearty workout and we all left feeling accomplished. Hooray to Lorraine Cunningham, Donna Vande Kieft, and Rod MacLean for their dedication - - everyone dazzled me that night! Aren't the black and white photos fun? It's to reflect the first gray and rainy Thursday we had since the inception of our team on January 5th!

In the next few weeks its important that you make it to the Thursday practices if you can! We will be sharing lots of information about "race day" and the "victory party" as well as throwing in some FUN surprises! And I don't mean surprises like "tempo and hills", truly fun ones that you won't want to miss! This week Tracy Anderson will be here to give free scans to find out how well your body processes antioxidants. I think you will find the information VERY interesting!

Thanks to Mary & JR Wahl, Donna Vande Kieft, Hope Soley, Karen Samuel, Lorraine Cunningham, and Rod MacLean for meeting their $300 commitment! There are a few of you left that we still need to get your final payment in. Thanks to Julee & Glen Cunningham for sponsoring Brian Rien! Get this Brian texted me his time yesterday for 13.1 miles - - he rocked it with a time of 1:47 hours and 10 seconds! He's going to give all of us a run for the money!

Speaking of money we have raised $11,000.00+ so far, that is so awesome! And just think we have gotten in shape, created new friendships and have had a ton of fun as we are changing the lives of women and girls across the world. How can that be anything more than a win-win? Our stretch goal was to get to $15,000, we are so close! Below is a copy of the procurement letter. Cut and paste and let's see if we can get a few more donations rolling in! Toss it out and see what the world says! Sarah Dahl used this form and raised $800 and Pat Hamburg raised $75.

BEADS for Education
Changing Lives One Girl at a Time!

Dear ___________,

This winter I decided to take up a cause and challenge myself by training with a team for a half marathon / 10K to benefit an organization called Beads for Education. The mission of Beads for Education, Inc., a 501(c) (3) tax exempt organization, is to improve the status of women in Kenya, Africa, through girl's education and women business development.

In Kenya if a young girl is between the ages of 10-12 and is not enrolled in school she is generally married off as a second or third wife. Kenyan families have to pay for a public education, and most families if they can scare up money for school fees, it is usually earmarked for the male children. Beads for Education gives these girls a a brighter future by keeping them in school.

The following is written by Margaret, a 12 year old BEADS sponsored girl. Margaret was 9 or 10 when the events of this story took place:

It was some years ago when we enjoyed the best moments of my life with my mum. She was such a lovely mum. She gave me everything I needed.
The worst day of my life my mum was forced to get out of the house by my father. She took all her things and we went together.
After some weeks my mum was very sick and had to see a doctor. I had to face the hard life after a few days. My mum died not knowing anyone or anything.
My grandmother was forced by the chief to stay with me. I had to stay with her. During the first days she was nice and good to me. After some days my grandmother turned to an animal on me.
She was not the grandmother I knew before. She forced me to sleep without eating. She didn't give me all my basic needs.
She made me to come out of school. I had to go outdoors to find food to eat. It took me two weeks to find food. When I got food I was happy, like a king or like Wangari Maathai after discovering she was the Nobel Prize winner.
My mum's best friend came to Isikuyo where I was busy finding for food and told me about Beads for Education. She told me to go there and she was there for me.
It took a few days and I got a person who would help me. Her name is Sue Little, my sponsor. She has been my help most of the time.
I am happy for Sue Little and God too will be there for me.

This story is a powerful illustration of how BEADS for Education is changing girl’s lives.

Our goal as a team is to raise $15,000.00 through corporate donations, and donors like yourselves to assist in building the first high school for girls.

I'd appreciate your support as I train for my half marathon / 10K in honor of the girls in Kenya.
Any donation you can make is truly appreciated!

Sincerely,
(Your name)

See you all Thursday! Soups on at 6pm!

GO BEADS!!!

Jen