CPK Event & Upcoming Mud Race!!!

California Pizza Kitchen Dinner!  What a BLAST!

It was so much fun seeing all of you that could make it at the CPK FUNdraiser! It was a joyful reunion connecting with all of you!  Cody the manager at CPK said she would honor the 20% donation all the way through the long weekend for BEADS!  For those of you that couldn't make it, stop in, receive great service and eat good food for a cause. Cody also threw in a 20 person table and is donating the proceeds from that table as well!  So whoever can rally and support CPK for their kindness and get a bit more of a donation for BEADS that would be AWESOME!!!

Thanks to everyone that supported the event!  Lori & Victor Navarro, Donna Vande Kieft, Bill Goodwin, Loren & Noel Jackson, Lorraine & Michael Cunningham, Erica Wolf, Rod MacLean, JR & Mary Wahl and Sam Wahl.  And Ame & Matt Parman picked up pizza's for take out!!!  In the next two or three weeks we will find out how much our donation came to!  What a simple way to raise a few dollars and have a ton of fun!

Announcing the Summer Mud Run!!! 

Mark your calendar for June 21st, truly a significant day for many reasons . . . its summer solstice, Mill Creek's Urban Adventure Run/Walk, Rod & Jen's sixteenth Anniversary AND our first practice for the upcoming mud run on August 4th.  Thought it would be FUN to launch our first practice by participating in Mill Creek Urban Adventure Run/Walk event sponsored by Run 26, and celebrating our 16th with ALL of you!!!  Below are the particulars:

How It Works:

The run is similar to an urban adventure scavenger hunt, and the rules are simple:

• 5:30 – 5:45 is registration. Plan on arriving at this time to sign in.
• At 6pm 1 large map is shown that have a dozen or so checkpoints on them. This map entails downtown Mill Creek and the Town Center.
• Participants will be given an hour to hit as many checkpoints as possible by using their notes or cell phone photo taken when the map is revealed.
• When you arrive at each checkpoint you will be given a raffle ticket good for prizes from our sponsors at the end of the race. How you get there is up to you, but the more raffle tickets you collect the more chances you have of winning prizes at the raffle drawing!
• PLUS!!! BEER GARDEN AND MUSIC AFTERWARDS. ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT A LOCAL CHARITY!

Cost: Free!
Start: Run 26, Mill Creek
Try to hit as many checkpoints as you can, but remember that the raffle drawing starts at 7:00pm whether you are there or not!
Be sure to bring a watch, good navigational skills, and great attitude



We will get to exercise, see each other, AND maybe win some COOL prizes!!! 

So far we have commitments for the Mud Run from Lorraine Cunningham, Rod MacLean, Erica Wolf, Donna Vande Kieft, Bill Goodwin, Jeannie McLam, JR & Mary Wahl and Lori Navarro!  If I left someone out or added you in without a commitment, my apology!

Here is the link to the Dirty Dash on August 4th!  The great part of the event is we all start together as a team and help each other through the mud and fun!  ALL fitness levels are welcome.

http://www.thedirtydash.com/races/seattle

The Dirty Dash is giving BEADS a generous 20% off the race fees!  So the fee to participate will be $40, and the fundraising commitment to BEADS is $100. 

Invite your friends, co-workers, and family to join the team so they can get in shape, meet new people, and help a good cause!  And let me know if your in, so I can start creating the team list!  GO BEADS!!!

Thanks everyone!!!

Find Joy!!!

Jen :-)



Our Donation!!! CPK FUNdraiser! 10K Opportunity!

Hello Team,

Must say I've missed all of you!  It was the first Thursday in sixteen weeks, (that we were in town) that we didn't have practice and a BIG pot of soup!  What an amazing sixteen weeks, and honor it was to watch each of you improve and grow in your fitness!

Our California Pizza Kitchen fundraiser is coming up Wednesday May 23 & Thursday May 24th.  What a FUN way for us all to get together again.  The Northgate CPK is graciously donating 20% of all food and beverages, when anyone brings in the flier below for dine in or take out for the entire two days!  In order for this FUNdraiser to work we all need to post this on our Facebook pages, print them up and hand them out to everyone we know, invite friends and family to dine. I figured Thursday May 24th at 6pm would be a great evening for all of us to get together, share food, and have our dining go to BEADS!  Bring your spouses, kids, and friends and lets once again celebrate! I also thought we could wear our jerseys and make an impact - - if customers ask about us, CPK will donate their check to BEADS!!!

The FUNdraising has been totalled!  We have a check . . . drum roll please, for $12,300.00 being sent to BEADS!  I hope each one of you know what an impact your hard work will make.  Just in case you missed Debby Rooney's letter to all of us I've copied it here!  Our donation will actually help open the high school EARLY!!!  Love it team!!!

Jambo FUNdracers,

Jen is so right when she says you rocked!!  And I am overjoyed with your success. 

As you know we are building a high school to provide a quality education for  our girls.  Your efforts will enable BEADS to build a classroom that will be named in your honor.  AMAZING!! Your donations will allow us to open in January 2013, the beginning of the next school year. Most of our girls are the first girl in their family to complete elementary school and now they will have the opportunity to receive a quality high school education.

In the USA,  parents move to the best school district available or send their children to private schools.  This is not an option in Kenya and the government high schools are very mediocre.  The Kenyan curriculum does not include any critical thinking skills, interactive or student centered teaching, Kenyan geography, and wildlife (which is  never mentioned in the curriculum). There are no libraries like ours that feature literature. Just to mention a few issues in the Kenyan schools that our high school will remedy. 

Our school will provide a quality education and we are now working on enhancing the curriculum and teaching methods.  Some of the first girls sponsored by BEADS for Education have graduated from college as teachers and will be among the BEADS high school teaching staff!  WOW!

OUR girls will become leaders of their families, communities and hopefully the nation.

I hope that you will come to Kenya one day and see the impact your efforts have made.

 

THANK YOU AGAIN and AGAIN,

Debby

 

Yesterday I spoke with JR Wahl and he said he loved the race, and is continuing his workouts!  I'd love to continue this team thing how about you???  I'm thinking a 10K August 4th in Arlington! Thought we could start training June 28th.  There will be a twist - - our workouts will include MANY forms of cross training!  Each week we will do different forms of training. (Canoeing, swimming, hiking, strength training, etc.) Yet most of all we will have TONS of fun!  It will be FUNdracing light, as it will be a $100 commitment to BEADS and the race is only $20.  Can't wait to see who is up for a new challenge and more fun and friendship!

 



WOW -- We ROCKED it!!!

A photo recap of our race day!!!  GO BEADS!!!

JR Hitting his Stride!

Loren, Sarah, Michelle!

Ben & Daniel in their Kenyan Clothing

Beautiful sign and artwork by Lori Navarro!

Karen Samuel

Michelle & Hope run like "puffs of wind"!!!

My two mom's and Jeannie! What a beautiful trio!

Why does everyone stand at a party?

Look at all those happy faces!!!

Satisfied SMILES!  Carol, Cathy, and Lori you al did great!

We were so lucky to have Julee's photography skills, Mitzi's voice, and Tamy leading the way on the 10k!

Hopeful and Honey! Okay he has a name, Eric!

Love this darling shot of Karen!

Two Handsome Men and a Dog!  That could be a good book title!

Jim & Scott truly rocking it!!!

This is who "spawned" me! Isn't she cute holding her grand dog?

Rick on the BONGO'S!  Yeah, baby!!!

Struts Cunningham!  Rocking it!!!

Flame On sponsors Lora & Darryl Thomas and the momma!

The Thursday Night Girls - - Spoiling me rotten! Thanks Michelle, Jeannie, Hope, Pat, Donna, Lori, and Lorraine!

Pat bringing it home!

The "pink" Nike's got me in!

Before the race frivolities!

Tanya & Jen our Associated Behavioral Health sponsors!

Donna going strong at the end of the half marathon!

GO BEADS!!!

Aren't these pictures great???  What a day full of accomplishments and JOY!!!  We all finished our races, no injuries, and had a FABULOUS Victory Party!  Thanks to ALL of you for your dedication, friendship, and fundraising!