Alaska ... HERE I COME!

To my dearest family, friends & fans,

It is almost here! Tomorrow evening, I will be boarding a plane for Anchorage, Alaska. On Saturday, I will be running in the Mayor's Marathon -- 26.2 scenic miles through Anchorage wilderness (where I hope to see caribou and eagles!). This season, I am running on behalf of our geeTEAM Honorees -- Matt, Rob, Whitney, Steve, and Zeeky -- I am running to beat blood cancer!

The last few months have been pretty rough, and this season has proven to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. But, thanks to all of my donors, geeTEAM has raised $3,985.00! Your generosity and support have made this amazing feat possible. Our team of donors, volunteers, and supports have commissioned three C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blankets -- for Matt, Rob & Steve -- and we are only $15.00 away from a fully-commissioned blanket for Zeeky. We have come a long way, and have raised a significant contribution for blood cancer research and patient services, but we can do more! Our goal this season was to raise $5,000.00, and to commission a total of five blankets. And with your help, we still can still reach our goal. Tell your family/friends, reach into your change drawer, make coffee at home for a week -- there is still time to make a contribution to the LLS and C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket missions! A donation of $20 to LLS will commission two Donor Medallions and get us 2% closer to our goal.

I would like to extend the sincerest thanks that I can muster to all of those who have been so instrumental in my success this season. In just over 4 very short months, I have raised awareness and funds for LLS to a magnitude that I could not have fathomed possible -- it has not been easy, but it was a blessed opportunity and an experience that I cherish. In these short months, I have done my best to prepare my body and mind for the strenuous work of this endurance event -- which has proven to be the greatest challenge, but the is best thing that I have ever done for myself. I have struggled through injury, looming deadlines, training upsets, and event after fundraising-event. But I have come out of this experience with strength, humility, gratitude, and love. If I could, I would reach through the screen and squeeze you too-tight, because I do not have the words to express my thanks for all of your support.

I will be thinking of you, carrying you with me in my heart as I trek these 26.2 miles. I am doing this for you -- because you believe in me. I am doing this for our Honorees -- because you believe in Contributing Unconditional Means for Research, Treatment, and Support. I am doing this for me -- because will all of the support that you have offered me, I know that I will succeed.

I could not have done this without you. Please keep me in your thoughts this weekend, because you will be in mine. In advance, thank you for carrying me across the finish line.

Lots of love from the bottoms of my heart & feet,
Jess

The Pomp of Using a Graphing Calculator

With our Community Garage Sale coming up tomorrow (7AM, 412 31st Avenue, San Mateo), and our fundraising deadline coming close (T-minus 29 days until MARATHON!), I thought it was important to sit down with my spreadsheets and various donation checks to calculate the amount that geeTEAM has raised for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Sure, I could have used the calculator on my phone, or I could have gone old-school and pulled out a pencil and scratch paper. But I wanted this moment to be special; so, I reached into the depths of the boxes I stored in my closet from college and pulled out my GRAPHING CALCULATOR! I don't know how many fellow geek-azoids are out there, but my graphing calculator was King - and I missed it. I cannot lie and say that coming upon it was intentional (I am combing through all of my belongings for goodies to sell tomorrow), but I was happy to find it. And as I decided if it belonged in the "SELL" or "KEEP" pile, I thought this would be a good opportunity to calculate the amount we have raised for LLS.

A recap of our efforts: Bake Sale, Crochet Instructional Events, Bootcamp with MDSF, Bootcamp with FITCLUB Performance, Mighty Bites!, C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket, and this upcoming Community Garage Sale. That, combined with the generous donations from family, friends and fans and we have raised a grand total of ... (inserting digits on the most awesome Texas Instrument ever created) ...

$3,240.36

(Insert shock! and awe! here.)
Though we are still a ways from our goal of $5,000.00 raised for LLS, I am positive that we will be able to meet our goal this weekend. We are looking forward to a great turn out, some time to spend with family & friends on our front lawn, and a lot of generous do-gooders out-and-about on a beautiful weekend. Please drop by and show your support, we are happy to have you! If you can't make it, please consider making a donation to our effort, every dollar counts!

And a special THANK YOU to all of you that have helped me raise over $3,000 for LLS! You are my heroes and I work hard for you all! <3

stay tuned!

Community Gathers to Find a Cure - This Weekend!

We are very excited for our Community Garage Sale coming up this weekend! We have gathered the gently-used wares of all geeTEAM's family & friends, and will be selling them to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

Please drop by and show your support for LLS - we will be at 412 31st Avenue, San Mateo 94403 on Saturday, May 21st, from 7AM to 3PM and again on Sunday, May 22nd, from 7AM to 12PM. See our Evite for details: http://new.evite.com/services/links/X7WPAHXTVQ.

Our goal for the weekend is to raise $1,000.00 for LLS! And we can do it - with the help from our support buttress, we will be reaching out to our Community to  raise awareness and funds to combat blood cancers. Please help us by getting the word out to that we will be selling lots of goodies - see the Garage Sale flyer here.

Jess will be missing her Team's Regional Run on Saturday morning for the Garage Sale, so please join her Saturday afternoon for a neighborhood run!