Smile Train Team Empower Update!

 I'm back on my blog to update everyone on my fundraising efforts for the Smile Train Team Empower !!

After riding for 8 hours yesterday, you would think I would be sore and not moving very far.. Today I have more energy than I have felt in months.  There is a skip in my gait and a grin nobody could wipe off my face!!  Yesterday's Spinathon fundraising event for the Smile Train Team was absolutely amazing! There are so many amazing people in this community and in my life that have helped me, help more than 24!! children receive an amazing surgery that will change their lives forever!

 Last Saturday while I was out putting in the last longest run before I present my money at Ironman Arizona in Tempe, I had some time to brain storm an idea to give it one last push to reach my minimum goal of 20 surgeries. ($5,000).  I wanted to make it big and I wanted to do something that would push myself in some sort of exercise limit to go the distance for the kids that wait for years before they receive the repairs to their cleft lip and palate issues.

It was a little late for me to be planning such a big event with only 6 days notice for Simon's Cycles, my parents, and asking for donations from grocery stores, etc.  BUT! I cannot express in words how amazing our community was in pulling it all together and I thank you all from the bottom of my big Ironman Triathlon heart!!!

 

  The day started off with a beauty of a west coast storm that came crashing in through the night bringing high wind and sideways rain.  Both my mom and I were up early texting 'sad' faces to each other as we had a sick feeling in our stomachs as to what the weather could bring for a turnout on such a nasty weather day.  As we arrived at Simon's Cycles, Simon and Patti were there to meet us with rain coats on and we all took a deep breath, put big smiles on our faces, and set up the tent, tables, food, and my bike and then hoped for the best.

 9:00 came so fast and I jumped on my bike and started to spin away as my parents John and Connie began the set up of all the fixings for the BBQ.  We had muffins donated from Tim Horton's. Our coffee Urn was donated from All In One Party Shop, and our amazing BBQ grill was donated from Relay Rentals.  The BIGGEST donation in food was from my mom, Connie, who made the 400 cookies we served to anyone we could get to eat a cookie!! They were amazing!!  People stayed and chatted to us and drank coffee and ate cookies for over an hour sometimes! Thanks mom!!

The grilling was done by my dad, John, and the 'cook supervisor' was overseeing the grilling by my oldest son Jordan who helped make the food serving a success! Thank you so much mom, dad, and Jordan! There would be no way my event would have been as successful without your amazing support of my triathlon endeavours!

Finally, I want to thank Simon, Patti, Craig, and the crew from Simon's Cycles that have been so amazing to me by supporting my triathlon career and now my fundraising career!  A lot of the money that was raised for the Smile Train Team would not have been possible without the endless support of Simon and the staff selling my jewelry in the shop and allowing me to take over the store for my Spinathon yesterday!  

I started the day at $3, 995 raised and ended the day with a whopping $6,047!!!!!

Thank you to everyone that donated! You are so amazing!  My Ironman Arizona race will be in honour of all my supporters and I will be racing with the biggest smile on my face EVER!!!