UPDATE: 5/22/2010

New Blog Entry: First official training hike!

UPDATE 5/15/2010:

Wow! I just went to our official Team In Training kick-off event and am so excited and motivated.

I have been training on my own twice a week for the last month. I'm in better condition every single time I get out and hike. That, in and of itself, is a great motivator. However, there have been some days where I just didn't want to go because I was depressed, tired, busy etc. What keeps me getting up and hiking? You! I know it's cheesy, but when I'm sitting at home in a funk where I'd rather watch TV than go hike, I remember that in just one month's time you, my friends, colleagues, family and acquaintances have donated $700.00. Already 21% of my goal of $3,400. Your generosity and support both monetarily and emotionally has been humbling. You, my extended team, are all pulling me up that hill.

Our first official training hike is on Saturday, May 22nd, 8:30AM at Malibu Creek State Park and friends are welcomed. If you think you may want to join the team and learn more about the program or even if you just want to take a nice hike, let me know.

Here's some other ways you might be able to help me:

Your company may match your donation!: Many companies have matching policies. It's a great way to double your contribution. If your company doesn't have an official matching policy, maybe they'll donate anyway. See "Corporate Sponsors" below.

Corporate sponsors: If you know any businesses that might be willing to help, I'd love to contact them. There are several levels of corporate sponsorship starting at $1000.00. And, even if they're unable to support at one of those levels, they may be able to make a donation which would help. I'll do all the work in contacting them, I'd just need from you the name of the business(es), address and contact person and whether or not it's OK to mention your name in the letter.

Dodger's Game! - Someone has already gone to the trouble of setting this up! If you're interested in going to the Dodger's game vs. The St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, June 7th @ 7:10 PM, ask me to send you a special form, fill it out and fax or mail it in. For every $20.00 ticket you buy, $10.00 of it will go to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The forms have to be in by Monday, May 24th. I wanted to try to get a group of people together to go, but I have to work. There's no reason YOU can't get a group of people together to go. If you plan to watch the game on TV, just send me $20.00.

Fund-raising Party: I'd love to do a fund raising party, movie night, wine tasting, BBQ, Pool Party, back-yard mud-wrestling etc. Sadly, my garage-converted-to-an-apartment is a wee bit small to do it justice. If you'd be interested in having a party sometime this summer where we can all enjoy each others' company while doing a good thing, I'd love to hear from you.

All donations are tax deductible and it really feels great to help!

A final way you can help: If you see someone or a group of people running, walking, biking, hiking etc. and they're wearing this logo...

they're in training for one of the many endurance events this season. You can show your support by shouting "GO TEAM!" That's the official Team In Training cheer and it feels great to hear it from a stranger!

Thanks again for all your support. I am blogging about each hike I take. If you're interested in reading about it and seeing pictures, you can subscribe to my blog at:

http://mrericwood.posterous.com/

GOTEAM!

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

These diseases have touched us all at some point in our lives. Last year we said goodbye to Ruby and Stinky the Bassett Hound within a couple of months of each other. Ruby, was very old, arthritic and I believe had some form of cancer which was never diagnosed. Stinky, one day, didn't want to eat his food and within 10 days he was diagnosed and finally lost to Lymphoma. 10 days of rapid decline to the point of being miserable.

Stinky's passing was unexpected and one of the hardest things in which I've ever been involved. When I think of him, I think of the entirely too many people who live with these diseases. I'm hiking in Ruby's and Stinky's memories.

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!