Cristin Bailey-2014 Climb Against the Odds Team Member
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Raising the bar...
FUNDRAISING PROGRESS
Goal: $10,000.00
Achieved: $4,118.00
Achieved: $4,118.00
After a bit of contemplation I just raised my fund raising goal from the minimum $6,000 climber commitment up to $10,000! Fund raising has been way more inspiring than I imagined. Each time I get the nerve to ask for help, help comes in ways I never imagined. This is work, no doubt, but it is some of the most rewarding work I have experienced in my life. I thought I'd share the Breast Cancer Fund's history of Climb Against the Odds to inspire us all to be creative in supporting causes that having personal meaning to us. Everyone who supports my climb is part of the larger journey and we should all feel great about raising awareness and leveraging support through Climb Against the Odds.
A History of Climbing Mountains
In 1995, Breast Cancer Fund founder Andrea Martin accepted the challenge to face mountains, metaphoric and real, by climbing Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina with 16 other breast cancer survivors.
Why We Climb
Each year the Climb Against the Odds team proves that—with teamwork and perseverance—anything is possible if taken one step at a time.
It's an apt metaphor for the Breast Cancer Fund's work to prevent a disease that now affects one in eight American women—a rate that virtually guarantees that we all know someone with breast cancer.
Our tradition of climbing mountains began in 1995 and has raised critical awareness and funds in support of our prevention mission.
The efforts of the Climb Against the Odds team will support the Breast Cancer Fund’s groundbreaking work to prevent breast cancer by eliminating our exposure to the toxic chemicals and radiation linked to the disease.
The Breast Cancer Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information about where the money you raise goes, see our financial information.
I hope you will consider supporting my journey if you haven't already.
As a reminder anyone who donates $100 or more can have a custom prayer flag made in honor or in memory of someone that I will carry up Mount Shasta with me on my Climb Against the Odds.
And please consider attending my event:
Thank you all for your support and encouragement.
You've inspired me to raise the bar!
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Training for Shasta with Soccer...of all things
Soccer has become my saviour recently, providing the same sort of peace I find in the mountains. I started playing soccer when I was 6 years old and played every year until I was 24. I unfortunately stopped playing soccer for about 15 years, until last year when I rediscovered the game and my love for it. Soccer is something I do for me right now, and it is providing some great exercise as I train for climbing Mount Shasta in June with the Breast Cancer Fund's Climb Against the Odds.
In Essex County, MA soccer was blowing up in the early 1980's and the communities there benefited in ways beyond anticipation. This was a sport that welcomed both boys and girls from a young age and this was a new concept. Unlike T-Ball, for which I made history as the first girl in my town to play and for which my father lost friends over, soccer was welcoming to all.
Pretty sure I'm wearing Toughskins here, circa 1980.
# 00, position: (way, way) Left Field
Suddenly, soccer was all I did. There was a fall league, a spring league, and summer soccer camp at the local community college and eventually an indoor field was built on top of a hockey rink not far from home. This was the jackpot for parents all over New England in childcare and exercise for their children. By the time I was in middle school I was playing with all girls, and that was when I fell in love with the sport. Looking back as I made my re-entry to the sport, I realize now that what I loved about the game most was how we brought out the best in each other as a team. We laughed at our own mistakes but we were committed to improvement, and we encouraged each other, even when it didn't benefit us directly at the time. We loved to see each other succeed individually and as a team and most of all, we loved to play the game of soccer.
I played throughout high school and eventually landed at Unity College in Maine. I discovered that the men's soccer team had a female goalie and realized I could play too. After a season with the men, the coach approached me about starting a women's team. This light a fire under me like I never imagined. We recruited every woman on campus we could find and somehow pulled together a club team on a campus with NOT a lot of women. It was the best season of soccer I ever had. The camaraderie was instant, the commitment was infectious and history was made. The next year the team went intercollegiate. I'm not sure I've felt that kind of accomplishment since.
Last summer I started playing soccer in Sandwich, NH where I now call hone, on Sunday mornings. I was quickly reminded of what an intense workout soccer is. Thankfully I had been running and hiking and each week it got easier to keep up. The atmosphere in the town of Sandwich, NH on the soccer field is unmatched. Most everyone who comes out to play is there for the fun of playing the game. And every year during the Sandwich Fair the town plays the fair workers which is the highlight of the season.
Sandwich, NH
Sandwich Fair
Since outdoor games came to an end around Thanksgiving when the field got covered in snow and ice, I was lucky enough to discover indoor soccer at Tilton Sports Center and signed up in a co-ed league as a free agent. My team met on the first night we had a game, all having signed up as free agents. I quickly discovered my teammates were fantastic. Again, we are all there for fun and supporting and encouraging other to play the best game we can is part of that fun. Getting older does have some benefits including caring less about winning and being able to laugh at yourself more...there's no shortage of that in Tilton.
Tilton Sports Center, Tilton NH.
Co-Ed League Night
No walls in Tilton
Women's Night
After Session I at Tilton Sports Center, a women's night was added along with Session II of the leagues. This has been the best addition to soccer for me in the past year. I LOVE playing with women. I've been taken right back to my middle school days with the giggles and encouragement, support and joy of the game. Women's night has rounded out my soccer experience. I am grateful there are enough women to keep the night alive and that they are all enthusiastic and talented athletes in so many different ways. We have so much fun! These women are also beautiful and unique and all bring something special to the field. I am hoping women's night continues at Tilton Sports Center.
As I continue to train for Mount Shasta in a physical sense, I am also taking on emotional challenges in everyday life. Soccer takes me away from those challenges and poses its own. I look forward to the challenges I meet on Mount Shasta, but until then, soccer (particularly on women's night) is where I will find my peace of mind and encouragement for the challenges along the way.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
SAVE THE DATE-April 25th Fundraising Event at the Local Grocer 5-8pm!
Friday April 25th
Fundraising Event for my
Climb Against the Odds!
@ The Local Grocer & Be Well Studios
in North Conway, NH
3358 White Mountain Highway
North Conway, NH 03860
5 – 8 pm | $20 Entry Donation
Please join us for this fun way start to your weekend!
Your donation includes local food, beverages,
& music by Shelburne Addition, a silent auction,
and mini spa and holistic health services by local vendors.
Services include mini facials, chair
massage, card readings, psychic readings,
reiki and more.
This event will support my efforts to
raise $10,000 for my climb of Mount Shasta in
June 2014 as a Breast Cancer Fund’s Climb
Against the Odds team member.
April 25 event tickets can be bought at The Local Grocer the night of the event. Food, services & music will be offered throughout the event. Drinks will end around 7pm and the silent auction winners will be presented with their item shortly after.
This will be a ZERO waste event! Any needed composting will be provided by Mountain Flower Farm.
All food, drinks & services will be from local vendors.
Local Grocer Deli & Cafe
Juice Bar
Yoga Class at Be Well Studios
Heather & Russ are the owners of the Local Grocer & Be Well Studios and incredibly generous supporters of this event!
The Local Grocer is owned and operated by Heather Chase and Russell Van Deursen. Both are avid gardeners and passionate about issues of local food, the environment, permaculture and natural living. Heather’s background as a Clinical Herbalist and Holistic Nutritional Consultant combined with her extensive work experience in the food service industry in the Valley has prepared her for the multi-faceted role as business owner of The Local Grocer. When Russ isn’t making the best cookies in town or creating delicious raw chocolate desserts he is using his skills as a permaculture designer at their home, Mountain Flower Farm. Vegetables, herbs, and grass-fed meat from the farm are sold in the market and a four season greenhouse is in the works.
http://www.nhlocalgrocer.com/
For more information on this event or my fundraising efforts please contact me,
Cristin Bailey
at cristinbailey@gmail.com
or 603-986-2645
I am looking for some volunteers to help with this event. Let me know if you are interested! I will also be soliciting donations for the silent auction so let me know if you have ideas.
Looking forward to seeing you there, Bailey
Looking forward to seeing you there, Bailey
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