Our 20-mile Route!
My apologies for the delay! The 2015 Immediate Impact Walk was on Sunday, September 27th. I've been busy with travel and a little bit of recuperating, and am just now getting to write the big recap of the event!
The event was a huge success! We had 22 walkers (21 women and one incredible gentleman) walk 20 miles from the Presidio in San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Sausalito, Mill Valley, and various parts of Marin, ending our journey in Tiburon. Once in Tiburon, we had a celebratory lunch (complete with many Bloody Marys and Onion Rings), then took the ferry from Tiburon back to San Francisco. Once back in San Francisco, Linda had arranged for a Cable Car (not a real one that runs on the cables, but one that takes tours around the City) to pick us up and bring us back to our starting point. It was a very exciting day!
Once back at the Transit Cafe, we had a short closing ceremony, and toasted with Champagne. By the end of the day, we were just shy of raising $90,000! Our original goal was $75,000 (which had only been met four days earlier!), and we continue to receive donations. As I write this, we have raised $95,944, and I am fairly certain that we will end up raising over $100,000 by the time we close the donations on October 11th.
My personal fundraising is currently at $11,829! I expect to get in at least 2 or three matching gifts in addition to a check from my glassybaby fundraiser in October!!
This year, we scaled back from walking 55-miles over three days to walking 20 miles in one day. Personally, I was very happy with the changes, and I think that the amount of money that we were able to raise between 26 individuals (22 walkers and 4 virtual walkers) is just incredible. Because the costs of the entire event was downsized, we were able to pay for everything from reserves from last year (and the registration dues from each walker) and 100% of our donations this year will go directly to our beneficiaries. This is an amazing fact that I am most proud of, and what I really focused on telling donors this year. I don't know of any other event that is able to say that they will grant 100% of the donations to their beneficiaries.
I'm so proud to have been a participant of The Immediate Impact Walk for all four years of its existence so far. This is such a special event that I hold close to my heart. These amazing women (and one gentleman!) are some of the most amazing, selfless and giving souls I have ever had the pleasure to spend time with. Year after year, mile after mile, we continue to walk together, laugh together, cry together, and do amazing things....together. I am so proud of us, the amount of money we have raised, and the amount of lives that we are helping. I have learned that a small group of determined women and men really can make a difference.
I'm going to post several photos now, with brief descriptions of what we saw throughout the day:
We met at the Transit Cafe in the Presidio at 6:00am. We took some time to get ready, write names on our memorial ribbons, and circled up for Linda's opening event speech. We hit the road at 6:45am, right on schedule.
A good motto for our day and for the event!
My day/event was dedicated in memory of my very dear friend, Terri. Terri was my best friend from first grade, and we stayed close ever since. Tragically, she passed away earlier this year on her 46th Birthday from Lymphoma. I miss her so much, and think about her every day.
Circled up at 6:30am
Full group shot at sunrise - 22 Walkers!
Lots of stairs - up and down - to kick off our event!
the first flight of stairs of the day
I'm so happy that Linda incorporated the Battery to Bluffs Trail in the Presidio at the start of our walk. This trail, packed with stairs, has some of the most amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, and the Golden Gate Bridge
I love this photo that Irene took of me and Alisa at the top of the trail
View from the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning fog
Linda was briefly interviewed by KRON Channel 4 News as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge!
The walk across the bridge in the early morning
From the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Once we crossed we had already completed about 5 miles by 8:45am
Linda and Sandy - Twinsies in Sausalito!
Lizelle and her new pup, Saki, came out to find us along the way in Sausalito!
At lunch, which was our half-way, 10-mile point
Fun candid along the way
The annual jumping shot - my timing was off!
Yay for friends cheering us on along the way!!! (Thank You!)
pretty view nearing Tiburon
The home stretch! Only one mile left to go!
We all made it to Tiburon!
My Walkmeter App's Stats
Fitbit Stats
Celebratory Lunch at Sam's in Tiburon!
Complete with Celebratory Drinks!
Boarding the ferry from Tiburon back to San Francisco
Ferry Ticket
Surprise! A Cable Car to take us back to our cars!
Miles of smiles on the cable car!
boarding the cable car - another nice photo from Irene
we were all so happy to be on a cable car, and not having to walk a few more miles to our cars
Monica, Linda and Sandy
Carol and Trina
Beautiful Marcia
One last group photo of the day
Closing Ceremony back at The Transit Cafe
Celebratory Champagne to toast another amazing Immediate Impact Walk!
This amazing t-shirt was presented to me by the event for being the top fundraiser. That I have friends who might think of me in this way makes my heart burst.
Thank You!!
** Thank you to Linda and Irene for some of these photos!! **
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