What are you Grateful for?

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. - Melody Beattie

There was a bumper sticker on a car in front of me as I drove home from the Warming Hut on Sunday, "What are you Grateful for?" It made me take pause as I have had a rough week and frankly, have been feeling a little beat up. What was I grateful for?

1.) I am grateful for our beloved home base; the Warming Hut.
2.) I am grateful for strong legs, deep lungs and sturdy yet blistered feet that enabled me walk 36 hilly miles this weekend.
3.) I am grateful for the stunningly beautiful places we are able to walk.
4.) I am grateful for the company, conversation & conviviality of women and men who lift my spirits and make the miles fly by.
5.) I am grateful all of our walking (and fundraising!) makes a difference in the lives of so many people.

I made my list as I drove home and then a flip flop fell in the back seat and depressed the “siren” button on my megaphone… the high pitched “SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” jolted me right out of my reverie. I had to pull the car over to figure out what the heck was making that sound. I thought maybe my car engine was about the blow up and that was the signal to GET OUT OF THE CAR! I added another thing to my list: I am grateful that no matter how tired I am a good laugh is always the best medicine!

Many, many thanks to this weekend's remarkable Route Support Team: Avon Walkers Shobana, MJ, Laura, Sharla and our "Senior Route Support Specialist” Eric!" We are very lucky these individuals gave up a large part of their weekend to support us, keep us snacked and hydrated. The cheering, music, woohooing and clapping make the next hill, next set of stairs or next mile possible. Thank you for keeping us safe!

You’re invited to our fundraiser BUST it out! for Breast Cancer - Spread the word & CLICK HERE to RSVP:
Our team’s first fundraiser is Sunday, August 17th from 1-4pm. "Art Bra" Silent Auction & Prize Drawing. We are trying to raise as much money as possible in one afternoon! Please come on by for games, refreshments and a whole lot of pink! Invite your family, friends and team - we'd love to see you there: http://tinyurl.com/bustitout
Email me if you would like to volunteer or donate an item for the drawing or an Art Bra: warminghuthotties@sbcglobal.net

Want to be a hottie? Gladys asked me if there was an "initiation" to join the team. The answer: you have already passed our initiation by walking through the many challenges we face while training and continuing to smile. We absolutely welcome walkers and crew to join the Warming Hut Hottie team! The ONLINE CHECK-IN deadline is August 7th if you want to be in the hottie tent section in camp. To join the 3 Day Team, email lovely Melissa, Field Coordinator with the 3 Day: mjlabonge@event360.com

Remaining Training Walks – PLEASE RSVP as we will be limiting the walks to 45-50 people:

Sat 8/2 – 12 miles – meet at 7:00am – Warming Hut
Sun 8/3 – 12 miles – meet at 7:00am – Arguello Gate

Sat 8/9 – 20 miles/Back to Back Weekend – meet at 6:30am – Warming Hut
Sun 8/10 – 20 miles/Back to Back Weekend – meet at 6:00am – Ft Mason Parking Lot

Sat 8/17 – 10 miles – meet at 7:00am – Warming Hut

Sat 8/23 – 18 miles – meet at 6:30am – Warming Hut
Sun 8/24 – 12 miles – meet at 7:00am – Warming Hut

This is such an exciting time!

Charisse and I were walking on the Golden Gate Bridge and we got talking about the great training walk turn out this year, our team and our upcoming fundraiser. She said, "This is such an exciting time!" And she is right. We have a whole lot of great stuff happening between now and our 3 Day. It is so great to see so many new walkers joining us every week!

47 hearty walkers took off on Saturday on a quintessential hottie walk that included the Lyon Street stairs, Land’s End trail and the Lincoln Blvd. hill. When we got back to the Sports Basement Dr. Sanders, our hottie podiatrist, helped us get into the right shoes for out feet. Even I, after 8 long years of walking, learned a lot about my feet and proper shoe fitting.

Get measured!
Chuck the insoles that come with your shoes. Use Super Feet insoles instead.
The sole of the shoe should match the shape of your foot.
Dr Jenny likes Zappos if you need a hard to find shoe sizes.

20 walkers took a lovely walk on Sunday to Mollie Stone’s and back as about half of the group had walked 12 miles the day before – their first big mileage weekend! It is hard to remember it is summer when we arrive at Crissy Field and it is so cold, windy and foggy – especially when the fog doesn’t burn off all day. But even in the fog the waterfront is spectacular.

Tremendous thanks to Avon walkers Marsha Sutherland and Sharla Gullerton for providing exemplary Route Support this weekend. Tissues to deviled eggs to salty baked Lay’s… you sure know how to spoil us walkers!

Got Podiatrist?
If you missed the clinic on Saturday we can’t recommend Dr. Jenny Sanders enough. She can help you work with the shoes you already have – unless you will end up injured by wearing them. Tell them you are a hottie when you call for a priority appointment. Jenny is offering a comprehensive foot/shoe fitting assessment for free ($115 value) to walkers! Financial District Foot & Ankle Center - 100 Bush Street, #420, San Francisco 415-956-2884 - Email: info@fdfac.com

BUST it out! for Breast Cancer Fundraiser. RSVP here
We are having our team’s first fundraiser Sunday, August 17th from 1-4pm.We are trying to raise as much money as possible in one afternoon since our team goal this year for the 3 Day is $300,000. Come on by for games, refreshments and a whole lot of pink! Email me if you would like to volunteer or donate an item for the drawing: warminghuthotties@sbcglobal.net

Want to be a hottie? We absolutely welcome walkers and crew to join the Warming Hut Hottie team. The ONLINE CHECK-IN deadline is August 7th if you want to be in the hottie tent section in camp. To join the 3 Day Team, email lovely Melissa, Field Coordinator with the 3 Day: mjlabonge@event360.com

The hottie team's fundraising keeps growing & growing! Since 2003 our team has raised $1,903,835 and I have no doubt we’ll pass the $2 million mark this year.
Our SF Avon Team raised: $86,278.42 (with money still coming in!)
Our SF 3 Day Team is at: $85,598.67
Our Seattle 3 Day team: $51,039.55

Upcoming Training Walks – PLEASR RSVP! See details HERE:
Sat 7/26 – 20 miles to Tiburon - meet at 5:45am – Ft Mason Parking Lot
Sun 7/27 – 16 miles – meet at 6:30am – Warming Hut

Sat 8/2 – 12 miles – meet at 7:00am – Warming Hut
Sun 8/3 – 12 miles – meet at 7:00am – Arguello Gate

Sat 8/9 – 20 miles/Back to Back Weekend – meet at 6:30am – Warming Hut
Sun 8/10 – 20 miles/Back to Back Weekend – meet at 6:00am – Ft Mason Parking Lot


Keep stretching, keep hydrating & keep walking everyone! Have a wonderful week and we'll see you soon,
Linda

HOLY COW!

Just updating the team fundraising total.... as of today the hotties have raised:

$85,993.42 Avon Team (with dollars still rolling in!)
$81,529.67 SF 3 Day Team
$47,857.55 Seattle 3 Day Team
$50.00 San Diego 3 Day Team
$215,430 GRAND TOTAL AS OF 7/15

Our 3 Day teams are really fundrasing in earnest as well to make the deadline for team tenting!! The big news is that our all time fundraising Grand Total since 2003 is:

$1,903,835.00

That's right. We will easily surpass the $2 million mark soon. Way to go hotties!!!
Linda

3,200 participants raising $7.5 million is HUGE

We are so proud of our hottie walkers (and hottie friends), so appreciative of our hottie crew and so thankful to our many hottie helpers and walker stalkers. Our hottie community is quite the mutual admiration society! We were everywhere this weekend: walking, crewing, volunteering & stalking.

This was such a tremendously successful event for the Avon Foundation: 3,200 participants raising $7.5 million is HUGE!!! You should feel so proud of your communal accomplishments; to date the team has raised over $80,000! You made that possible with every $10, $20 and $100 donation for which you worked so hard. Isn’t it absolutely remarkable what a determined group of individuals can accomplish?

I am sure you are still aglow from our weekend together; the company of good friends where conversation is easy and miles pass quickly with one another’s support. You all looked so beautiful and strong as you walked and crewed. It was an honor to be out there cheering you all on - you truly inspired the butterfly Hottie Walker Stalkers!

To our phenomenal hottie walkers: Whether you walked the 40 miles or not does not matter. What matters is that you were there, you walked, you were seen, you were heard and you made a difference this past weekend. Know this in your heart and carry it with you as you continue on your path in life.

To our rockin' hottie crew members: You all amaze me with your unflappable energy, enthusiasm, caring and compassion! It was fantastic to see you out on the route. You all worked your asses off and I cannot begin to put into words how much the walkers thank each of you for all of you efforts.

To our triumphant hottie survivors, your victory over this disease gives us all strength. You are beauty and grace. We are blessed to walk shoulder to shoulder with you. You help us tap into a deep well of strength and courage to do more than we ever imagined, to attempt what we are afraid of and to be wildly successful in those endeavors.

Take the time you need to recoup and recover from the tremendous outpouring if energy, kindness and compassion during your walking weekend. (Go see Dr Jenny if you have any lingering feet issues…)

YOU ALL ARE spectacular. I thank each of you for touching our hearts in such simple and profound ways... Stay in touch. You know where you can find us most weekends! And remember, once a *hottie*, always a *hottie*.

Much love to you on behalf of all the hotties,
Linda

EVENT PHOTOS: Share your training & event photos!
We have a communal http://www.kodakgallery.com/ account. Login: warminghuthotties@hotmail.com Password: sfhottie
The Warming Hut Hotties Flickr Group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/668204@N24/

REUNION PARTY: We are organizing a fundraiser on Sunday, August 17th which will be your hottie Avon Walk reunion party as well! 1 - 4pm, Slovenian Hall, Potrero Hill. I'll send an evite with more details soon!

ROUTE SUPPORT: Many of you asked and YES, we need route support! Ideally, any walk over 12 miles - especially Tiburon walks - we’d love to have route support. Email me and I will send you the training walk overview: warminghuthotties@sbcglobal.net

TRAINING WALKS: We’ll keep walking through the SF 3 Day event in September! Check the schedule if you want to keep walking!

Flexibility and Patience: more good walking tools

Hello there fabulous, wonderful hotties (and hottie friends!) As of today, our mighty hottie team has raised an impressive $78,108.42! Please read thru this email for important team meet-up plans and some hottie tips/tricks/ideas for your event weekend.

First, Andrea led some awesome walks this past weekend! On the heels of July 4th celebrations, 50 walkers met at the Warming Hut for the first 9-mile loop on Saturday. Despite not finding the Middle Road turn in Golden Gate Park, we found our way to Andronico’s and got a chance to use their port-o-potties. Patience was definitely needed while so many walkers waited in line (the up side was that meant you were hydrating!) Many thanks to Laurie and Meg for leading the first walkers back to the Warming Hut while I took a bit of a short cut to meet up with 25 more walkers for “Loop 2” at the Warming Hut. Twelve walkers from of the first loop also did “Loop 2” for a whopping 18 miles! Congratulations, Everyone!!

On Sunday, 25 walkers met at Sawyer Camp Trail. Off we walked down the beautiful trail and across the reservoir. Flexibility and patience were again needed when we arrived at the one water source on the trail. For the first time in my nine years of walking this trail, there was no water! Yikes!! But in Hottie fashion, everyone kept good spirits while we assessed everyone's personal water supply and changed plans to keep everyone safe on that hot day. Everyone did a variation on the planned 14 miles. Some courageous walkers headed down the infamous Hillcrest...and then back up while I provided route and moral support. In fact, there was so much cheering at the top of Hillcrest that another 3 Day walker asked me if we were Warming Hut Hotties. When I asked her how she knew, she said that she knew by our cheering and whooooohoooooing. Then those Hillcrest walkers did another 4 miles. Bravisimo, everyone!!!

At the beginning of each loop on Saturday and Sunday, the 3Dayers cheered LOUDLY for our Avon walkers. Dear Avon walkers, we are so proud of you - it's been an honor to train with you all these months! Look for the Warming Hut Hotties along your route next weekend. With great admiration, Andrea

THE AVON WALK EVENT WEEKEND IS HERE!!!

Well, its here, can you even believe it? We have all made it to event week - blisters, bunions, blisters, pulled hamstrings, blisters, falling arches, blisters, sore Achilles tendons, blisters, meniscus tears, blisters, numb toes and all! We should all already feel extremely proud of our accomplishments. We have rasied tons of money, raised awareness and made a huge impact already by walking. The rest at this point is gravy. Let's head out, enjoy our camaraderie and all around great hottie-ness! On to some practical matters… you should have received an email called Let’s Walk from the event. If not email your Walker Buddy. It has lots of important information.

HOTTIE SWAG AND TEAM GEAR:
If you didn't receive your Hottie Swag bag at the picnic and/or gear you can collect them at Event Eve! Meeting location: Somewhere near the main entrance to check-in. Carrie & Charisse will be Event Eve from approx. 2:30-4:30pm. Please find them before their All Crew Meeting at 5:00pm. They will be wearing hottie shirts & deeleeboppers so you can pick them out of the crowd!

Your Hottie deeleebobbers… WEAR THEM! How else will you know when you've run into another Hottie along the way? Trust us; they are ideal for spotting your hottie walker friends in the crowd. Unfortunately, we only have enough for registered team members.

MEET UP PLAN FOR EVENT EVE/TEAM TENTING:
See separate email with details.

Meet Up Plan for Opening Ceremonies – Saturday 7/12:
Plan to arrive at Opening Ceremonies no later than 6:00 a.m. When you arrive, look for a little swarm of butterflies and deeleeboppers congregating near the breakfast picnic tables. Be sure to wear your deeleeboppers so we can all find one another in the fog. The Opening Ceremonies begin at 6:30 am and you will be on the route by 7:00am!

MEET UP PLAN FOR Closing Ceremonies – SUNDAY 7/13:
When you arrive at the Closing Area go get your Victory shirt in the participant service area.
Then, look for the deeleeboppers for a hottie gathering area at Speedway Meadows!

There are so many wonderful surprises waiting for you on the road, wonderful people to meet and generosity like you have never experienced thanks to the kindness of the walker community at large. Finally, we wish you all a wonderful journey. We are all in this together, whether you are Hottie in team or Hottie in spirit. We're all off to do a wonderful thing.

Please, shoot me an email if you have any questions! For now, *hot pink hottie radar* engaged - over and out!

Here's to Truly Living Life!

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life. Greg Anderson

Hello my hotties and hottie friends,

There's Gay Pride, Pride o' the Irish and then, well, there’s *hottie* pride!

You know hottie pride… It’s what you feel when you haul yourself out of bed early in the morning to train, when you cheer another walker up a hill, when you share with a stranger why you are walking and realize we aren’t strangers at all. I hope you share that pride.

Congratulations to you all on a spectacular walk on Saturday – the Lyon Street Stairs, Land’s End Trail and Lincoln Hill made for a quintessential hottie walk! It was great being able to relax, enjoy each other’s company, meet families/kids and simply take a moment to appreciate our accomplishments (individual and collective) at the picnic.

Thank you for walking, raising funds & awareness and for making this group so special!

Avon Walkers: to help you prepare for your walk please find attached a helpful packing list with some helpful hints we have compiled over the years. If you weren't at the picnic we have special hottie team spirit items for you to collect at Event Eve. I will send another detailed emial next week with our event meet-up plan!

The hottie team's fundraising keeps growing and growing!
The SF Avon Team is at: $68,554.86
The SF 3 Day Team is at: $65,403.17

To join the Avon Walk Team, email Juliana: juliana.sanfrancisco@avonwalk.org
To join the 3 Day Team, email Melissa: mjlabonge@event360.com

The final training walks before the Avon Walk event!
Sat 7/5 – Two 9 Mile loops - meet at 6:30am RSVP led by Andrea
Sun 7/6 – 14 miles – Sawyer Camp Trail – meet at 6:45am RSVP led by Andrea

3 Day walkers check the website for continuing training walks.

Walker Stalking the Avon Walk - Sat 6/12 & Sun 6/13!
There is a group of us who will be out on the route for the majority of the event weekend. Email if you want to support, cheer, woohoo and hand out special things to our Avon Walkers throughout their event.

Have a wonderful week and do something extra nice for yourself over the holiday weekend, you've earned it!
Linda