Here I go walking again! Please support me as I take on an incredible challenge. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® isn’t just a 60-mile walk over the course of three days—it’s a journey to the end of breast cancer. Seventy-five percent of the net proceeds raised by the 3-Day® help support Komen’s Research and Training Grant Program and large public health outreach programs for women and men facing breast cancer. The remaining 25 percent helps fund local community and Affiliate support and outreach programs.

As you can see in my walking history below, I have completed all five of the 2023 walks and now am hoping to raise enough to walk in three of the four cities in 2024.  Once again I am hoping that I can count on my friends and my crochet critters to help me get to that goal,

My walking history, or how I got started: In November 2009, as a 13-year breast cancer survivor, I walked the 3-day for the first time with my niece. The San Diego walk was a wonderful experience even though I managed to get several blisters. A cool 9.5 million dollars was raised here toward research and breast related care. I'm proud to say that $3600 of that came from my supporters. Less than two weeks after the walk was over I decided that it was important for me to be involved beyond this first year, so I registered to walk in Boston in July 2010 and San Diego again in November 2010. I did those two walks, with lots of rain in San Diego, and because Breast cancer doesn't stop, I'm not stopping either. That is why I signed up once again for two walks in 2011. The first was in Tampa Bay Halloween weekend and the second was in Arizona two weeks later. One of the highlights of the Tampa Bay walk was being in the survivor's circle. While I was disappointed that due to a schedule conflict I couldn’t walk with my team, The Pink Angels, in Boston, some of them also walked in Tampa.

Even before I did those two walks in Tampa and Arizona, I signed up for Boston in July 2012. Then, being optimistic that I would be able to raise enough for two walks I registered for the Twin Cities in August. Thanks to all my wonderful supporters I raised the money to walk the two walks and walked them both blister free!

In 2014, the cities in which to walk were reduced to seven and the Boston walk was eliminated, so I again registered to walk with the Kindred Spirits in Seattle as well as in San Diego. Because of the support of my wonderful sponsors, I walked in both places. Once these walks were successfully over, I started working on fundraising for 2015. I registered for Seattle again both because I really enjoyed that walk, and the team, and because it allows me to visit friends in the northwest, and I also registered for Atlanta as several teammates were walking there. Once more my donors amazed me and I had both walks funded. I walked two 2015 walks, Seattle in September and Atlanta in October. In 2016, I successfully raised the money for two walks and so I walked in both Seattle and San Diego (and without blisters too!)

In 2017 I raised the money to be able to walk in Seattle and in San Diego again and then I raised the $2300 needed for the 2018 Seattle walk as well ast the $2300 to walk in Dallas. I was able to raise the money for walking in Seattle again in 2019 as well as in New England. In 2020 Komen reduced thier cities to four and I planned to walk both the New England and the Chicago walks. Komen canceled the 2020 walks due to Covid-19 and moved them all to 2021. So then I planned to walk all four walks: New England (Boston); Chicago;Dallas; & San Diego and needed to raise $2300 for each for a total of $9200. I was able to do that and then of course covid interfered once again.  So in 2021 I participated in 3-day nation where all over the country we walked separately and together virtually.  San Diego was still a go so I walked there. I then aimed to do all four walks in  2022 walks, New England, Chicago, Dallas and San Diego and I was able to raise $2300 for each of them for a total of $9200.  I then set the goal of doing all five (they added Denver to the four from 2022) and with the help of my donors and a couple of folks who got me matches I was able to do them, raising about  $11,000.   

An Offer for Donors: Once more I am offering a Thank You gift to my donors. I crochet "critters" and "FLOOZIES" which I have started selling in local fundraisers and craft fairs as well as through my webpage. Since I am walking 60 miles, anyone who sponsors me with a donation of $60 or more (that's $1.00 for each mile I walk) may choose one of my crochet critters or other crochet items as a gift. The critters are generally between 12 and 18 inches tall and you can choose from ones I have already made up or can request a specific animal and color scheme that I will then make. All parts of these animals are either crocheted or embroidered; there are no hard pieces so they are good gifts for young children. Pictures of ones I have made and ones that are available are on my website, www.crochet4thecure.com. Also, now that the FLOOZIES (Colorful women who think for themselves, dress any way they want and don't give a hoot about what others think of them. They define themselves and don't accept other's definitions of them.) have come into being, a $100 sponsorship will get you one of them. The latest FLOOZIES can sport team colors if requested. Just contact me by e-mail: donate@crochet4thecure.com (or at shirleyernst@gmail.com) to put in your request for a critter or a FLOOZY. Of course, these sponsorship donations are, at this point, still tax deductible. I hope you will support my walk by donating, sharing my message with your friends and relatives and ask them to support me as well, and in doing so you will be supporting the fight against breast cancer. donate at http://www.the3day.org/goto/shirleyernst.

 Here is the link to donate: http://www.the3day.org/goto/shirleyernst.