Good Luck, Amber!

Man, time sure flies! You blink your eyes a few times and 4.5 years goes by. Time waits for no man, woman, or child. And today arrived a day that I knew would come some day – Amber’s departure as our Team in Training Director at LLS for the Virginia Chapter.

It feels like yesterday that I met Amber, but in reality, it was September of 2005. I had done my first TNT event and my first marathon the prior June, and had come out to speak to the fall team as a Survivor. The current coordinator, Sarah, introduced me to Amber, telling me that she was coming on as Sarah’s replacement. I chatted with this nice, friendly, young woman for a while. It was clear she would be very good for the job, but I never could have guessed how great.

I don’t know what Amber earned in her job, but I know two things: she will never get wealthy working at LLS, and if she was paid by the hour and by her dedication, she would earn a lot more than she did. Over the years, I’ve seen her out with the team so many very early Saturday mornings on her day off. She worked so many evening recruitment meetings, and if I emailed her with a question or idea after hours, I usually got an answer within minutes. She actually did two events fundraising for Team in Training so she could experience the program first hand. She approaches her job with a rare passion and dedication. Plus she is very smart, well spoken, enthusiastic, and interacts with people very well. She is the kind of person that was going to get a much better offer at some point – probably at many points – and at this time, she decided to take it. I know she will do fantastically well with the National Kidney Foundation.

During her 4.5 years, I have seen so many people come work for LLS and move on, but Amber worked away right through it all and was the only constant during this time. So it feels strange to think she won’t be there after today. She has meant so much to Virginia and Richmond Team in Training during this time, growing it and keeping it going through tough times. Whatever we needed as volunteers, Amber would help find it. She always supported and encouraged us in so many ways. Whether it was advice on fundraising or training, or just being a friend, well, that was Amber! She leaves the office in the capable hands of Elliot and Cate, but we will all miss this wonderful young woman.

So Amber, congratulations and best of luck in the new job. Everyone will miss you. I for one (of many) am glad that our paths crossed these past four and half years. And I expect they will again, hopefully both of us wearing the purple together as we race for a cure! Best of everything to you, Amber, and GO TEAM!

Here is Amber (front center with green jacket and antlers) with last year's Spring Team before our Jingle Bell Run: