So Close to Purple, but Gray it is!

Some months back, when I signed up to walk and run the Crawlin' Crab Half Marathon for Team in Training on what would have been my friend Ed's birthday, I set my fundraising goal.  The amount I came up with was $6,511 - my sixth Team in Training event, five family members and friends who died from cancer since I did my last event in June 2010, and 11 years since having cancer myself.  And I declared that if I reached that goal, I would dye my hair purple for the race today.

Dang!  I came so close!  Counting $75 in checks I got Friday, I made it to $6,335, or 97% of my goal.  A week ago, it looked impossible to get anywhere close.  But I sent out a final fundraising note Wednesday night, and the money came in fast and furious over the next 24 hours.  I almost made it to purple hair, but not quite.  Even as late as Friday, I felt like I would reach my goal.  But things slowed down, and I didn't quite get there, so my hair remained gray for the race.  I was less than $200 away from that purple!  I am not going to second guess myself and think of the things I could have done to get an addition 200 bucks.  It is done, and my hair remained gray.  Probably, purple would be more becoming than my drab gray hair!

It was sure fun trying to get there, though, and I appreciate my many, many very generous donors who almost turned my hair purple.  I am not sure exactly how much money I have raised for these causes, but something like $68,000, counting Light the Night last year and the Komen 3-Day two years ago.  So you can see that people are really, really generous.

To all who donated, and especially to those who entrusted me with the name of a loved one to write on my shirt, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!