During the past year Valley Girls & Guys, a Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure team based out of Maple Valley, has quietly become the biggest and most successful team in the state.
Led by Tina McDonough of Ravensdale, the team grew from 86 walkers in 2010 to 153 this year, raising $320,000 this year compared to about $200,000 a year ago.
“It was just word of mouth,” McDonough said Monday morning. “This event is bigger than any one person and I think that word of mouth and friends telling friends what an amazing experience it is… people don’t want to miss out.”
McDonough said the Puget Sound affiliate of the Susan G. Komen foundation, which organizes the annual three-day, 60 mile walk to raise money for breast cancer education and research, told her that one-third of walkers don’t return after they do it once.
That’s because for many it’s an item on the so-called bucket list.
“So, the fact that our team keeps growing is phenomenal,” McDonough said.
In 2007 McDonough and three friends did the walk for the first time in honor of her friend, Michelle, who lost her battle with breast cancer.
Part of the appeal of the team, McDonough said, is the fact there is strength in numbers.
“People weren’t stressing about raising money,” she said. “They know they’re going to get some help. We’re not going to fundraise for you, but, we’re going to help you.”
McDonough said the support from the community and the businesses in Maple Valley has become an important part of the team’s success.
She spoke at the Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce, she spoke to the Maple Valley Rotary chapter, and she asked for support.
And the support came in the form of sponsorships, donations, help with fundraisers as well as signs offering moral support for Valley Girls & Guys.
“When we started Valley Girls originally walking in memory of Michelle, it took a lot of work to get sponsors,” McDonough said. “Now I can put something on Facebook, we get sponsors like that. It’s a no brainer. People want to be part of that, not just because they’re getting the adversting, I truly believe with all my heart they want to give back, they want to do something for the greater good.”
Wearing black and pink flip flop sandals with awareness ribbons on them, a pink rubber bracelet with the ribbon that said “Faith Courage” on it, a 3-Day Walk for the Cure dog tag and a breast cancer awareness pendant around her neck, it’s clear this has become a full time job for McDonough but also personal mission to cure breast cancer.
Having all the people on her team come along with her on this mission just makes it that much sweeter of an experience.
McDonough listed three major moments during the event that will stick with her.
First was the opening ceremony where everyone on the team was wearing their matching shirts and cowboy hats, walking together as a team then having a photo taken of the entire group together.
“Number two would be Friday night when we were awarded top team,” she said. “I was up there… and I could look at the team and I just felt a huge sense of pride.”
And finally the end of the event.
“At mile 13.5 on the last day I had talked to the team about everybody holding there so we could walk to the finish line as a team,” she said. “We had 1.7 miles to go the finish line… and our team was so big we couldn’t fit on one curb. We took up two city blocks when we walked.”
The team locked arms and walked across the finish line together.
“I was going through the finish line and I got a tap on my shoulder,” McDonough said. “It was Michelle’s daughter and I absolutely lost it.”
While there is a two-fold sense of accomplishment for this team in raising money and completing the 60 mile walk, McDonough said, there is something else they get from the experience.
“I know every single person on this team now and I consider them lifetime friends,” she said. “I think everybody on this team has gained the most amazing friendships out of it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
McDonough has already signed up for the 2012 3-Day and has nine walkers registered. She doesn’t know how many people will sign up or how much money could be raised.
“For fundraising, the sky’s the limit because that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing, to fund the research for a cure,” she said. “Never in a million years would I have thought it would become what it is. As far as walkers, I have no clue. For me, whether it’s 100 or 200, it’s about making more friends and finding people who are committed to taking this journey with us.”
