THON and Coast 2 Coast FTK

I'm skipping ahead to my current BIG adventure today... more to come on the adventures of the past few months...

I stumbled across the NJ.com article linked below the other day talking about Norman Horn and his non-profit Coast 2 Coast FTK.  I was pretty excited about someone from our area not only having the adventure of his life, but also, raising awareness for childhood cancer, AND donating the proceeds to the Four Diamonds Fund.  Take a look:

http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2014/03/pa_man_prepares_to_walk_across_country_for_pediatric_cancer.html

My freshman year at Penn State, I discovered the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) and my life changed forever.  It is one of the main things that has made me love Penn State fiercely and made me one of the Penn State "cult" (as some might call our enthusiasm).  It is the world's largest student-run philanthropy and has raised over $114 MILLION dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund at Hershey Children's Hospital.  And while those numbers are impressive, it's hard to really convey the HEART of the whole thing to those that haven't experienced it.  But, I'll try.

All year long, Penn State students fight for the right to stand up for 46 hours (48 in my time!) straight.  On Canning weekends, carloads of Penn Staters set upon surrounding communities with coffee cans, and stand for hours to collect money.  They send out letters to every person they know.  They spread the word to anyone who will listen.  The entire event is fundraised, organized and executed by students.

Some of my Phi Sigma Pi brothers on a Canning trip

One of the Public Relations Street Team trips to the Today Show

At the event, those that raised enough money will be standing, more than SEVEN HUNDRED of them.  Their organizations will be supporting them, and some of those members may stand in the stands all weekend too.  Not to mention the Overalls, 320 captains, and 3400 committee members that make the event possible.  They will all beat the exhaustion, the pain, and the emotions of the weekend.  They will do it For The Kids (FTK), because THON isn't just a dance party for college students, it's all about having fun with the Four Diamonds Families including those precious babies who are fighting cancer.  It's about letting those children be kids again.  When you look at those kids and imagine what they've been through, you know you'll never be as courageous as they are, so young, and facing what they face.  And you know that you CAN'T quit dancing, and you can't quit trying to find a cure either.

Above and below: "Dancing" in THON 2005

P.R. Captains, THON 2006

Visiting THON 2011 with my love Janis

THON supports the Four Diamonds Fund.  The fund has allocated funds for years to families to cover expenses that insurance companies won't cover, and other expenses to make their lives even a little bit easier.  THON has grown so much that the funds now also go to childhood cancer research.

While THON has remained in my heart, and I have visited THON since I graduated in 2006, it's been hard to not be a part of something like that anymore, after raising funds, dancing, raising awareness, and being a Public Relations Captain during my time at Penn State.  So discovering Norm's non-profit has me super jazzed!

Basically, teams are registering to match Norm's miles as he walks/hikes across the United States from April to October.  Along the way, Norm is raising awareness for childhood cancer, collecting donations, and I'm sure having a great big adventure!

Our team, the Bruiser Springsteens (because we're not going to quit, and baby, we were born to walk!), has started our mission as well.  We have slightly over the recommended team number of 5, but we are all still working SUPER hard and walking a ton of miles.  In the process, we are getting healthier and stronger, and I would say bonding a little bit too.  I'm looking forward to setting up some team walks and hikes in the future.  I'm also feeling really energized, either from the walking itself, or from the excitement I feel about the challenge ahead.

A few weeks ago, when I was just starting the Coast 2 Coast FTK Challenge, I was cleaning out some boxes from college, and found a great big pile of Captain Mail from THON 2005.  Dancer Mail call is ESSENTIAL for getting dancers through 46 (or 48 hours) of no sitting and no sleeping, and it was equally inspiring to get as a Captain (where you have only 2 3 hour sleep breaks, both of which I was unable to sleep during due to being sick).  My mail was happy and fun, but it also reminded me of a side of myself that I don't use as often lately.  People wrote about my positive attitude, and what a benefit it would be to get me through the challenging weekend.  Some of my cards called me amazing and inspiring, and told me how they hoped to one day be able to do the things I had been doing for the cause.  I chose a career to help people, but in my day to day, it seems normal to help someone in such a small way.  I really needed the reminder of how energized, motivated, excited and happy I can be when I see a greater good to devote myself too.

So, from now until October, I'm feeling really motivated to walk, walk, walk, and to push everyone else to do so as well.  We will be setting up a few small fundraisers, and I know I will be talking about Coast 2 Coast FTK to everyone I know (starting with this blog)!  If you'd like to support us and the Four Diamonds Fund, please visit Coast 2 Coast FTK at http://coast2coastftk.com.

Many miles still to walk with my gold childhood cancer awareness laces!

THON on, my friends.  FTK!

Outdoor Ice-Skating, and a Brief History of My Life as an Ice Skater

Way back when this journey started, I made a list of about 20 things that I hoped to accomplish this year.  I won't even comment on how many of them I have actually finished so far (because it's a very low number), but the bonus is that some unexpected adventures have presented themselves... and that's fun and exciting!

On my original list, I included ice skating outside.  I envisioned more of the Penn's Landing, Rockefeller Center type of deal, but as luck would have it, an outdoor skating rink opened right in downtown Glassboro!  It took me quite a bit of time to strap on my ice skates, but before we get there, a brief history of Megan ice skating...

I can remember being pretty young and watching Olympic ice skating in my living room.  As I would watch the greats doing their thing, of course I would have to get up and "ice skate" around my living room, complete with "triple axels" and other unnamed (and unrecognizable) ice skating moves.  In my head, I moved with the grace of Kristi Yamaguchi, but I'm quite sure it was a different story in person.

Somewhere during my dance days (picture below, because I unfortunately have no embarassing ice skating photos), I decided it was time to be a figure skater, as well.  My mom, my cousin and my aunt and I all took ice skating lessons at the local rink.  It was short-lived since even then I had anxiety about new things, and at one point, I had to go late and had to go in with a different session of ice skating lessons... and yeah, that was the end of that.  (So yes, I have always been super brave.)

Just as "good" as an ice-skating outfit.  And quite possibly the most embarrassing photo ever.  Please enjoy.

As I look back on my ice skating days as an adult, I remember gliding around on the ice without falling.  It is true that I didn't fall.  But, my mom remembers that I never really got off the ground either, figuratively.  I never let myself fall, but I never really let myself fly either.  This is really no surprise if you consider that I didn't even walk until I was a year and a half old.  I have always been, and probably will always be a cautious person.  But, I'm working on it.

After my ice skating days, I really only ice skated one more time, in college.  It was more of the same.

As usual with my tiny adventures, I was really looking forward to this experience.  Skating outside just seems SO much cooler than skating inside.

 My ice skating buddies, lacing up for the big skate!

 Me and Michele, ever so excited

So, after "lacing" up our rentals, and a bit of complaining since I felt like the skates were pushing me forward, we headed out.

It seemed to come a bit easier for my buddies, but I probably shouldn't be surprised since they are much more adventurous people than I.  The great news is I didn't fall (as usual), but also as usual, it took me a bit to warm up, and there were plenty of uncomfortable moments where wee children flew by me as I clung to the side (mostly in pain at the awful skates).  Here are a few more shots of the day:

 Taking a break

 Taking a break again (haha)

 Michele and Jon- action shot!

 Scary choppy ice.... this is where it got dicey.

 Better this person than me...

Jon and Michele getting all crazy and doing spins!

I did learn a few things from my day of ice-skating.  First, I am not a graceful person.  And, that's okay.  It does discourage me from doing things like ice-skating, but it's a good thing to push past those barriers that I put on myself.  I'm not an easily embarassed person, but I tend to enjoy things less when I'm just not that good at them (which is also why learning guitar is going so badly....).  I DO enjoy when the adventure is over, though, and I have done something that pushes me a little bit and broadens my horizons.

Secondly, ice skating is great exercise... and at least for a little bit, it still feels like you're not exercising because you're thinking about other things- definitely a win.  Must remember this for next year.

Lastly, the children at the rink were SO IMPRESSIVE.  They just flew by, and then crashed and burned the next minute.  But, they get right back up and start again.  They are truly fearless, and I know from watching them that being fearless is the way to learn something and improve on something.  It's hard to get there as an adult in the big scary world... but even just being a little more fearless should make life more worthwhile.

I've also found that the older I get, the easier it is to get caught up in life and not take chances or risks anymore.  That's a habit I'm trying to break with these tiny adventures.  Winter has been tough, but I'm looking forward to having a bit of energy again to enjoy what life really has to offer.  Until next time...