The Walk will begin in Old Saybrook and conclude in Waterford, Connecticut, where Terri and Norma spent their respective childhoods. Opening Ceremonies is at 7:00 a.m., and the closing ceremonies will begin at 3:45 p.m. at which time all walkers and crew will be required to be off the road. Opening Ceremonies in Old Saybrook will provide you with inspiration and determination to keep you going through the day. Closing Ceremonies will provide you with an opportunity to reflect on your accomplishments.

The length of the Walk will be 26.2 miles, the length of a marathon. Some of you will want to walk the entire marathon; others of you have decided to share the miles with another person or a group in a relay. No matter what you have decided, your commitment to raise monies for breast cancer is admirable.

By participating in the Walk, not only will you embark on a physical journey through the lovely coastal towns of Southeastern Connecticut, you will also embark on a journey of personal growth, self-fulfillment, camaraderie, and unification in the fight against breast cancer.

Supporting the Walk

As you walk through the coastal towns of southeastern Connecticut, you may need some support along the way. We will be there but, we invite you to tell your friends and family about your commitment and ask them to come cheer you on along the way. We will be making our way from Monument Park (Old Saybrook), over the Baldwin Bridge then wind through Old Lyme (Route 156) on our way to Rocky Neck State Park (Niantic). After lunch the walkers will continue through East Lyme and on to Waterford to Closing Ceremonies at Harkness State Park. The route is posted on the web site, and you can let them know where you think you will need to see their smiling faces as they beam with pride at your accomplishment.

Fundraising

The first thing you need to do is set your fundraising goal. You know you have to meet the minimum, but do you have a higher goal in mind? If so, what is it? Now that you have set your goal, you need to plan how to raise it. Start by making a list of 50-100 people you know. Decide if you want to set an amount for each donor to contribute or if you want to let them decide. Next, ask!

There are six common ways to ask: 1) face-to-face; 2) fundraising letter; 3) e-mail and on-line fundraising web page; 4) fundraising party; 5) the "friend of a friend" approach; and 6) phone calls. In each case you will have to let them know what you are doing and why, your commitment to the fundraising goal, and let them know that 100% of their donation will go towards research to find a cure to eradicate this terrible disease.

Samples of fundraising letters can be found in the packet of information mailed to you shortly after registration.