time for an update!

I've received a number of generous donations over the past week or so, and would like to extend a very, very enthusiastic thank-you to the following people (in chronological order, of course):

-D, friend and former volleyball teammate
-R, friend and soon-to-be fellow Torontonian (I love it when people move back to Toronto...)
-S, colleague and fellow (although much faster, I wouldn't doubt) runner
-J, UW colleague and Iceland enthusiast (and, perhaps the only person I know who's been to Iceland...)

And, of course, I'd like to thank my Uncle Charlie and Aunt Lil for their generous donation!

Thanks to everyone who's donated thus far, I've now raised $4425, or 74% of my goal!

i've met my third fundraising goal!

Thanks to a wonderfully generous donation from my one of my mom's nearests and dearests--thanks so much, L!--I've now raised well over two-thirds of my fundraising goal (69%, to be more exact). Also, L, expect a phone call, but in advance: thanks so much for the lovely card!

I would also like to send a HUGE thank you to my wonderful Nana for her own fundraising efforts! While on the phone with her the other day, she relayed to me the story of one donation she'd secured:

Nana: I got another $5 donation today--I know it's not much, but it all adds up, I suppose.
Sarah: Who donated?
Nana: My accountant.
Sarah: Do you even know your accountant?
Nana: Not particularly well.

Oh, she's tenacious!

oh, i've been negligent!

As I spent the first week of May frantically studying for the final exam in the art history course I've been taking, I'm just now finding the time to update.

And, what an update it is! Over the past few weeks, so many people have made overwhelmingly generous donations to my campaign; as a result, I've now nearly raised two-thirds of my fundraising goal!

In reverse chronological order, I'd like to thank:

S, friend and co-worker (at both the United Way and OutlookCorp...)
B, friend, mentor, and fellow runner
P, long-distance friend and sort-of-kind-of-co-worker

I'd also like to thank my long-distance (or, in some cases, short-distance) family members for their unbelievably generous donations: P&P, P&M, K&S, and J&S, I wouldn't be able to do it without you!

I've now immersed myself wholeheartedly(ish) in my training--I ran 6 miles on Tuesday and 6 miles last night, and if I can find a minute (or sixty), I'll run 5 miles tonight.

Expect more frequent updates, and also expect the much-ballyhoed and much-delayed fundraising newsletter!

Thanks, everyone! Your support has truly been inspiring.

Only $55 away from the halfway mark!

On Monday morning, I arrived at work to find notice of two donations in my inbox, one from a friend and former co-worker (thanks, S!) and one from a family member who had the privilege of knowing my grandfather far longer than I (thanks, J! and, thanks S!).

This morning, after spending far too long on a crowded streetcar and arriving at work about thirty minutes late, I discovered that I'd received a donation from United Way volunteer extraordinaire J--thanks so much for your generous donation!

Later on this morning, after a lengthy meeting, I returned to my desk to find notice of yet another donation, this time from my Montreal counterpart P--thanks so much!

Fundraising is going very well this week! It's been a bit of a relief, really, because I somehow have to raise $1045 in the next two and a half weeks.

As for my training, I ran 8 miles on Sunday evening in 90 minutes or so. Despite my sub-par level of cardiovascular fitness and resultant inability to breathe at acceptable volume levels, I had a reasonably good time and am currently suffering no ill effects (contrast this with my first long(ish) run, which put me out of commission for a week or so).