Uh yeah, thanks for comin' out.

We had perfect weather for the Relay for Life this weekend. (Well, it could have been a little warmer during the night, but we'll try not to bitch about it.)

Barbee organized the team and Albert named it. We are the Pink Panters. Yes panters. We panted our way around the track for 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for cancer. Pink of course being a reference to my recent encounter with breast cancer. The fund raising was for all types of cancer, but for me anyway, breast cancer is a little closer to home.

A large part of our fundraising was a raffle for a beautiful quilt made by Barbee and my mom, and other fabulous prizes. The team raised over $3500. Yay team! My personal efforts amounted to somewhere just under a thousand dollars. Yay friends and family!

I had lots of people sponsor me - and unbeknownst to them all, everyone who donated money to me, either in person or online, I purchased raffle tickets in their name. Not a single one of them won a prize. But none-the-less I am honoured and thankful for each and every dollar of support.

I also wanted to honour and thank all the participants on the track who helped us to keep from 2 to 6 people on the track for 24 hours. So Barbee and I picked up a bunch of pink prizes. There was a pink tool belt, pink gardening tools, pink gardening gloves, Tim Horton gift cards etc. Every time someone walked for 1/2 hour they got to draw a slip of paper from a pink bag. These slips either said "You Won!" and the prize name, or else said "Thanks for supporting our team and this worthy cause."

It took quite a few hours before we had our first prize winner. So it became a bit of a joke when time after time the slip said "Thanks for your support". We started to sarcastically say, "Uh yeah, thanks for comin' out." But truly we meant it each and every time.

Sponsors of the event donated prizes for teams and individuals who raise the most money etc. The individual raising the most money raised just over seven thousand dollars. He won a trip for 2 anywhere in the world. Anywhere! And I thought seven thousand ain't that much more than one thousand. I could do that. If I tried. And so, come September, you can expect my begging to begin in earnest and creative fundraising efforts to abound. And come next May ... I'm on my way to Italy.

Meanwhile, I'd like to thank the following sponsors for the above paid announcement.

Barbee Ziemer
Connie Ziemer
Katie Hirvi
Patti Smith
Lucy Denotter
Megan Krauss
Michelle Johnson
Dan Johnson
Jed Ziemer
Jim Ziemer
Jayme Phibbs
Jody Phibbs
Carter Ziemer
Debbie Roy
Albert Ziemer
April Mason
Shirley Clarkson
Darlene Mjolsness
Karen Kellett
Janet Fleury
Jean DeBalinhard
Michelle Hall
Kore Connolly
John Squarebriggs
Elaine Ziemer
Beth Ziemer
Jade Cross
Xander Ziemer
Shaelena Hirvi
Dan DeBalinhard
Grace Ziemer
Vicky Smith
Adrie Denotter
Ken Ziemer
Crystal Bauffman
Amy Krauss
Kathy Innis
Candida
Tamara Ziemer

and probably others I am forgetting to mention. Thanks for comin' out.