Our pink posse is growing

I haven't had a chance to catch one of the 2012 3-Day for the Cure commercials yet, but from what I hear, they're great. (I have watched the "experience video" on the Komen site, and loved it.) And from what I can tell, they're working......

The past two weeks, our team has grown ... our little pink posse has become a team of six! From our tiny team of two (Stef and I), we added Stef's husband (Kraig), Kraig & Stef's friend (Greg, whose mother died of breast cancer), our friend Jenn, and today, our friend Julie (whose mother also died of breast cancer).

Each of us is walking for a different reason, yet we're united in our efforts to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research, education, prevention and treatment. And by August 17, we will have raised at least $13,800 to contribute to those efforts

In the meantime, we're still trying to figure out an appropriate initiation ritual....

It's time to shuffle up and deal ...

OK, it's not quite the right phrase, but it's time for our annual Euchre Tournament, on Saturday, March 3! Last year's event was a hugely successful fundraiser for the 3-Day for the Cure, and from what we heard, it was a great time...

If you participated last year, it's time to register again, and this time, bring a friend! If you didn't participate last year, what are you waiting for?

Let's start with allaying your concerns...

1) You don't need to be a "good" euchre player to participate.
Seriously, this is a low-stakes, fun tournament. You just need to know the basics. The way the tournament is structured, you'll rotate tables (and partners) every eight hands (twice around the table). There's no guarantee you'll be partnered with someone who has a clue, so it won't matter much if you don't have a clue!  And remember, it's all for charity, so it really doesn't matter. 

2) You don't have to have a partner to play.
The schedule is completely random, and you'll play with different people throughout the night. (OK, no comments on that one.) 

3) It won't cost you a fortune.
The entry fee is only $20 per person. That's it. It's BYOB, but we'll have pop/water. We'll hold a 50/50 raffle, but you're under no obligation to participate. With the donated space, and partially donated pizza, nearly 100% of the entry fee goes directly to our walk fund.

This year, we're really fortunate to have a great space to host the Euchre Tournament -- thanks to Keith's cousin's husband's sister-in-law's stepdaughter (follow that bouncing ball!), we are able to host the tournament at the clubhouse for an apartment complex .. it's absolutely beautiful and incredibly spacious ...

So think about it ... actually, do more than think about it. Check out the details for the event, and send me (or Stef) an e-mail today to let us know that you're registering for the Euchre Tournament. Last year's event was a tremendous success, and it's a crucial piece of our fundraising efforts. (In fact, this year, it may be our one "big" event that we're hosting.) Participating in the Euchre Tournament is a great way to have a fun night out and help us out at the same time.

Hope to see you there!

Fundraising with Tastefully Simple: A win-win proposal

Raising $2,300 for the Susan G Komen 3-Day for the Cure isn't an easy task. (Neither is walking 400+ miles to train for it, but that comes later!) And my fundraising efforts for the year kick off today with a Tastefully Simple "virtual" party.

So here's the deal ... Thanks to the generosity of a friend/consultant, Stephanie Jurva, with my Tastefully Simple catalog party, you get some fabulous food, and the 3-Day for the Cure gets 20% of what you spend. Easy peasy.

If you're new to Tastefully Simple, or not sure what to order, I recommend:

• Beer Bread mix -- Absolutely awesome. It's easy, it's delicious. The kids love it (the alcohol cooks off), and the crust is just to die for. This is a must have in my kitchen.
• Wahoo! Chili seasoning -- Just the right amount of zest ... seriously gives a little kick to your dish.
• Any of the dips, but especially the "Trio"  -- "Onion Onion," "Garlic Garlic" and "Bacon Bacon." It does not get better than this. You get the dry mix from Tastefully Simple, and mix it with mayo and sour cream. It's easy to make it "light," and they're awesome with crackers and veggies.

I'm going to surf the site for a few days and see what new things there are to try -- it's great stuff, reasonably priced, and with 20% going to the 3-Day, it's a win-win for me!

Ordering is easy: Just visit www.tastefullysimple.com. Shop. When you get to the checkout/shopping cart, select "Find Host/Event" on the bottom right of your screen. Type in my name (Jennifer Carbary). Select my party. Voila. 20% of what you just bought is donated directly to the 3-Day, thank you very much!  Your items are shipped right away, so you don't even have to wait for everyone else to order.

If you have any questions, just ask. If you want to invite me over for dinner and try some of your new favorite things, I'm there!!