I signed up for the walk when I first moved to Connecticut and was looking to get involved with something, see a new part of NYC, and meet new people. I was greeted with a weekend experience that left me exhausted but desperately wanting more.
The AWBC is a weekend that includes a marathon (or a marathon and a half!) of walking. If you walk the whole way its a bit over 39 miles! Can you imagine 39 miles over a Saturday and Sunday?! After the first day the walkers arrive in the Wellness Village. Its a place that is set up by the "Crew" which usually consists of about 400 people. They work from Friday afternoon until Saturday at noon to get it set up and ready for walkers to arrive.
There are dining tents, sponsor tents, yoga classes, shower trucks, bathrooms, and LOTS of entertainment. The neatest part about the village...the camping! Each walker and crew member is assigned a tent and a tent mate. They put their tent up and thats their home for the night.
This weekend I participated in AWBC Boston 2006. It was an amazing weekend filled with fabulous people and extrodinary stories.
Opening Ceremonies
Everyone getting some breakfast before the walk.
The sun coming up over the pillars that travel around the country.
Everyone signs the pillar with a message of their own.
The Stage where they announced that we raised over 6.3 million dollars!
The motor cycle road crew. They have participated in the walk for the last five years because a male member of their crew is a survivor of breast cancer.
After opening ceremonies the CREW heads over to the Wellenss Village to get started. This year I was the Team Leader for the Signage team. We were in charge of all the directional, inspirational, and informational signs around the village, route, and ceremonies.
The dining tent with some of our signs.
Some of the informational signs that are placed around the camp.
Putting up the pillar...again!
Once the signs were up we got to work putting up our tent.
Around noon the village opened up and visitors/walkers started making their way into the village.
Mother-Son-Daughter Team
Some of the first groups of walkers to arrive.
Throughout the walk we hand out ribbons every 3 minutes to someone to signify a woman being diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Over the years the ribbons have become a HUGE part of the walk and its always an emotional moment to hand one over to someone.
One of my team members hands a ribbon to her friend who completed the entire marathon all by herself.
The next morning everyone woke up early for some breakfast and to get ready for the second day of the walk...13.1 miles!
The walkers lining up to leave the village at 7:30am.
Walkers setting out for the walk.
At the end of the walk everyone ends up at the closing ceremonies (same location as opening!) and end the day by coming together...of course in Pink! :)
My ONE team member!
Overall, it was a great weekend and I will DEFINATELY be there next year!
