A beam of light.

What a surreal week.
   I'll begin my first saying, I have made it to the 55mile mark in my training and was joined on this last ride by a very special person! Thank you for all of those who came out to support me on Sunday at my fundraiser! Together, we raised $600.00 to benefit the LLS! For privacy reason, I will not list those individuals who went above and beyond on Sunday but thank you!
Also, a big shout from my drawing sponsors:

Gift Baskets by Anna

Hair by Nikki

Eastern Mountain Sports

   Shortly after my event ended on Sunday, I returned to work and could never imagine what Monday had in store. As goes for this day every year, as contractors for a city along the marathon route we anticipate much more patients presenting with very different problems from what we usually see. Luckily this year it was not 90 F out so the runners were able to [enjoy] their run. The day started off quite lovely until we heard of the events at the finish line while we dropping someone off at the hospital. Being city-dedicated, we maintained our own coverage as we heard our dispatchers do an amazing job relocating our spare trucks to the staging area within Boston. Hearing the events unfold and not being able to help, in addition to having friends along the route and at the finish line was heart breaking. 

   To attack such an uplifting event is despicable. These runners train so hard for this event, and for most, work so hard to raise money for a variety of causes in order to gain eligibility for a bib number. Dedicated, self-less individuals running the race and volunteering at the race. Families, friends, colleagues all there to support athletes that come here from around the world in order to race. Every inch of the route is lined and bystanders are there cheering on runners for hours from the very first to the very last crossing the finish line. 

   Through all that had unfolded, the one most prevalent feature was help. Immediately, there was aid for the victims. The response by Police, Fire and EMS was incredible. They serve as proof not only for how important training and preparedness is but also how much heart is behind those patches. I have never been prouder to wear the uniform that I do. 

Fight cancer and enter to win an iPad mini!

I am raffling an iPad mini to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through my fundraising campaign as a member of Team in Training! Ticket prices:

1 ticket = $5.00

5 tickets = $20.00

The drawing will take place on May 18th following the teams final practice before we depart. Tickets will be available until this time.

Please contact me for details on how to purchase tickets at ckulakowski@gmail.com.

Note that in abiding by MA state law, tickets are not available for purchase online so a donation made directly to my site will not generate an entry as a physical ticket is needed.

SAVE THE DATE!

Sunday, April 14th from 4pm-10pm

Margarita's in Medford, MA will be hosting Noche Mexicana! to benefit my fundraising campaign. A percentage of all dinner bills (that attend as part of my event) will go directly to my campaign in addition to some raffles that are being planned. Check back soon for sponsoring companies!

Some additional exciting news is that I completed my first training ride of the season this past Saturday with a special guest. My team is wonderful and we are lucky enough to have a great coach and mentors on board with us this year!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend,
Katy

What a season this has been so far!
A few days from now I will once again set off for another few days of ice-filled fun! Unfortunately, I will also be missing my Team In Training's season Kick-off. I'm looking forward to meeting my teammates in two weeks along with our coach and honored patient!
There have been some setbacks in planned events so I have been unable to post them thus far. With some luck (and some wonderful parents) I have been put in touch with another individual/company who may be able to host an event. Please keep my fundraising campaign in mind and check back soon for updates!

Time for a change

As I finish off my shift with a heavy heart, I think back to all of the tragic events in 2012. Each marked not only with loss but also an out pouring of community support. As a nation we support each other and prove that what impacts one, impacts all. If we can pull together in times of distress, why aren't we pulling together to prevent this? We constantly see groups of highly opinionated people that speak out when something effects their wallet yet there is barely a blink of an eye when it effects a life. Prevention is a lot less painful than enduring a tragic event. Even the smallest of acts are influential. Simply acknowledging someone with a friendly smile or holding a door open can make a difference, you never know what that other person is going through. Sure there are bigger issues at play here but we often overlook each other while we focus on tackling the 'bigger picture'. It's time to start focusing on the 'human' part of humanity; let's stop pointing fingers and start finding solutions.

On that note I'll leave you with a few last thoughts.

My thoughts and condolences go out to the staff, families and responders involved in today's heart wrenching event.





"If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him...We need not wait to see what others do."  _ Gandhi

small news, but still NEWS!

Since my last post I have had several conversations with some great friends regarding fundraising events and have also met with my campaign coordinator! We (the TNT MA chapter's cycling team) have chosen our honored patient for the season, a 6 year old leukemia survivor whom we will meet during some of our practice sessions.
In addition, I have affiliated with a great company called Road ID that blends two big interests of mine - Sports and Safety! They make some fabulous products designed with athletes in mind. Their main product is a series of various wrist and ankle bands ( that come in various materials) which hold an engraved plate containing any information you decide to have on it. Usually these bands contain your name, birth year and a few emergency contact numbers (or specific medical information). There are two versions with one being interactive and containing an online profile while the other carries basic information. These are also great for kids that don't like the look of medical alert bracelets and also anyone with sever memory problems that may tend to wander off. As an EMS provider I always look for these along with medical alert bracelets on patients that cannot identify themselves.
By clicking on their logo through either of my sites and making a purchase, a percentage of the purchase will go to my fundraising campaign AND they also make a donation to an affiliated charity of your choosing (of course I would urge you to choose LLS, thats why I'm doing this campaign!). Whatever you choose, RoadID is a great gift to show any athlete you care!

Have a great night,
Katy

“The wonderful things in life are the things you do, not the things you have.”       ~Reinhold Messner

Welcome to my blog! 

I originally decided to begin this page as a means of sharing my training with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. On June 2nd I will be participating in America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe, NV. 100 miles is going to be one long ride but I will make it with your support! In addition to training, I will be raising funds ($3,900 to be exact) for this wonderful organization. Most of the funds (78.1%)  go directly to research, professional education, public health education along with support - patient and community. 
As I learned last season during my attempt at marathon training, the LLS does truly make a difference in the lives of patients. My coach for that season is a survivor and attributes her survival to the research and funding LLS provides. Without support from the individuals like us, these advances in treatment options may not be available. Even the smallest contribution matters, so please help me spread the word!

Training officially begins for my century ride in February! Until then, it's the season for ice and snow so follow along for many upcoming adventures, news on training and also any upcoming fundraising events!

For more information on the LLS and my fundraising page, please follow the link below!
My fundraising page