How to Raise $10,000

Start with a very motivated, well-connected, generous woman who is completely excited about raising money for an incredible cause (an on-board husband helps). Enroll the rest of your team of 14 intrepid walkers. Pick a date. Start asking for donations. Invite creative women from your community to come and sell their wares. Invite every woman you know to attend with their cash, cheque and/or credit card. Obtain a wine sponsor and food sponsors (cupcakes, appies, cheese trays, cookies, sushi). Move all furniture out of your house into your garage. Reinforce your living room floor joists (see on-board husband above). Put up a tent....a big 40' x 40' tent, on the driveway, provided by local realty company.

Fill 100 bags with donated girly goodies like magazines, blow-dries, yoga passes, spa gift cards, pens, recipe cards:

Open the doors at 6:00 p.m. Charge everyone $5 to get in, hand them a goody bag and a door prize ticket.

Have amazing silent and live auction prizes, like champagne balloon rides, hockey & symphony & Stars on Ice tickets, beauty baskets, hotel weekends and dinner for 10 prepared and served by uniformed firefighters (again, see on-board husband above....thanks Steve!) .

Find a couple of adorable tweens to sell the "100% proceeds to the team" goods (including all-natural doggie cookies that said tweens baked all by themselves).

I'm so proud of these 2, they sat for 3 hours smiling and taking money. Plus, they got to see the incredible success of hard-working women firsthand. Great life lesson.

Shut 'er down at 9:30 p.m. and count your money! (I was too busy counting to take photos).

Last Thursday, the thirteen women who have joined my team "Kickin' Cancer with Creativity" worked very hard to support the vision of our teammate Joyce (see first line of this post) and put on this amazing fund raising benefit. Joyce and her husband upended their entire household for a week so that we could host 175 women and raise over $10,000 in the fight against all women's cancers. We live in a very supportive community and are overwhelmed with the success of this event.

Bravo team!!! Now all we have to do is walk 60 km in a weekend! I can't wait.