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706-650-5760
Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA
231 Furys Ferry Road, Suite 210
Augusta, GA 30907
2013 Sponsors
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2013 Sponsor Registration Form
Pink for a Purpose
What a better statement of "We are in this together" than getting in a boat, paddling in unison and reaching toward a finish line?
A Word from Amy, Goodwill Employee and Cancer Survivor
As a 14 year cancer survivor, I can speak from experience to the devastating physical, emotional, spiritual and financial impact of a cancer diagnosis. Women coping with cancer deal daily and long-term with the physical impact of the disease. The side effects of cancer include surgery, grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatments, medications and the loss of physical stamina. In addition to the physical impact of the disease, women so often fight to stay afloat financially. The cost of medical procedures and the full-time job that fighting cancer requires can leave women and their families unemployed for periods of time or with the difficult dilemma of how to continue paying day-to-day living expenses and facing mounting medical bills in the wake of the diagnosis. Many women who are employed are forced to take unpaid leaves of absence, drain their sick days, or even quit working altogether. For women who do not work the blow is even more devastating. With the current economy, cancer puts up one more barrier in their search for employment.
Through Goodwill's Dragon Boat Race, women will be given the opportunity to receive physical therapy and enjoy the camaraderie of their peers and supporters in facing their disease. By adding Goodwill's career counseling and placement resources, women and families will also have their financial needs addressed. This will clearly result in stronger women, therefore bolstering their families and children in our community.
Won't you consider Paddling in a Pink for a Purpose Boat or sponsoring a cancer patient's seat in the boat? Give it up for Goodwill. And for a survivor. You will be a double blessing.
~Amy Breitmann
Volunteer Manager for the CSRA, Goodwill Industries
Co-Founder of The Lydia Project
Why Cancer Survivors are Getting in the Boat
- Twenty paddlers work together in the boat to row a short course. They spend time together practicing several weeks before the event and the discipline of rowing has physical benefits to cancer patients. It's great exercise and a great reason to get outdoors!
- Survivors and families long for new ways to come together for the fight against cancer.Dragon Boats allow practice times, fellowship the day of the event, and teamwork amongst participants that allows patients and their families to feel united in their fight against cancer.
The Benefits to Pink for Purpose Paddlers:
Cancer survivors paddling for a purpose become a floating support group. 20 paddlers work together in the boat and maneuvering it is an exercise in trust, cooperation and unity. By practicing before the race, cooperating and the day of the race has genuine impact emotionally and physically long after the boat is off the water.
- Paddlers work as a team to pull together and achieve the boats greatest speed
- Paddlers learn to communicate effectively with each other
- Paddlers must trust each other as they follow one another and work in unison.
Its more than just paddling.
The C word is often a barrier to employment.
GOODWILL is here to help.
We are excited about this special opportunity to paddle for a purpose and to overcome the many obstacles that cancer presents to families in our community. At Goodwill, we know that by collaborating with cancer survivors we will not only give them a supportive way to battle cancer, but we can also help women who are in need of work find gainful employment through our education and employment services. www.goodwillworks.org
If you would like to sponsor a dragon boat seat for a cancer survivor or a soldier, please click on the sponsor form and complete the application, then designate at the bottom if the seat is for Pink for a Purpose or Support a Soldier.