Grab Life by the Ball

Ryan and I are playing in a dodgeball tournament in Lafayette this weekend to raise money for testicular cancer.

I really like getting involved with fundraisers like this.

The factory where Ryan works got word of this somehow, and Ryan asked me if I would be willing to play on their team. I have a feeling that I might be pretty out numbered by the guys, but hopefully I can use that to my advantage somehow.

The factory where Ryan works is called Donaldson's. So, our team name is "The Test D's." The "D" is for Donaldson's :-) But if you say it fast........he he he!! From the pictures I have found from previous years, I saw that there have been some pretty crazy names. Check 'em out: It looks like it could get pretty intense. I just hope I don't come out of this with a black eye or something!!! Wish me luck!!!

Drumstick Dash

So, Ryan and I found out that the turkey we were chasing for the Drumstick Dash wasn't a real turkey at all. It was some crazy guy in a turkey suit. Fooled us!!!! I think it is absolutely hilarious that we actually thought we were going to be chasing a real turkey...we are so silly!!!Wednesday night after we got off work, we drove down to Indy to stay with Matt and TeShannah so we would be closer on Thanksgiving morning. We got into town at about 1:00 AM and stayed up until almost 3:00. it was rough getting up at 6:45, but we did it. We had to be at Broad Ripple High School by 7:45 at the latest to get registered. I was amazed at how many people were there when we got there. I read an article online that stated the attendance at approximately 7,000 people!! That's awesome!! The morning was cold but it was sunny, so it was pretty and made it a little easier to face the day that early.
The streets near the high scool and the surrounding neighborhood had been blocked off for the event and they had big speakers at a few intersections playing loud music. I thought that made it a lot of fun. I probably wouldn't be thinking that if I lived there and had that music blaring into my house at eight in the morning though!! Poor people. Hopefully they've joined in the spirit of giving and have walked over the years too. This is the sixth year for the Drumstick Dash. If I lived there, I don't think I'd feel like I had much of a choice.This was what everything looked like from my perspective right before the walk actually started. I was feeling a little claustrophobic with all my layers of clothes on and all these people in my bubble, but I was fine after we got moving a little and people started to spread out.This is Matt and T and Ryan and me right before we got started. Still all bundled up. I lost a couple layers before the race was over.

There were several news crews there, and you can actually find an article about the Drumstick Dash on Channel 13 news' website: http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?s=9423434 . The course had two options. One was 2.6 miles and the other was 4.5 miles. If you were actually competing, you had to do the 4.5 mile option. Of course, we were turkeys and did the short course.
Theses are the lil gobblers competing in the "Lil Gobblers Run for Kids." It was super cute. They also had a big rock climbing area for the kids.I'm pretty excited for next year. I had no idea you could dress up for this event. You all know I will dress up any chance I get. So, now I need ideas....GO!!

This bunch of people was crazy!! I really liked the guy second from the left. He is supposed to be mashed potatoes!! The guy with the red headband is a cornucopia. He had purple balloons as grapes, and I love the chick dressed up as pumkin pie!!! I can't wait until Ryan and I start working on costumes for next year. It's gonna be good!!!After we finished the race, we were served free fruit, juice, cereal bars, coffee.....all kinds of stuff. I think Ryan and I have found a new tradition that we'd like to uphold throughout the years. It made me feel really good to get up and join a huge group of people who are all out there to help someone. As I like to say, It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!!

I will need to re-think my sleeping situation the night before from now on so I don't sleep through the whole day at Aunt Jan's house......Sorry about that. I was POOPED!!!!

Gettin' Ready for the Drumstick Dash

On Thanksgiving morning, Ryan and I are participating in a fundraiser for the homeless in Indianapolis. We get to chase a turkey!!!! What we do with it if we catch it is beyond me, but hey it's for a good cause!! Believe it or not, I'm getting my lazy bum out of bed to do this at 9:00 AM so we should be back to Aunt Jan's in plenty of time for dinner!!

Here's a little info about what we're doing:

The event benefits the Wheeler Mission Ministries... Since 1893, Wheeler Mission Ministries has been addressing the cares of Indianapolis¿s poor and needy. Every year, without regard to race, creed, color, or national origin, Wheeler provides more than 226,000 nutritious meals to hungry men, women and children. In addition, more than 52,000 overnight stays are furnished to homeless and untold thousands of household items articles of clothing are distributed to those in need. Through our Food Pantry, more than 30 tons of food is distributed annually to families in need.

I'm always up for giving my time to a good cause, and what better day to do it than Thanksgiving. If nothing else, I know I will benefit personally just from knowing we did a good deed. It's time for us to be thankful for all the wonderful people and things we have in our lives. Now it's our turn to give others something to be thankful for as well!!

See ya on Turkey Day!!!!

Nuns on the Run

St Joseph Hospital had a fund raising event a couple weeks ago that I chose to participate in. Of course, I was interested in helping the cause, but I was really excited when our boss told us he would provide costumes to those of us willing to participate. Appropriately, he got nun costumes for all of us :-)

The event was called "Nuns on the Run," and was a bed race with teams formed from different departments throughout the hospital. It was held to raise money for Project Access, which is a volunteer outreach program that assists qualified, uninsured residents with health-care services.

Along with raising quite a bit of money, we also made the front page of the tribune............

It was so much fun......I was the team captain for our team, and definitely the "Hype Girl!!" My mouth was running the whole time we were out there, whether it was me talking trash to our opponents, or screaming at the top of my lungs for my runners to PUSH FASTER!!!!!!! I actually got the easy job 'cause all I had to do was ride.

These are the pictures that made the tribune. There are many, many more, but I have yet to get them off of my camera.

Nuns on the run: Allison Gallo yells out encouragement to her nun-powered Rad Racers pushing a bed down the course, beating out the Gohil Bunion Busters in their quarterfinal match during the first St. Joseph Hospital bed races. None/KT photo by Shawn Knapp

Serious business: The Xraycers edge out the Duck Busters to move on to the quarterfinals during the first St. Joseph Hospital bed races. None / KT photo by Shawn Knapp

The races were single elimination, so once you lost, you were done. The X-ray department had two teams, and they had the races set up so we would possibly end up in the finals against eachother. That's exactly what happened. My team was the Rad Racers, and our opponents from our department were the X-raycers. The X-raycers beat us by two tenths of a second.....It was really close, and super exciteing, and I think it was really good for a lot of the people in our department. We don't do a lot together as one big group. It seems like the department is divided by shifts a lot of the time. It was great to hang out with everyone and get along and not be worried about anyone else. We were all there to raise money for a good cause, and have fun at the same time. It was awesome!!!

Here's a link to the article from the Kokomo tribune if anyone is interested in reading all the details: http://www.kokomotribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_270224128.html