Will walk for...anything, really

It's that time of year again, when I start my charity walk bonanza. I get about a gazillion pieces of mail asking for donations for a gazillion worthy causes. It hits me a few ways: I'm thankful for my own health and well being (since I'm not currently facing homelessness, hunger, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, children with birth defects...), I'm encouraged by the efforts of organization for raising money for causes close to me or those I care about (diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimers disease, various cancers), yet I feel like that are so many causes that I am just a drop in the bucket and how the heck can I make a difference in everything that seems important?! So, I do what I can. I try to raise money. Mostly, I walk. Because I can. Because it's an easy way to have a more far-reaching impact than I can by pulling out my checkbook. Please take a moment to look over the walks I have coming up, and please consider donating to a cause that seems worthy to you. Some people pledge me because they like and respect me, and they want to support what I think is important. Some people pledge me because I am walking for something that is important to them. Some people think that what I am doing is important, but all they can do is pat me on the back (figuratively) for trying to do something. All of these things are important to me. So, again, please take the time to support me in some manner as I try to make a difference to somebody. Or a lot of somebodies. You're making a difference to me by doing so. October 9: Maryland Race for the Cure. October if Breast Cancer awareness month. Every year, I meet more and more people who've been affected by this disease. It's scary to hear about the increasing numbers of women and men who are diagnosed each year, but it's also uplifting to realize how many more of these people are surviving instead of losing their battles. October 16, 2004: Alzheimers Memory Walk. DH's family has a history of Alzheimers, and Creative Memories is a corporate sponsor, so this one is a double whammy for me. October 30: Diabetes Walk. My grandmother died from complication from diabetes, two of my uncles have been diagnosed, and my father is pre-diabetic. Again, this one is pretty close to me. November 20: Help the Homeless. I'm lucky to have a roof over my head, but so many individuals and families are not. November 13: Heart Walk. Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the US, but is often unrecognized.