Meet the Teams Supporting Our Annual Walk-A-Thon & 5K Run: The Tribe
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The Weekend that Changed Everything
For Amanda Ross, a retreat at Mary’s Place by the Sea came at a time when she needed it most.
“It was May of 2018, I started taking tamoxifen and I had a lot of side effects. I was not really talking about what I was going through in my cancer journey. I was really depressed,” she shared honestly.
Amanda knew she needed time away for some relaxation. Her friend suggested she visit Mary’s Place by the Sea.
“It was amazing. I was able to get counseling, a massage and lunch and it truly changed everything. I was like ‘Wow, here are all these people who can relate and understand what I’m going through.'”
The Power of Friendship
“Shortly after my stay, I learned about the support group for local women. Our support group was together for a long time. When we ‘graduated’ we were so sad, but we decided to stay in touch. We invite each other to cancer-versary parties, birthdays, family gatherings, etc., that’s how close we are to each other. Unfortunately, we lost one of our dear group members, Isabel, but her daughter has continued to stay connected in her memory. We call ourselves The Tribe. We are family.”
Amanda remarked on the power of the friendships she has made.
“Not knowing what Mary’s Place was originally about and then coming here just for that weekend – then being introduced to our group – it changed my life. I found what I needed to get through.”
Over the years, The Tribe has stayed connected to Mary’s Place in a variety of ways. One of the biggest ways that this group gives back to our mission is through raising funds for the Walk-A-Thon year after year.
“Originally, we all signed up for the walk separately and realized we were competing against each other to raise the most money!” Amanda laughed.
That is when the team decided to raise funds together as The Tribe.
One Team, One Tribe
When asked for words of encouragement or advice to share with a guest who might be on the fence about joining this year’s event, Amanda replied:
“It’s an incredible experience. The love and support alone is just amazing. You don’t even have to walk if you don’t feel up to it. Just being there and being around people who get it will make your day. Just showing up is enough. Make the day for you.”
We could not agree more. This year, we invite all of our guests to make the Walk-A-Thon a day just for them – a day of joyous celebration, love and support.
The Team at Mary’s Place by the Sea wants to express our sincere gratitude to each & every Tribe member for their incredible fundraising efforts over the years. Since their first Walk-A-Thon, their Team has raised over $38,000 in donations for our guests and mission. This year, they have set a goal to raise $20,000! These women were once our guests. Today, their dedication to giving back to our community has made a substantial impact in allowing more women to visit our home and hit the pause button at absolutely no cost. Thank you for your love and support.
