Gorgeous Day!

Romp to Stomp - Scenic Caves from Isis Photography on Vimeo.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the 5th Annual Tubbs Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer Snowshoe series, event organizers, sponsors, volunteers, participants and donors. Because of each of you the Romp had another successful year, raising more then $32,000 towards a future without breast cancer.

It was truly a gorgeous day up a scenic caves, we could not have asked for better weather. Please take a moment and enjoy the slideshow put together by our talented event photographers Isis Photography.

Check out some of the event photos taken by Isis Photography here ( they have some available for free download) and be sure to check out mycollingwood.ca photo gallery for their photos!

Remember to make time to squeeze your lemons !

What an Honour!

Terry Geddes and I, taken after the presentation.

I have mentioned before that, as volunteers we don't do what we do to be recognized for it, we do it because we are passionate about whatever it is that we are volunteering for, but that being said, when someone does recognize all your efforts, it is an incredible honour. Yesterday, I was bestowed with the Order of Collingwood, one of 5 recipients from the Town of Collingwood to receive this incredible honour.

"Annually the Town of Collingwood honours those who through their volunteer efforts enrich the social, cultural and/or recreational conditions by bestowing upon them The Order of Collingwood"

As one of the youngest to ever receive The Order of Collingwood. I am truly beyond words honoured. I send my congratulations once again to the other 4 recipients,Catherine Campbell, Barbara Fawcett, Penny Skelton and Terry Geddes. As well the 3 recipients who received the Companion to the Order of Collingwood, Charles Tatham, Dunc Hawkins, and Paul Hurst.

For me personally yesterday was even a little extra special, to receive the Order of Collingwood alongside Terry Geddes. Most people will know him as the former Mayor of Collingwood, I have known him as Mr. Geddes for most of my life. He was my principal from Kindergarten to grade 8. I have a great deal of respect for him, I always have, so to not only be honoured yesterday, but to also be honoured alongside someone who I have so greatly respected was for me, even that much more special.

I thank Mayor Sandra Cooper, CAO Kim Wingrove as well as all the members of Council.

For this incredible honour!

I have now said the words, "incredible" and "honour" quite a few times in this post, but really, I don't know that there is any other way to describe it.

Don't forget, knowing your body could just save your life! Take a little time to squeeze your lemons !

Happy New Year!

2011 was an incredible year for many reasons, some personal highlights for me ( in terms of volunteering ) were.....

Since 2008 I have put a ton of time and energy into helping create a future without breast cancer. Nothing has been more worth while for me, then at the 2011 Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Series, when my husband and I were able to help an incredibly brave and wonderful man named Adam Warner complete a goal on the list of his late wife Meghan's life goals, ( to Snowshoe ).

I was also nominated for two awards for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Volunteer Awards, then in the fall I found out that our local MP Dr. Kellie Leitch nominated me for the Prime Ministers Volunteer Awards ( Spring of 2012 ) and a couple weeks ago I received a visit from Shelley Fuhre the Executive Assistant to Town of Collingwood Mayor Sandra Cooper to deliver a letter letting me know that I am being bestowed with the 'Order of Collingwood'.

It is incredibly honouring to be recognized, ( it is not why I do it. But an honour just the same. )

Another HUGE highlight for me personally was on October 2nd, the day of the Run for the Cure. To be able to stand on the stage and let all the participants in Collingwood know that together our small ( but very mighty ) run site had reached ONE MILLION dollars raised in just 7 short years! INCREDIBLE! Something that everyone should be extremely proud of!

It is always a highlight for me to once again be reminded how incredible my Run for the Cure committee is. I thank Jason, Michele, Michelle, Todd, Steph, Jenn, Barb, David and Avalon for all the time they as fellow volunteers commit to the Run for the Cure and of course a huge thank you to our Honourary Chair this year, Scott Thornton.

Now looking ahead to 2012 an another exciting year. Let's get it started the right way! In just 20 days from now we can all come together and stomp out breast cancer at the 2012 Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Series! Register to stomp, or come and volunteer! *Volunteers are still needed....

May you trust in your dreams enough this year to know that anything and everything is possible! And why not make a plan today for the days each month when you will take a little time to SQUEEZE YOUR lemons !

Early Bird Registration!

Have you registered for the 2012 Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Series yet?

Early Bird registration ends on December 14th, hurry and register before then and not only will you receive a price savings BUT you will also be entered into a draw to win a new pair of

Tubbs Snowshoes!

What are you waiting for? Register today!

Have been squeezing your lemons ?

2012 - Let's Stomp out Breast Cancer together!

Photo taken by Isis Photography - 2011 Tubbs Romp to Stomp

Early Bird Registration is open for the 2012 Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoes Series!

The event will take place on Saturday January 21st, 2012 at Scenic Caves.

Together we can and will stomp out breast cancer, one snowshoe step at a time!

Register today!

Have you taken time lately to squeeze your lemons ?

We did it!!!!

Photo taken by Isis Photography

Cameron St. Public school receiving the top school award from former NHLer & Collingwood Run Site Honorary Chair Scott Thornton!

Congratulations Collingwood Run for the Cure!!!

It didn't matter that it was cold and windy in Collingwood yesterday, we still had over 800 participants come out, decked out in pink and ready to run / walk for a future without breast cancer! Our goal this year was reach ONE MILLION dollars in just 7 shorts years at the Collingwood Run for the Cure site, and we did just that!!! With our run day total of $162,044.32 we passed the ONE MILLION dollar milestone! Pretty outstanding for our small run site!

Huge thank you to my fantastic committee who have worked behind the scenes for the past year, all the donors, the volunteers who came out, the participants and the sponsors! Each one of you helped to make yesterday incredible!

On a personal note, two very exciting this for me yesterday. Reaching the ONE MILLION dollars was one of course! The other was the photo above, my daughter was the team captain of her elementary school team, and they won the school award!!! It was the first time a local Collingwood elementary school has ever won the award! Thanks to our Honorary Chair, former NHLer Scott Thornton who presented the kids with the award and posed for a photo with them!

Congratulations to Cameron St. School, and to all the other award winners as well. Crossfit Indestri, Boobitrons, The Hazellnuts!

CONGRATULATIONS on another very successful year Collingwood!

Squeeze those lemons !

Truly Honoured

I am TRULY honoured. As volunteers we don't do what we do to be recognized, we do it because we are passionate about whatever we are volunteering for. That being said, when someone does recognize you, it is a great honour and this morning I was extremely honoured to receive this video from Dr. Kellie Leitch, MP for Simcoe-Grey.

To be mentioned / thanked by Dr. Leitch during a House of Commons, well I am beyond honoured.

Thank you Dr. Leitch, and thank you for all the you are doing to raise awareness for breast cancer and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Don't forget, it doesn't take that long, squeeze your lemons ! Knowing your body can safe your life!

Close to her heart....

Dr. Kellie Leitch sends a message to our Collingwood Run for the Cure Site.

A cause that is very close to her heart, Dr. Leitch lost her mother to breast cancer in 1989.

On Sunday October 2nd, Dr. Leitch will join hundreds of participants at our Collingwood Run for the Cure Site.

While we all have our own personal stories about why we are there, we are all there for the same common goal. To create a future without breast cancer!

Thanks to Dr. Kellie Leitch our Member of Parliament for Simcoe-Grey for sending us this special message!

When was the last time you squeezed your lemons ?

A true inspiration....

Everyone has people in their life who they are truly inspired by, people that they are in awe of. One of those people in my life is Michele Smeh. Over the past couple years I have gotten to know Michele and I am honoured and proud to have her in my life and to call her my friend. I am sure that after you finish reading this you will be inspired by this incredible woman too!

It is now with great pleasure that I introduce you to a true inspiration, Michele Smeh....

Photo of Michele & her husband John Smeh - taken by Jeff White Photography

My name is Michele Smeh, I am 34 years old and this September, I will be a 6 year breast cancer survivor. I want to share with you how Crossfit Indestri has helped to change my life as well as why I feel that you should be running or walking on Sunday October 2nd in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.

In 2005, a couple of weeks before my 29^th birthday, I was diagnosed with stage I, grade III Breast Cancer. Just after my 29th birthday, I had a lumpectomy and then immediately went into chemo treatment for 6 months followed by a double mastectomy and several reconstructive surgeries. During all of this, I also found out that I am a BRCA1 gene carrier and will eventually have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed for preventative measures as I am at a high risk for ovarian cancer.

To look at me now you probably would never know what I have been through over the past 6 years. In fact, most people that know me don’t know that I still have the lymphoma in my right arm, which flares up constantly with strenuous workouts and that I require lymphatic drainage every once in a while. They might not be aware that I visit the oncology department a couple of times a year for regular screenings. And they don’t know, that because of breast cancer, I was left with hideous scars and numbness that I will have for the rest of my life. I no longer have any breast tissue, leaving me with absolutely no feeling and no sense of touch. Women are so hard on themselves as it is, so I can’t tell you that I didn’t think I was one of the strangest looking creatures. But, what I can honestly tell you is that I'm now OK with what was given to me and I am still here to talk about it.

Why am I telling you all of this? I’m not looking for pity nor do I want you to feel sad. I am sharing my story with you because I know right now there is someone reading this that is either going through something similar or knows someone that is facing a similar journey. Breast cancer affects each one of us – and we all have to learn how to live with the disease and how it impacts oneself and one another. Each journey is different, but in the end, it’s the same. We all share a common bond. I know how you feel. To hear the words, “you have cancer” is devastating and you feel that your life is over when those three little words are uttered.

I’m here to tell you – to show you – that IT’S NOT. When you learn you can make the best of it – it’s amazing. You, too, can pass along your story, your knowledge, your struggles and your compassion. It has taken me almost 6 years to realize this and I truly believe Crossfit Indestri is one of the major things has helped me get to this crucial stage.

In 2010, I saw an ad in the Collingwood paper about a new Crossfit gym and I decided to join, having NO idea what I was getting myself into. At first, I did not completely understand the concept, but I kept with it for a while, then stopped, I decided to try it again. I am now officially addicted. Since January 2011, I have been an avid Crossfitter and feel stronger every day, both mentally and physically. Not only is it a constant challenge, it continues to push me to be the best I can be. I feel the strongest and healthiest I have ever felt, Crossfit Indestri has been a huge part of my journey.

Never before have I been this ready to talk about my experiences – and I mean really talk about it. I want to get it out there. I want to let other young women know that there is a HUGE light at the end of this tunnel. It’s a process and there’s still a journey ahead of me – whether it’s more surgery, oncology screenings or my emotions. I’m here to tell you that I now feel so strong, so healthy, so beautiful – for the first time in YEARS.

So, please join me, my husband and my CROSSFIT INDESTRI team on Sunday, September 25^th for a Family Fundraiser BBQ at Crossfit Indestri (23 Stewart Rd). Help raise funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. I very much look forward to meeting you and talking with you about Crossfit and our local run site.

Michelle Smeh, 34 year old breast cancer Survivor, Crossfit Indestri team captain and Collingwood Run for the Cure Community Outreach Coordinator.

Take a little time each month and squeeze your lemons ! Knowing your body could just save your life!

Collingwood's Honorary Chair Scott Thornton

A message from our first ever Collingwood Run for the Cure Site, Honorary Chair.

Former NHL Hockey Player Scott Thornton.

Scott and his team at Crossfit Indestri's are having a Family Fundraiser BBQ on

Sunday September 25th at 1pm.

Stop by Crossfit at 23 Steward Road, check out what Crossfit is all about, watch or participate in demonstrations, enjoy a BBQ, bid on silent auction items and more...

All the proceeds raised will go towards the Run for the Cure.

Have you squeezed your lemons lately?