The Tri for a CURE was this past Sunday. It’s a triathalon, swim, bike, run race to raise money for the Maine Cancer Foundation. In the dead of winter on a February night registration opened at exactly midnight. 600 woman registered to race, each for her own reason. It sold out in less than 30 minutes. I didn’t get in. Not necessarily a bad thing since I don’t swim well or even like to run. So I volunteered instead to help at the first leg of the race, the swim. I was asked to count the women coming out of the water. A job I could handle… or so I thought. I was even given a counter to make it easier. It was a no brainer assignment and I was left at the shoreline to click my counter as each woman finished the swim and headed for her bike. The goal was to be sure the same number of women who went in the water came out of the water. Waves of women went into the Atlantic 30 to 40 a time until all 436 were swimming in the 60 degree ocean. As they finished the swim and arrived safely back to shore, I cheered enthusiastically and loudly for each and every one of them…. and I clicked away. That part of the race was done and the women had survived the swim. I checked my counter. It read 587! How is that possible? 436 went in right? Perhaps it was my thumb clicking skills. In all my emotional excitement had a clicked unknowingly? Had I clicked for every woman who got out of the water and then clicked again as I realized that her breasts were gone! Or double clicked for those wearing pink caps designating a cancer survivor! 2 clicks for the survivors of cancer and the survivors of the Maine cold waters? There were so many. Did I count them twice because they deserved it? I was a witness to woman of unbelievable stamina, commitment, dedication and most of all courage. Whoever assigned me my first time volunteering job was brilliant. Because they put me in a position where I could have an emotional connection to the cause the experience compelled me to want to help again next year.
I know my numbers may not have been spot on but my heart sure was. I know I shouldn’t give you the take away but I can’t help myself. If you have a first time volunteer put them close to the heart of the cause and they’ll be a volunteer forever.
