Linda is took part in the 5K Foam Fest event in Nanaimo, BC this June and is the captain of Team Sadie's Sloth Dogs.   This #FundraisingFoamy reached her fundraising goal within two weeks and we’re hoping her story will inspire other Foamys to do the same!

Linda, along with her friends Lesa and Heather, participated in the 5K Foam Fest Nanaimo event and as you can see from the pictures, Linda crushed the foam! Team Sadie’s Sloth Dogs has raised $800 and they’re not stopping until they hit $1,000! On behalf of wish kids and their families, we are grateful for your support and conviction in the life-changing work we do!

Q: Why did you get involved with 5K Foam Fest?

A: My best friend of nine years tagged me in a Facebook post about the event. I did some research and we decided that this was going to be something we could do together and was for a great cause. She suggested doing it in [my dog] Sadie's honour and naming the team "Sadie's Sloth Dogs." Sadie's wish was always to greet people with her ready smile. She loved to make friends and have adventures, even after she was in a wheelchair. Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a painless disease so she just adapted from no wheels to two wheels to four wheels. We would go to the farmer's market every Saturday and she would go from person to person, showing that she was still the bright spark that she was. We would take her to the beach and she would race about in her chair. Even when she was completely unable to move her legs, she would still wag her tail every so often and loved to visit with people in the neighbourhood. Because of pet insurance we were able to support her ability to be a valued family member and allow her to do doggy things right up until last May, when the DM reached her lungs and we had to let her go.

Q: What inspired you to create a 5K Foam Fest fundraising page and raise funds to support Make-A-Wish^® Canada?

A: Insurance and good healthcare aren't enough and children need to have a way to feel special. Make-A-Wish fulfills that need, allowing children to have the opportunity to be a child instead of a patient or a medical chart. Our wish as Team Sadie's Sloth Dogs is to help facilitate that so that more children and families can experience the joy of getting away from their condition even if only for a little while.
 
In order to do that, I set up fundraising pages for both myself and our team.  I set a goal of $500.00 thinking that it would be a doable amount and was absolutely gobsmacked when we reached and exceeded that goal so quickly after asking people if they would support us. I sent out an email to friends and family telling them what we were doing and the response was awesome!

Q: If you could share an message to all the 5K Foam Fest participants (more than 65,000 in Canada!) and inspire them to create a fundraising page and raise funds in support of Make-A-Wish, what would that message be?

A: My message would be every little bit helps (I thought if I could get 50 people to give $10.00 we would easily make our goal of $500.00) - people like to support good causes and they will likely surprise you with their generosity. Tell them what you are doing and why you are doing it. Spread the word! I know I have been surprised and thrilled by the response so far!