August.  Ahhhh…  I love August.  There are so many things I love about this month.  School is approaching, which means the Fortnite screaming will come to a screeching halt, AND I love being on a schedule and at home.  It’s time. My kids thrive on a schedule and we are all better people with bedtimes and alarms.  Also, vacations are coming to a close, which is a good thing for us here at ISF.  We try to stay motivated all year long, but emails we send tend to sit in an inbox during the months of June and July and usually around mid-August, and then begin to get returned to us much faster and the response time shortens.  We love that. ☺

For those of you who have been with us for a while now, you know our fall is the shizzle.  We do everything we can to make our flagship event bigger and better each year … with intention.  I personally love the our 5K/10K race more than any event we do because it is where it all started, which was with Isabella. I remember how excited she was as the event was approaching.  In Isabella style, she would always seem to relapse in August, which meant year after year, our volunteers, friends and loved ones would step up and put on an event to remember for her.  Some years she could run it with hair that could barely be pulled back into pig tails and some years she was pulled in a red wagon, chubby from the steroids of a recent brain relapse.  What I loved year after year was seeing the people who made this foundation what it is today.  I know everyone gets busy and it’s hard to stay involved with us year-round.  But the race was different.  People put it on their calendars, they brought new people each year who would say, “Holy crap?  This isn’t a race… this is festival!” and then those people would come every year after.  I also love seeing the new people who didn’t know her or me and are just blown away by what we do.  It all just gives me goose bumps to know it’s coming up… and it’s coming soon.

So, what can you expect this year?  Look, I’m not just going to say it’s amazing because I’m the Executive Director.  But it’s going to be amazing.  What you will see this year is an added component that we should have done YEARS AGO!  BRUNCH.  And we are not talking about eggs and bacon.  We are talking about a no joke kind of brunch.  We have teamed up with Firebirds, Tito’s Vodka and Noda Brewing Company to give you a brunch like you have never seen.  We are excited to share more Brunch menu items in the coming weeks, but here’s just a sample of what your taste buds may experience…

• Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches with honey hot sauce
• Smoked Pork and scrambled egg tacos with jack cheese and avocado pico
• Beignets
• Shrimp and Grits with Tasso Gravy
• Muffuletta Sandwiches
• Fried Green Tomatoes with Country ham, Goat Cheese & Pepper Jelly
• Biscuit Avocado Toast with a Poached Egg
• Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit
• Kid’s Pancake & Doughnut Stations

Not to mention, a whole host of brunch drinks provided by Tito’s and Noda Brewing.  Bloody Mary’s anyone? 

So, for those of you who kick out the 5k/10k and try to fill your belly with Chick-Fil-A like you have in years past, you can still do that. and much more. Now, you have the opportunity to REALLY FILL THAT BELLY, and for those of you who don’t want to walk or run, you can just buy the brunch and chill, while your kids play in the Kids Zone and you bid on auction items.  Yeah, it’s going to be the shizzle as we say.  But you will need a brunch wristband, so you betta get one.

Be warned.  Tickets for the brunch are going to be more expensive on the day of, so don’t let the smells of the morning be the trigger.  Get on it now.  Register for the race, buy the brunch.  Be there.  This is going to be our best one yet.  Thank you to our title sponsor Red Ventures and BRUNCH sponsors who are helping us make this year epic.  Go to 5kforkidscancer.com for all the details.

And of course, none of this can happen without your support, so reach out to us!  Volunteer, help with the auction, buy something for us on #WishWednesday, create a team of runners, fundraise on our behalf, spread the word, bring your whole neighborhood, sponsor the race.  Just do something.  My team of women are working to the bone to blow you all away and sometimes just a little help from your friends goes a long way and motivates us even more.  

We can’t wait to see you all on September 28^th.  You’ll find me in the brunch zone with a drink in hand – I mean… it all goes to charity, right?

Thanks for the support over all these years!

Erin Santos, Isabella’s Mommy

READ ISF SKINNY SUMMER 2019 EDITION