Hi I am Ruby ! !

Hi, my name is Ruby and I’m an Arkie at heart who transplanted to California a number or years ago. I teach at-risk students for the Whittier Union High School District in Whittier, CA. I earned a B.S. degree from Arkansas Tech University and an M.S.E. from the University of Central Arkansas. I have a life-time teaching credential for the state of California.

I enjoy walking, reading, fishing, gardening, and love to play Wheel of Fortune.

I credit walking with saving my life. After a hysterectomy, my surgeon told me to start walking. I followed her advice and walked 2 or 3 times a week for about 3 years and was somewhat “in shape.” Then, the big breast cancer hit me. I had a modified radical mastectomy and underwent a year of chemotherapy. I continued to walk. Some days I could only walk for 15 minutes. Some days I only walked a half-mile but I was moving, restoring my failing energy, lifting my spirits from some very low places, and becoming stronger. I believe that walking helped me survive this whole ordeal.

In January of 1998, I registered to walk in the Avon 3-Day walk. This first- ever event was a 3 day walk of about 60 miles from Santa Barbara to Malibu, CA. I wanted to do the walk to celebrate my remission from breast cancer. Training for this event made me into a real walker. I walked 6 days a week. I walked as much as 50 miles a weekend and I took better care of my body than I had ever done before. I had never done this kind of walking before and I didn’t know what to expect. Could the body recover without sufficient rest? How big can blisters be before they get a zip code of their own? How much Gator-ade would a Gator drink if a Gator would drink Gator-ade? Oh, Lord, what have I got myself into?

What I experienced was the most awesome, inspiring, empowering experience of my short life. There were some 2,400 walkers who were giving their all so that others would never know the pain, heartache, and demoralizing effects of breast cancer and its consequences. There were some 500 volunteers who were fighting the same demons by supporting the walkers. Last, but not least, were those who signed the checks - over 5 Million dollars! And please don’t forget those who literally went before us - those who have died of breast cancer - they were our inspiration. We did it for them and their daughters, sisters, friends, and their memory.

The Wonder Walkers were there for me during this training and celebrating period and I thank each of them for their support, encouragement, and love. It is a privilege to be considered a member of this Wonder Walker Team.

I walk to live and live to walk.

Kris	Kat	Howard
Lynn	Sandi	Jim
Carol	GwenA	Susan
Home	Johanna	Gwen1
Irene	Karen	Mary Kay