POINT LOMA – They finished soggy, but they finished.
Weather forced Susan G. Komen 3-Day walkers to relocate from their usual accommodations, bivouacking in Crown Point during last weekend’s series of atmospheric river storms.
But the cavalry came over the hill, rescuing some of the pink-clad anti-breast cancer fundraising walkers in the form of the T. Claude and Gladys B. Ryan Family YMCA in Point Loma.
The Peninsula Y offered them a last-minute temporary overnight stay in their facilities at 4390 Valeta Street.
The 3-Day San Diego is an unforgettable destination event where individuals and teams walk 20 to 60 miles over three days, starting in Del Mar, through La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, and finishing downtown to raise funds for breast cancer research and support.
Participants enjoy a fully supported experience, including accommodations, camaraderie, and the chance to leave a lasting effect.
Kaysi Hall, Ryan Family Y’s executive director, explained how it all went down, noting their front desk received a call about 10:30 a.m. the morning of Saturday, Nov. 15, from the Komen camp desperate for an alternative camping site to replace flooded-out Crown Point.
“They were reaching out to several different places looking for shelter,” Hall said, noting that walkers would be continuing to march that day until 4:30 p.m. in extremely wet conditions. So after making a few calls and “getting some things in order,” Hall said they were able to grant their request.
Hall said the Y had to find three staffers willing to stay overnight with the Komen group. “We had our staff welcome what we were told would be up to as many as 200 walkers, and we ended up with about 50 settling into our gym overnight,” she said.
“We had showers and locker rooms to accommodate these folks, so we were able to allow them to dry some of their clothing as they were drenched by the time they got to us,” noted Y spokesperson Dan Cruz.
Hall agreed the Komen walkers were all pretty “weather-worn” by the time they arrived. She added they were appreciative of the opportunity afforded them to get away from being literally under the weather. She added they had a special treat to offer the over-nighters.
“We set up massage tables for them,” Hall said.
Ryan Family YMCA was more than happy to become a Good Samaritan in a pinch. “It was a great opportunity for us to help out visitors to San Diego for a good cause, recognizing we can continue to do this as a backup in the future as well when needed,” said Hall.
“It was another example of how the Y opens its doors to the community,” said Cruz. “We’re always here for our Point Loma neighbors.”
READ NEXT