Chrissy Poggioli
When I had first heard of the Tour of Champions, it was because we (my husband, the man behind the curtain of Chrissy's Crew and I) had been invited to participate in the weekend. At that time, it was a more intimate affair with only Walk teams from the [former] Eastern North Carolina Chapter. Honestly, the only motivation we needed to raise money was just within ourselves and our desire to help put a halt to MS in one way, shape or form - not to be taken away for a weekend as thanks for something we genuinely wanted to do! Going on a trip with a bunch of strangers.....was not our cup of tea. Well, the joke was on us!!!!! Not only did we get to spend quality time getting to know Jeff Furst and his staff, we also had tons of laughs, great excursions, dinners, banters and truly made friendships! We all have one obvious common, passionate denominator...the rest just falls into place.
The selected venues are wonderful and cater to everyone. Whether taking a guided tour, venturing out on your own, volunteering or snuggling up in your surroundings with a good book - the MS Society really takes the time to set up suggestions for everyone to ensure that you are enjoying YOUR trip. You can be as involved with the whole group as you'd like but they are always so sure to reinforce this is a weekend away from your reality so do with it what you will.
The TOC is something I look forward to every year and the contact and friendships we have made really are special. We share a mission and a passion...that is something you can't force or make up. It really is a treat.