Saturday, April 26, 2008

Relay For Life

Last night was the Relay for Life, thank you very much for all your contributions. We were able to exceed our goal. Jeff volunteered me as the online chair yet didn't tell me what to do. Then I was sent a 80+ page manual on how to run the website. What I didn't know was that I was supposed to solicited information out of the teams and email and post that information. Now I know. I was invited to do the job again next year, even though this year I only did my job for a week. I guess that is the great thing about being a volunteer.

Jeff won the spirit award for his team. He has a lot of spirit and this year he used a bull horn.

This was my first year attending the event. If you have never attended a relay for life event, you should find one near you and check it out. We had a blast.

It all starts with the introduction of the cancer survivors in our area. Some speeches are made by some of the survivors. Thanks are given. And then the relay begins. The object of the relay is for each team to keep at least one person on the track the entire night, from 6pm until 6am. The first lap around the track is done by the survivors in their purple shirts. Next lap is done with survivors and their caregivers. I cried. It is very moving to see all the people in your area, your neighbors and to see those who have fought and won and those who are fighting, young and old. Last year a young girl came with all of the hospital bracelets she had accumulated throughout her entire life, a mountain of them. She wanted to keep those bracelets on the track all night and Jeff offered to help out, he was proud to carry her bracelets.

Next the teams all come onto the track with their banners. There is a contest for best banner. And then at least one team member is to be on the track for the entire night, each team has a baton and that baton must stay on the track. There is a baton contest too. They had some pretty terrificly creative batons last night. Jeff was in charge of pictures so there are none.

The next part of the relay for life is to remember those we have lost. This is done during the luminaries portion of the evening. After the sun sets bags with the names of those to be remembered written on them are lit with a candle inside. There is a ceremony. I wasn't able to make it to the ceremony as it was way past Lily's bed time, but Jeff lit one for his dad and Mandy lit one for her great-grandma.

Finally the last purpose of the relay for life is to fight. We fight against cancer in two ways, one is in coming together and two is in raising money for the American Cancer Society. Each team gathered donations, and I thank everyone who donated, we also had fund raisers before the event and then the actual event is a big fund raiser. It was a carnival. Each team set up a booth selling something fun to do or something good to eat. One of my favorites was throwing a wet ball at someone's face, they stick their face through the hole and you get four chances to nail them right in the kisser for a dollar. Lily tried a bunch of times. There was also a dunk tank and face painting, all kinds of great food. We ended up spending more than $100 just goofing off. And all that money goes to the American Cancer Society.

I had never been to a relay for life event before so I thought I would do a little recap for you. I hope that you take some time to check out the relay in your area, they should be going on pretty soon. Having a great time, eating great food, and having that money go toward curing cancer what could be better. Check out the website to find a relay near you.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey girl! We have our Relay next Friday night. I love doing this!! I just went to my friend's house tonight and saw the decorations...her husband did them for us this year - I was so shocked at the great job he did! It is The Three Little Pigs (Fairy Tales is the theme.) What was ya'lls theme?

Marshamlow said...

Hi Eally, our theme was The Fun House. We had games for the kids and sold drinks.

Anonymous said...

I just participated in a Relay. My mom heads up the registration/accounting on the committee for her local event and I went to assist. It's a great event and I think it's awesome that so many people can come together for such a good cause!