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I remember when I was a kid in high school and one of my health teachers was lecturing on cancer. He asked us to raise our hands if anyone in our family had been diagnosed with cancer. I vividly recall the arms that were raised; about one out of four of my classmates had a relative with cancer.
Contrast that with an event I attended not long ago where the same question was asked. There were maybe 20 of us in the room and all but three people raised their hands acknowledging that they had a relative with cancer.
Now that I’m the person in my family who fits that description, cancer awareness, outreach, and fund-raising have become an increasingly important priorities in my life. That’s why I’ve become involved in the Relay for Life, and through that association I have learned about the hundreds of people right here in Crawfordsville who are diagnosed with the disease each and every year.
The Relay for Life is the signature summer event of the American Cancer Society. Events similar to this Friday’s 12-hour Relay event at Hoover Field take place in scores of communities like ours from coast to coast. These events raise millions of dollars for the ACS and its cancer research and outreach programs. Much of the money raised here in Montgomery County will stay right here in our community.
What I’ve learned in working behind the scenes of our Relay is how many people are involved in working to make the Relay a spectacular event that raises both money for cancer research and awareness in our community.
From Ruthanna Williamson, who spearheads our efforts here in Montgomery County, to the hundreds of Relay walkers and team members and on through our entertainers, sponsors, and those businesses who donate goods and services, this community really does come together for the Relay for Life.
Hat’s off to Jill Pursell and the folks at the radio stations for their good work in promoting our event and raising it in stature, and to the newspaper for its ongoing coverage.
The teams themselves have become quite competitive, too, though not in the ways you might think. They don’t try to out-walk or walk faster than one another; instead they try to raise more money. And the best part is that many of these teams are doing it year-round.
From Bank One’s popular Beany Baby sales to Inland Container’s May Flowers campaign to Pace Dairy’s cookbook sales, our Relay for Life has indeed become a 12-month effort.
The Relay itself will begin this Friday evening at 6 p.m. with the annual Survivor’s Walk. If you have been diagnosed with cancer plan to attend, wear a commemorative T-shirt, and gain strength and encouragement from the other survivors.
After that ceremonial lap, the real Relay begins. Dozens of teams with hundreds of walkers will begin circling the Hoover Field track for 12 straight hours until dawn. They will break only briefly, at 9:00 p.m., when a special luminary ceremony takes place to honor and memorialize Montgomery County’s cancer victims.
There are entertainers on hand throughout the evening who perform to keep our spirits high. From local bands and singers to dance groups, there will be fun for all in attendance. Dr. Linda Spencer will do skin cancer checks for free. There will be clowns, face painting, and even a moonwalk for kids, and hot air balloon rides for all.
I hope you’ll plan to make a donation to a competing team or just drop by to enjoy the festivities. Amy Williamson, coordinator of hospitality and special events at Wabash, is forming a team made up of Wabash and local folks. Contact Amy at william@wabash.edu if you'd like to make a donation.
If you think the Relay for Life is a somber event, think again. Our Relay for Life is, indeed, a celebration of life and how this community comes together to fight cancer.