Relay for life was wonderful!

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Kathryn_in_MN
Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Relay for Life was a great experience! Everyone worked together to set up the campsite and run the fundraiser game. We raised $66. Our team total was $1106, surpassing our $1000 goal. All three kids got raffle tickets for the spaghetti eating contest. Michael's name was pulled. It was a lot of fun watching him with his face stuffed in a bowl of spaghetti with his hands behind his back! We were rather shocked he didn't win. If you'd ever seen my boys (6'5" and 6'8") eat, you'd understand that.

I'm so glad my family was there for the Survivor's Lap - it meant a lot to me to have them cheering me on! I'm' glad plans changed for both boys so they could come and stayed till the luminary ceremony. My daughter stayed for the duration with my husband and I.

I tried to copy and paste our lap list here, but I'm having trouble. UPDATED: Here is a link to view the list. You have to click and open the PDF file.
http://imageevent.com/kathryn_in_mn/relayforlife2010?p=1&n=1&m=-1&c=3&l=0&w=1&s=0&z=4

I first walked the Survivor's lap. Then we walked in Memory of 35 - our family & friends, and family & friends of those who donated. The next 72 were in honor of Survivors; some still in active treatment, others with no evidence of disease from one week, to many years. The last 8 laps were in honor of caregivers. 115 laps total.

Unfotunately we weren't able to walk all of those laps at Relay for Life. I had intended to walk them all myself, but I had to split my time the first several hours between walking and supervising our fundraiser game. And then we had the luminary ceremony. Finally I was able to start some serious walking. But then the storm sirens went off just before 1AM. We were told to tear down tents and screen tents as quickly as possible and pack up. This was a big disappointment, but we were lucky - we got packed just before the storm hit. And it was a bad one.

So we tallied everyone's laps together as I went through the list. We were still short. The laps are 1/4 mile, so that is a lot of walking. My oldest daughter was part of our team, but unable to attend because she was working, taking a tour group through the national parks. She went hiking that day in the Grand Canyon, so we added 4 laps for every mile she walked. So our team did cover those laps!

The games and silent auction and food concessions all shut down at 9PM. Then they had the luminary ceremony. We all lit our glow sticks and raised them in memory or honor of those in our life affected by cancer. Then we walked two laps in silence as we read the luminaria, led by a bagpiper. It was a very moving experience. One of the luminary bags said "10 years Cancer Free!" One day that will be what mine says!

Afterwards they had a slide prsentation for "Why We Walk" that peope turned in photos for. At 11PM was a birthday party. The theme of the American Cancer Society right now is "Celebrating More Birthdays," and it was the 10th anniversary for the Relay in Lakeville which they were celebrating too. We had cake, but the icecream didn't show up. Then coffee arrived. I can't drink coffee after noon, or I'll be up all night. But I wanted to be up all night, right? So the three of us had a few cups. Then ice cream arrived. Well, we'd walk it off, so why not? After more laps, at midnight pizza arrived. I had one piece of cheese pizza, even though I wasn't hungry, and a glass of Mountain Dew, even though I don't normally drink it. I'd walk it off - right? And it would be my last chance for food till morning. Oops! With the storm sirens going off we didn't get to walk it off much. And then after we got home I couldn't sleep all night. I was up till after 10PM Saturday night. I did sleep in Sunday morning!

If you've never participated in Relay for Life, I recommend it. It is for a great cause, and it is a fun event. If you don't want to join a team or start a team and walk, I suggest attending your local event to support them at the fundraising activities, and to cheer on the Survivor's for their lap, and to participate in the luminary ceremony.

Thanks again to all who donated and supported us. Congratulations to all the Survivors who walked! And thanks again to all of you here who have supported me through my own battle, and who continue to help me and others by sharing your experiences and knowledge!

Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #2
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    It sounds fantastic!
    Congratulations, Kathryn, for participating in what sounds like such a wonderful event. You should be really proud of yourself + your family.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #3
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    AnneCan said:

    It sounds fantastic!
    Congratulations, Kathryn, for participating in what sounds like such a wonderful event. You should be really proud of yourself + your family.

    It was absolutely...
    the most touching emotional situation I have ever taken part in....Yep, everyone needs to go to one at least once.........
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #4
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    Awesome!
    Wow, Kathryn! It sounds like you had a wonderful experience! I don't know if we have those relay for life's around here? Is it something someone has to put together, or does the ACS put it on?

    Congrats on all the laps you were able to do! That's just remarkable!

    Hugs,
    Krista

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