Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Participants in the "Festival of Life" fundraiser begin their 18-hour walk/run.

This 18-hour walk/run benefits cancer research

By Tim Persyn

Although they had been strolling, walking and running in shifts for the past 16 hours, the 40 or so people showed no signs of weakness as they made their way around Los Gatos High School's track.

It was 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, and 42 teams of about 15 community volunteers were trusting their willpower to carry them through the last hours of the "Festival for Life," an 18-hour fundraising relay to fight cancer. Many of the participants were Saratoga residents.

The walkers and runners on the track were raising substantial amounts of money as they raised their heart rates through all the exercise. As of June 25, event organizers had tallied an impressive $156,000 to be donated to the American Cancer Society.

The money was raised through company sponsorships and individual fundraising. Each team member was asked to raise $200 for the cause.

The event was organized by Pam Dunnett, a Saratoga resident, and a committee of 28 who worked for nine months to make the arrangements. The National Charity League supplied volunteers.

From the start of the event at 7 p.m. June 21 until its conclusion at 1 p.m the next day, each member of each team took his or her turn walking or running, making sure that their team always had at least one member on the track. Some slept overnight on the inside field, while others went home late at night and returned in the morning.

A highlight of the event was the evening "Mile of Hope" in which all participants walked around the track while people in the bleachers spelled out the words "Life" and "Hope". As participants made their way around the track, messages were read to cancer survivors and in memory of those who have died from the disease.

Many participants in the festival had some sort of personal experience with cancer. The "Lancers Against Cancer" team ran and walked for their friend Shelly Barsanti, who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

The team's members derived strength from the communal atmosphere at the event. "You forget you're out here running," said team member Kathy Kroll. "You're doing this as a community effort."

Some teams participated in memory of friends and loved ones who have died from of cancer. One team ran and walked in memory of Karen Davis, a Saratoga resident who died last year.

Ken Davis, her husband, took part in the event to show his continuing commitment to the fight against cancer. "It amazes me how much love you see at the event," he commented.

He was especially impressed by the participation of the younger generation. "It's neat to see so many young people--you wouldn't think that they'd be aware enough yet."

One of the teams of young people was the "Party of 18," which consisted of recent graduates of Redwood Middle School who will attend Saratoga High School in the fall. This team spent all night at the track, taking turns sleeping in their tent as team members walked for half-hour shifts.

To collect money for the event, the team had a bake sale, went door-to-door and sat out outside Safeway taking donations.

"A lot more kids should get involved (in events like these)," said team member Jennifer Ramos. Despite all the physical exertion, the team was all smiles as the relay drew to a close.

Dunnett, the organizer, summarized the meaning of the event. "This is a celebration of life," she explained.