Saratoga News
News
Photograph by George Sakkestad
The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is an annual event that pays tribute to those who have lost their lives to cancer, those who are living with it and those who have survived it. The event also acts as the organization's biggest annual fundraiser. The Relay for Life comes to Redwood Middle School in Saratoga on June 24.
Annual walk dedicated to victims, survivors
By Jennifer McBride
Raising awareness about cancer doesn't have to be a sad affair. Organizers of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life want people to know that it can be a whole lot of fun.
Relay for Life is the ACS' signature activity each year. The event pays tribute to those who have lost their lives to cancer, those who are living with it and those who have survived it. The event also brings support and comfort to those who know someone who died from or is living with the disease.
Organizers of the Relay for Life want to spread the word: The theme of this year's event is "Celebrate Hope." Therefore, they want the event to be just that--a celebration, and one for the whole family.
The Saratoga Relay for Life will take place over 24 hours on the track at Redwood Middle School, beginning June 24 at 10 a.m. The event will be full of activities such as live music, karaoke, magic demonstrations, games such as Frisbee and water balloon tosses, a raffle for prizes and even a relay rummage sale, with all proceeds benefiting the ACS.
The fun kicks off with an opening ceremony and the first lap of the relay, which is the Survivors' Lap.
"This year we are honored to have a very special speaker for the opening ceremony, Lori Hope. Lori is a cancer survivor herself, and the author of the book Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know. Lori has produced more than 20 documentaries, for which she has won dozens of awards, including two Emmys," says Marilyn Marchetti, publicity volunteer for the relay. "[We hope] people come out and hear Lori's message of hope and then help us cheer on the cancer survivors from our community and elsewhere, as they walk our first lap in celebration of survivorship and in testimony to the fact that so many people today do survive cancer."
Matthew and Daniel Shepherd, teenage brothers from Saratoga, will serve as the afternoon's emcees and DJs, providing upbeat tunes to walk or dance around the track to. Games, demonstrations and activities will also begin around this time.
Live music will begin at 12:30 p.m. Several Bay Area bands will donate their talents, including the Retro Rockets, who play classic rock and roll, blues and Motown; Undergone, a local alternative power-pop band; The Koz, a blues band; and The Slate Band. A special performance will also be given by The Fun Times Singers, a community chorus.
During the live musical performances, Kim Silverman will bring a little magic to the afternoon with his tricks.
As dusk arrives, the luminaria ceremony will begin.
"The luminaria ceremony is perhaps the most inspirational and moving part of the Relay," Marchetti says. "This is a very special chance to honor cancer survivors and remember those who have lost their battle with the disease."
A luminaria is a bag of sand that holds a small candle inside, making it glow. Each luminaria, which is placed around the track, bears the name of a person who has battled cancer. At dusk, all of the luminarias are lit, creating "a path of hope."
During the ceremony, an individual cancer survivor who has been voted to be the event's torchbearer will offer a message of hope for those affected by cancer and light the candles of the other survivors present. The survivors will then light everyone else's candles, and all will do a lap around the track together.
"Luminarias light our path of hope all night as members of each Relay team keep walking--because cancer never sleeps," Marchetti says.
Those who spend the night will awaken to a special breakfast, and the event will close at 10 a.m. with a ceremony thanking all who participated, planned or pledged. Michael Riley will serve as the closing ceremony's emcee, "bringing the event to an end with a smile."
Marchetti says people can participate on any level; they can register as a team or an individual right at the event. People can simply come out and watch the fun or purchase luminarias. No matter what, she says, the ACS and relay organizers will not stop until cancer is beaten.
"There is no finish line until we find a cure," she says.
The Saratoga Relay for Life takes place from June 24 at 10 a.m. to June 25 at 10 a.m. on the track at Redwood Middle School, 13925 Fruitvale Ave. in Saratoga. For more information, visit www.acsevents.org/ relay/ca/saratoga, call Christine VanHoy at 408.313.1768 or Marilyn Marchetti at 408.741.1127. For more information about cancer, visit www.cancer.org or call 1.800.ACD.2345.
