Night of hope comes to county
<p>Cancer survivors and their caregivers receive words of encouragement and high-fives as they participate in the first lap of Mineral County Relay for Life.</p>
On Friday evening members of the community gathered at the Superior High School track to participate in the annual Relay for Life.
Fundraising for the relay has been going on all year and this year seven teams took to the track to walk laps throughout the night. Funds from the relay go directly to the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research, prevention and education, and programs and services available to Mineral County cancer patients such as the Road To Recovery and Patient Lodging Programs.
“This year’s relay went very well,” Event Organizer Peggy Temple said. “Attendance wasn’t as high as past years and that might be because of the hot weather but it was still a great event.”
Temple added that so far the fundraising efforts of the seven teams have generated $33,000 and since funds are being accepted through August she expects the number to reach close to $34,000.
“This year we also had three individuals in the ‘Grand Club’ (individuals who raise over $1,000),” Temple said. “Normally we might only have one and it’s really great to see this many in such a small area.”
The night of relay began with a reception for cancer survivors and their caretakers – who spent time eating and enjoying music by Gary Schoening. After Aidan and Buck Patko sang the national anthem, the Superior VFW led the survivor and caregiver lap.
Cancer survivors followed the VFW members around the track one way and the caregivers went in the other direction.
Halfway through the lap the two groups met and embraces and smiles were shared before they joined together to finish the lap. As they neared the finish line, other relay participants gathered on the sides of the track to cheer them on.
With the initial lap complete, the seven teams were introduced by MC Monte Turner and the relay was on.
Throughout the night laps were walked by team members and special laps such as a carnival conga lap and glow in the dark lap kept spirits high well into the morning hours.
At 10:00 pm elementary school students dressed as angels went around the track to inform participants that the Luminaria ceremony would begin shortly and with it a time of quiet reflection.
Over 400 luminarias were lit along the track and relay organizers read the names of members of the community who lost their life battling cancer.
At 7:00 am the final laps of the relay were walked and all of the participants gathered to celebrate the end of another successful event.