Lanterns released to honor those affected by cancer

Saturday night locals gathered for the Cancer Network of Sanders County’s ninth annual Lantern Launch.

Volunteers gathered in the agriculture building at the Sanders County Fairgrounds for a remembrance of those who have been taken by cancer.

Led by President John Clark, locals unfolded and inflated colored, environmentally friendly, biodegradable lanterns with blow-dryers. These lanterns each had a message and/or a name of someone affected by cancer or someone to be remembered written on them. The messages were scribed by those who purchased each lantern.

For the last several months the Cancer Network has been selling the lanterns for $10 each. Lanterns were for sale at several local stores throughout Plains and Thompson falls, as well as at several of the network’s yearly scheduled events.

Clark, himself bought two, one each for his late daughter and for his wife.

After a lantern was inflated a piece of wax-infused cardboard underneath it was lit like a candle. Then a volunteer walked outside into the cold and the snow to release it into the night air.

“The event used to be held on New Year’s Eve, however since the nights are quite cold that late in the year the Cancer Network has started releasing the lanterns the Saturday following Thanksgiving,” Clark explained.

They released more than 113 lanterns and those who purchased lanterns did not have to show up to release them.

Volunteers came to release their own as well as other lanterns of those in the community who could not make it out that night.

Clark explained that the Lantern Launch is one of his favorite activities of the year and said that every cent they make, after covering the cost of buying the lanterns, goes into the community of Sanders County.

He also explained how it is interesting that “the majority of the money that goes into this community comes from this community.”

He also added that he believes that “Sanders County is one of the biggest families in the world.”

The Network, since its inception in 2001, donated $647,000 to members of the community. In total they have sent 1,218 gifts.

All a community member must do is to apply to the network and be receiving treatment or have proof of a diagnosis of cancer from a legitimate physician. Then the network will simply send them a check.

Applicants can apply once a year and each check the network sends is $900.

The group was started after a local quilter guild member was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Since the price of treatment can be overwhelming the other guild members decided to jump into action and to work together to make a quilt to raffle off.

Since then the group has grown in its influence, and now holds various charity events, including their major auction and dinner, held the first Thursday of October, at the Plains VFW.

It is their biggest fundraiser of the year.

All board members are volunteers and 100% of raised funds go back into the community. They make nothing from the network and pay out of pocket for everything including gas to get anywhere they go for the network.

Any member of the community, and of Sanders County, can apply for assistance from the Cancer Network, and applications can be picked up at nearly any bank in the county.

If an application is accepted a check is sent immediately to the address given by the applicant.

Applicants can apply only once a year. Perspective contributors can simply mail checks to P.O. Box 1311, Plains, Montana 59859.

For more information, go to http://www.cancernetworksanderscounty.org/.