(June 5, 2015) -- One of America's largest natiuonwide fundraising events comes to East Long Beach, extending from Saturday morning at 9 a.m. through Sunday morning at 9 a.m. -- as teams of walkers complete a 24-hour "Relay for Life" on Millikan High School's track (Palo Verde Ave. between Spring and Willow Streets.) Cancer doesn't sleep so relay participants -- including many who fought cancer and survived, and friends and family of those whose fight has ended -- don't sleep in raising money to fight the disease. An online event page at this link indicates 26 teams with 378 participants have raised over $57,000 (as of dawn Friday June 5.) (Details below; you can help increase the total by donating to a team of your choice below.) An opening ceremony takes place at 9 a.m. Saturday June 6, followed by a Survivor's Lap at 9:30 a.m., as cancer survivors take the first lap around the track. A Caregivers Lap takes place at 9:30 a.m. honoring anyone who has cared for another with cancer. Caregivers walk this lap with the people they helped if they are present at the event. [Scroll down for further.] |
On Saturday at 9:00 p.m., a Luminaria Ceremony takes place...with Luminaria bags lining the track and lighting the way for the walkers throughout the night...honoring cancer survivors and helping remembering the cancer warriors that live on in memories. There are three donating options for Luminaria, available for purchase at the Luminaria tent on site until 7:00 pm on the day of Relay (June 6, 2015) [Event website text] A Closing Ceremony caps the event on Sunday June 7 at 8:30 a.m. The three top participating teams thus far are from the Long Beach Police Department; a team dubbed "Fork Cancer"; and Heartbreakers, all with teams approaching $10,000 each as of dawn Friday (and online donations welcome, see below.) The top participants to date this year are Christine Walker, LBPD Lt. Dina Zapalski and Leesa Mahaffey [also with LBPD]. Their online messages follow: Ms. Walker: This past November I lost my 18 year old cat to cancer, my first Malinois lost her fight with cancer, and another is a cancer survivor. When I was 5, I had grandparents on either side lose their fight but I was too young to understand. After I was involved with relay, Cancer came up again. I am a caregiver. I wish I was not, I wish no one ever has to be one again. My father is a survivor. That is why I relay. I am now in my fourth year of Relay, my third as a team captian for Fork Cancer. Most members of Fork Cancer have had an immediate family member diagnosed with cancer. I am fortunate, my family member is now cancer free. I am the exception, I continue to relay so I can become the norm. Almost everyone has been touched by cancer, either through their own personal battle or through someone they love. A website page has been set up for the LB Relay for Life at this link (and yes, you can donate to a team of your choice online.) AND IN ADDITION: LBREPORT.com reminds our readers of an independently organzied, grassroots event -- focusing on an especially deadly form of cancer -- coming just one week from now: The annual Jalen and Brianna Thayer Memorial Run/Walk for Childhood Cancer Awareness. The event honors the memory of the brother and sister who both lost their lives to childhood brain cancer. Breanna was age 4. Jalen (an athlete and scholar) was age 15.
Further on this heartfelt, grassroots organized event coming separately on LBREPORT.com. This remember: this weekend it's the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life: 24-Hour Relay for Life to benefit American Cancer Society
blog comments powered by Disqus Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:
Follow LBReport.com with:
Contact us: mail@LBReport.com |
Hardwood Floor Specialists Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050 |