24-Hour "Relay for Life" Begins, Raised Funds for American Cancer Society at Millikan High Track; Continues Thru Sun 9 a.m. June 7
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(UPDATE June 7, 2015, 12:20 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has learned that 27 teams with 421 participants report raising $71,169.11 as of noon Sunday June 7 in their 24 hour Relay for Life benefiting the American Cancer Society. See text, VIDEO and photos below.
(June 6, 1:55 p.m.) -- A crowd spanning several generations assembled at the Millikan High School athletic field (Palo Verde Ave. between Spring and Willow Streets) to take part in a 24-hour "Relay for Life" to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The event (which takes place at various locations throughout the country during the year) is one of America's largest fundraisers. The opening ceremonies for the ELB event began at 9 a.m. today (Sat. June 6) and 26 teams with over 400 participants will continue to walk through Sunday morning (June 7, event concludes at 9 a.m.)
Among the speakers at the opening ceremony was LBPD Lt. Dina Zapalski, a survivor who described her cancer journey and why she takes part in relay (her fifth year now.) Also taking part in the event (as he has for many years) is cancer survivor/retired LBPD Commander Josef Levy, who created and is president of the Law Enforcement Cancer Support Foundation.
Retired Commander Levy and Lt. Zapalski were among those taking part in the opening lap around the track -- the survivors lap -- which included people of all ages.
[Scroll down for further.]
The LB Relay event website indicates that as of midmorning June 6, 26 teams with 414 participants have raised over $60,000 [and contributions are welcome to the teams of your choice below.]
Among the LB Relay event's sponsors -- whom we credit at this link -- are the LB Police Officers Association and the Long Beach Police Motor Patrol Ass'n.
Cancer doesn't sleep so relay participants -- including those fought cancer and survived, and friends and family of those whose fight has ended -- don't sleep in raising money to fight the disease.
A number of participants brought tents for the overnight stay.
At 9 p.m. Saturday, an emotion packed Luminaria Ceremony takes place...with Luminaria bags lining the track and lighting the way for the walkers throughout the night. The Luminaria honor cancer survivors and help remember 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]
White - $10 - The white luminaria bags are available for purchase online, through your team captain (who can obtain the bags at our Team Captain meetings), or at the luminaria tent on the day of Relay. The white bags ordered online will be pre-decorated. If you would like to decorate your own bag, please request a bag(s) from your Team Captain.
Purple - $15 - The purple bags are the same size as the white bags, but are a gradient design (dark purple to light). These bags can be decorated in the same fashion as the white luminaria bags
Gold - $20 - The gold bags are the same size as the white bags, but have cut out stars so that the light shines through the bag. Due to the cutout design, these bags can have minimal additional decorating
Luminaria Box - $100 - This is a cardboard luminaria approximately 22" wide x 28" tall x 4" deep and can be decorated. This luminaria box can be recycled for future Relay For Life events.
A Closing Ceremony caps the event on Sunday June 7 at 8:30 a.m.
Three of the event's 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.
Lt. Zapalski: I am participating again for the 5TH YEAR AS THE TEAM CAPTAIN FOR THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY'S RELAY FOR LIFE EVENT ON JUNE 6TH-7TH.
I want to continue to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. I have won my battle, which I am very grateful for. Many others are still fighting and too many others have lost their battle.
YOUR PARTICIPATION (AN HOUR WALK AND RAISING $100 IS ONLY GETTING 5 PEOPLE TO DONATE $20!!) AND/OR DONATION TO OUR LBPD TEAM WILL:
Help people stay well by educating them on how to take steps to prevent cancer or detect it early when its most treatable.
Help people get well by being in their corner around the clock to guide them through every step of their cancer experience.
Find cures by funding groundbreaking research that helps us understand cancers causes to determine how best to prevent it and discover new ways to cure it.
Please support my efforts by making a donation [at this link] or by joining my Relay For Life team. Together we have the power to help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays!! Thanks for your support!!
Ms. Mahaffey: Millions of people will be diagnosed with cancer this year but my reason for participating in Relay For Life is personal. We participate in Relay because we have been affected by cancer in some way, and because Relay For Life gives us the power to make a difference and fight back. This is my opportunity to honor cancer survivors, remember people we have lost, and help raise funds for groundbreaking research, information and services for people fighting cancer. I have signed up to walk and fundraise in Relay For Life Long Beach. I hope you will consider making a donation in support of my efforts. Together, we have the power to help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays!
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 (June 13): 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.
For Facebook information on the event, click here.
To sign up for the June 13 run/walk events, click here.
Further on this heartfelt, upcoming grassroots organized event coming separately on LBREPORT.com.
This weekend it's the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life:
24-Hour Relay for Life to benefit American Cancer Society
Millikan High School track, along Palo Verde Ave. between Spring and Willow Streets
9 a.m. Sat. June 6 throgh 9 a.m. Sun June 7
