Team work, dedication make up Relay for Life

Kay Prater: Guest columnist

The Clovis News Journal will be running columns written by Relay for Life participants this week in preparation for this weekend’s event.

Many of my family and friends have lost the battle to cancer. I have a daughter and a granddaughter who are survivors. I am a survivor and have many friends and other family members who also are survivors. I relay for all of these and for those who may yet be battling this disease.

Relay for Life enables the community to raise an awareness through the American Cancer Society of research being done to help find a cure for this disease and help raise funds toward this cause. The many teams participating in Relay For Life strive to set lofty goals through various fundraisers and contacting local businesses for donations.

The business owners sponsoring these teams are very generous in their donations and enable the American Cancer Society to help in many ways, including research.

This year has been an interesting experience for me. Cathy Hess and I are co-chairs for this year’s Relay for Life. We have had such wonderful cooperation from all of the committee chairs and Cathy and I greatly appreciate all of their hard work. We could not have done this without them. Hats off to you all and thanks.

Relay for Life is a time when survivors can come together to be recognized for their diligent fight and victory over this disease as well as a time when people who have friends and family who have battled cancer and have succumbed to come together in their memory. Luminarias are sold in honor and memory of these wonderful people and light our way around the track to find a cure.

This year’s relay promises lots of interesting entertainment, food, fun and fellowship. We encourage any who have not yet registered a team to join us Friday evening. They can get together at least five of their friends and/or family and form their own team. Any local survivors are encouraged to join us at 6 p.m. Friday for the survivor’s walk that they too may be recognized and honored.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cathy Hess, my co-chair, for all her hard work, patience and understanding in putting together a terrific Relay for Life. Our goals, though higher than anyone thought possible to achieve, are being met and some have even been surpassed. Thanks also to the families that have patiently stood by us as we met with our committees and team captains and not complained (too much, anyway).

Relay is a time to reflect on cancer survivors and those who have lost the battle to the disease. But it is also a time to reflect on what we can do to help prevent this disease from stealing the health of our loved ones.

Kay Prater is co-chairwoman for Relay for Life 2004.