Relay for Life annual cancer research fundraiser plans set

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The annual Relay for Life kickoff event was held at St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church Thursday evening. Ashley Graves

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January 13, 2012

Relay for Life annual cancer research fundraiser plans set

By Ashley Graves The Cullman Times The Cullman Times Fri Jan 13, 2012, 07:24 PM CST

CULLMAN — Cullman County’s Relay for Life event committee faced quite the obstacle — Mother Nature — a year ago when it came time for the annual event to be held.

The 2011 Relay for Life was initially scheduled for the first weekend in May, but had to be postponed in the wake of the EF-4 tornado that caused extensive damage in Cullman on April 27. It was rescheduled for the end of June, but wet weather persevered once again.

A severe thunderstorm that pushed through during the late afternoon hours at the time the event was schedule to start forced the staff to make impromptu changes. The event, which lasts well into the wee hours of the morning, was trimmed to a just few hours and everything from the survivor’s lap to the illuminaria service was held inside a small building at the Cullman County Fairgrounds.

“It actually ended up being one of the best relay’s we’ve ever had,” Relay for Life Co-Chair Mavis Martin said. “If you were there, you where there for a reason or purpose.”

On Thursday night at the annual Relay for Life kickoff event held at St. Johns Evangelical Protestant Church, a banner hung not far from the theme of this year’s event that read, “Cullman Relay is simply the best.” Martin said she couldn’t think of a better slogan after the obstacle the event went through a year ago.

“Cullman Relay is simply the best because we’re going all the way to the top,” Martin told those in attendance for the meeting.

The kickoff is an event where families, caregivers, cancer survivors, schools, companies and others joint to begin the community’s annual Relay for Life activities. It also serves as an opportunity for people to register teams and sign up to serve as Relay volunteers.

Lindsey Jones, of Gurley, was one of two special guests at the event Thursday night. Jones, who is an American Cancer Society Hero of Hope, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosar,a rare form of cancer found behind the sinuses, at the age of four. A day after she was admitted to the hospital, she woke up and discovered she was blind.

“Cancer took away my eyesite, but not my vision for the future,” she said during her message.

Jones is currently a 10-year cancer survivor and is a regular guest speaker at American Cancer Society events.

Despite fundraising being slightly down a year ago, Martin is hoping things will pick back up for 2012. According to the co-chair, the goal for this year is $300,000. As of Thursday, 24 teams had already registered for the event scheduled to be held May 4-5 at the Cullman County Fairgrounds. This year’s theme is “The Power of Purple.”

“We’ve lost so many people that have made an impact on Cullman relay, that we’re just trying to keep things basic and hope to reach our goal to have more birthdays and beat cancer,” Martin said.

Since 1985, when Relay for Life first began, more than 3.5 million people participate each year. The funds raised allow the American Cancer Society to continue supporting cancer research, its state and national legislative advocacy and the Society’s many educational and community service programs.

For more information about Relay for Life of Cullman, to register a team or to serve as a volunteer, contact Helen Allen via email at helen@weltimail.com or Gidgett Overton at gidgett.overton@cancer.org.

* Ashley Graves can be reached by phone at 734-2131, ext 225 or by email at agraves@cullmantimes.com

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Relay for Life annual cancer research fundraiser plans set

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