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Relay For Life lights the way by Donna M. Webb
Before the Relay For Life’s opening ceremony began last Friday, there was a storm, complete with high winds, pelting rain and lightning. The weather seemed a metaphor for the struggle of those faced with cancer. As the honorary survivor Beth Dommer spoke, the sun came out once again – its golden glow a reminder of hope for a brighter day. Grand Island showed once again it is a community that cares enough to go the extra mile to help fight cancer. Earlier in the week, Relay Co-Chair Mary Dunbar-Daluisio estimated that funds raised hit the $125,000 mark, “ if not better.” A number of the tents that the Relay For Life teams had set up behind Grand Island High School were damaged or destroyed in the storm. Senior Sean McDermott said that while his team, the Spotlighters Drama Club, was doing its presentation, the call was made for everyone to get inside the school. “It was almost pitch black,” he said. Tent poles were bent or broken; one or two tents even flew over the fence. The opening ceremony of the Relay took place only half an hour later than scheduled. When the storm subsided, team members came out to fix up their tents, if they could, and reassemble the booths where they would sell items to benefit the American Cancer Society. After the VFW’s honor guard presented the colors, Glen Hillman sang the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Town Supervisor and Relay Co-Chair Peter McMahon praised the successful efforts to regroup after the storm. “This place was in shambles … there are a couple thousand people on the field now.” High School Principal Sandra Anzalone agreed. “There is a resilience you all showed by going in and regrouping and resetting; that lightning storm just made you bigger and made you stronger.” “To help the American Cancer Society as an entire community working with the schools is something we can all be proud of,” said School Superintendent Robert Christmann. ACS representative, Jane Dent, proclaimed: “Grand Island has the best Relay team I have ever worked with.” She explained that much of the money raised in Western New York stays right here to benefit those fighting cancer. “Six million dollars from the American Cancer Society is currently at work at Roswell Park Cancer Institute,” she said, noting that ACS is linked to every major cancer breakthrough in the past 60 years. Dunbar recounted the various ways in which Relay For Life team members and friends raised money for the past few months, such as bake sales, a bowl-a-thon, and sales of chocolate bars. “We all have a hand in the fighting of this disease,” she said. Survivor’s Struggle Dommer, a cancer survivor for 17 years, told of her struggle with breast cancer and how her mother died of the same disease in 1983. “I now look at life with a different view, and I do it with pizzazz.” She emphasized how important it is to “give back” to others and added, “It will come forward (to you) 1,000-fold when you least expect it.” After the opening ceremonies, Dunbar and Dommer walked around the high school’s track, as did others, in the Survivors’ Lap. The survivors wore purple T-shirts. Some held hands; others cried as they did their trek. Then there was a caregivers’ lap and, finally, a team lap. Team Huth raised more than $10,000. Teacher Beth Boron noted, “All of the kids in our school helped raise the money.” This team’s tent actually fell on them during the storm, but no one was hurt. Teams Worked Hard
Others of the many teams that ringed the track include: Team Lifesavers, who raffled off a signed Daniel Briere jersey; Team Flanilicious, who sold pizza and bottled water; Team Grand Island SRP (School-Related Personnel), who sold raffle tickets for a new bike and pink bracelets to honor the memory of Terry Voltz, a district employee who recently lost her battle with cancer; Team Kaegebein, whose team members had handcrafted bracelets made with crystals; Team Buses-R-Us, who raffled a handmade pillow and quilt. Ian’s Choo-Choo Caboose Team I formed a Team II because so many friends and family members wanted to participate. Ian Cameron, who just turned 3 on Memorial Day, is one of the youngest cancer survivors on the Island. A tumor on his spine had paralyzed him before his first birthday. His mother, Dona, reported that now, “He walks on his knees a little bit. … With braces, he will walk” normally someday, the doctors have told her. Family Event The Relay For Life event was filled with much entertainment, events for young children, basket raffles, singing and music. During the solemn Luminaria Ceremony, the City of Thorold Bagpipers played as they took a lap around the track. Substitute teacher Arlene Larry, luminaria chair, had no easy task with relighting the candles that went out and putting up new paper bags, which contained the candles, when the existing bags were destroyed by the storm. Security was well in place at the Relay For Life. Teacher Cheryl Chamberlain, who headed the security team, noted that there were quite a few town officials, as well as parents, helping out with this task. Volunteers did regular “tent checks” to assure that the Relay For Life remained a safe and orderly event.
Boundaries Growing The impact of the Grand Island Relay For Life, now in its fifth year, is spreading beyond the borders of Grand Island. Monica Simons and her son, Jon Thomas Robertson, took a nearly three hour trip from Cuba, N.Y., to attend the event. They learned of the Relay from Dona Cameron when she and Ian took a ride on the Arcade and Attica Railroad. Cameron explained to Simons how difficult it can be for families with ill or disabled children to take advantage of something like a train ride. As a result, Robertson’s next project involves upgrading a train so that these children can enjoy a ride. “We felt it was important to show support for Ian and what he is going through,” Simons said. Volunteering is something the Relay For Life members and Jon Thomas Robertson have in common, and it brings hope for a brighter day, just like the sunset last Friday. |
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