Giving Thanks - Relay for Life April 5 & 6, 2013

I attended my first ever Relay for Life volunteer meeting a few weeks ago.  For those that may not have heard of Relay for Life (I hadn't) read this: Relay

My mom Lee, mother-in-law Merrilyn and dear friend Veronica all died of lung cancer.  My best friend's mom Toni, died of cancer.  It is sad to realize probably every single person in the world has known someone who has had this disease.  The good news is some people are survivors and there continue to be medical advancements to wipe out the many forms this disease takes.

Relay for Life is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.  It is 18 hours of fun, joy, laughter, tears, strength, hope, & love.  I already know I am going to need a case of Kleenex.

Here is how it works: there are teams, lots of them.  A team can have any number of members but each team needs to raise at least $100.00 to enter and each member of the team also needs to raise $100.00.  My boss doesn't know it yet but he is sooo donating!  Personally I think a team needs a lot of members because during every second of the 18 hours someone from the team needs to be walking/running the track.  This is to represent the fighters that can't quit fighting (more tears) because Cancer never sleeps.
 
My volunteer efforts are with the Relay for Life Seminole Heights team. I may try and get my own team together (consider yourself warned) not only because it is for a good cause but because I know my friends and I can come up with some unique ways to fundraise.  Even during the event each team will have a booth and offer bake goods or ?? to raise money.  One of my ideas is to offer a 5 or 10 minute foot massage for $5.00.  

 

I am also thinking of ways that my social media friends can join in if you so choose.  There is an amazing event just after dark called the Luminary Ceremony.  People  make a donation & and have their loved one's name & any wording or decoration, if requested, written on a luminary bag.  All the bags are lit and from what I have seen of the photos on Google it is very powerful (hello again Kleenex!). 
  
Another way will be to donate to my specific team and I will have that information on my next RFLSH post.  I am big on a lot of smalls make a large. Typically I am applying that to whatever I am eating but that is a different blog post. 

In case you are wondering where the money goes that is raised here is some good information.

During this season of Thanks my wish is that every daughter gets to stand beside her mom and celebrate the next big or small event in their lives.

Wishing you a day filled with what you give thanks for.

Ginny