Helen Benson Signs On To Co-Chair Relay For Life

By Kaaren Valenta

Helen Benson was not anxious to take on another volunteer project when she was approached by Ivette Gerics at the school bus stop two years go.

“Ivette told me that she and Dawn Escoda were trying to bring the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life to Newtown and invited me to the first organizational meeting,” Ms Benson said.

With a family history of cancer, Ms Benson immediately knew this was a project that she had to support even though she already was busy with other obligations..

“There were only three or four people at the first meeting, so I signed up to handle registrations for the relay,” she said. “I’ve done that now for two years. The rule is that volunteers spend no more than two years in a position because this is to be a community event, with opportunity for community members to participate, not something done by the same people each year.”

This year Helen Benson has agreed to co-chair the relay with Lynda and Guy Russo, last year’s co-chairmen.

“My grandmother died of liver cancer, one of my aunts died of ovarian cancer, another of uterine cancer, and a third of pancreatic cancer,” Ms Benson said. “I had a cousin who died of breast cancer ten years ago at the age of 49. And my cousin Lisa was 39 when she died from ovarian cancer after battling it for five years. My mother-in-law has Hodgkin’s.

“I said enough is enough. We have to find a cure. While I don’t expect to see it in my lifetime, the American Cancer Society has a goal of eliminating it by 2015.”

Money raised for research by events like Relay For Life has not only brought a possible cure closer, it has improved the lives of those who already have cancer.

“People with stage four cancer are in remission now, so you do see tremendous strides,” Helen Benson said. “Ten years ago when my cousin got breast cancer that wasn’t the case.”

Ms Benson and her husband, George, Newtown’s zoning enforcement officer, moved to Newtown in 1992. They have a daughter, Sarah, 12, who is in seventh grade.

“We had been living in North Haven and I was working in finance for Caldor in Norwalk,” Ms Benson said. “We moved to Newtown because my husband just loved the town and all its natural environment. It was a much easier commute for me, too.”

She wound up a ten-year career with Caldor last year after the company completed the process of going through bankruptcy court. “I worked out of my house during the last few years, but was very sad,” she said. “I really miss the company and the people I worked with.”

This year Helen Benson envisions a significant change in the procedures leading up to the June 10 relay at Newtown High School.

“We are going to try to go paperless,” she said. “It should save a lot of time and energy on the part of the participants.”

Meetings are held in the lecture hall at the high school, just across the hall from a computer lab.

“We are going to ask everyone to register online,” she said. “It will provide better tracking and better records. We won’t be assigning team spots at the high school until at least eight members of a team are registered. But they won’t have to fundraise on line.”

“We’re trying to make it easier for everyone, not all red tape and complicated,” she said.

The first year that the relay was held in Newtown, the organizers set a goal of $25,000 and raised more than $175,000. Last year they aimed for $250,000 and raised $280,000. Next year’s goal is $350,000.

“We anticipate recruiting 115 teams,” Helen Benson said.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 4, in the lecture hall. The kickoff will be February 1 in the high school cafeteria.

Relay For Life is an overnight walk-a-thon in which teams keep an ambulatory vigil to commemorate those struggling with cancer and those who have succumbed to it. Teams comprised of eight to 15 people take turns on the track walking or running in shifts. Participants do not have to stay all night, but many do, sleeping in tents that line the high school track. Activities are planned for individuals and families all during the relay.

“You can’t imagine what it is like until you’ve experienced it,” Ms Benson said. “When we started it in 2003, we wanted it to be a community event. It really turned out to be that — awesome.”

Persons who are interested in helping with the 2005 relay are invited to come to the next meeting, or to call Helen Benson at 426-3383 or Lynda and Guy Russo at 426-2995.