Relay Countdown Is On, Fundraisers Abound

By John Voket

With three weeks to go until the 2011 Newtown Relay For Life, volunteers will be out in the community Saturday, May 14, with a bright idea about how to honor a loved one engaged in the fight, or to memorialize someone they know who has lost the battle with cancer.

Luminaria Saturday is the day when residents can purchase memorial luminaria lanterns that will surround the relay track just after dark on the evening of June 4 and spell out the word HOPE, serving as an inspiration to those diagnosed with and survivors of cancer, as well as to remember those who are gone, according to Relay Co-chair Michelle Babyak.

Volunteers will be stationed at high profile locations including Stop & Shop, Excel Tutoring on the corner of Church Hill Road and Queen Street, and at Newtown Youth Academy at Fairfield Hills, which is helping to host the 2011 Relay.

For the first time, the Relay Luminaria Committee, headed by Chris Farrington, is also asking members of the community to send photos of loved ones engaged in the fight, or to remember those who are gone.

A slide show of those photos will play during the moving Luminaria Ceremony, which will take place around 9 pm on June 4 in front of NYA. The jpg images can be e-mailed to

RelayForLifeOfNewtown

@gmail.com, with the words Luminaria Slide Show in the subject line.

“Even if people are not part of a team, this is a community event open to all,” said 2011 Relay Co-chair Addie Sandler. “And the luminaria ceremony is one of the most moving aspects of the entire event. It’s the reason why I got involved in Relay in the first place. Anyone from town can come and see a loved one’s picture as part of the ceremony, even if they just come out to the event for that one hour.”

Anyone submitting a photo, or customizing a luminaria lantern, is asked to write, “In Memory of...” or “In Honor of...” and then placing the name of the individual being recognized as a tribute to their experience with the disease. Printable luminaria forms are also available on the local relay website,

www.RelayFor

Life.org/newtownct.

Monday Sushi Fundraiser

Another fundraiser for the In the Pink Relay team involves downloading a coupon, or clipping it from the ad in this week’s Newtown Bee, and taking it to Toro Japanese Restaurant any remaining Monday in May. Toro has agreed to donate 20 percent of each total diner check to the 2011 Relay. Coupons will also be available at the door on Mondays, May 16, 23, and 30.

This year’s Relay will get a boost from a large contingent of Newtown youths, many of whom will be part of youth teams. Ms Sandler reminds all youth teams of the special rules to permit those teams to successfully participate.

“Most importantly, two forms must be signed — one by the youth participant and a parent, and the other by their chaperone at the event,” Ms Sandler said. “As they may have seen on our website, we require all Relay participants under the age of 18 to fill out the Youth Participant Form and have it signed by a parent or guardian. It can be turned in at a team captains’ meeting or mailed to the local American Cancer Society office.”

Ms Sandler added that one chaperone over the age of 25 is required for every five youth team members. Chaperones are required to fill out the Chaperone Agreement and bring it to a team captains’ meeting or mail it to the local American Cancer Society office.

Both forms can be downloaded from the local relay website under the Youth Participants & Parents tab.

Online Auction

The Newtown Relay’s online auction opens May 16 for anyone who wants to make a donation while getting access to some great donated items in return. Numerous gift certificates to area businesses and restaurants are available for bid, along with a vacation escape to Cancun, Mexico, a NASCAR fan experience, jewelry, DJ or live music for any event, even a trip for two to the 44th or 45th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville for three days and two nights with economy air transportation.

Bids can be made on all donated items at the aforementioned website under the On-Line Auction tab.

Two Zumba fundraisers are being held at ZPlace for Fitness at 266 South Main Street on May 21 and 27. Contact sponsor Lori Buchetto at 203-300-9594 for details.

The NUMC Angels Team is sponsoring a communitywide tag sale May 28 at the Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, from 9 am to 3 pm. Donations from community members can be dropped off at the church beginning May 23, and continuing Monday through Friday between 10 am and 2 pm.

Questions can be directed via e-mail to Kim Pearlman at kpearl@charter.net.

This year’s top fundraising team to date, Las Mamacitas, is selling cookbooks titled Cooking for a Cure, for $20 each, featuring more than 450 recipes tested in the kitchens of local Relay supporters and community members.

The books will be hand delivered to any donor; arrange to receive one or more by e-mailing

lasmamacita@gmail.com.