Outstanding Support

For The Relay

To the Editor:

As staff partner of this year’s American Cancer Society Relay For Life committee, I would like to thank residents of Newtown for their generosity and support. Seventy-nine teams participated in this year’s event, raising more than $400,000 for the American Cancer Society’s research, education, advocacy, and service programs. The outstanding support received proves that the people of Newtown are truly committed to the fight against cancer.

I want to applaud the survivors who attended the survivor reception and participated in the opening lap. Survivors are the reason we continue the fight, and each year there are more and more people living wonderful lives following a diagnosis of cancer. Survivors give us hope. Thank you to survivors for your inspiration.

The Relay For Life committee did an outstanding job of putting the event together and was a true pleasure to work with. Special thanks to event chairperson, Necole Salvesen, as well as to the planning committee chairs: Helen Benson, Janelle Graham, Elizabeth Zarafis, Donna Forshaw, Guy Russo, Jen Rosbergen, Kathy Nostrand, Anne & Paul Kluga, Herb Kinsman, Mary Marinaccio, Kathryn Wolf, Pamela Behrman, Terry Stoller, Phyllis Cortese, Lynda Russo, Kristen Angell, Michelle Babyak, Carl Samuelson, John Moore, John Benvenuti, Gino Faiella, Glorianne Garvin, Maryann Barra. Thank you to the many Relay For Life volunteers who worked to make this event a success’ I appreciate your hard work.

On behalf of the community of Newtown, we appreciate the generosity of this year’s corporate sponsors. Relay For Life would not have been as successful without them. Our corporate sponsors are: Canaan Partners, Boehringer Ingelheim, Nanavaty, Nanavaty, & Davenport, Newtown Lions Club, Newtown Rotary, Morgan Stanley, Newtown Savings Bank, Danbury Hospital, Danbury Fair Mall, Dewey and LeBoeuf LLP, International Benefits Group, J.P. Maguire Associates, Inc, PNC Advisors, Realized Solutions, Inc, Ring’s End, RML, Inc, The Taunton Press, and Saturn of Danbury. Media sponsors were 98 Q, Charter, and The Danbury News Times. In-kind sponsors include: Newtown Deli, The Newtown Bee, Andrea’s Bakery, Curtis Packaging, Coffee Connections, and the Newtown Tech Team.

Again, thank you for supporting the American Cancer Society, and remember, it’s not too early to become involved in Relay For Life for next year. If you would like to contribute to this year’s event, please call 800-889-3340 (press 3 for the receptionist).

Sincerely,

Erin Nielsen

2008 Relay For Life Staff Partner

1 Windaway Road, Bethel                                               June 18, 2008