Third Annual Relay For Life Will Make The Rounds This Weekend

By John Voket

While the Newtown Labor Day Parade is arguably the community’s largest gathering of the year, this weekend’s Relay For Life probably marks a close second, and is definitely buffeted with significantly greater emotion. With cancer touching virtually everyone in some way, this local celebration of life is one of several thousand similar overnight marathons taking place in communities across the globe to raise awareness and support for research and outreach programs of the American Cancer Society.

As the months since last year’s record-setting relay count down to days and hours, dozens of dedicated volunteers are ramping up their energy levels to sustain them up to and through the 12-hour activity that will likely draw hundreds of cancer survivors and as many as 2,000 supporters to Newtown High School’s Blue and Gold Stadium track during Saturday’s overnight hours.

A recent memo from 2006 Relay Co-chair Helen Benson indicated that more than $100,000 has been raised or pledged already, toward an eventual goal that could top more than a quarter of a million dollars or more. The on-site effort will be supplemented by a late-breaking fundraiser inspired by Relay Luminary Chairperson Missy Desrochers, who wants to provide a “silver lining” for the touching candlelight activity by lining the inner track area with quarters which, if completed, will bring in more than $3,500 in extra coin to the coffers.

“Anyone attending or visiting is encouraged to bring as many quarters as possible so we can line the track in a complete circle the night of the relay,” Ms Desrochers told The Bee earlier this week.

The event will also mark the culmination of an interesting fundraising effort by Monroe resident Gordon Lang, a communicant of the local Trinity Church. He solicited donors to place the names of cancer victims or survivors on the back of T-shirts he is printing for Saturday’s relay as he completes a 100-mile trek around the track.

“I have done a couple of relays as part of a team and had a lot of fun and always wondered if I could do the whole thing myself ... and that is what I decided to do as a way to create a compelling reason for people to donate money to a very worthy cause. The event is actually 12 hours [7 pm to 7 am], but in order to cover the 100 miles, the local organizing folks have given me permission to set up and begin on Saturday morning at 7 am,” he said.

“So far, the donations are totaling approximately $11,000 thanks to extremely generous friends/family and a substantial match by my company, Octagon Marketing.

“Cancer directly or indirectly touches pretty much everyone ... and our family has had to deal with the disease just like so many others. But it kind of hit home early last year when my best friend’s wife, Laura, was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Mr Lang said. “She is extremely health conscious and fit so it leaves you shaking your head and asking how can this happen?”

Overwhelming Inspiration

Mr Lang’s inspiration is not unlike that of the many others heading up or joining teams for the Saturday relay. The event’s other co-chairs, Lynda and Guy Russo, and the many organizational volunteers have been working since early this year to ensure the 2006 Relay For Life is the best yet.

For participants planning to stay for most of, or the duration of, the 12-hour event, the field at NHS will be open for setups at 3 pm Saturday afternoon. And Ms Benson’s memo announced a brand new and innovative partnership with another popular local event that is happening at the same time.

“As many of you know, the Sandy Hook Lobster Fest takes place on the same weekend,” she wrote. “And in the past, many of us have missed a great opportunity to eat lobster. Well, fear not, you will be able to relay and eat a lobster. The firehouse has ‘hooked’ up with us and arrangements have been made for them to deliver lobster dinners to the relay.”

Sandy Hook volunteers will be making three “lobster runs” to the relay during the course of Saturday’s service. Anyone interested in placing an order for delivery to the relay site can obtain a form upon arrival.

In addition to lobsters or steak, NHS Blue & Gold Booster Club will be selling their standard fare and will be donating their profits to Relay For Life, and Coach’s Deli, a huge supporter of activity since its inception, will also deliver.

According to a advisory from Patrice Bedrosian, a spokesperson from the American Cancer Society, her office has already confirmed that more than 1,200 walkers from the community, representing more than 90 teams, will raise money to support the American Cancer Society’s programs of research, education, advocacy, and patient services. Walkers will keep at least one team member moving around the track throughout the night.

The action kicks off before the official 7 pm start with a Survivor Reception at 5:30, where cancer survivors and caregivers will gather for a celebration of life. The reception includes dinner and prizes, and is free of charge to survivors and a caregiver.

Opening ceremony will be at 7 pm, welcoming walkers and kicking off the Relay For Life of Newtown.

The heartwarming and highly emotional Cancer Survivors’ Victory Lap takes to the track at 7:30, where cancer survivors will join Honorary 2006 Relay Chair George Arfaras and together, they will officially start the Relay For Life with a victory lap around the track honoring all cancer survivors.

The next emotionally charged event unfolds at the annual Luminary Ceremony at 9 pm, where more than 1,200 luminaria (candles in wax bags that are sponsored for $10 each) are dedicated in honor or in memory of someone who has been affected by cancer.

Registration will be open from 5 to 11 pm to accommodate early birds and latecomers. Official ceremonies will include a Catholic Mass celebrated at 11:30 pm by Father Bob Weiss of St Rose of Lima Parish, and an interfaith sunrise service Sunday morning at 5:30.

Many Events Planned

In addition to the individual group, team, or tent fundraisers planned, light-hearted events will be scattered throughout the relay. These events will include a spam carving contest, bubble-gum blowing, Jell-O eating, and hula-hoop contests. There will also be midnight pilates, a “Midnight Hour” concert with John Voket, DJ and other live performances by cast members from the NHS musical How To Success In Business Without Even Trying, a wake-up yoga session, and themed laps with tie-a-team, crazy hats, and pajamas.

Also planned are a scavenger hunt, tug-o-war and “Miss Relay” contests along with competitions for Best Tent, Best Team Spirit, Best Costume, and “Bribe-a-Survivor.”

Leading sponsors for the 2006 Relay include Canaan Partners, MasterCard International, Coach’s Deli, Nanavaty, Nanavaty & Davenport LLP, Newtown Lions Club, Morgan Stanley, Newtown Deli & Catering and Newtown Savings Bank.

Additional Hope Sponsors include Century 21 Scalzo-Gleason Group, Coldwell Banker, Comet Amusements Co., Inc, Ernst & Young, LLP, International Benefits Group, J.P. Maguire Associates, Inc, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP, PNC Advisors, Praxair Cancer Center of Danbury Hospital, Realized Solutions, Inc, Sandy Hook Hair Co., and The Taunton Press.

Community Sponsors are: Armstrong Industries, Inc, Associated Refuse Haulers, Buck’s Transport Systems, Bulk Materials International Co., Carminuccio’s Pizza, Drywall Supply, Inc, Flagpole Realty, Inc, Hollandia Nurseries, LLC, John L. Realty, Lostocco Refuse Services, LLC, Mutual Fuel Corp, Newtown Arbor Services, Inc, Newtown Mobil, Norbert E. Mitchell Co., Inc, People’s Bank, Prudential Financial, Rotary Club of Newtown, Rowayton Marine Realty, LLC, Rowayton Marine Works, Inc, Super Fun Inflatables, LLC, Take One Cheerleading Academy, TR Paul, Union Savings Bank, and William Pitt Sotheby International Realty.