By: Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
With the threat of storms overnight Friday, the 2015 Crawford County Relay for Life moved inside Wynford’s gymnasium, and while some of the events may have been scaled down, the heart of the participants was as big as ever.
With a goal of raising $97,000 for cancer treatment research, 14 teams banded together Friday night and into Saturday, for the fight against cancer.
Relay volunteer and director of the Luminaria program Angela Williams explained what had to be changed with the event moving indoors.
“We are going to do every activity we planned on doing. We just needed to slim line some of the stuff, because obviously we are limited on space.” Williams said. “But everything is still going on. We are still doing all the ceremonies, the activities, the carnival, the Disney Characters are still going to be here, so everything is still going on just in smaller portions.”
Of the fourteen teams the St. Paul Lutheran Church Striders have been part of the Crawford County Relay for Life since its inception.
Striders team member Barb Van Scoit explained what brings the team out year after year.
“We want to find a cure for cancer. A lot of team members have had cancer in their family, and one of our honorary chairmen tonight is also one of our team members,” Van Scoit said.
The ACS Support team have taken part in 14 of the Crawford Relays. Linda Bauer shared one of her favorite memories from a past Relay event.
“When my Granddaughter was very small I explained to her what we were doing, and it was time for us to come off the track, and she said ‘Oh no Grandma, we got to keep walking, and make these people well,’ she was about three years old at the time. She had a good attitude and still does,” Bauer said.
Also clocking in 14 years at the Crawford County Relay for Life was the St. John’s Youth C.C. Kara James explained how she got started with the Relay for Life.
“It all started with my aunt in 1998 and went through her battle with cancer. It has been one after another with somebody, and in 2006 it was my dad,” James said. “I just can’t let it go that all those people that I know and even more have passed; it drives me. I just can’t sit back and let it go by of someone getting cancer and us not raising money for research.”
Formed just two weeks ago the Good Hope Youth of the Good Hope Church was the newest team to the Crawford County Relay.
David Wolfe of the Good Hope Youth explained his favorite part of participating in the Relay.
“My favorite part is seeing all the people here supporting each other,” Wolfe said. “It’s pretty cool.”
The opening ceremony for the Relay began at 6 pm Friday evening. After the opening ceremonies activities will take place throughout the night until the closing ceremony at 11:30 am.