Relay for Life gives chance to fight back
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RONAN — The American Cancer Society expects more than 1.6 million people will get cancer this year, and another 589,000 will die from the disease, but Friday night, folks will gather in Ronan with a goal of helping drive those numbers down at the annual Relay for Life.
“The big thing we do is to fight back,” Lake County Relay for Life Online Coordinator Joyce Kackmann said. “What we do around the track is helping research to eradicate cancer. The more money that we can get around the track, the sooner we will be able to eradicate cancer.”
Kackmann said the relay also plays a part in honoring those who have endured the disease.
“It’s important to celebrate the survivor and remember those who cancer has taken,” Kackmann said. “It’s not a choice.”
The relay kicks off with a Survivor’s Dinner at 5 p.m. at the Ronan High School track. Survivors will gather for a photo at 6:30 p.m. on track, before opening ceremonies takes place at 7 p.m. At 7:15 p.m. a parade of teams will be held.
Attendees will be able to meet teams, make laps, and peruse raffle baskets placed around the track. At 8 p.m. voting for the best cake will begin. Impressive creative designs and scrumptious recipes will be pitted against each other during the cake auction at 9 p.m.
At 10:30, the luminaria ceremony will take place. Candles glow from decorated bags in memory of those who have lost their battle.
At 1 a.m., there will be closing ceremonies and raffle drawings.
“People should come and check it out because this is such a great way to support people who have been struggling with cancer,” Lake County Relay for Life Coordinator Karen Dellwo said. “You don’t always know, yet if you knew more of their story then maybe you could help.”
This year’s relay includes 16 teams and 112 participants who have raised more than $26,000 as of July 3. That number was expected to rise after this week. Those monies go into the nation-wide American Cancer Society that is filtered back to Montana. Last year that funding helped 383 low-income Montanans receive healthcare, 3,211 assists with transportation, and 2,033 nights of free or reduced rate lodging. More than 10,000 online sessions were held for survivors.
Dellwo has been working with the Lake County Relay for Life for more than 15 years, since it started, and she said it is easy to get hooked on helping the organization.
“I can’t imagine not being a part of the relay,” Dellwo said. “It’s just a part of me.”
Those who don’t want to brave the heat can also help from the comforts of home, by logging onto LakeCountyRelay.org.
