By Kate Quesada
SouthShore and Riverview residents have two opportunities to help fight cancer this month with Relay for Life events taking place at local high schools.
On Saturday, March 25, students and community members will join teams at East Bay High School to walk, camp and participate in other activities to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, while the Relay at Riverview High School, with similar events, will take place on Friday, March 31.
According to Experience Lead and Team Captain for Relay for Life SouthShore, Teena Garbus, more than 300 people are currently signed up under 38 teams for the East Bay event which has a goal of $75,000. The Riverview High School event, with a racing theme, is hoping to raise $100,000.
“The Relay event isn’t really a race,” said Garbus, who attended East Bay High School and started participating in the Relay in 2003 after her grandmother passed away. “There will be no finisher medals and there is no requirement of how many laps a person has to walk.
Rather, each team is encouraged to have someone walking at all times to signify the fact that cancer never sleeps, so for one night, neither will we.”
During the times participants are not walking the track they will be able to join in a large number of other activities planned including karaoke, scavenger hunts, an eating contest and a Quidditch tournament at the SouthShore event and musical chairs and a Mr. And Mrs. Relay contest at the Riverview Relay. According to Garbus, some of the activities will be free and some will have a small cost. More details on the timing of the events can be found on the school’s Facebook pages.
One of the highlights of Relay for Life events for participants is the Luminaria Ceremony which will take place at 9 p.m. at both schools.
“During the Luminaria Ceremony we honor survivors and remember those who have lost their battle with cancer,” said Relay for Life Community Manager Samantha Schneider.
All money raised at the events go to the American Cancer Society’s mission to save lives, celebrate lives and lead the fight for a world without cancer.
Sign up to participate in either event at www.relayforlife.org.
For more information, contact Schneider at 319-5920.
