Community Corner

Coming Soon: It's a Big Year for the Herndon Relay for Life

2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the Herndon relay event, and the 100th anniversary of the American Cancer Society.

 

As American Cancer Society representative and Herndon Relay for Life chairperson Sheila Grooms often point out, nearly everyone's life has been touched by cancer.

One would be hard-pressed to find a school in which at least one teacher hasn't battled the disease; a church in which prayers haven't been said for at least one fellow parishioner suffering through cancer; or a family in which at least one relative hasn't been diagnosed.

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That is why Grooms and her fellow organizers say, the annual Herndon Relay for Life is such an important event to make time for, each year.

Grooms was one of a handful of people who stepped up to the plate to save the annual event when it almost folded or was merged with another region's, for lack of volunteers, a few years ago.

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"I woke up one morning and said, 'This cannot happen,' and so I volunteered to be an event chairperson," she said, laughing about how, before then, it was something she probably never would have pictured herself doing.

And, Grooms says, this year is truly a big year for the Relay - it is the 10th anniversary of the Herndon event, and the 100th anniversary of the formation of the American Cancer Society.

 

This Year's Event

This year's Herndon Relay for Life is coming up soon, over 24 hours from Saturday morning, June 8, to Sunday, June 9. The event will take place at Herndon Middle School.

It all starts with the Survivor/Caregiver Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Survivors and those that help them and "make their lives better" are invited to celebrate with delicious food and door/raffle prizes in the Herndon Middle School cafeteria.

Then, the Opening Ceremonies start at 1 p.m., and the special Kids' Area activities kick off at 2 p.m.

Grooms says, she wants everyone to know that the Herndon Relay for Life is an incredibly family-friendly event. The Kids' Area will have "crafts galore," a kids' decathlon competition, "super-sized" tic-tac-toe, music, a Chinese dancing lions performance, a scavenger hunt, bingo, kids' Zumba, a moon bounce house, and more.

The Kids' Area will keep going strong until 8 p.m.

A DJ will pump lively music into the relay area until 8 p.m., and the Luminaria Ceremony will take place at 9 p.m.

Also new this year, the Herndon Relay for Life will be going for a world record with a quarters challenge! 

For the challenge, families and participants are asked to bring as many quarters as they can, which everyone will place in a loop around the relay track in an attempt to get them all the way around, possibly for multiple laps.

Organizers say, this was achieved recently at a Relay for Life in Atlanta, Ga., where a whopping 1,724,000 quarters were looped around the track, with the proceeds going straight to the American Cancer Society. That is the current record, and Grooms said she hopes the Herndon Relay for Life can beat it.

One lap around the track equals about $4,000, Grooms said.

 

How Can One Help the Herndon Relay for Life?

There are several ways one can help the Relay be a success, and raise money for the American Cancer Society.

1. Form a Team - Have your organization represented as part of the Herndon Relay for Life. Or, just grab a group of friends or family members and form your own team. Teams hang out at the relay, camp out overnight, and take turns walking the track continuously.

2. Sponsor an Event - Your organization, team or family can help provide food, ideas, or a space for a fundraiser or other event, to help make the Herndon Relay a success. Or, hold an awareness event or campaign to help spread the word about ways everyone can help prevent cancer. Sharing information about cancer is an important part of every Relay, organizers say.

3. Donate Funds - Every dollar donated or raised helps care for those with cancer, or helps fund research to find ways to stop the disease. Your company or employer may even offer matching funds - ask!

4. Donate Items for the Silent Auction or Survivors' Gifts - The silent auction baskets help raise funds during the Relay. The event also recognizes the community's cancer survivors by giving them a survivor's gift. The Relay welcomes donations of items or gift cards/certificates.

5. Bring Canned Food for the Luminaria Ceremony - Relay organizers use canned food to help weigh down the paper bags that make up the luminarias. Donations of canned food are appreciated. After the Relay, they all get donated to local shelters and food pantries!

6. Spread the Word - The Relay for Life is all about getting everyone involved!

 

For more information or to register, visit www.herndonrelay.org

 

Have you participated or attended a past Herndon Relay for Life? If so, what did you think of the event? Are you planning to go this year? Tell us in the comments below.

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