So i just got my account set up.  My first year doin the relay but i have always wanted to do it. So i'll blog more later but thats kind of it for now.

Peace,

Feeney

Every year I find more reasons to be put of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

In the past, the only cancer to touch my life was through family. However, this past year, it came into my life through my friends. I lost a dear friend to leukemia, watched a coworker battle colon cancer, and realized that a new friend is a bone cancer survivor.

Relay for Life is truly a grueling event. I stayed the entire 18+ hours last year. It was important to me to stay this time. I felt that if I could survive the Relay, it would be the least I could do to honor those battling cancer. I could have left and went home anytime. It was cold. I was exhausted...and I mean exhausted. I kept repeating to myself, "cancer patients can't just quit. They have to survive or die". This mantra helped me to stay focused and committed.

I have decided to blog on my account.  I had a friend ask me at church if I wanted to help and take part in the Relay for Life.  I immediately said yes.

 I have, as many, been touched by the effects of cancer in my family.  My grandfather died of lung cancer at the age of 61.  I was only 7 when he passed.  My grandmother has been in remission from Breat Cancer for several years now, praise God! 

 I have known so many lives and families effected by so many cancers.  It gives me some peace to know that I can do something to help those who suffer or have suffered due to cancer. 

I share from the heart and ask that God bless you and your families.

These photos depict the giant Luminaria bag created by the 2007 Relay For Life of Brandeis University Luminaria Committee.  The bag was about 7 feet tall, constructed of PVC pipe and white butchers paper.  Measurements were taken of a real Luminaria and then increased to ensure that the giant bag was built to scale.

 

During the Luminaria ceremony each of the participants was given a glow stick.  They were asked to crack their glow sticks and place them in the Luminaria bag depending how they were touched by cancer.  The first and last people to drop their glow sticks in the bag were survivors. 

I pasted the script below so that you can see the cues that we used.  The giant bag really added something special to the Luminaria ceremony.  It gave each participant a chance to be part of the ceremony and honor and remember people in their lives.  It was incredible to see the bag come to life- it glowed very brightly once all of the glow sticks had been placed in it.  The sounds of the glow sticks falling into the bag was really touching.  You knew that each glow stick represented at least one person in the community who had been touched by cancer.  It was a great visual to add to the Luminaria ceremony.  The lights around the Luminaria bag are Christmas lights strung in the shape of a ribbon.  The giant Luminaria bag was paced out prior to the ceremony for participants to sign and write messages on.  Luminaria bags were also sold, and lined the track at the event.   

These photos depict the giant Luminaria bag created by the 2007 Relay For Life of Brandeis University Luminaria Committee. The bag was about 7 feet tall, constructed of PVC pipe and white butchers paper. Measurements were taken of a real Luminaria and then increased to ensure that the giant bag was built to scale.

 

 

During the Luminaria ceremony each of the participants was given a glow stick. They were asked to crack their glow sticks and place them in the Luminaria bag depending how they were touched by cancer. The first and last people to drop their glow sticks in the bag were survivors. I pasted the script below so that you can see the cues that we used. The giant bag really added something special to the Luminaria ceremony. It gave each participant a chance to be part of the ceremony and honor and remember people in their lives. It was incredible to see the bag come to life- it glowed very brightly once all of the glow sticks had been placed in it. The sounds of the glow sticks falling into the bag was really touching. You knew that each glow stick represented at least one person in the community who had been touched by cancer. It was a great visual to add to the Luminaria ceremony. The lights around the Luminaria bag are Christmas lights strung in the shape of a ribbon. The giant Luminaria bag was paced out prior to the ceremony for participants to sign and write messages on. Luminaria bags were also sold, and lined the track at the event.

I will start by saying "HELLO"... This is my 6th year involved in Relay, and I'm still LEARNING. I'm so happy ACS has created a place for all of us to TALK.

In 1999 a sweet little girl named Hannah was diagnoised with ALL leukemia. We loved her family and her very much. Over the next 5 years it would have a whole community questioning everything from their faith to doctor's opionions, and also their own health. We lost Hannah on April 27,2004, she fought the fight. Hannah has brought so many people together with her strenghth and courage. I wanted to do things in Hannah's name constantly, but now that I have become involved in Relay everyday is for Hannah.

In the past 4 years I have lost one uncle and two aunts to lung cancer, they all SMOKED. I loved them all dearly, and miss them. They are also why I Relay. We can all relate to almost all Cancer Stories, and that is something I don't always enjoy. I LOVE PEOPLE and I don't LIKE SADDNESS. Relay to me is HAPPINESS. If you want to talk, and share stories please email me. Also go to our Relay myspace.  myspace.com/ontariorelayforlife , become a friend there and have fun. Hope to meet some of you someday.

Virtually Celebrating, Remembering, and Fighting Back !

 Team Design riding the track to make sure the build is ready for teams to come in and take over!

  The Spirit Chasers bang the drum before the sims open for the event!

                                                                       The Gates to Oz and the Emerald City were opened, and the tin man wanders the sims!

                                                                           I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!

This is our second relay and my first as a volunteer.  We are looking for some helpful hints on the survivor reception and maximizing donations.  We want this to be another successful relay, but as a beginner I appreciate any helpful hints.

                                                                        In an ongoing effort to push donations, one of the teams created a jail and bail was donated!

I have a question regarding my team registrations.  I have several teams that paid their registrations to the relay staff person.  THey are now trying to get online to register their team but it won't let themcomplete the registration unless they put in a credit card.  This is a new problem.  In the past, we chose the registration type of Team registration already paid.  Any ideas wha might have changed?

Deanna Hodnicki

www.events.cancer.org/rflbullochga

 

How do team members register without an email address or do we as online chairs have to do it as event manager?

Deanna Hodnicki

Can you change someone's t-shirt size after it's entered?

 Deanna Hodnicki

As soon as I figure out how to get last years posts moved so this years post can be read, I will get this blog up and rolling with tidbits from the gearing up of Second Life's (SL) 2008 Relay For Life.  Some of our other chair persons are going to post pictures of our virtual Relay, you might want to see if you can find them.   Anyway, stick with me and I promise, I  will stop trying to chew gum and type at the same time; then I will be able to figure this out!

Fighting Next to You,