The American Cancer Society is inviting the community to the Relay for Life event being held at the North Royalton YMCA from noon on May 31 until 6 a.m. on June 1. This year’s event got off to a slow start and organizers are hoping things will pick up and there will be a good turnout for this good cause. The Relay for Life is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer. Teams individually come up with ideas to raise funds which are then used for cancer research.
Opening ceremonies begin at noon followed by a survivor’s victory lap. All cancer survivors are invited to walk this first lap.
The Relay is family-friendly and includes an assortment of entertainment throughout the evening and into the next day. Some of the entertainerment includes music by Island Jeff, Amateur Hour, Baker’s Basement and James Gerard Duo. A Frozen T-Shirt contest will be held at 7:30 p.m. which should be very cool!
Some of the teams will be preparing specialty food items. Mayor Bob Stefanik, a cancer survivor himself, has formed a City Hall team called “Screaming Willeys,” in honor of Don Willey, former Ward 3 councilman who passed away of lung cancer in 2013. The mayor’s team will be serving “Old World Style Fried Bologna Sandwiches.”
“Hope Springs Eternal” team will be back this year, with co-captains, Maureen Shorts and Debbie Turk. The theme this year is Colors of Cancer. Teams represent a specific cancer and should have some educational information at the tents referring to their specific cancer being represented, said Turk. “Hope Springs Eternal” team selected gold for childhood cancers.
The Luminary Ceremony will take place at 9 p.m. In this moving segment, candles are lit and placed inside the luminaries, each with the name of someone who has battled cancer. Residents light a candle in memory of someone who has passed away from cancer, someone who is currently battling cancer, or celebrating someone who has beaten cancer.
To order a luminary, sign up for a team, or for more information about Relay for Life, contact event chairs, Maureen Shorts at shorts-stuff@att.net, Debbie Turk at dzturk@gmail.com or visit www.relayforlife.org/northroyalton.