Fundraising will continue
More than 400 persons attended the Relay for Life of Greene County Saturday. The event raised close to $33,000 for the American Cancer Society, with more money to come in.
The total includes $16,421 raised by 12 teams, cash sponsorships of more than $10,000, proceeds from the community barbecue and luminaria sales, $329 from the 50/50 raffle, and other donations not specifically from a team. Three teams will be turning in money in the weeks ahead.
A new event at the Relay was a 46 Second Challenge. Someone in the United States is diagnosed with cancer every 46 seconds. For the Challenge, Greene County high school speech students ran among the Relay attendees collecting change and small bills for 46 seconds. They collected $106.
The speech students also provided educational moments using the Relay’s super hero theme. Cancer Crusader (Jordan Davis) foiled Cancer Creep’s (Avery Bardole) attempts to cause skin cancer and lung cancer. Josey Weaver, Madison Hall and Clay Peters were Cancer Creep’s intended victims.
Relay event leadership team chair Tori Riley presented certificates to AAI/Spalding and the Jefferson Kiwanis Club as platinum level sponsors.
Riley and team chair Autumn Larson presented the inaugural Team Spirit Award to Team Velda’s Varieties, a Rippey-based team that honors Velda DeMoss.
Greene County Medical Center hosted a reception for survivors and their caregivers, and also gave each survivor a special T-shirt. About 30 survivors and 10 caregivers attended. Following tradition, the survivors initiated the walking portion of the Relay.
Members of the Town and Country Band, which entertained during the Relay, “bribed” the audience to join in on the Chicken Dance. Twenty-seven audience members came to the front to dance and band members donated $355 to Relay for Life.
Youngsters enjoyed their own Heroes-in-Training 6-block run. A total of 81 persons ran or walked in the Heroes-in-Training run or the 5K Super Hero run.
The Greene County Cattlemen and the Greene County Pork Producers grilled burgers for about 350 persons. Beta Sigma Phi sorority had help in the serving line from Interact Club and National Honor Society members.
The silent auction raised $6,902. The auction has grown every year.
“The day was very satisfying for the entire leadership event team. We saw a few tears as people remembered loved ones they’ve lost to cancer, but many more smiles throughout the day,” said event leadership team chair Tori Riley.
Donations can be accepted and team fundraisers can continue for the 2018 Relay for Life until August. In 2017, another $12,000 was added to the total after the April Relay. Donations can be taken to Peoples Trust & Savings Bank in Jefferson.
