Teams still wanted for 24-hour fundraising event

By Kristyne E. Demske
C & G Staff Writer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — With a little more than two months to go, the Shelby Township Relay for Life got well under way March 12 at a kick-off event at Eisenhower High School.

“The kickoff is generally just one big event that we put on,” said Janelle Nagy, a community representative with the American Cancer Society. “We invite the community to sort of come out and learn about Relay (for Life). The general point of it is to try to get as many teams as we can.”

This year, she said, 55 people came to the event, including 10 cancer survivors and 15 caregivers of cancer patients. Eighteen teams signed up at the event, bringing Shelby’s total to 36 teams — the same number that participated in the township’s first event in 2007.

But they’re still looking for participants.

“We have another two months that we’ll be recruiting, and we would love to hit our goal of 45 teams,” she said.

The kick-off event featured a recruitment video and an overview from Nagy of this year’s three tenants: celebrate, remember and fight back. Survivors spoke and were remembered with a small luminaria ceremony, which is done in a bigger way at the actual event. Participants also heard about Relay Online, a first this year, where participants or those interested can find out local news and information on how to sign up.

The 2007 Relay for Life was the first for the township, and raised $150,000 — more money than was ever anticipated.

Eisenhower High School and Malow Junior High School were honored at the kickoff for raising $10,000 and $35,000, respectively, for the 2007 event.

The 2008 Relay for Life will be overnight from May 31 to June 1 at River Bends Park.

“The kickoff is to get the whole thing moving, so people say, ‘OK, now it’s time to start raising money,’” said Louise LaFaive, media chair for the Shelby Township Relay for Life committee.

She said there’s still plenty of time for people to get involved, too, even if they weren’t at the kickoff.

“There’s not a time where we say, ‘No, you cannot participate,’” she said.

LaFaive said she’s involved for the same reasons everyone is, because the disease is something that needs to be eradicated, and those who are living through it need support.

“Cancer has hit many people in my lifetime, and I think that everybody feels the same way about it,” she said.

It takes 10 to 15 people to make up a team for the 24-hour event, she said. There’s no minimum amount that needs to be raised, but there is a $150 sign-up fee for each team.

“The idea of it is to keep someone on the track from each team at all times,” she said. “It’s more about support for survivors and caregivers, and letting people know that this disease is out there, and it needs to be fought.

“You shouldn’t have to go through cancer yourself. That’s why the American Cancer Society is there.”

There will be team captain meetings held April 2 and 23, and May 14 in Room 229 at Eisenhower High School. Anyone interested can come to sign up a team and get more information.

Anyone can sign up or get more information by calling Janelle Nagy at (248) 200-8032, or log on to Relay Online at events.cancer.org/rflshelbytownmi.

You can reach Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1041.