|
|
|
Relay for Life Comes to Wickenburg
May 11th 2002 (link to Pictures at the end) The following story is dedicated to the following people. My Grandfather Clifford C. Gray. My Father Robert G. Gray. And my great uncle Howard Gray. Besides having the last name of Gray, they were all outdoorsman, and they have all lost their battles to cancer.
For the last 24 hours I have been a volunteer for the Relay for Life fund-raiser put on by the American Cancer Society. This was the first time the Relay for Life has been in Wickenburg and I hope and pray it will not be the last. The Relay for Life in Wickenburg had 10 teams. Each team consisted of 10 to 15 people. Some would do the relay walk around the track. Each team walked for 15 to 24 hours with out stopping. Team members not walking were at their campsites, which were set up along the inside of the track. At the campsite each team sold all sorts of items from baked goods to arts and crafts. With all proceeds going the Cancer Society. Along with that money each team member will get donations from the community. Plus the teams sold luminarias (In the Mexican tradition.) Each luminaria has the name of a cancer victim on it. They were set up around the track and were lighted after dark in memory of the victim. The teams competed against each other to see who could raise the most money. To start the relay the first lap is walked by Cancer Survivors from the surrounding community. This is called the survivors walk. After all the survivors have finished their first lap the rest of the teams take over. Cancer has no boundaries; it hits Outdoor people, hunters, fishers, campers, hikers as well as the nature conservationists. During this last 24 hours I have witnessed anti-hunters and hunters walking side by side to help stamp out or in this case walk over one of the most deadly diseases known to the human race. These Relay for life events are held all over the United States. If you would like to help set one up in your community or if you belong to a club, like an archery, fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, shooting, blackpowder etc. make a challenge to all of the clubs in the state. And give Marc Atonna Special Events Manager, Southwest Division, American Cancer Society a call at 602-224-0524 ext. 7409, 1-866-586-4713 or shoot him an e-mail at marc.atonna@cancer.org. If you live outside the state of Arizona you can log onto www.cancer.org and follow the prompts to your state Rep. Just think if hunters and anti-hunters could walk side by side for 15 hours in the small town of Wickenburg Arizona, and raise over $6000.00 dollars think what would happen if they got together all across this great country we live in.
Help walk over cancer. R L Gray Staff Writer Team AZOD
|