Lincoln Co. Relay For Life 2010 wraps up

By Dan Kuss
lbnews@itctel.com

The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is about remembering those who have lost their lives to cancer, honoring and celebrating the lives of those who have survived it, thanking caregivers and fighting back against the disease through fundraising.

Relay For Life in Lincoln County began in 2001 after Joyce Knutson, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, was invited to the Pipestone Relay For Life that year. Knutson was impressed with the Pipestone event and thought, “We could do this in Lincoln County.”

The very next year, with the help of many good friends, Lincoln County held its first Relay For Life event in Tyler. Lincoln County is the only group that moves their event to different cities within the county and does so every three years.

“We are blessed with more than one good sized town in Lincoln County and we’re kind of spread out, where most counties have one large centralized town that they hold Relay in every year,” said Knutson. “We move our Relay For Life to a new town in the county every three years to touch new people and pick up supporters that have never been to one before.”

The first three Relay events were held in Tyler, the next three in Lake Benton, the following three in Hendricks and this was the first of three years in Ivanhoe.

Relay For Life originates from an idea in 1985 by Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma, Wash. colorectal surgeon, who wanted to boost the income of his local American Cancer Society office. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed, which was running marathons.

In May of 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium in Tacoma at the University of Puget Sound and running or walking for more than 83 miles. Throughout the night, friends paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He raised $27,000 to fight cancer.

While Dr. Klatt circled the track during those 24 hours, he thought about how others could take part in this fundraiser. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer.

Today, Dr. Klatt’s idea has evolved into everyday people, from all walks of life, walking or running the track from before dusk to after dawn.

At Relay events, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length, because cancer never sleeps.

The Lincoln County Relay For Life event is well planned with continued activity throughout the night. This year there were 14 teams, each with a theme for creative fundraising activities and food, some with sponsors.

Teams consisted of 12 to 23 team members to help man their ‘camp’, operate the various booths and walk the track in memory of, in honor for and in the fight against cancer.

Don Prosch of Lake Benton, a survivor of prostate cancer since November 20, 1998, walked the track with two canes propping him up as the festivities were ramping up. “I feel very fortunate to be here,” said Prosch. “A lot of my friends are gone, but I’m still here and I’m walking this track.”

The Lincoln County event began on Friday evening at 5 p.m. with a pork supper, which sold out by 6:30 p.m., Luminaria sales in which people decorated their own bag with pictures, drawings or by gluing ribbons and things on them in addition to a silent auction held inside of a tent.

All of the proceeds go to The American Cancer Society, which is dedicated to help everyone who faces cancer. These events raise money for research, patient services, early detection, treatment and education.

There was a smart shop set up with an advocacy booth and information from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association and American Heart Association. With a festival in a park like atmosphere, there was entertainment, activities and music from beginning to end.

The opening ceremonies were rather somber in nature as everyone there was on a mission. Cancer is serious business.

The Colors of the United States of America were presented and the National Anthem was sung. Messages from the Honorary Chairpersons were given by Stacey Kiley for her mother, Brenda Sheik of Ivanhoe and by Doris Kragh of Tyler.

“Two years ago my mom called and said she had been diagnosed with breast cancer,” said Kiley. “We were all scared to death as the prognosis kept getting worse with each surgery. My mom is tough and she was going to beat this thing. We want to make it so no one ever hears the words ‘You have cancer,’ again.”

Doris Kragh lost her husband to cancer at the age of 47 in 1965. This was before cancer became a household word as cigarettes became linked to lung cancer and before the birth of Hospice when adequate pain control methods were available.

“We never got to grow old together. He never got to see his children grow up, get married or meet his grandchildren,” said Kragh. “As the years progressed, I lost three brothers to lung cancer, a sister from breast cancer and another sister is a 15 year survivor of ovarian cancer. Because of this, the rest of my siblings would look at each other and say, ‘Who’s next?’ It was me! I am very grateful to say that I am now cancer free and a seven year survivor.”

After recognizing the Lincoln County survivors, caregivers and major sponsors, everyone lined up on the track for the survivors inspirational Victory Lap, which was led by the RTR Drumline and this years honorary chairs, followed by survivors, their families and friends.

At dusk, the luminarias lined up along each side of the quarter mile track were lit ceremoniously, lighting the way through the night. Activity on the track never ceased, but kept constantly moving in a steady stream of faith, hope and healing.

Rochelle Borresen, a 10 year cancer survivor and the first Lincoln County Honorary Chair, her daughter Skylar and her mother, Carol Heffele, a three year survivor, were taking pictures by their luminarias. “We’ve got two generations of survivors in our family,” said Borresen. “We hope to find a cure before a third generation, my daughter, has to go through the same ordeal.”

Many laps were walked in complete silence, in reverence and hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, those who face cancer will be always be supported and that one day cancer will be eliminated from the face of the earth.

Jackie Studemann, one of the Masters of Ceremonies, said and repeated, “All of the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”

Throughout the night, various fun activities and contests were put on by the teams and theme laps such as the Peace, Love and Flower Power laps were taken, with people dressing up like 1960’s hippies.

Tunes were played throughout the evening by More Cowbell Productions Disc Jockey, who also assisted with Name That Tune and other themed activities at center stage, such as the egg toss, golf games and donut eating contest.

Team members had fun celebrating yet remained serious about the fight against cancer and the reason they were there. “I think we’ve raised nearly $44,000 this year,” said Jenifer Vollmer, a cancer survivor and a 2008 Honorary Chair. “Just in little Lincoln county.”

One luminaria sheds only a little light. Thousands of them together create a glow. At 5 a.m. as day broke, the luminarias were put out after burning brightly and keeping the track lit all night. The teams and crews struck camp, dismantled booths, picked up debris, loaded supplies and met for the closing ceremony and the traditional group hug. Everyone went home, leaving the park in the same shape it was found. The spirit of all who attended lingered. Heal us and we shall be healed. Cancer may take our life, but not our spirit. Cancer is like the television show Survivor, only no one gets voted off the island.

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