Relay for Life, June 20, 2008

This years Relay for Life was a huge success. I want to say thanks to my family, especially Chris' parent's Bennie and Carol and lil' sis Jamie, for being such a huge part of his team. They helped set up, cook, take down, and basic moral support for this event. Chris and his employer, Neways, support the Relay for Life with a team each year and actually were able to raise quite a bit of money this time around. Some other noteworthy teams were the Save the Ta Ta's Team, the Toilet Flusher Team (to flush away cancer), plus many, many others. Chris had guys from his crew volunteer to cook. The food was delicious. I am really impressed with the caliber of people who took the time to help out for this good cause. My dad had just recently returned from his first session of chemo and was not able to attend as his immune system was vulnerable, so mom came and walked in his place for the survivor lap. It was an incredibly humbling moment to watch the many survivors take that first lap around the course...I had this huge lump in my throat and tears stinging my eyes, just imaging the strength and willpower these folks posses as they fight for their lives each and every day. Chris was nominated as MC and over entertainment this year, which he totally rocked at and, if I might add, totally blew last year's entertainment out of the water too. Taking the Wizard of Oz theme and tweaking it a bit, Chris dressed up like the scarecrow and played the part to boot. He was a great MC, all night long. He entertained the masses (as well as the many kids who never went to sleep at all that night) with a live band - Meals on Wheels, live vocal - Brittany Shields and Blake Draper, DJ music, and many extras such as a pie eating contest, hoola hoop contest to the music "Wipe Out" (which I almost WON by the way, but lost to some teenybopper - My birthing hips can be good for something!). Chris and I were scheduled to walk at 3 a.m. (each team has to keep members on the track all night). It was a somber stroll as each step along the pathway guided you past glowing luminaries of survivors, but also loved ones who had succumbed to their illness.