Everyone has heard of Cancer and is aware of how truly life-changing and devastating it is to those plagued with it around us. Throughout the past 101 years, the American Cancer Society has been contributing groundbreaking research with the ultimate goal being to eradicate cancer in the future. Relay for Life is an event fully sponsored by the American Cancer Society that serves as a grand fundraiser to help raise money and awareness for cancer research so that society can attain the goal of being completely cancer-free as soon as possible.
From May 2010 until last May, the event itself has been centered within JCHS, but this year Relay for Life has been extended towards the community so that people outside of the school are now able to hold committee and team captain positions.The event which is to be held at JCHS Bonnell Field from Friday, May 9 to Saturday May 10, 2014 will begin at 6:00pm and will continue until 7:00am the next morning.
Anyone planning on participating should sign up as soon as possible on relayforlife.org. They can type in the zip code for the area, 07006, select the event at JCHS, create a team, invite people, and start fundraising!
At the event everyone arrives around 6:00pm and sets up “camp” in “tent city” near the field house: the “camp” might include tents, coolers filled with food, flashlights, games, etc. The track will boast balloons of purple and white, posters, streamers, banners, and more. Booths with fun activities will spot the track, so that while people are rounding the track, they can participate in fun activities from time to time. Music will be blasting, participants can dance with friends, play sports with friends on the field inside the track or on the baseball field next to “tent city.” There will be ceremonies honoring Cancer survivors, caregivers (those who help cancer patients), luminaria (little white paper bags are decorated and then placed all around the track, and then lit up before the luminaria ceremony), etc. Participants can sleep over, and the fun doesn’t stop until the next morning!
This year’s Relay for Life event has the potential to be such an amazing night, but its amazingness can only be achieved by people making teams and getting involved! It has become such an amazing tradition in town that really brings the community together, and it is expected that this year will be no different in uniting our community as one to fight for such an amazing cause.
FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED WITH OR WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RELAY FOR LIFE, PLEASE ATTEND THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING ON MARCH 24 at 6:30PM or TEAM CAPTAIN MEETING at 7:30PM AT THE WEST ESSEX FIRST AID SQUAD BUILDING RIGHT NEXT TO PUDSTER’S. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ALL WISHING TO GET INVOLVED ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING ON MARCH 24!
