Dear Mom,
I can't believe it's already July. Where did the first half of my summer go? Time has flown by, and it's hard to believe that Relay for Life is just around the corner.
I realize, though, that every year that I post about Relay for Life, that not everyone may know what it is. So I decided to dedicate a post to explaining what the heck it is that Team Janet raises money for every year.
4 million people. 600 events. 20 countries. Relay for Life is an international event with one common goal: to raise money to fight cancer, and to unite people with hope. Hope to find a cure against this terrible disease.
Relay for Life is a 24 hour community walking event where teams camp out on a track, enjoy live entertainment, do on-site fundraising, and unite together for our common cause. Teams can fundraise year-round to raise even more money for the American Cancer Society. Each team makes a booth that goes with the overall theme, and does onsite fundraising and educational display for a specific type of cancer. One member of each team must be on the track at all times, so that for 24 hours each team is "Relaying for Life." It's an event that people look forward to every year.
During the Relay event, there are different ceremonies that make the event extra special. At the end of opening ceremonies is the survivor lap, where people have fought or are currently fighting their battle of cancer do the first lap around the track. It is an emotional reminder of why we are all here; to make sure less people are affected by this disease. It also serves as a victory lap for the strong individuals who have kicked cancer's butt!
After dark is the luminaria ceremony, where we honor those who are fighting their battles, and remember those loved ones we have lost. Around the track are paper bags with lit candles, personalized with all of the individuals we are honoring. Hollister's Relay does a fantastic job of putting together an emotional performance before the entire relay comes together and walks around the track.
Lastly, there is the fight back ceremony, aka closing ceremonies. This ceremony's purpose is to inspire people to take action, and fight back back against this terrible disease. We remind ourselves why we are here, and that we each made a commitment to continue to fight against cancer. This fight is continuing, all year around. I had the honor and pleasure of speaking at last year's fight back ceremony in Hollister, and again in Seaside. You can watch or read my speech here:
There are so many things that make Relay so magical. But most of all, it just really brings the community together. Even though it is so devastating what cancer has done to so many of our lives, we can all fight back by coming together in remembrance, hope, and strength. Our little town Hollister has one of the best Relay events that I have had the pleasure of attending. It is one of my favorite times of the year, and it will always be a part of me.
Since 2009, my friends and family have put together a team in memory of my mom. Last year, Team Janet had the pleasure of receiving the Bob Johnson Memorial award, because of the part we have taken in the fight against cancer. It always brings me great joy to see my team come together in honor of the woman we all love and miss.
That's Relay for Life, in a nutshell. If you're reading this and want to participate in this event, just let me know! We always welcome new team members. If you would like to donate to our team or dedicate a luminaria bag, just go to my relay profile online: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/tessykelly
Love you mom. Miss you every day.
Love your baby doll,
Tessy Loo Loo
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