2008 History
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Howard County’s 2008 Relay For Life By Connie Ballenger Note from the Writer: Before writing this history about 2008’s Relay For Life, I wrote a 52-page book, “Howard County’s Relay For Life – The First Twelve Years (1996- 2007).” It would be helpful to read that prior to this history because it gives a more thorough explanation of how Relay For Life events work. That history is available from Jason Copley (410-781-6905) or Connie Ballenger (410-796-0290). “Silence surrounds the track behind Hammond High School. The air is warm and musty, and it is filled with a sense of purpose uncharacteristic for this moment of silence. Just minutes after a long-awaited sunset, a sliver of moon lends just enough light to illuminate almost 1,000 people. They are fighting cancer.” This is how an article in the June 11, 2008 edition of Howard County section of the Baltimore Sun described the Moment of Silence during Howard County’s 2008 Relay For Life’s Luminaria Ceremony. The all-night event was held to raise money for the American Cancer Society and to support people who have had cancer. In fact, every moment of 2008’s Howard County Relay For Life held June 6 and 7 at Hammond High School, whether quiet and serene or loud and boisterous, was “filled with a sense of purpose.” Everyone there was fighting cancer. Some were battling their own cancer, while others were fighting the disease that had stricken their family or friends. Jumping on the Bandwagon Relay officially kicked off with a Happy Hour and Booster Night at Champps at the Mall in Columbia on November 13, 2007. The event rounded up team members to participate in Relay while enjoying dinner together, November 13 was also noteworthy because it was the deadline for team members to register online for free. Online registration was available for $5 by January 22 and $10 after that. From November 13 to June 6 when Relay began, 75 teams jumped on Howard County’s 2008 Relay For Life bandwagon. And, with many firsts, including a new theme, what a delightful, memorable bandwagon it was. The theme for 2008 Relays across the world was Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back. These words adorned the T-shirts and the giant signs lining the track. “ ‘Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back’ will be a reoccurring Relay For Life mantra for the next few years, just as the tag line ‘a team event to fight cancer’ was used for several years,” said Jason Copley, the American Cancer Society’s senior income manager for Howard County’s 2008 Relay For Life. “We feel that this theme is very fitting. As relayers we are here to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer as well as celebrate our accomplishments in the fight against cancer. We are also here to remember those who have lost their battle to cancer and to fight against this disease so that one day it will be no more.” Preparing to Relay For a year before Relay began, committee members planned and prepared for the event. (Committee members are listed under the section, “Worker Bees” in this history.) Among the jobs committee members performed were planning Opening Ceremonies, locating speakers and musicians, processing team and individual registrations as well as luminaria donations, seeking corporate sponsorships and Silent Auction donations, and making logistical arrangements for the event. On-site work began in earnest two days before Relay when camp sites were marked. During the final hours before Relay, teams set out their tents, stages and registration booths were assembled, and luminaria were set out. Let the Relay Begin Howard County’s first event on Relay Day was the Survivors’ Reception, which attracted 274 survivors, almost all of whom brought a guest. Attendees were treated to a scrumptious pasta dinner in Hammond High School’s cafeteria. The meal was donated by Putting on the Ritz. White, yellow and pink flower centerpieces provided by Wilhide’s sat atop pink and yellow tablecloths. The American Cancer Society gave survivors T-shirts and presented survivors and their guests gifts. The speaker was Jeff Castonguay, chairperson of Westminister’s 2008 Relay For Life, who talked about his five-year battle with lymphoma and why he volunteered for the American Cancer Society. Just outside the reception, 50 booklets with encouraging stories written by local cancer survivors were available for free. The idea was borrowed from the Carroll Vista Relay for Life and was a first for Howard County’s Relay. At Opening Ceremonies attendees were treated again to Dick Story’s melodious voice and keen sense of humor. This was Howard County’s Economic Development Authority’s chief executive officer’s seventh year emceeing Howard County’s Relays. Also at Opening Ceremonies, Steve Cramer hit all the right notes singing the “National Anthem” and Howard High School’s Color Guard performed flawlessly. On stage were 806 special flags representing the number of Howard County residents expected to be diagnosed with cancer in the next year. 2 Before 2008, Al Doong would have been considered an unlikely candidate to speak at Relay because very few people knew he had had cancer. But after encouragement from Amanda Christian, captain of the YPN (Young Professional Network) team, Al joined the team in March and soon shared his experience as a Hodgkins’s disease survivor on his webpage on the Relay website to help him get donations (he raised more than $3,000 entirely through donations in three months). When asked to speak at Relay, Al decided to share his cancer experience in front of an audience. Al wrote on his website and told the crowd at Opening Ceremonies how difficult it was to fight cancer. “Spending eight hours hooked up to a machine and vomiting was not something I looked forward to on Fridays. Most people couldn’t even fathom the torture I endured as a 14-year-old…I remember many times during those months I just wanted to give up because of the pain and suffering I was enduring but my father kept telling me that I had an entire life ahead of me and this was just a temporary setback.” Just as Al’s donation requests reaped benefits, so did his speech. Several hours after he spoke, the mother of a boy who was approximately Al’s age when he was stricken with cancer talked to Al. The mother told Al her son had heard his speech, was being treated for brain cancer, and was going through an unbelievably difficult time. “What I went through is what he is going through now – treatments, pain, dropping out of school,” said Al. “I gave him hope. I am a 26-year cancer survivor.” Also at Opening Ceremonies, Dick announced that yours truly had written a history, “Howard County’s Relay For Life – The First Twelve Years (1996-2007).” The 52-page book was available for a $10 donation. The 274 survivors who attended the Survivors’ Reception turned out in full force to walk in the Survivors’ Walk around the track. The ones leading the march carried a purple and white Relay For Life banner with the words “Survivors – Celebrating Life!” The announcer called their names and the number of years since they have had cancer. The crowd standing on the sidelines cheered and applauded. Diane Brown described the Survivors’ Walk in her June 19, 2008, Opinion Column in the Howard County Times and Columbia Flier . “It is hard not to tear up at the solemnity, yet there is joyfulness at understanding that these walkers have, so far, beaten the disease,” she wrote. Just as in past Relays, children were an integral part of the event. After registering, they gathered at the Kids’ Walk tent and enjoyed five interactive stations and participated in the Kids’ Walk. With 1,700 luminaria lining the track and the words “HOPE” and “CURE” spelled out in luminaria on the bleachers, 2008’s Luminaria Ceremony began at dusk. At this ceremony, candles in sand-filled paper bags were lit to honor survivors and those who had died from cancer. 3 From 2003 to 2007, the poem, “Every Candle Has a Name” was read at the Luminaria Ceremony. In 2008, Kevin Nowak, a writer from Indianapolis who became involved in Relay after his grandmother died from the disease in 1999, wrote to Sheri Cohen, who was in charge of Ceremonies and Entertainment, to ask if our Relay would consider using a poem he had written. Previously, his poems had been read at 146 Relay For Life events in six countries. Sheri shared the six poems Kevin had written with the Planning Committee and asked for feedback about which one to read. The Committee chose “Hero” (printed below) which local survivor Judi Raglin read. “Hero” You did not set out to be a hero, But that is exactly what you are. In this battle we fight against cancer, You have helped to carry us far. You have courage and guts, That are truly second to none. You have gone through so much, So your battle could be won. To all of us you are a hero. You are someone we all admire. You are someone with strength and spirit, Someone with determination and fire. You have amazing heart and passion, And a confident bounce to your stride. When it comes to our individual lives, We are glad to have you by our side. You may not realize how many things To us that you have passed on. You have shown us through your battle, That hope and grace will never be gone.