JUNE 11, 2009 ISSUE
“Hope is the Reason We’re Here!”
Watauga Relay For Life Hosts Annual Survivor Dinner
On Monday, June 8, approximately 400 cancer survivors, caregivers, family members and volunteers attended the Watauga Relay For Live Survivor Dinner at Greenway Baptist Church. Photo by David Brewer
If it weren’t for the purple balloons festively decorating each of the dozens of tables stretching from one end of the Greenway Baptist Church gym to the other and Outback Steakhouse’s catering staff, one could easily mistake the Watauga Relay For Life’s annual Survivor Dinner for just another church social.
Pleasantries are exchanged, questions are asked about family members over glasses of sweat tea and people of all ages commiserate over the seemingly endless rains that continue to drench the High Country.
But the Survivor Dinner isn’t just another church function.
Last Monday, June 8, approximately 400 old friends, neighbors and perfect strangers greeted each other with the shared understanding of coming face to face with cancer and coming out on top. Some are still receiving treatments, while others celebrate more than three decades of being cancer-free. It is in fact a celebration quite unlike any other.
Much has been made of the Watauga Relay For Life’s incredible success in raising tens of thousands of dollars each year for the fight against cancer, and rightly so. With incredible humility and grace, co-chairs Sharon Trivette and Glenda Hodges have harnessed the High Country’s generosity and giving spirit to improve the lives of cancer patients near and far while honoring those who lost their struggles with the disease.
While Trivette and Hodges have accepted honors for their work, they have done so knowing that the ongoing success of Watauga Relay For Life rests on the shoulders of the dozens of dedicated volunteers, hundreds of survivors and participants and thousands of donors who have given endlessly of their time, talents, money, prayers and positive vibes.
“You are the reason that we do Relay and that we work so hard,” said Hodges.
After thanking corporate sponsors Outback Steakhouse and others for their support, Trivette and Hodges gave the podium over to several Watauga Relay survivors including Mary Ruble, Kathy Billing, Gail Gross, Sue Tilson and Hugh Matheson. Each gave stirring personal accounts of their struggles with cancer, attesting to the power of Relay For Life during their times of greatest need.
“Hope is the reason we’re here,” said Gross.
During perhaps the most emotional speech of the evening, Matheson summed up what Relay meant and why he continues to volunteer his time to the nonprofit.
“All my life it had been about me. That’s backwards. It’s about helping others,” said Matheson.
Hardin Park Elementary student Haileigh Lawson also made a special presentation during the festivities. At her recent birthday party, the youngster, whose grandmother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, decided to collect donations for Relay For Life instead of presents. Lawson garnered more than $400 and presented to Trivette and Hodges while showing off a special drawing of her helping her grandmother at home.
As always, the event concluded with an emotional candlelight closing led by luminaria committee chair Kathy Idol.
The Watauga Relay For Life is open to the public and will take place at Watauga High School in Boone from Friday, June 19, at 1:00 p.m. to Saturday, June 20, at 9:00 a.m. Registration for survivors who could not attend the dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the survivor tent, followed by the survivor lap at 7:00 p.m.
Activities scheduled to take place at the Watauga Relay include live music, a silent auction, team raffles, bingo, walking and visiting with teams. There will also be a kids’ area with large inflatables. Food will be for sale by the teams throughout the event. Participants can also bring food.
The luminaria service and lap will commence at 9:00 p.m. The service will begin with the lighting of memorial torches, followed by a bagpiper-led lap of remembrance and honor. There is a luminaria for each of the 725 survivors currently registered with Relay For Life in Watauga County.
For more information on the Watauga Relay For Life, call Trivette at 828-297-1691.
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