JUNE 10, 2010 ISSUE
Watauga County Relay for Life at High School June 18
Being among the nation’s best fundraisers is tough to continue, but those raising money for the Watauga County Relay for Life are trying to remain in the top 10.
The county’s 16th relay, which is set for Friday and Saturday, June 18 and 19, at the current Watauga High School football stadium, is striving to recapture the nation’s top spot for money in its population group. The county has placed second three of the last four years and has a five-year stretch from 2001 to 2005 of being tops in the country. The relay has been in the top 10 for the past 11 years.
“It’s hard to live up to how well you’ve done,” said Sharon Trivette, event co-chair.
That hasn’t been a problem in the past, though. Last year, the county raised $260,739.39 to place it atop the 40,000-50,000 population group.
Economic troubles haven’t stopped the relay from contributing to the American Cancer Society, which uses the money for cancer research, education, advocacy and patient service.
Relay for Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. It’s an overnight event where teams will walk around the stadium’s track for 24 hours to raise money and make people aware of cancer.
“It celebrates cancer survivors, remembers those we lost to cancer and raises money for the American Cancer Society,” Trivette said.
The opening ceremony for the event is at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 18, and WBTV weatherman John Carter, a cancer survivor, will be the guest speaker. The Survivor Lap follows the ceremony. At 8:00 p.m. there will be a parade of teams and at 9:00 p.m. there is the Luminaria Ceremony, which is followed by a Luminaria Lap led by a bagpiper.
Along with these activities, there will be plenty of other activities, such as bingo, a silent auction, air walks, dunking booth and others. Two bands—The Worthless Son-in-Laws and Blue Country—will perform along with several clogging groups and late-night karaoke.
Along with its No. 1 ranking for money raised, the event hopes to continue its five-year trend of having the most cancer survivors taking part in the relay. Trivette said that between 300 and 400 survivors will be at the event.
Each relay includes a Survivor Walk, where all cancer survivors in attendance will walk a lap around the track. During that time, there is plenty of cheering, balloons and upbeat music.
“That’s a real celebratory time,” Trivette said.
There is also a Luminaria Ceremony and Lap during the relay. It’s a more somber event as people who’ve died from cancer are remembered. Sponsored luminary bags, with candles placed in them, are lit during the service.
Trivette said that the number of folks who stay all night has dropped since the event was moved from Valle Crucis Community Park to the high school. In the past, campers would camp on the football practice field, away from the action on the track. That isn’t the case this year, as campers are welcomed to stay in the football field in the stadium.
“We hope, that because people can camp on the field, that this will encourage them to stay throughout the night,” Trivette said.
The fundraising effort got a big kickstart by the Tanger Outlets on Blowing Rock Road. Beginning in October, stores at the outlets began taking $1 donations and raised more than $28,500. It was the most the stores had raised, Trivette said.
Teams formed earlier this year and money started being raised. Schools, families, individuals and others formed teams and spent time doing car washes, dinners and other activities to raise money.
With the high school closing this year, Trivette said she didn’t know where next year’s Relay for Life would be held but the group is already looking at their options.
For more information, contact Trivette at 828-297-1691 or click to www.relayforlife.org/watauganc.
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