Friday night was the 11th annual Baxter County Relay for Life in Mountain Home... each year they honor me by asking me to read the list of luminary honorees during a candlelight ceremony....
As Kelly and I got there, we were both a little emotional... it is an awesome sight to see so many people (about 35 teams this year) joined in this effort; as we walked in, Kelly said "look what you started", and it took me back a decade...
It was just after Mom's diagnosis in late 1995 that I was asked to help start 'relay' in Mtn Home... several good folks had a heart to do something, and we met with the local American Cancer Society rep to learn about 'relay'... we had 4 teams that first year, and raised a few thousand dollars...
Relay '07 raised almost $90k to fight cancer... amazing!
As the stadium lights went out, the only light was from the hundreds of Luminaries which lined the track and spelled out H-O-P-E in the home bleachers. I read each name for whom a luminary had been purchased... first the 'in honor' list for those who have survived the disease, then the 'in memory' list for those whose battle has ended.
I recognized a lot of names... and behind the names are real and painful and sometimes inspirational life stories of those who have fought and continue to fight against cancer...
then there are heart-ripping stories of those who have died from this awful disease...
...like Russell Woods, a vibrant 13-year old whose life was ended by astrocytoma. He left mom and dad and two sisters and a brother to wonder why...
...like Nancy Luelf, a 30-something mom of young twin boys; she was claimed by Ovarian cancer...
...like Kelly's aunt Betty, a very young 60 year old who lived life to the fullest until Ovarian cancer stole her from her husband of 40 years and daughter and granddauthers...
...and like my momma who, at 61, was ravaged by lung cancer and went to her real home on October 24, 1996. I still miss her so much it hurts physically...
I know... I digress...
Relay '07 was an unqualified success... thanks to a lot of tireless volunteers... God Bless you all!
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Thank you, Tim for reminding me of the more important things in life. I'm sorry I missed the Relay this year. I think this was the first. I have fond memories of walking laps while pushing Russell in his wheelchair. What a beautiful spirit he had! Even then, he could joke and say, "I think I got windburned from going so fast!"
I remember walking so many laps my feet had blood blisters. It probably sounds stupid to anyone reading this, but it meant that much to me to support such a worthy cause.
A word of encouragement... don't ever give up the fight. Hopefully, I'll be there next year!
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