July 3, 2008

Walking with a purpose

Almaden celebrates second Relay For Life

By Shana McLean Moore
Staff Writer

Almaden Valley joined forces with the American Cancer Society (ACS) last weekend for the area’s second annual Relay for Life held at Leland High School’s Pat Tillman Stadium.

Event Co-Chairs Patti Gahagan (center) and Karen Zimmerman (right) start the survivors’ lap at the 2nd annual Relay for Life in Almaden. Photos by Shana Moore

Each Relay is designed to remember those taken by cancer, rally behind those fighting the disease and renew their dedication of time, passion and funding to make sure that fewer people in the years to come are met with the dreaded three words “You have cancer.”

The 24-hour walk began at 10 a.m. Saturday with opening ceremonies hosted by NBC 11 News Anchor Laura Garcia-Cannon, who both with humor and raw emotion shared her personal experience with cancer by describing the recent passing of her mother at the hands of the disease.

Event co-chair Patti Gahagan, who worked with Karen Zimmerman and a host of committee chairs to help make the event a reality, also stepped up to the microphone to thank the many people who made the event possible.
“So many people in our neighborhood have been touched by cancer,” said Gahagan. “Whether you are a survivor, care giver or loved one, ACS is here for you. We need all of you. Almaden needs all of you,” she added.

After a blessing and further words of hope from cancer survivor Nancy Davis, the Relay began with a survivors’ lap, which amounted to a powerful display of purple shirts that bore a striking contrast to the white T-shirts worn by the rest of the participants. Once the survivors completed their first lap, other teammates joined them on the track, having made a commitment that at least one representative from each team would be on the track for the entire 24 hours.

AVYSL soccer coach Danny Cheadle, who passed away in May, is one of the thousands of lives honored and memorialized during the luminaria ceremony.

The afternoon hours were warm but festive as walkers were entertained by live music and re-fueled with lunch from Bruce Finch of Messy Faced BBQ & Catering, who also participated in the event as a member of team Paradise Island. Local restaurants such as Sonoma Chicken Coop, Amato’s, Legend’s Pizza, Cup & Saucer and Posh Bagel also made sure the energy remained high throughout the day with snacks and a delicious dinner.

Dona Tizon of the Starbucks at Almaden Shopping Center, who handed out cool coffee drinks at the event, explained her involvement. “Starbucks wants to be involved in any event that relates to our customers. And cancer affects all of us every day,” said Tizon.

In addition to the food booths, event participants could find rest and entertainment at some of the tents that raised funds in fun and creative ways. Team Tickled Pink, organized by Tori O’Halloran and a host of enthusiastic team members, provided a stopping place with comfortable furniture, colorful pink paper lanterns and fresh pink hydrangeas. The team deserved the relaxing place to rest after their many efforts for the event, including holding a “Sex & The City” fundraising matinee, which brought out some 90 women and raised $4,300 earlier last month when the movie first came out.

During Relay, team member Shelly Smith ran a bowling activity for all to enjoy as they passed by the Tickled Pink booth on the track. With the catchy name “Bowlin’ for a Healthy Colon,” complete with a tasty lollipop prize, the booth was a popular stopping point. And the prize was no accident. Visitors like Nicole Klein were told precisely why they were receiving lollipops…“Because colon cancer sucks.”

Red Hot Walkers and their spin-off group of offspring, the Red Hot Tamales, participate in their first Relay in Almaden. Photos by Shana McLean Moore

A first-time team to take the track at Leland this year, the Red Hot Walkers, joined the Almaden Relay after two years in Saratoga. Team organizer Krissie Lindsey thought the move made sense since so many of the team members had met during softball games in Almaden. The group has also expanded to include other friends, teachers and a spin-off team called the Red Hot Tamales, which is made up of the children of many of the Red Hot Walkers, bringing them to a total of 33 team members.

Kristin Salah of the Lit Chicks, a team that formed to support cancer survivor and editor of “Survivor’s Review,” Sheree Kirby, had such a good time at last year’s walk that she talked the experience up to family members and colleagues, eight of whom wound up joining the team this year. “It is a fun and easy way to get involved with a great cause,” said Salah.

The event took another emotional turn in the evening when the track was lined with thousands of personalized luminarias that were dedicated to individual survivors and loved ones who had lost their battle to cancer. There were dedications to friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers and beloved coaches. Other illuminated bags spelled out the word HOPE on the bleachers.

The evening ceremony was somber as Scottish bag pipers led the walkers on a chatter-free lap around the track as the names of cancer victims were called out through the sound system. Once the long list of names had concluded, everyone gathered on the field for a slide show of survivors and those now deceased during happier times.

Team Tickled Pink members Melanie Jones, center, and Shelly Smith, right, encourage Nicole Klein to go “Bowlin’ for a healthy colon.”

Emotional but more determined to walk on in the memory of those who cannot, the friends and family members resumed their laps on the field until the event concluded Sunday morning.

It came to a close with a Fight Back ceremony led by Almaden resident Paul Gardner who lost his son to brain cancer. Each participant who signed a pledge to continue to “celebrate, remember and fight back” was given a flag with those very words on it. The last lap saw hundreds of flags waving as a symbol of unity.

Councilmember Nancy Pyle, who walked in the event with members of the Almaden Business Association, found Relay For Life to be “an empowering event because it uplifts people and brings them together in unity against cancer – a disease that can be extremely isolating. The organizing team did a fantastic job again this year and brought in a huge amount of money for cancer research. Most of all, Relay reminds us to cherish our family and friends,” said Pyle.

With 43 teams and more than 600 participants who raised over $140,000 (at press time), those who walked and raised funds for this year’s Relay For Life went home confident that each footstep and every dollar earned brings us all one step closer to a cure.

About ACS and Relay for Life:
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., the ACS has state divisions and more than 3,400 local offices. The American Cancer Society is the largest source of private, not-for-profit cancer research funds in the U.S., second only to the federal government in total dollars spent. American Cancer Society’s “Relay For Life” began in Tacoma, Wash. in 1985. Since the first Relay event, millions have joined the cause all over the world, making it the largest fund-raising event in mankind’s history.