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Community Corner

Relay for Life Throws Hawaiian-Themed Kick-Off Event

Tolland's Relay for Life Committee throws a Hawaiian-themed celebration at the middle school to gear up for its fourth year.

Vindicated from Mother Nature, the Relay For Life of Tolland County was finally able to hold its kick-off celebration at Tolland Middle School on Thursday night.

The event, which had already been delayed twice due to bad weather, featured the full team of relay committee members. It was held at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria and set to a Hawaiian theme—a means to keep people’s minds off the cold New England weather. 

For Relay Co-Chair Laureen Curley, the winter can’t fade soon enough as heavy preparation for June's relay is set to start full steam.

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“You don’t get a lot of sleep, but it’s so rewarding,” said Curley, who was stationed by the team registration desk. “It’s still a young relay, so we’re trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t.”

Curley, whose parents were both diagnosed with cancer within a couple years of each other, has been involved with the Tolland relay since its inception in 2008. Last year, the event raised $103,374, but they are always looking for more.

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“We could always use more help on the planning committee,” said Curley. “Right now we have about 12 to 15 people, but ideally double that would be the best.”

Also in attendance was event coordinator Melissa Franklin, who shared her passion for fighting cancer to the audience of around 40 attendees. Franklin, who lost a first cousin to cancer 20 years ago, has always been personally motivated to fight for a cure.

“The first time I walked on a track in Marion, Ind., I knew that this was what I wanted to do with my life,” said Franklin.

For the past three years, Franklin has served as the event chair for the Northeast Connecticut Relay for Life, which is the largest in the state. Along with Tolland, she serves Manchester, Plainfield and East Haddam. Her home relay takes place in Woodstock, which she participates in voluntarily.

The committee invited two speakers to address the audience at the start of the night after a short introductory video. Both shared stories about their experiences working with and helping patients. The first was Donna Cameron, who works as a nurse navigator to educate patients through the diagnostic process.  According to Cameron, she has close involvement with the American Cancer Society.

“We’re your personal GPS throughout the process,” said Cameron. “My end is more of the clinical piece of it."

Alongside Cameron was Lee Tremback, who works as a social worker in the Hartford area. For Tremback, she said the number one goal is to help cancer patients survive.

Tremback also works closely with the relatives of patients. She told one story about a 52-year-old woman whose mother had died of breast cancer.

“[The woman’s] insurance wouldn’t pay for the genetic testing to make sure her daughters didn’t have a cancer gene,” said Tremback. “These are the types of people we try to help out.”

Also shown during the presentation was a video of Kasandra Riley, whose work at Yale has been almost entirely funded through the Relay for Life program. Sporting a shirt that said, “Hope” in big bold letters, Riley went over the work she has accomplished in cell research. Much like the speakers in attendance, she also had some personal motivations.

“My grandmother died in 1973,” said Riley tearfully. “It was of a cancer that today has a 92 percent cure rate. There is a bigger reason why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

Although that bigger reason was a sentiment shared by most attending the kick-off, the committee members also focused on the lighter, entertaining side of this summer’s relay.  Katie Powell, who operates the activities portion of the event, has also been involved for the past four years.  

Unlike many of the speakers, her connection to cancer is even more personal. She is a survivor herself.

“March 31 will be my fifth year since I had breast cancer,” said Powell. “On the day of the event, my family is always willing to come and help out with everything. They drive right down from Natick, MA.”

Powell touched on all that goes into planning the big extravaganza, which includes coordinating live bands, movies in a tent, games in the center of the track and organizing the ceremonies.

“The environment over those 18 hours is amazing, said Powell.” “The spirit of the community is so strong.”

Two members of the Tolland community are Beth McCaffrey and Heather Freeman, who lost their aunt this past December to cancer. The sisters have also been raising money from the beginning, and in 2010 they were perfectly in tune with Thursday night’s Hawaiian theme.

“Last year our team name was ‘Wave Crashers,’ but we’re deciding whether to keep it, “ said McCaffrey. “It’s just a beach-loving theme.”

The night closed with a fun raffle followed by a 60-second video. The committee members showed off the new “Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.” T-shirts for 2011, but also gave one last call for help. They are still looking for people to join the committee and offer assistance in a couple different capacities.

The first is a need for a person to run the kids corner, which essentially keeps the children occupied throughout the relay. The second is someone to run the food and beverages.

If you are available to help out in either of those capacities, please call Melissa Franklin at 203-379-4887 or contact her via email at Melissa.franklin@cancer.org.

For more information, check out Tolland’s own Relay for Life website here

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