SEBASTIAN — Riverview Park in Sebastian was the place to be May 9-10, as hundreds came together for the annual American Cancer Society’s North County Relay For Life, an 18-hour fundraising relay and carnival.
Sponsor and participant tents lined the park’s curving walkways, as teams worked to raise even more money to continue the fight against a disease cause that touches virtually everyone. They joined 5,000 communities worldwide in an event that began in Tacoma, Wash., in 1985.
It was the first time the North County Relay For Life had been held in the park, rather than at Sebastian River High School as in previous years, and the new location was a good fit.
The school was always a popular venue for participants but, said Event Chair Charlotte Waitner, “This is more centrally located and offers good visibility for passers-by.”
While Johnnie Anthony of 94.7 Hot Country Radio emceed and kept the music going, children ran about playing tag or Frisbee, as teams set up their tents, fundraising until the final minutes, offering all sorts of games, items for sale, drawings and raffles, and plenty of food.
Sponsors included: 94-7 Hot Country radio, Media Sponsor; VanDeVoorde Hall Law, Luminaria Sponsor; Bay Street Pharmacy, Survivor Sponsor; and In-Kind Sponsors: Capt. Hiram’s; City of Sebastian; Treasure Coast Event Planning; Bagpiper Michael Hyde; McDonald’s; Bay Street Pharmacy; Stevi B’s Pizza; Colleen D. Symanski RN; and Sebastian River Medical Center.
To open the event, Sea Scout Ship 501 presented the colors and the powerful voice of Debbie Hanford sang the National Anthem.
In an opening presentation, Dr. Ralph Monnett gave his testimony as a cancer survivor. Even though his grandfather and father had cancer, Monnett told the gathering, he had never been concerned for himself, and it was only just before his 50th birthday that Monnett’s wife insisted he have a complete check-up.
With little enthusiasm, Monnett did and learned that he had prostate cancer.
After “muddling through the shock, fear and anger,” Monnett underwent surgery. “I went through recovery, I was cured and now I’m cancer-free. Now I’m so thankful to my wife, the surgeon, the caregivers and the cancer support organizations. Caught early, the cancer was a bump on the road for me and I am so, so grateful.”
Waitner brings to the volunteer job experience as a trade show manager. She and her committee have been working since last fall to make sure everything went as planned.
The Survivor Lap launched the relay in a moving way, as survivors in purple T-shirts walked the route, led by the Sebastian River High School Marching Sharks Drum Line, as the crowd lined the walkway cheering.
Following the Drum Line, team after team marched through the starting “gate” and the 18-hour relay was off and walking. Fielding teams were: Sebastian Property Owners Association; Treasure Coast Elementary; Crossroads Fellowship; Francesca’s Haircutters; Storm Grove Elementary; VanDeVoorde Hall Law; Bay Street Pharmacy; Capt. Hiram’s; Walgreen’s; ReMax Crown Realty; Fellsmere Elementary; and Monnett Eye and Surgery Center.
The Monnett team featured the Monnett Honey Bear, a little brown bear mascot whose alter ego is 7-year-old Sebastian Elementary student Stormy Belis. Stormy’s mother, Holly Parker, who works in the Monnett Center, is a cancer survivor.
As the evening darkened into night, the walkers pressed onward. There were families with young children, several pushing strollers, older folks, some with canes, walking gear was enhanced with glittery antennas, rainbow wigs, jester hats, bunny ears.
As the sounds of “We Are Family,” “Celebration,” “Shout” and other upbeat tunes filled the park, some walkers boogied their way along the path.
At about 9 p.m., there was a pause in the relay for the Luminaria Ceremony. Lining the sidewalk along the route were luminaria – white paper bags, each containing a can of soup to secure it in place. On each was written the name of an individual who had lost the battle with cancer. Each bag also contained a green glow stick. After the event the soup would be donated to a local food pantry. For the ceremony, the lights in the park were switched off and the relay path was illuminated by the softly glowing luminaria.
Amazingly, the park that had a moment before been filled with music and laughter became completely silent.
It was a time “to come together and remember why we are here. To grieve our losses, to pay tribute to our loved ones, to reflect on all the names on the luminarias, to contemplate and to thank the caregivers,” Relay For Life Committee Chairman Theresa Tolle of Bay Street Pharmacy told the gathering.
The silence was broken by the plaintive strains of “Amazing Grace,” played by bagpiper Michael Hyde.
Another moving testimony was given by Palm Bay resident and cancer survivor Allison Marshall, who told her story while holding her toddler daughter.
After lengthy treatments for cervical cancer, she shared, her doctor had told her to go home and spend Christmas with her family because she might not live to see another Christmas. But, with 60 percent of her cervix removed, she not only survived, but miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy daughter, who now wiggled about beside her mom.
“The research that allowed me to have my daughter was fully funded by Relay For Life,” she told the crowd, which elicited a huge cheer.
Throughout the night and into the morning, team members took turns on the route, while their teammates rested, enjoyed the music and entertainment that continued throughout, and played an imaginative variety of games designed to keep everyone awake and engaged, among them the Crazy Bed Head Lap, the Water Balloon Toss, the Pajama Lap and, just before the 11 a.m. closing ceremony, the Morning Line Dance.
The funds raised locally and across the globe will have struck another mighty blow, bringing victory closer in the fight for the cure.