Relay for Life confident $90,0000 goal met

Relay for Life participant, Rachel Church, holds up a string of 20 paper clips for each mile walked. Church surpassed her goal of 16 miles and continued walking non-stop throughout the evening in memory of her dad, grandma, great grandpa and step dad, who is a cancer survivor. 35 teams participated in the two-day event raising $87,621 as of noon Saturday.<br>Aimee Hornberger/Columbia Basin Herald

by Aimee Hornberger<br>Herald Staff Writer
| June 6, 2005 9:00 PM

MOSES LAKE — Even at 5 a.m., the smell from fire pits at various campsites and the sounds of music and cheering voices filled the air at the Moses Lake High School track at the annual Relay for Life event.

Festivities kicked off Friday with a survivor lap, luminaria ceremony and male beauty pageant won by John Morris with the Columbia Colstor team, followed by activities throughout the night.

The 35 teams that participated, two of which were from Warden and Ritzville, helped raise $87,621 as of noon Saturday for cancer research, patient services, recovery efforts and Camp Good Times for children with cancer. Relay for Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

Donna Anderson, volunteer chair for Relay for Life, said more money is still being counted and is confident the Moses Lake event will reach its $90,000 goal.

Considering that the Relay for Life event in Wenatchee two weeks ago brought in $130,000 with 58 teams, $90,000 is an amazing show of support, she said.

More than 400 luminaries with names of cancer survivors and those that have passed on decorated the MLHS track throughout the weekend.

"In honor of Gina Pernett," one read.

Dan Preston. Elsie Weis. And on and on they continued with the names of people whose lives have been touched by cancer. And with each name, a story and friends and relatives who have not forgotten them.

"My dad, grandma, great-grandpa, and step-dad," said Relay for Life event participant, Rachel Church, when asked what brought her out for the 2005 event where she walked 20 miles.

All of them except Church's step-father, a survivor of melanoma skin cancer, have passed away.

Church began walking at 8:30 p.m. Friday, and had just completed her 20th mile at 7 a.m. Saturday.

Starting out with a goal to walk 16 miles, turned into a drive to continue.

"Just a few more," Church said she kept telling herself as she counted the 20 paper clips strung around her wrist for each mile walked.

At one campsite, Deanna Koziol's team decorated a sign that reads "celebrate life" while sharing their own experiences with cancer and what brought them out for this year's event.

Next to Koziol's team, MLHS cheerleaders talk about staying awake for the 18-hour event playing bingo, board games and line dancing in between walking laps.

"The walking and bonding," said MLHS cheerleader Chanel Lanzi, is what has made the event memorable for her.

Overall, Anderson called the event a success, with seven more teams than last year participating and support for new events such as the caregivers lap.

For some, the caregivers lap had more of an impact as it allowed survivors and families of cancer patients to give thanks for those who have taken care of their loved ones, Anderson said.

"The town really pulled together," she said.