Group photo: Relay for Life volunteers show who some of the supporters are. From left, front, JessicaKhouri (community fundraising specialist), Ashley Thompson (media sponsor), Dave Shields (honourary cancer survivor), Ron Dunbar (main sponsor Dunbar Home Inspections) and Roger Martin (community officemanager). Back row: Hugh Martin, Charlotte Robinson, Angie McCutcheon, Janet Briscoe, Ginny Robinson and Cindy Giroux.
By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
BEACHBURG — The money raised by Relay for Life has made an impact on those who have cancer in Renfrew County.
It is not only used for life-saving cancer research, it is also used for Wheels of Hope, which provides transportation to and from appointments for cancer patients in the county, said Jessica Khouri, community fundraising specialist with the Renfrew County Community Office of the Canadian Cancer Society.
She was addressing the small crowd at the Beachburg Arena during the Relay Reveal Saturday afternoon.
This year’s relay for Whitewater is again at the Beachburg Fair Grounds starting at 7 p.m. Friday, June 17 and ending 12 hours later, 7 a.m. Saturday, June 18.
“We’re here today to welcome you, to get you started on the season and introduce you to some super-important people who are here and to tell you some of the exciting things that are happening with this year’s event,” Ms. Khouri said.
The money raised does make an impact, she said.
“Money gets put towards life-saving cancer research and local support programing,” Ms. Khouri said, adding, “Things like the peer support program that really focuses on the mental health and the emotional support for people going through cancer and for their loved ones who are dealing with that as well.
“Your work last year helped to take 230 local people from Renfrew County to their appointments,” Ms. Khouri said. “You guys did that. You guys are making a difference.”
This year’s goal is $70,000 and “I’m super confident Whitewater Region can do it,” she said.
This is the third year for the event, and the co-chairs have not yet changed, they are Charlotte Robinson and Angie McCutcheon.
Ms. Robinson welcomed everyone and thanked those who are returning. She noted most of the committee members are returning members.
Over $163,000 has been raised from the Whitewater Relay for Life, she said.
“We can’t wait for this year,” Ms. Robinson said. “We have so much fun activities planned.”
Dave Shields of Beachburg, chair of the Renfrew County District School Board, is this year’s Honourary Cancer Survivor. He spoke briefly about his hard-fought cancer battle he won, which began while he was attending a school board conference in Thunder Bay with his wife.
“I am delighted to be the honourary cancer survivor for Whitewater Relay for Life for 2016,” Mr. Shields said. “I’m trying to get my head around this new title I have.”
He noted he was advised he had about five minutes to tell his two-hour story, but that a more in-depth version will be published in the whiteaternews.ca in four segments.
“I made a deal with Connie from the whitewaternews … to run my story in four segments,” he said. “But, I’ll tell give you a brief description of what I went through and tell you why this event is very important to fundraising.”
He had a canker sore in his mouth and was treating it with over-the-counter-medications.
While at a school board conference in Thunder Bay, he spoke to a pharmacist and asked what he could use to treat the canker sore, which was really bothering him by this time. He was advised to go to his dentist, who told him to go to his doctor and the cancer story began. The next battles saw part of his tongue cut out, a piece of his arm and a vein from his arm was used to rebuild his tongue and a graft from his leg was used to rebuild the part of his arm that had been used to rebuild the tongue. The operation to do this work took 14 hours, he recalled.
While recuperating in hospital, Mr. Shields started emailing people about what was happening, his thoughts, and even his emotions.
“I started out with 10 people and the list grew to more than 100 who wanted those emails,” he recalled. “I fed off of that. I got all kinds of encouragement from people. Encouraging me to keep my attitude and all this sort of stuff.”
With it all written down, it was suggested he write a book, but Mr. Shields said that wasn’t for him to do, but possibly Connie could, he said with a laugh.
“I’m looking forward to telling my story in the newspaper,” he said.
Mr. Shields thanked the people for supporting this event.
“I am very pleased to be part of this relay,” he said.
Ms. Khouri then introduced the sponsors of this year’s relay, which include Dunbar Home Inspections, Beach-West Pharmacy IDA, Beachburg Agricultural Society, Star 96, Sunsign Graphics, Jamieson Travel and Tours and Gayle Jacques, Real estate broker with Royal LePage Realty in Cobden.
“I’m happy, happy, happy to be involved,” said Ron Dunbar of Dunbar Home Inspections.
The relay is very rewarding and he thanked those who support it. He said most people know someone who has had or has cancer.
Ms. Khouri said new this year is the $5 fee for each luminary. A luminary is a small, paper bag that can be decorated if people want to do that. At the opening of the Relay for Life, a candle is placed in each bag and the bags are then lined up around the track where the people walk for 12 hours. The candles are lit and that light illuminates the way for those walking the track.
“You can purchase them (the bags for luminaries) and sell them,” she said. “It’s a great way for people to contribute.”
They can also be purchased on-site at the event, she added. There will be an area on site to decorate them, she said.
She encouraged participants to set a fundraising goal and to host various fundraisers to meet the goal.
“Making a self-pledge is a great way to show people you are getting donations,” she said. “Show friends and family your goal and let them help you reach your goal. For those on Facebook, it’s a great way to reach people.
“Set a walking goal,” she added. “To get donations, tell people if I reach this many laps, or this many kilometres, then this person will give me X amount of dollars. It’s an excellent way of raising money.”
Ms. Khouri also promoted a Team Spirit Card. Participants receive points for doing different things, she said. There will also be prizes and draws.
While Beachburg doesn’t have a problem with team spirit, Ms. Khouri said, by using the card it’s a great way to measure that spirit.
“This is kind of like your Team Spirit Bingo Card,” she said showing a card with many squares on it. “There’s one per team. There are different points for differing things.”
As an example, for hosting a fundraiser, the team gets five points; if a team shows up in costume, it gets 300 points; if a team bring treats for another team, it gets 300 points; and so many more, she said.
“You guys are going to be rewarded the more you participate and the more team spirit, Relay for Life spirit, you have, and we’ll calculate these points.
“The more you participate, the more rewards you will earn,” Ms. Khouri said. “There will be a trophy for the winner.”
This year, there will be a DJ taking requests throughout the 12-hour event, of course, for a donation, she said.
There is also a province-wide early bird registration draw for those teams who register by March 31, Ms. Khouri said. The prize is $1,000 towards the team’s fundraising goal and each team member receives a Fitbit Flex, she said.
The participants were also encouraged to begin training for the 12-hour event.
Speaking about cancer, she noted 50 percent of cancers can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle.
Volunteers are also being sought for the day of the event, Ms. Khouri said.
Ms. Khouri noted while there was opportunity to register this past Saturday, participants can go to www.relayforlife.ca/beachburg for more information or to register. Team captains can pick up kits at the community office, 1217 Pembroke St. E. in Pembroke.
