Relay for Life lands in Oz
Wizard-themed event to help fund cancer research
By: Michelle Miller, Journal Staff WriterWednesday, July 19, 2006 11:26 AM PDT
The organizers of this year's Relay for Life of Auburn say a diagnosis of cancer is not unlike waking up to find out you're not in Kansas anymore.That's why this year's seventh relay to benefit the American Cancer Society is taking a "Wizard of Oz" theme, with the motto: "Follow Your Yellow Brick Road to Hope."Relay for Life is a 24-hour relay held in communities throughout the nation to honor those who have fought cancer and raise money for research and programs for the American Cancer Society. Teams are formed to run the relay and help raise funds.Chairwoman Stacy L. Graham will be heading up the relay for the second time this year.Last year's event brought in $150,000 for the American Cancer Society.
"It's a fair amount. We were down a little from the year before," Graham said. "$150,000 was no small change and we were pleased with that. People had a good time and teams are coming back this year. All in all, it was a success."Graham said she will likely step down from being chairwoman after this year and hand the reins to this year's co-chair, Lindy Young.With just a month left to raise money for the Aug. 19 relay, 33 local teams are putting their fundraising efforts into overdrive.Teams have been staging car washes, garage sales, and bake sales to raise money.Roschak's Ruby Slippers, a team sponsored by Auburn oncologist Thomas Roschak, is made up mostly of patients and family members.Team captain Irene Deen already has a pair of red sparkly sneakers fit for Dorothy to wear during the relay. She expects to have several team members, many of whom are patients or family members of patients at Dr. Roschak's office."We don't have to put a lot of pressure on them to donate, they're just enthusiastic that we're dedicated to them," said Deen, who is also a nurse/receptionist at Dr. Roschak's office. "We do it because it's the right thing to do. It's something we do to make them know we care about them and it cements that we are there for them in more than one way."Teams can still join the relay with a $150 sponsorship fee, usually furnished by a local business. Donations are accepted online or through teams. Individuals can also join existing teams."There's a team meeting every weekend until the relay," Graham said. "The sooner you sign up the more successful you'll be. Make sure you come to the meeting to get your packets."Event organizers also need volunteers during the event to manage certain duties, including the kids' camp and face painting.Some teams are getting into the spirit of this year's "Wizard of Oz" theme by adopting team names such as "Lollipop Guild" and "Roschak's Ruby Slippers."There will also be a midnight showing of "The Wizard of Oz" during the relay.Oz ties in well with the world of cancer, Graham said."You can relate to the characters," Graham said. "The cowardly lion finds his strength and courage to get through his battle, just as people fighting cancer find their strength and courage in themselves to do the same. The tin man needs a heart just like you need love and support from family and friends. Dorothy is lost and looking for a way. The scarecrow needs a brain and we need all the brains we can get to do research and come up with something to stop this disease."Where does Graham fit in?"I'm Glenda, trying to reinforce the positive aspects and raising money," she said.Journal reporter Penne Usher contributed to this report.The Journal's Michelle Miller can be reached at michellem@goldcountrymedia.com.
By: Michelle Miller, Journal Staff WriterWednesday, July 19, 2006 11:26 AM PDT
The organizers of this year's Relay for Life of Auburn say a diagnosis of cancer is not unlike waking up to find out you're not in Kansas anymore.That's why this year's seventh relay to benefit the American Cancer Society is taking a "Wizard of Oz" theme, with the motto: "Follow Your Yellow Brick Road to Hope."Relay for Life is a 24-hour relay held in communities throughout the nation to honor those who have fought cancer and raise money for research and programs for the American Cancer Society. Teams are formed to run the relay and help raise funds.Chairwoman Stacy L. Graham will be heading up the relay for the second time this year.Last year's event brought in $150,000 for the American Cancer Society.
"It's a fair amount. We were down a little from the year before," Graham said. "$150,000 was no small change and we were pleased with that. People had a good time and teams are coming back this year. All in all, it was a success."Graham said she will likely step down from being chairwoman after this year and hand the reins to this year's co-chair, Lindy Young.With just a month left to raise money for the Aug. 19 relay, 33 local teams are putting their fundraising efforts into overdrive.Teams have been staging car washes, garage sales, and bake sales to raise money.Roschak's Ruby Slippers, a team sponsored by Auburn oncologist Thomas Roschak, is made up mostly of patients and family members.Team captain Irene Deen already has a pair of red sparkly sneakers fit for Dorothy to wear during the relay. She expects to have several team members, many of whom are patients or family members of patients at Dr. Roschak's office."We don't have to put a lot of pressure on them to donate, they're just enthusiastic that we're dedicated to them," said Deen, who is also a nurse/receptionist at Dr. Roschak's office. "We do it because it's the right thing to do. It's something we do to make them know we care about them and it cements that we are there for them in more than one way."Teams can still join the relay with a $150 sponsorship fee, usually furnished by a local business. Donations are accepted online or through teams. Individuals can also join existing teams."There's a team meeting every weekend until the relay," Graham said. "The sooner you sign up the more successful you'll be. Make sure you come to the meeting to get your packets."Event organizers also need volunteers during the event to manage certain duties, including the kids' camp and face painting.Some teams are getting into the spirit of this year's "Wizard of Oz" theme by adopting team names such as "Lollipop Guild" and "Roschak's Ruby Slippers."There will also be a midnight showing of "The Wizard of Oz" during the relay.Oz ties in well with the world of cancer, Graham said."You can relate to the characters," Graham said. "The cowardly lion finds his strength and courage to get through his battle, just as people fighting cancer find their strength and courage in themselves to do the same. The tin man needs a heart just like you need love and support from family and friends. Dorothy is lost and looking for a way. The scarecrow needs a brain and we need all the brains we can get to do research and come up with something to stop this disease."Where does Graham fit in?"I'm Glenda, trying to reinforce the positive aspects and raising money," she said.Journal reporter Penne Usher contributed to this report.The Journal's Michelle Miller can be reached at michellem@goldcountrymedia.com.
