Have you lost a loved one to cancer or know someone that has been affected by it? Relay for Life is an annual fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. Dave and I participated this year at the event in Folsom. My sister in law and niece decided to do this project to honor those in their lives that have been affected by cancer.
This event is very close to my heart because Dave and I have both lost a parent to cancer; Dave's mother when he was a child and my father just a few years ago. We decided to participate this year to honor our parents.
If you've never been to Relay for Life this is how it works. You sign up to be part of a "relay team". Each team then has someone walking at the event for a total of 24 hours. Groups camp out at the event and team mates take turns visiting, eating, sleeping, and walking. That night all the luminaries are lit and there is a silent time to walk the track and reflect upon those we've lost, those who have survived, and future generations. Then there is a concert of local bands, karaoke, and other fun events that keep everyone on their feet until the wee hours of the morning.
This was our camp-out station. The cardboard box in the foreground is a race car that my niece built and painted her grandfathers name on. She sometimes "drove" this around the track when it was her turn to relay.
These are the luminaries that our team lit that night.
Each candle represents either a loved one who has been lost or someone who is a survivor.
This was certainly a night for reflection and celebration.
This year we decided to host Thanksgiving for the first time. It was quite a challenge coordinating schedules and passing out cooking assignments but everything turned out amazing in the end. My biggest challenge was to cook the turkey.
