Those wanting to help fight cancer take part in the 2023 Rally for Life fundraiser charity walk. This year’s walk takes place at the Miami County Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Courtesy of Cheryl McKenna
Courtesy of Cheryl McKenna
By: Eamon Baird
TROY — The Miami County Fairgrounds is hosting the annual Relay for Life fundraiser charity walk on Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The free event is part of the American Cancer Society a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, and this year’s theme is Gnome More Cancer.
Sisters Linda Nash and Cheryl McKenna, co-chairs for the annual walk, discussed the details of the event.
“There isn’t anybody that cancer hasn’t touched at one time,” McKenna said. “That’s why it is so important to us to keep it going. The more research we can do the more chances there’s going to be to find better cures and treatments.”
Nash and McKenna said they need volunteers and hope younger people can come out to support raising awareness for cancer.
“You don’t pay anything to come. You can just come and walk, maybe get a drink and a sandwich or something and find out what it’s all about,” Nash said.
According to the event’s website, the first cancer walk was in May 1985 when Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington. Friends, family, and patients watched and supported him as he walked and ran more than 83.6 miles and raised $27,000 through pledges to help save lives from cancer.
Teams will take turns walking on the track at the fairgrounds throughout the 13-hour event. There will be different theme laps to create an entertaining atmosphere.
One change for this year from previous years is participants will be able to bring their dogs to join them for the walk.
Although all Relay for Life cancer walks are unique, they all feature the four signature events: A celebration of cancer survivors; a celebration of caregivers; a luminaria ceremony to honor and remember loved ones; the opportunity to fight back against cancer.
The Luminaria Ceremony is a signature element of every Relay For Life event. At nightfall, these homemade paper lanterns, decorated with the names of loved ones, are lit in honor and in memory of a life touched by cancer. The ceremony includes a moment of silence for those have lost.
Luminairias will be available for purchase on the day of the event available for $10. They are scheduled to be lit up at 9 p.m.
Nash and McKenna said the event will have fun events for the whole family including a DJ booth, along with food and drinks available for donation. There will also be a kid’s zone and face painting and more.
For more information on the Relay for Life event including volunteer opportunities, call Linda Nash at 937-418-8885. Information about the Troy Relay for Life event can also be found on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/relayforlifeofmiamicounty/
