Honor a cancer survivor at the Relay For Life

Luminaria are on sale to line the track at the Relay For Life of St. Francois County. Those who purchase one of the white bags filled with sand pay $5 for the name of their loved one to be written on the bag. Hundreds of bags line each side of the track with the names of those who have survived cancer or those who have lost their battle with the disease. As night falls, the candles are lit and those who walk the track celebrate the lives they represent as each name is read.

“I think the luminaria lighting is one of the most moving aspects of the Relay,” said Carolyn Tyler, Chairman of the Relay.

To purchase a luminaria for the Relay July 27-28 at Mineral Area College, contact Dale or Arlene Jones at 573-756-6197. They’ll also be sold at the Relay.

Volunteers to assist in a Cancer Prevention Study will be trained at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the North College Center at Mineral Area College. Tyler says anyone may volunteer to assist those who sign up for the study in filling out papers at the Relay. At the training they will learn how to measure a person’s waist for the study and check papers filled out by those who are taking part in the study.

The St. Francois County Relay was specially selected for the study and organizers hope at least 400 people who have not had cancer will become part of it. Medical personnel will take a vial of blood from each participant and the Cancer Society will send out surveys periodically to update information.

Signs to line the track for the Relay must be purchased for $100 each by July 13. To order a sign to display the name of a business or individual, contact Lisa Johnson at 573-756-6417 or 573-518-2218.

Teams are raising money for the American Cancer Society and will come together to camp out all night long at MAC and take turns walking a makeshift track. The idea of the event is to symbolize the cancer patient’s struggle from the darkness that may come through the diagnosis and treatment of the disease to the sunlight that symbolizes the hope that comes when the treatment is over. The public is invited to spend the night, too, beginning with opening ceremonies at 7 p.m.

As the day of the Relay draws nearer, team fund-raising is in high gear.

Team USA will have a yard sale beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday at the warehouse in Desloge located next to AutoZone and Movie Gallery. 

Saturday, the New Beginnings team hosts its 2nd annual Hope for a Cure Yard Sale at the new Dockins Radio station at Karsch and Veterans Drive in Farmington. A TV set and washing machine are among the items for sale beginning at 7 a.m. While you’re there, take a look at the guitar autographed by 11 country music stars, including Merle Haggard and Aaron Tippin. The team will award the guitar at the Relay to someone who has donated to their team. Donate at the yard sale or at Marler Music, Unique Real Estate or O’Neal Tax Services.

The Honey Paw team will have an auction at USA Drug Saturday. They’ll also host gym night at Parkland Gymnastics from 5-7 p.m. Saturday with children age 4 and up admitted for $5.

Also on Saturday, a yard sale at 7 a.m. at the Bonne Terre firehouse will benefit the Ray of Hope team.

 The Turner Chevrolet team is accepting donations at the car dealership and will give one donor a battery-operated Corvette for a child. The vehicle will be awarded at the Relay.

 Donate at the Park Hills Senior Center by July 13 and cut Holly Buxton’s hair. The Center director has offered to allow one donor to cut her hair on July 20. She’ll send 15 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, which provides wigs to people who lose their hair for medical reasons. She is donating it in memory of her father-in-law, Gene Buxton, who died of cancer.

Purchase a bow at the Shearin Funeral Home in Bonne Terre or by calling Ruth Pratte at 573-358-5278.  In addition, her License to Cut Cancer Team is taking orders for a pink and purple toilet to place in yards around the Parkland. To make a donation to send the toilet, call 573-760-3789.

East Missouri Action Agency will host “In Action For A Cure”, a benefit concert to raise money for Relay for Life from noon to 9 p.m., July 14 at Farmington Centene Center. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at door. For tickets call 756-0900 or visit www.myspace.com/unitedforacause.

The Daily Journal is a proud platinum corporate sponsor of the Relay For Life.

Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.