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CommunityContinuing the battle
Annual Relay for Life event draws thousands
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by CARRIE LOVEJOY
Judi Coyle opens the Calvert County Relay for Life on Friday by starting the lap dedicated to survivors, which is the first lap in every relay. Coyle is the co-chair for the event.
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‘‘The energy and enthusiasm that surrounds Relay for Life makes you believe that we’re going to win this fight against cancer,” said James Xinis, president and CEO of Calvert Memorial Hospital, during opening ceremonies.
It’s all about teams working together for a cause and to honor those who are not here any longer and to raise funds and find a way to prevent this terrible disease, said Trisha Willis of the Sneade’s Ace Hardware team.
Teams set up camp around the track and creatively marketed items and food to raise money for the event. Teams with Hawaiian and sport themes, animal and TV show themes and music themes lined the inside of the track along with purple feet placed on the fencing around the track.
A ‘‘MASH 4077” tent with a ‘‘Mash out cancer” sign and a street sign pointing the ways to hope, love, friends and family, and survivors⁄warriors cleverly designed by nursing student association from College of Southern Maryland.
‘‘I heard so much about the relay when I started at CSM last year, that they got me pumped up for it,” said Ricardo Perez, student activities coordinator. This was Perez’s first relay, and he said he was amazed at the turn out. The team was auctioning off a Father’s Day gift basket which included a $200 gas card.
The Army of Frogs, made up of Calvert Memorial Hospital’s breast cancer support group, stood out with their bright green frog T-shirts, visors and some with neon green frog shorts. This group has attended the Relay since Calvert’s first one, said Faith Roberts. At the first Relay they raised $24,000, she said.
The team, also known as the Bosom Buddies, has different themes each year, and member Dolores Blosick finds costumes and theme-related items to sell at the event from catalogs and the Internet each year.
Angels in the Outfield are a family-based team and this is its fourth year at Relay for Life, Nicole Baldwin said. The family is involved in softball, hence the name, and Shelia Baldwin, a breast cancer survivor, started the team. Three generations represented the team, Grace Baldwin said.
Last year, the campsites around the track were two-deep and this year they are three-deep, Grace Baldwin said.
The survivors⁄warriors (warriors are those currently battling cancer) walk started off the walking with a lap around the track.
The rest of the relayers then took the track as a live band played upbeat music from several eras of music.
The festive crowd socialized, sang to the live music, played sports in the infield while some manned their campsites selling items to raise money for the relay.
The Cancer Study had a line of participants signing up right from the beginning at 5 p.m. and Deb Wywill, the local chair of the study said she was pleased at the turnout.
‘‘The relay was phenomenal, Calvert County once again did an amazing job,” said Judi Coyle, Relay for Life co-chair.
‘‘We exceeded the expectations of ACS as to how many volunteers. Kudos to Debra Wyvill,” Coyle said.
Study participant Elizabeth Vicino said she participated in the study in support of her husband Lawrence, who said he is a one year survivor of prostate cancer as of the day of the Relay. Elizabeth Vicino said she is also participating for her grandson and her future grandson. They just learned that day that they were having another grandson. Cancer runs in Lawrence’s family, he said, but said it’s been a great day learning about another grandson and knowing he’s a cancer survivor.
As the evening moved on, the focus became the center of the field as an Elvis impersonator crooned to the crowd and the relayers prepared to tone down the exuberance and set a reverence as the sky dimmed.
Walkers made their way to individual luminaries placed around the track.
The flickers of light shone bright as the sky darkened and a hush sobered the night.
Participants prayed in silence, some tears shed and memories of loved ones lost were recalled.
A moment of silence and peace fell as those around the track reflected.
After the time of silence and a slideshow, a volleyball tournament began on the field and live music performed by John Luskey brought those not walking to the center of the field again.
Shortly before midnight, a taco bar was assembled for relayers, compliments of Maryland Country Caterers.
The night turned to the early morning hours with jazzercise, exercise and boot camp events giving those who wanted to be stimulated a venue to hype it up. Even a Ms. Relay contest was scheduled and a tug-o-war for those that weren’t exhausted by simply walking all night.
The event ended with a pancake and sausage breakfast, provided by Team Northern Stars, before the closing ceremonies.
‘‘It was our largest ever Relay in attendance, and was so successful not just with the money, but with introducing people to what Relay for Life is all about,” Coyle said. ‘‘There are people doing something about cancer. We are not alone, so that thrilled me. Introducing the event to new people is just as rewarding to me as making the big bucks.”
