THE KEY TO RELAY

Okay...thought I needed to put all my cards on the table, so to speak, and let you in on the key reason I Relay. The reason I Relay....is because I LOVE RELAY! Not only do I get to spend some time with some really great friends I've made through the committee over the years....I get to spend time with a lot of new friends that I've made in our community that come out each year to show their support. They don't just support the RELAY but their very own loved ones that are living and surviving each day and to honor their friends and family that have fought and lost their battles with this dreaded disease. I have lots of reasons to support RELAY...my husband, my sister, my father, and my aunt are all Cancer Survivors. I've lost my grandmother to Cancer, not to mention my mother in law, who I never got a chance to meet, and several other family members...cousins, and great-aunts to name a few. During the Kick-off event Monday night the question came up, "How many of you have family members that are living with or have died from Cancer?" Let me tell you...I was shocked to see that only five or so hands did NOT go up! That's right...it affects each of us, one way or the other. I'd almost be willing to bet, if I were the betting kind, that your sitting there reading this and thinking...who do I know?...or how many friends have I lost?...how many family members?

Let me tell you where I'm going with this....YOU know someone that is living with this disease...right now. You may not know who it is...but you do know someone, so when you read about the numerous bake sales, the yard sales, the steak or barb-b-que plate sales, all held to raise money for RELAY, go out and support them. Reach deep down and find those crumpled dollars in your pocket, raid the piggy banks and the coin purses....and hey, while your at it, we like those nicely arranged greenbacks in your billfold too! BTW...we do accept checks...just make them out to The American Cancer Society.

YOU can make a difference in the lives of those you love and the lives of those perfect strangers you don't even know have Cancer. YOU are the key to RELAY and to the success of RELAY for Columbus County. There is a slogan about RELAY that hits home for me....."It's about a Community, that takes up the fight!" We are that Community. I hope that you'll make plans to attend this years event...mark your calendars! I'll be there...will you?