Relay for Life 2010

June 25th was our 2010 Relay for Life with a Teton View. This year I was one of the major organizers. My official role was Team Development Chairman. I was in charge of of recruiting old and new teams, putting together and throwing our Relay Kick-Off (we had a very successful and fun carnival) and organizing and leading all the Team Captain Meetings. Last year our event had 38 teams and this year we had 48!

It was such a special experience to be so involved with a cause that it so near and dear to my heart. When I first realized the scope of all that my position involved I was really nervous and afraid that by the time the season was over, I'd be so overwhelmed and Relayed out. I was worried that my love of Relay would wain. Actually, the very opposite happened. Every hour that I spent and volunteered for Relay (which was a LOT) I truly enjoyed and I grew to love Relay and it's purposes even more. It was a real blessing for me this winter. I had a great cause to be fighting for, I made many new friends, and I was able to focus a lot of my "cancer anxiety" into a good cause. I'm excited for next year. I know that our event will grow even more and we will come that much closer to finding a cure for cancer and will bless many lives in the mean time.

This is most of our committee. What an fantastic group of people. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with them. They are all so kind and dedicated and I want to be like them when I grow up. I personally had a Team Development Committee that was also A-MAZING! They are my best friends and I'm so so thankful for every second, minute and hour they spent dedicated to this cause and all because they love Sirri. What a blessing good friends are!

This year was also especially great because we had a family team called Sisters for Sirri. Family (and friends who might as well be family) came from all over to be part of this special experience. Our team was the #1 fundraiser because of the commitment and dedication of my family. I love them all and I am so thankful for all the help that they each were. What a great experience to fight back together and to honor Sirri in such a special way.

Our Team: SISTERS FOR SIRRI!
(Minus a few. Including....SIRRI! She was too busy running around with Brooke!)

Our #1 teammate, and the top fundraiser of the whole event, my older sister, Kim and her darling, Sarah! She raised over $1,200! I really could not be any more proud or thankful for her!
Kim and her kids came all the way from Los Angeles, California.

See the cape Kim is wearing? She also made each member of our team one of those so we could be SUPER Sisters for Sirri. (Our event theme for the year was Super Heroes Fighting Cancer) And my mom made us all purple tied dyed leg warmers. We were CUTE!

Beautiful Aunt Cindy and Sirri

Sirri and Brooke
Brooke is Sirri's #1 supporter!

Sirri about to take her Survivor Lap. I actually made it all the way around the track without crying this year. WHOA! Sirri, still didn't enjoy the attention and was sure glad to have Brooke there holding her hand. We had over 70 Survivors on the lap and it was such a great sight of HOPE!

Grandpa and Meg
Connor and Koy and Brooke and Sirri had such a fabulous time. They ran around the whole evening bumming dollars off anyone who would pity them (mostly Grandma!) and bought themselves all kinds of treasures; cotton candy, face painting, stinky perfume, and a chance to smash the "Beat Cancer Car." It's so fun that they are getting older and more independent and have such great friends to run around with.

This is one of the Survivor Quilts that was auctioned off at the event. It has Survivor's hand prints and signatures on it (including Sirri's). And because of the generosity of an acquaintance of mine, Dawn, it is now on Sirri's bed and Sirri loves it! I have the opportunity to serve on our regional training committee with Dawn this fall and I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better. Someone with that kind of heart is someone I want to be friends with.
The Luminaria Ceremony

During the Luminaria Ceremony the sky filled with bright, bold strikes of lightning. It was beatiful and the perfect touch to the ceremony. As soon as the lap of silence was completed the skies opened and it began to pour and blow. In perfect Rexburg fashion, it rained for about 5-10 minutes and then blew over. Most of the participants braved the storm and stayed to finish out the night. It was the perfect reminder that there is always hope and the sun always shines again, even when it feels like it won't.
My family stayed until after dark and until the kiddos were begging for their beds. They were all so tuckered out. I'm so thankful for the support that Kendon has been to me. For every hour that I spent doing Relay "stuff" he was home taking care of the family and being Mr. Mom. I absolutely could not have done all that I did without him as my partner and backup.

All in all, Relay was a fantastic expereince. I can't wait for next year. (I suppose it's a good thing I'm so gung-ho, since we're already planning for Summit Training. In fact I have a conference call tomorrow. Doesn't THAT sound professional?!?!?)

Remember...Once you choose HOPE, anything is possible!

CELEBRATE...REMEMBER...FIGHT BACK!