Interest in Relay for Life growing

By Ken Johnston
Editor

At first it was an idea that Andrew Hartnell of Rainy River was not sure would work in Rainy River.
Having been involved in Cuts for Cancer since he was a kid, Hartnell wondered if a Relay for Life fundraiser would work in a town as small as Rainy River. At Cuts for Cancer during Railroad Daze last summer, he wondered aloud and that started the ball rolling.
He spoke to a regional rep. from the Canadian Cancer Society and she suggested they set a goal of ten teams. As of last week they had three teams officially registered and strong commitments from five more and possibly six. “We are close to our goal and considering it is not until June I think we will have more than ten teams!” said Hartnell. Registered teams include The Hartnells, The Advents and Hope (Kelli Kuzyk).
Teams are comprised of ten or more people that will walk around the track at Riverview Elementry School in Rainy River from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on June 11th and 12th. There is always at least one team member walking, hence the term Relay.
The center of the track will become like a small village. Each team will be allotted space for a tent. There will also be several other tents including a cancer information tent, entertainment, registration/money tent, etc. “There will be plenty to do and to keep participants awake and active,” said Hartnell.
There will also be a luminary tent where people participants and spectators alike can purchase them. A luminary is a candle in a bag that is lit and placed along the relay route. “We have ordered 400 bags (luminaries) for sale at $5 each,” explained Hartnell. He based the order on Fort Frances, a town roughly ten times the size of Rainy River, selling 4,000 bags at their Relay for Life.
The local committee, which consists of Hartnell and his sister Melissa Jensen as co-chairs, Grace Seguin, Monique Gall and Val Leininger, have been told by the Cancer Society that with ten teams they should be able to raise $21,000 (including luminary sales). If they get more teams they could raise even more!
Teams will be busy canvassing the community for pledges over the next few months with the vast majority of the money staying in Northwestern Ontario to support programs in the region. Last year the monies raised for the Cancer Society helped provide 2,526 rides to appointments to 267 regional clients; provided peer support; $545,000 for research; public transportation and escorts when needed in the amount of $309,000; regional cancer centre and hospital support; and reliable information about cancer through the Cancer Information Service, Smokers’ Helpline and www.cancer.ca.
Hartnell and his sister travelled to Toronto last fall to learn how to run a Relay for Life and he said it was worth it. “It was really helpful. There was so much to learn!”
In addition to teams, they are looking for volunteers to help run the event as well as entertainers. “I am hoping that we can get the entertainment donated but if we can’t we hope we can get a good deal as we are on a very small budget,” said Hartnell.
Food and beverages are also needed. Anyone wanting to help out, donate or sign up can go to the website http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR?fr_id=6470&pg=entry to sign up. Or a person can get hard copy paperwork from Hartnell at the Rainy River Town Office or from Jensen at 852-3701. People can also donate to the teams on the internet, which means people from afar can participate locally!
Hartnell said that Cuts for Cancer will also be held that evening and anyone interested in participating can contact him at 852-3244 or his sister at the above number.
He is really pleased with the support so far. “I was a little worried before Christmas at the lack of interest, but in the past few weeks it has really come on!”