There will be a groovy kind of love on parade at locations on the Westside and North Shore in the coming months, a news release states. That’s because the American Cancer Society celebrates the 25th anniversary of its Relay For
There will be a groovy kind of love on parade at locations on the Westside and North Shore in the coming months, a news release states.
That’s because the American Cancer Society celebrates the 25th anniversary of its Relay For Life with a 1980s theme to mark the 1985 beginning of an event that has taken on a life of its own in communities from Hanapepe to Hoboken.
The 25th anniversary of the first Relay for Life will be marked with the 11th Annual Relay For Life on Kaua‘i, at the public soccer fields adjacent to Hanapepe Stadium, and with a brand new Relay For Life at Waioli Park in Hanalei.
The Hanapepe RFL is 6 p.m., May 2, to 6 a.m., May 3, having outgrown the friendly confines of Hanapepe Stadium.
The North Shore RFL is 6 p.m., June 27, to 6 a.m., June 28.
The North Shore RFL has relay-seasoned Francis “Frani” Ford Denny and Sandy as co-chairs, who are looking for other volunteers for a variety of necessary committee positions and team captains.
Jade Wai’ale’ale Battad is back again to co-chair the Hanapepe relay and is seeking a dedicated co-chair, other committee members and team captains, said Erika Sy, ACS Kaua‘i Field Office community manager for development.
Committee members and team captains have been meeting regularly for coordination and training purposes since last year, and the RFL-Hanapepe kickoff rally occurred at Kukui Grove Center before the holidays.
The RFL-North Shore kickoff event is Feb. 5 at the Princeville at Hanalei Community Association multi-purpose room across from the Princeville Public Library.
Relay For Life is the nationwide signature event of the American Cancer Society, with funds raised in part to benefit Kaua‘i families affected by cancer, as well as prevention programs.
When a single man walked around a track in Washington state for 24 hours straight and raised over $27,000 for ACS in 1985, the Relay For Life was born. The following year, 340 supporters joined the overnight relay.
In 2006, more than 4,500 communities in 16 countries hosted RFL events, raising over $400 million.
Team captains are charged with coordinating formation of teams of eight or more members, shaping fund-raising ideas (it is suggested that each team member pledge to raise at least $100), and planning the events of the team’s 12-hour participation at the relay.
Teams are responsible for keeping at least one member walking around a path at the relay events during every minute of the 12-hour events, which include special receptions and recognition laps for survivors, and ceremonial first laps for fighters and caregivers. The 12-hour relay symbolizes the continuing fight against all forms of cancer, with the idea being that the relay will not end until all types of cancer have been cured.
Teams can be comprised of church organizations, families, friends, co-workers, sports clubs, social clubs and organizations, business organizations, you name it, Sy commented.
Partnerships are the name of the game, with sponsors big and small coming forward over the years to make the Kaua‘i RFL successful, she said.
Once again this year, ACS is teaming up with The Garden Island newspaper in producing a special section featuring the people, places and events of both of this year’s relays, to be published sometime before the RFL Team Captains University, which is set for March 21 at a central location to be determined soon.
There are incentive prizes for team captains recruiting other team captains, for individuals and teams raising certain amounts of money, and prizes for best-themed and best-decorated campsites at the relays.
• More information is available at relayforlife.org
