Relay For Life raises $28,000 for the American Cancer Society

WINSTED — The American Cancer Society held its 14th annual Relay For Life of Northwest Hills at Northwestern Regional High School on Saturday, June 25. 

The event started at 2 p.m. on June 25 and lasted until 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 26.

It was held to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and its programs. Similar events are held across the country during the spring and summer.

Relay for Life started in 1985, when Dr. Gordy Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours straight around a track in Tacoma, Wash.

Klatt’s one-man relay raised $27,000 for the organization.

The next year 340 supporters joined Klatt to raise money in a formal Relay For Life, which in turn began to catch on as a worldwide event.

Since its start, the event has raised $5 billion for the organization.

Spirits high at event

According to the event’s official website at www.main.acsevents.org, local runners raised $28,000 this year for the cancer organization. Twenty-four teams of 135 participants took part.

Before the run started, organization volunteer and event co-chairman Julie Keating said she is thankful for all of the participants.

“We have a lot of teams this year, including from the Winsted Elks Lodge, the Torrington Elks Lodge and Waring Products,” Keating said. “We have lots of local businesses sponsor teams. It’s important to raise money to find a way to cure cancer. We are grateful to everyone who raised money.”

Torrington resident and participant Cheri Cote, who took part in the Save the RAC team, said her mother, Rhonda Cote, was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.

“We know a lot of people that have been diagnosed with cancer,” Cote said. “The organization is great because it has saved many lives. It’s really close to our family and our team.”

The team is named after Rhonda Cote’s initials RAC.

The Save the RAC team raised $5,174, the most out all 24 teams who took part in the event.

Right behind Save the RAC in fundraising was The Walking Warriors team, which raised $3,685.94.

The team is made up of both Winsted and Torrington residents.

Team member Karen Ross said that the team has participated for the past five years.

“We want to raise money to help people with cancer,” Ross said. “Everybody knows somebody that has had cancer.”

Honoring survivors,
remembering those who died

The event started off with a Survivors Lap. Cancer survivors took the first lap around the school’s track, with the second lap including caregivers of cancer patients.

At nightfall, participants stopped and lit candles as part of a luminaria lighting.

The luminarias were lit all along the course of the track and each one was personalized with the name, photo or drawing of a family member or friend who has been affected by cancer.

The participants walked one lap across the track with the lit candles as “Amazing Grace” played over the DJ system.

State Rep. State Rep Jay Case (R-63) spoke at the beginning of the event.

“Last month my brother Scott Case, a 43-year cancer survivor, passed away,” Case said. “He wasn’t supposed to live past the age of 7, but he got 43 extra years. Thank you for doing all of this to help with cancer research.” 

For information on the American Cancer Society, go to www.cancer.org.