Greencastle Relay for Life gets ‘back on track’ after pandemic break

GREENCASTLE, Pa. — You have to be really, genuinely committed to a cause to get out and stroll a monitor in 90-degree heat on a Saturday.

Want proof? Search no farther than the members in the area 2022 Relay for Life on Saturday at Greencastle-Antrim Significant School’s Kaley Discipline.

It was the 28th Greencastle Relay for Daily life fundraiser, which benefits the American Cancer Modern society. And as it was also the 1st strolling celebration considering that the COVID-19 pandemic commenced, this year’s theme was “Back on Observe — Racing for a Treatment.”

It was also the 1st time Greencastle and Chambersburg, Pa., businesses put together for the function, and things to do had been prepared in the course of the working day and into the evening.

Co-Chairwoman June Hann, herself a cancer survivor, mentioned that as of Friday, 29 teams had signed up to take part, with 141 whole individuals — and 42 most cancers survivors — among them.

“Our objective is (to increase) $85,000,” she said. “As a result of sponsorships and groups that have currently donated and (memorial) luminarias that have been bought, we are now at like $67,000.

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“Ideally, persons are completely ready to get out and do these factors,” she claimed, adding that she’s “incredibly hopeful” they’ll get to their intention.

As of noon Saturday, extra than $70,000 had been elevated, in accordance to the organization’s website.

It can be private

“The Bravehearts” staff from Greencastle ended up walking because of the way most cancers experienced afflicted family customers. “We have experienced several household customers go absent from cancer,” explained Angie Maynard. “We also have some survivors. My mom-in-regulation is a survivor of two types of most cancers, and so she’s going to be listed here right now and we wanted to appear out and help her.”

“And my sister-in-law just passed absent from colon cancer Might 1 very last yr,” mentioned Sharon Zeis.

They hadn’t nevertheless arrived at their workforce aim of $1,000, but “we are nevertheless working on it,” Maynard claimed.

Story carries on

That “relatives” topic ran deep Saturday. Cindy Quillen of Greencastle arrived with her daughter, grandson, nephew and sister to walk with team “Loved ones Battle.”

“I’ve experienced uterine most cancers,” she reported “my just one sister had both of those breasts taken out from most cancers.” Tears welled in her eyes as she additional, “a brother died of leukemia.”

She said her spouse and children has participated for a long time — almost given that the Greencastle relays commenced. They approach to go on raising funds “to get this completed,” she reported.

Most cancers, explained her sister Arlene Barns, “is terrible. It’s a nasty sickness.”

Maryland transplant Beth Pryor, who now life in Fayetteville, Pa., wore a “survivor” shirt.

She’d participated in Hagerstown relays in advance of going to Pennsylvania, and a person year raised more than $1,000. “So I was very pleased of that,” she said.

Then cancer arrived at her doorway.

Soon after identifying she was genetically at possibility, she selected to acquire a pre-emptive strike. “I made the decision to have a double-mastectomy in October of 2019,” she claimed.

Then a mammogram scheduled a handful of weeks right before her surgical procedure discovered she currently experienced stage 4 breast most cancers.

“So I currently had the mastectomy scheduled, so I went in advance with it. And then I had to do six months of chemo.”

On Saturday, she was walking with her Penn Nationwide neighbors on a crew identified as “Toot Your Horn.” Her personalized aim was to increase $300.

Even now increasing income

Hann said organizers will hold the fundraising open up for a minor even though for this year’s event, so the remaining tally will not likely be acknowledged right up until the cutoff time. For more info on this year’s Relay for Daily life, visit www.relayforlife.org/pagreencastle

This write-up at first appeared on The Herald-Mail: Walkers get on cancer at Greencastle Relay for Life