Relay For Life Kickoff
Volunteers walk through history

Union County American Cancer Society volunteers prepare to load the hundreds of giant bright yellow blooms to be delivered to Wesley Mountain Village and Branan Lodge residents. The local United Community Bank's Golden Club has provided these bouquets of "Hope" to these residents for nearly 20 years as just one way of joining in the fight against cancer. This year's countywide Daffodil Days project was headed up by the St. Francis Catholic Church's Relay For Life team members.

American Cancer Society volunteers including 2007 and 2006 Relay For Life team captains were welcomed to the 2007 Kickoff on Tuesday, March 13. There was a brief presentation of the 2007 theme ,"Celebrating How Far We've Come, Through the Ages" including volunteers dressed in various "historical" outfits, table decorations with volcanoes & dinosaurs, as well as a Relay For Life Space Ship.

The North Georgia Technical College conference center provided the setting for this annual event with delicious food provided by Grinds and Glazes. Volunteers provided desserts for all to enjoy.

Featured speaker was Rev. Ben Lewis of First United Methodist Church who shared his cancer survivor story. "Rev. Lewis represents just one of the many cancer survivors in our community that we plan to honor as part of our 2007 event," stated 2007 Cancer Survivor Activities Chair Stacy Head. Mrs. Head also issued a challenge to each team to invite any cancer fighters or survivors to the 2007 Dinner Celebration on Tuesday, April 10th at North Georgia Technical College.

Rev. Lewis will also be speaking at the Annual Memorial Plaque Dedication for the American Cancer Society on Sunday, March 18th at 2:30 p.m. in the Junior Brackett Community at United Community Bank in Blairsville.

In addition to the keynote speaker, the program also included recognition of the 2006 All Star teams by Community Manager Angela Puleo with the American Cancer Society staff. Mrs. Puleo also gave out the new information regarding online team registration, fundraising regulations and the photo/slide show for the luminaria ceremony that our volunteers started using last year as a part of the candlelighting service which is held on Friday night June 22 at 9 p.m.

The 2007 Team Recruitment Chairs Janet Hartman and Judy Rich were pleased to welcome the returning and the "rookie" teams that will be on the field for June 22 and 23 at the UCHS football field. This year's event will begin with the Survivor Opening Ceremony and Lap at 7 p.m. ( new time) on Friday evening June 22 and will end with the Closing Awards Ceremony and Friendship Circle at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 23.

Each team captain received the packets of information that will help them get their teams prepared for the June event. Several teams have already been busy raising funds. The Bank of Blairsville has already held a photo portrait session and will be waiting tables at Rib Country on March 20th. Cadence Bank has already had a bake sale. United Community Bank and Union County Primary School staff members have been "Dressing Down" for Relay For Life. The St. Francis Catholic Church team headed up the annual Daffodil Days, Flower of Hope Project. Coosa UMC did a poinsettia fund raiser back in late 2006 as part of their church team effort.

"We are so pleased that several teams are returning with renewed enthusiasm in the fight against cancer," stated co-chairs Rich and Hartman.

Teams that have already committed to the 2007 Relay For Life in Union County include:

Appalachian Community Bank

Bank of Blairsville

Cadence Bank

Coosa United Methodist Church

Corrugated Replacements Blue Ridge Mountain EMC

Exit Realty

First United Methodist Church

Home Depot

Josie & the 3 M's (McGraw Family team)

Mountain Presbyterian Church

Ray of Hope (Sales Family team)

St. Francis Catholic Church

Union County Primary School

Union County Elementary School

Union Realty United Community Bank Wendy's Restaurant

"We look forward to working with the "rookie" teams from Wendy's and from Exit Realty," added Mrs. Hartman. "While we have a good assortment of large and small businesses, we are always glad to add more teams especially from families. The McGraw family will be joining as a new team. Although they have been supportive in many other ways in past years, the grandchildren are now excited to join in the fight against cancer as a new team for Union County.

"If there are other families or other organizations that would like to join the fight please contact Mrs. Hartman at 706-745-8470 or Mrs. Rich at 706-745-7292.

Another longtime ACS & RFLvolunteer Vee Laffoon added, "While we can say that the tide has changed in the fight against cancer, now it is more important than ever to get involved and stay involved while the answers are so close. We need to continue funding research that will lead to the next big breakthrough as well as funding education and awareness programs and providing patient services such as the Road to Recovery transportation program , Reach to Recovery Breast Cancer Outreach program, Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group, Look Good Feel Better Programs, FreshStart Smoking Cessation classes, and the 24/7 services through the 1-880-ACS-2345 lines and the www.cancer,org web site," she concluded.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.