Wow!!! What an amazing event!!! I took the boys to relay with me for Relay for Life. I could not believe the turn-out from out little town. It was so amazing to see the support from so many people, businesses, organizations, squadrons, and churches in the community, all in the name of cancer research, awareness, and fund-raising.
Our squadron, the 3rd SOS Dragons, put together a team, The Relaying Dragons. One of our very own squadron spouses, Laurin Stamps, is a cancer survivor. She was not only our team captain, but she was the 2010 Honorary Chair for the entire event!!! For more information about this awesome event, check out the Relay for Life website!!!
Julia, Laurin and I painted the team banner. The theme for Relay for Life this year is "Celebrating Another Year!" You can't see the dragon really well in this picture, but his flames are lighting the candle on the birthday cake; a birthday cake which reads "Celebrating Another Year" in pink frosting.
This cake was designed to match the cake on the banner.
The boys were given party bags filled with candy! They were in sugar heaven!
We saw tons of people that we knew. Here we are with Charlie and Henry! How adorable do they look in their Relay for Life shirts???
The Opening Ceremonies were conducted by DJs from our local radio station and included the posting of the colors, the National Anthem, an invocation, cheerleaders, belly dancing, a survivor's laps, teams pictures, and a parade of teams. But the most moving part of night for me, was the speech that Laurin gave (as Honorary Chair) in which she talked about her battle with cancer. She talked about how she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at age 18, right as she was preparing to leave for college. She talked about how her world came crashing down on her and those she loved. But she also talk about how she fought back, went through chemo, and defeated cancer!!!!! She is now happily married and has an adorable stepson and a beautiful 4-month old baby! Praise God!!!
As part of the Opening Ceremonies, the survivors and their families walked a "Survivor's Lap." Here are the Stamps on their initial lap!
After the survivor's lap, the teams each lined up and took a lap as a team with the team banner. For the rest of the night, until 10 this morning, the teams all had atleast one person out relaying on the course at all times.
This cake was designed to match the cake on the banner.
The boys were given party bags filled with candy! They were in sugar heaven!We saw tons of people that we knew. Here we are with Charlie and Henry! How adorable do they look in their Relay for Life shirts???
The Opening Ceremonies were conducted by DJs from our local radio station and included the posting of the colors, the National Anthem, an invocation, cheerleaders, belly dancing, a survivor's laps, teams pictures, and a parade of teams. But the most moving part of night for me, was the speech that Laurin gave (as Honorary Chair) in which she talked about her battle with cancer. She talked about how she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at age 18, right as she was preparing to leave for college. She talked about how her world came crashing down on her and those she loved. But she also talk about how she fought back, went through chemo, and defeated cancer!!!!! She is now happily married and has an adorable stepson and a beautiful 4-month old baby! Praise God!!!
As part of the Opening Ceremonies, the survivors and their families walked a "Survivor's Lap." Here are the Stamps on their initial lap!
After the survivor's lap, the teams each lined up and took a lap as a team with the team banner. For the rest of the night, until 10 this morning, the teams all had atleast one person out relaying on the course at all times. Of course, we took a little break for some playground time!
You know I had to snap this one of Miss Ree with Colin!
As it started to get dark (and chilly) we bundled up, got some hot chocolate and kept walking!
You know I had to snap this one of Miss Ree with Colin!
As it started to get dark (and chilly) we bundled up, got some hot chocolate and kept walking!
The boys absolutely LOVED the entire evening. Each time that we got back to our squadron's "campsite," Gehrig would beg me to go around another lap. Which we did, until almost 10pm!!!
Once it was completely dark, they held the Luminary Ceremony. The lap course had been lined with paper sack luminaries, upon which the names of survivors, as well as those who lost the battle to cancer, were written. As the thousands of names were read (in "memory of" or in "honor of"), the volunteers lit the candles!! How moving it was to see!! The pictures do not even do it justice!!
Laurin's Luminary. 
Laurin, I praise God for your life and the stuggles that you have been through!!! I am so honored to know you and to call you my friend. You are such a beauiful light shining in this world! 
Once it was completely dark, they held the Luminary Ceremony. The lap course had been lined with paper sack luminaries, upon which the names of survivors, as well as those who lost the battle to cancer, were written. As the thousands of names were read (in "memory of" or in "honor of"), the volunteers lit the candles!! How moving it was to see!! The pictures do not even do it justice!!
Laurin's Luminary. 
Laurin, I praise God for your life and the stuggles that you have been through!!! I am so honored to know you and to call you my friend. You are such a beauiful light shining in this world! 
3 comments:
I LOVE THIS BLOG JENNIFER!! And it made me tear up reading it. Thank you so much for all the help, & I'm SO HAPPY you all came out. :)
WOW.... that was quite an event.... I am sure it was a very emotional evening. I hope Gehrig at least grasped a little bit of the meaning of it all! Well done Dragon Team!
What a great post! Even though there is that pic of me...lol! Glad we found you guys and were able do a lap together!
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