Northern Berkshire Plans for 'Relaywood'
 Photos by Melanie Rancourt
Laura Baran of the American Cancer Society at the Relay for Life launch party. |
Committee members kicked off preparation for the 5th annual community event recently at the Bounti-Fare Restaurant with more than 75 people in attendance. The North County Relay brings more than a 1,000 cancer survivors and others affected by cancer to Noel Field in North Adams on a spring weekend to raise money to fight cancer.
This year's event Chairwomen Cheryl Cantarella and Patty Mancuso encouraged participants at the launch to chant this year's motto of "Get Well, Stay Well, Find a Cure, Fight Back" to get everyone in the Relay spirit.
"I am a Relay-a-holic," Mancuso admitted. "I want everyone here to help me with my addiction. Everyone has been touched by cancer in many ways and once you Relay once, I guarantee you will become a Relay for Lifer."
Both Canteralla and Mancuso have been affected by cancer and shared their stories. They encouraged teams to help raise money so that people diagnosed with cancer will have the opportunity to celebrate more birthdays.
Canterella ran down the 2009 statistics and announced the 2010 goals for this year's Relay: "Last year, we had 52 teams, 1,033 participants, sold 3,381 luminarias, 92 tribute torches; we had 221 survivors and raised $138,000. This year, the event hopes to have 60 teams registered, 1,200 participants, 250 survivors and raise a total of $150,000."
To encourage teams to raise money for their teams, many incentives are planned both before and during the event. Heather Benlien explained what the committee as planned for the upcoming event.
  Relay Chairwomen Cheryl Cantarella and Patty Mancuso. Right, this year's T-shirt. |
She also said a popular basket drawing will return for the second year. "Teams are encouraged to create a themed basket and bring it to the event. Tickets for the baskets will be available at the event for you to purchase," she said. "Last year's basket drawing was a huge success, raising $3,500 for the event. Just like last year, all money raised from individual baskets go straight to each team's total. We hope that this year's drawing will be bigger and better than ever."
Kelly Woods, community executive for health incentives for the American Cancer Society, spoke to the crowd and explained how the money raised from last year's event was used and how it helped cancer patients in the area.
"Your $138,000 helped to provided 547 rides to treatment and other cancer-related appointments through the Road to Recovery program. Forty-one women attended a Look Good, Feel Better program. At least 80 patients received a Personal Health Manager Kit (information packets for newly diagnosed patients) and/or received a free book of their choice on cancer treatment, nutrition, caregiving, or cancer survivorship, she said. "Seventy women received a contact through the peer support program for women with breast cancer through the Reach to Recovery program; 230 patients received a free bouquet of daffodils as a Gift of Hope through the ACS Daffodil Days Campaign.
"By partnering with the hospitals, Berkshire Hematology/Oncology and the larger community, we were able to offer a few grants to help offset transportation expenses, a breast cancer screening educational dinner, a survivor celebration in November, and educational nutrition sessions for patients," she concluded.
Cantarella and Mancuso invited everyone to celebrate survivors on Sunday, Feb. 21, from 11 until 1 at Mount Greylock Bowl in North Adams. Refreshments will be served and prizes will be available.
For those interested in joining, there are some subcommittees that still need leaders. The next committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Clark House Conference Room at North Adams Regional Hospital. If you would like to start a team, the first team captains' meeting will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24, in the Murdock Hall Conference Room at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
The annual Relay is set to begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 21, at the Noel Field Athletic Complex. It will kick off with the Survivor Lap and end on Saturday, May 22, with closing ceremonies at noon.
For additional information about the event, how to become a sponsor, or how to become more involved, call Laura Baran at 413-664-4202 or visit www.relayforlife.org.
