Williams College Students Walk For a CureBy Melanie Rancourt
Special to iBerkshires
08:06PM / Sunday, January 25, 2009
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College students gathered last weekend at the Towne Field House on campus to have some fun and, more importantly, to raise money for the American Cancer Society's signature event and spread cancer awareness.
The opening ceremony and survivor lap kicked off the town's 2nd annual Relay For Life on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. Pat Mancuso, Diane Perault, Elizabeth Cwiertniewicz and Amanda Weaterhead were the four survivors honored at the event, each receiving a gold survivor medal, pin and "Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back" refrigerator magnets.
"Do you ever get so busy and caught up in your daily life that you wish you had extra time to do what you need to do or want to do?" Mancuso asked the gathering. "I can tell you as a survivor that the days you spend from diagnosis through treatment are long. What I wouldn't have given for just one hour free from cancer. Just one hour that I didn't have to be so strong and fight so hard. Just one hour to have a normal life."
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Photos by Melanie Rancourt
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Mancuso recently retired from the Williams College alumni office after 31 years. She is thankful that she has beaten the disease, she said, and wishes she had more time to volunteer making sure her family, friends and others never have to hear those dreaded words, "You have cancer."
Twenty teams walked throughout the night Saturday at the fieldhouse raising more than $16,000, over $6,000 more than last year.
Overnight participants enjoyed music provided by DJ Dynamo, tournaments of Texas hold 'em and a Twister, a Mister Relay pageant and pizza provided by Village Pizza of North Adams. There was also ice skating and student performances.
Abbatats Airbrush Tattoos of Worthington donated all the money raised from its booth to the event. Using only organic ink, the temporary tattoos ranged in price from $5 to $15 and last about two weeks before they wash off for good.
The event's chairwomen, Kimberly Elicker, Sarah Willie and Heath Pruitt, with the help of Laura Baran, the Cancer Society's community executive of income development for the Berkshire County tegion, worked hard to make the Relay a success.
"I started volunteering with Relay For Life in high school back home in Pennsylvania," said Elicker, a college senior who also was a co-chairman for last year's event with Willie. "Planning a Relay event and studying for finals is a challenge, but one that is worth it."
Willie, a graduate of Drury High School and a senior at Williams College, said Elicker recruited her to help organize last year's event.
"Being a science major, one day I may help find a cure for cancer," she said.
Both students felt this year's Relay was going a lot better than last year's. They agreed that delegating jobs made for a more successful Relay and having a bigger committee certainly helped as well.
The young ladies will pass the event leadership torch to Pruitt, a sophomore at Williams who is from Indiana.
"Kim asked me in the lunch line to be a tri-chair for this year's event," Pruitt said. "I have volunteered at my Relay back home since the eighth grade and I still have my shirt from the 2003 event that I participated in with my South Putman High School team."
The Relay was held at a later date and students began planning earlier. They believe that this helped in their success.
The women wanted to thank the local supporters and the college for their support, which also included Goff Sports, rhe Berkshire Mall, Where'd You Get That?, Spice Root, '6 House Pub, Water Street Books and Agway.
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