Local Relay for Life co-chairs Valeri Renggli and Jill Davis are always thinking of new ways to generate more community involvement and help fill the donation bucket—which grows bigger and deeper every year—when it comes to the American Cancer Society’s annual event.
So, with some brainstorming from the organization committee, Morgan Hill’s Relay for Life—which is scheduled for May 14-15 at Community Park—has two fun and refreshing ideas to make 2016 one of the best yet.
In an expanded effort to honor local heroes, the Relay organizers are asking for residents to nominate special members of the community who are currently battling cancer or have passed on due to the disease.
“The primary thing is we want to honor our local heroes, people in the community who either are battling cancer and are beloved in our community or who have battled cancer and lost that battle and are also beloved in our community,” explained Renggli, who is accepting nominations via her email at [email protected]. She asks senders to include the nominee’s name, current status and reason that person is a local hero.
Those nominees who fit the criteria will then become special honorees at the 2016 Relay, where one lap during the 24-hour continuous walkathon will be designated in their honor. At that time, a member of the nominating team can sing a song, give a performance or do anything they see fit to honor their selection.
“Our community has been intimately impacted by cancer,” said Renggli, whose husband is a cancer survivor. “We want to honor those people who may have lost their battle with cancer, but are still remembered today.”
Relay 2016 will hold its kickoff event from 7 to 10 p.m. Feb. 26 at 144 Cochrane Plaza (Dub Baseball facility) in Morgan Hill. All team captains, team members and anyone interested in getting involved in the event are welcome, Renggli said.
“The Relay is not just the one-day event. It’s really a season. Teams are forming now, getting fundraising started now, but it officially starts with our kickoff,” Davis explained. “Relay season is upon us. So if they want to get involved, get in contact with us now.”
Thus far, 17 teams with 61 participants have already raised $2,300, according to the Relay website.
Last year, the local Relay event raised $83,826.02 for the American Cancer Society’s fight to find a cure. In total, 34 teams, comprised of 329 individuals, walked the makeshift track at Community Park over a 24-hour span in honor of survivors and in memory of those loved ones whose lives were cut short due to cancer.
Over the last two years, the event has donated close to $200,000 for cancer research.
The theme for the 2016 Relay—and the second new nook in this year’s event—is “Emoji,” named in honor of the smartphone facial expression icons shared between users to express themselves without using words. Each team will choose an emoji that will represent their team during the walkathon.
“We want to really bring home what the Relay is all about; which is community supporting each other,” Davis said.
