Hundreds of Morgan Hill residents are ready to lace up their
walking shoes in preparation for Saturday
’s Relay For Life, the 24-hour walk to raise money for the
American Cancer Society. Rain or shine, the walk will go on. The 42
teams participating will set up camp – many of them with decorated
tents and team themes – before the Survivors’ Lap begins at 10
a.m., followed by a ceremony and brunch
.
Hundreds of Morgan Hill residents are ready to lace up their walking shoes in preparation for Saturday’s Relay For Life, the 24-hour walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Rain or shine, the walk will go on. The 42 teams participating will set up camp – many of them with decorated tents and team themes – before the Survivors’ Lap begins at 10 a.m., followed by a ceremony and brunch.
Last year, the event – which raised $128,000 and won a “Rookie of the Region” and state awards – was sprinkled with rain showers, even some downpours, but that didn’t stop the walkers. Most just donned large panchos or umbrellas and kept moving.
This year, walkers could experience similar weather. The forecast calls for a wet beginning to the weekend, but that should be the end of the latest storm to sweep into the area. According to the National Weather Service in Monterey, things should start to dry out early Saturday afternoon, with occasional sprinkles still possible.
Temperatures should be comfortable, with forecast highs of 65 and overnight lows around 50.
One of the event organizers, Ingrid Wafelbakker, said she knows volunteers will still walk if it is rainy, but she hopes it dries up before time to put out the luminarias, the lighted remembrances that will line the track and burn throughout the night.
The luminary ceremony is at 9 p.m.
“The luminaria sales have gone very well this year,” Wafelbakker said Thursday. “We have already sold about a thousand.”
Several of the teams of walkers, she said, have already raised far more than the $150 plus $100 per person minimum.
“A couple of teams have raised over $10,000,” she said.
Local businesses have also come forward to help make the event a success.
“Rosie’s at the Beach will be feeding lunch to everyone,” she said. “House of Bagel and Mama Mia in Gilroy will be bringing food. Many of the local pizza and ice cream sellers will be bringing out food. The Morgan Hill Bakery will make a huge cake with the Relay for Life logo on it. It’s really wonderful that so many people in the community want to be a part of this.”
One new attraction this year is the move “theater.” Wafelbakker said movies will be shown during the evening, complete with popcorn.
