Apr. 18, 2009 ~ Team Cheryl
In the past I�d always written a check, made a nice little donation, and called that good enough. But this year was different. This year it was personal. Cheryl, one of my oldest and dearest friends, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. So instead of just writing the check, I signed up to be on our church�s Relay for Life team. If you are not familiar with it, Relay for Life is a major fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. From their website:
�What is Relay For Life?
Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society�s signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length.
Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.�
People can also purchase luminaria in honor or in memory of friends and loved ones.
Though I am officially on the church�s team, unofficially, today and every day, I�m on �Team Cheryl.� Because I�m in this for her. And for my mother, who died of stomach cancer, and my sister-in-law, who died of lung cancer, and my friends who are cancer survivors. I�m in it for all of them, but since Cheryl is the newest to this cancer business, it�s especially for her. And while I expected it to be educational, and for a worthy cause, what I did not expect was that the Relay for Life would be so much fun. Husband and I walked together, carrying the team�s banner, always on the lookout for other team members who could carry the banner next. That beautiful banner, after awhile, was just a tiny bit heavy. But not when we took turns. Just like any burden, it was lighter when shared. When we walked by other team members or church members, they would wave and cheer and give us the thumbs up. When it was our turn to rest on the sidelines, we did the same for the other walkers. For me it was particularly fun, because I got to be a part of a �church� activity without being expected to work. I mean, without being called on to do secretarial duties. I got to be just a regular church member, a rare gift when one works at a church. I got to know some of my fellow members much better, as I heard their stories of survival and struggle, of hope and faith. The 80-something wife of our retired minister commented on a flag carried by one team. �What does that mean, �Save the Ta-Tas!�? I explained that Ta-Tas referred to breasts, that I didn�t think it was meant to be crude, that it was just slang. A breast cancer survivor herself, she smiled and nodded. We loved that pink flag.
This was a night of unsung heroes, of people who gave a lot to the cause without anyone knowing. The pastor who spent an entire day cooking chicken to sell at the Relay. The member who drove to the next state to pick up battery-operated candles, when we learned that rain was expected at our outdoor event, and it would have to be moved indoors. Concerned that we would not be able to have candles in the luminaria, he made sure that at least we had light. And when they lit those little fake candles and turned out the lights, the glow was awesome. Incredible. They read the names on the luminaria. Survivors and those who had lost the fight. Many names I recognized. Husband�s barber. The high school football player who died last year. Family members of friends. �Candle in the Wind� played softly in the background, as the names were read. The crowd grew quiet as they listened for �their� names, for those who were special to them.
We hadn�t intended to stay long. Our days start early here at the Farm, and Husband I were both up at 4:30 yesterday morning. We thought we�d stay an hour or so. Take our turn walking and then go back home. Home, without power. The lights went out a half hour or so before we left for the Relay. Power outages are pretty routine in the country, and one never knows how long it will take to restore the power. But many times it�s an hour or less. Still, we didn�t give it another thought. We stayed because we were having fun. We were pretty tired, though. And after the luminaria ceremony, and walking just a few more laps, we decided to call it a night. When we got home, we found that the power had been restored just 6 minutes earlier. 6 minutes. So we could have stayed home, the two of us, alone in the darkness. Instead, we spent a few hours in the company of the Team Cheryl/Church Team members, for a good cause. In the light.
And light is always good.
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