Relay for Life; Annual fund raiser to be held at Mariner High School
The culmination the month-long series of events known as Celebrate Cape Coral will be one not only of great importance to the community of Cape Coral but for all mankind. On Saturday, April 4, the Cape community will host its annual Relay For Life at Mariner High School’s Tony McKenna Field.
According to the American Cancer Society, for which this event is held, the Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs for the ACS. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.
“Teams gather money from their family and friends in support of their walk and then it is donated to the American Cancer Society,” said Lisa Maglione-Chenault, entertainment chairman for the Cape Coral Relay For Life. “What’s wonderful is that a majority of the money stays in Lee County for research.”
Bill Johnson Jr., who is the entertainment co-chairman for the event, said he first got involved with the Relay For Life event about 13 years ago when he lost his mother to the disease.
“This event is pretty close to my heart,” said Johnson. “I have been walking it pretty much since my mother passed, but this is the first year where I am helping out on the other side.”
Johnson said the event is such a popular one within the community because pretty much everyone is somehow affected by cancer, whether it be through a friend of relative.
Maglione-Chenault said one of the biggest reasons she became involved was due to her friendship with the Savakinis family. About a year ago, Destiny Savakinis found out her 6-year-old son, Chasen, was diagnosed with cancer. He has recently finished his second round of chemotherapy and is expected to beat the disease. In fact, Chasen will be part of the first lap of walkers which is made up of cancer survivors.
“He is so excited to be a part of the walk,” said Maglione-Chenault. “This event is just so important to the community because it brings everyone together for such a good cause. Everyone has a story. Everyone knows someone who has been touched by cancer.”
A special tent for survivors will be set up where they will come together with their caregivers and have a reception at 5 p.m. before the event starts.
“We will have a cake to honor all these people who help give care to the survivors and to the survivors themselves,” said Maglione-Chenault. “After the reception we’ll then go over for a warm-up with Kobayashi Dojo.”
Teams of walkers will meet at track for the opening ceremonies, which begin at 6 p.m. Cape Coral Police Department Assistant Chief Todd Everley will have the honor of kicking off the event followed by the FOX-4 anchors, who will introduce the chairpeople for the event and also give their thoughts on the Relay For Life.
“We will also have the American Cancer Society board president Cheryl Leftwich, who will speak,” said Maglione-Chenault.
Later on in the ceremony, the Cape Coral Police Department will perform a presentation of colors, followed by the “pledge of aligence” and the national anthem, which will be sung by Cape Elementary School students.
After the survivors lap, the walkers will begin their trek around the track. Johnson said most teams will have one person on the track at all times, while the other members are situated at their campsites or taking part in one of the many activities that will be going throughout the night. The walk goes from 6 p.m. on Friday, April 4, throughout the night until 11:45 a.m. the next day.
“There is so much stuff going on it is a amazing,” said Johnson. “People set up these elaborate campsites for other walkers to enjoy while walking the track.”
“Some past campsites have been made to look like movie theaters and a whole tent site set up like the Flintstones. They even had a rock wall set up,” said Maglione-Chenault.
Johnson said with the campsites being set up in themes and with a lot of visual stuff, it definitely gives the walkers something to do focus on while they are walking. Additionally, at each campsite teams will sell a wide variety of items such as food, crafts, baked goods and more — with all of the proceeds being donated to the American Cancer Society.
“People also have cook-offs which are judged and where people can buy food,” said Johnson. “It is just such a community effort.”
Teams also make a spirit stick which is carried on track by the walker from that team at all times.
“One year someone made a spirit stick that was so huge you could see it from a mile away,” laughed Maglione-Chenault. “It even had a flag on the top.”
“The evening can get kind of crazy,” said Johnson, “but crazy in a good way because there is just always something going on.”
The city stage will be set up and will host local musical groups performing throughout the evening for spectators and walkers. Scheduled musical guests include The Del Prados, Archie and the Jugheads and the Bunche Band. Walkers can also take part in a special karakoe session that is sure to entertain the teams.
“They all play fun-type music,” said Maglione-Chenault. “It will definitely get the crowd going.”
At 9 p.m., a very special luminaria ceremony will be held in remembrance for all the people who have succumbed to the disease.
“People can buy bags and write the name of a loved one on it, who have died from cancer and we line them up around the track and shut all the lights down on the field and then we have a half and hour of reflection,” said Johnson. “It is beautiful. I get one for my mom every year.”
At 11 p.m., a Relay Oscars contest will be held for judging on creative T-shirts that teams have made. Following this activity a Miss Relay pageant will be held around midnight.
“This is hilarious. All of the men get dressed up as contestants and we ask them womanly questions and then we crown the winner and really make a big production,” said Maglione-Chenault. “Since this is a sad event for some people, we really try to liven things up a bit and make it fun.”
A special children’s activity area will be set up where youngsters can enjoy games such as ring toss, balls, tic-tac-toe and hula hoops.
“People are encouraged to come and show their support even if they are not walking,” said Johnson. “There is so much to do and it is for such a wonderful cause.”
Teams interested in walking still have the opportunity to register by calling Maglione-Chenault at 770-6416.
To go
Who: Local teams
What: Relay for Life
When: 6 p.m., Friday, April 4, to 11:45 a.m., Saturday, April 5
Where: Mariner High School’s Tony McKenna Field
Why: To raise funds for American Cancer Society