Relay for Life

Relay event closes with an auction and a solemn time of remembrance

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[June 18, 2018]  On Saturday evening as the hours began to wind down on the 2018 Relay for life, the excitement rose as local auctioneer Mike Maske worked to raise money for Relay for Life through a live auction of donated items.

Among the items on the auction block was a t-shirt that throughout the day had been laid out so that attending cancer survivors could sign their names, signifying another year of being the winner over cancer.

Other wonderful items included home décor, quilts, party baskets, wicker, furniture, and much more.

As has become the custom, the auction was manned by the Cooley Family - Deb, Dennis and Samantha, who kept track of buyers and winning bids, collected the money, and of course, helped show off the auction items as Maske was bidding them off.

For those who missed out on a chance to purchase something at the live auction, bidding remained open on the silent auction until approximately 8:15 p.m. Again, a large array of items were presented for the silent auction, and the highest bidders certainly took home some wonderful items.



As the nine o’clock hour approached volunteers took to the track with light tubes that were quickly snapped and dropped into the hundreds of luminary bags that lined the track on both sides.



At 9 p.m. the lights went down and the only illumination in the gymnasium came from the luminary, the lighted “celebrate” and “remember” words sitting against the team camp of “Faith, Hope, and Love,” and the soft glow of the lamps sitting in front of Bill Post and Donna Miles as the names of those honored and remembered were read aloud.

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The Hush Angels came onto the track and led the laps that were conducted in total silence as Post read aloud all the names that appear on this year’s luminaria. Walkers gathered on the track, walking silently, some wearing or carrying items that reminded them of a lost loved one, all feeling the strong emotions of the hours.



At the end of the hour, with just a few laps left, a sweet and selfless show of love took place, unnoticed by some, but very touching to all those who saw it. One of the little hush angels approached this year’s youngest survivor, Jolene Fellers, and offered to make her the hush angel for the last few laps.

Jolene, with help for her parents and the hush angel coordinator, got on the angel gown and wings. She happily took to the track, accompanied by mom and dad, holding the “hush please’ sign she paraded around the track.



The unofficial end of the night came at the end of the luminary and remembrance lap with music played on the bagpipes. The official ending of the night entailed an 11 p.m. balloon launch.

[Nila Smith]

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