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 Of his participation, Crawford says, “I first became
involved with the Relay for Life after my 8th grade year, when my
former English teacher, Michelle Dahn (former RFL Logan County
Co-Chair) asked me if I would be interested in helping put on a mini
relay at LJHS and raising money for the American Cancer Society. It
was an emotional event, and I was proud that I got to play a part in
my school raising over $1,000 from the event.” He goes on to say,
“that year, I got my peers who were in Builders Club to do it, and
we had a phenomenal time staying up at the event all night, and for
the first time, I got to experience what Relay was all about--a
community of strong people of all ages, who want to put up a fight
against cancer.”
After that first year, Crawford continued to be a part of the Relay,
becoming even more involved as a co-chair and team leader who
encouraged other teens involved. Crawford said, “The following years
in high school, I gradually got more and more of my peers involved,
and they began to love relay just as much as I did. Our biggest
fundraisers are our car washes over the summer, in which we all
gather on weekends to wash cars for donations to our team's
fundraising goal.”
Crawford says he has continued to be involved because, “After seeing
how passionate other people my age could be for such an amazing
cause, I realized that I had the ability to change the way adults
and those in older generations viewed teens and youth by helping my
peers get involved with important events, not only through the Relay
for Life, but by organizing opportunities for them to help their
community in some way that wasn't offered before.” Maritta
Robinson, who co-chaired with Trenton in the past says, “My husband
Jeff and I have spent many hours working with Trenton especially
during Relay for life 2012-2013 when we served as chairs. Trenton
has a very compassionate heart and is willing to go and do whatever
needs to be done to make our relays a huge success.”
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She also said, “During the times we have served together,
Trenton, Bailey (Goodman), and I have laughed times [because] we
would be so tired and it would just hit us and then there were
times we just held on together and cried tears of sadness when
we would lose someone who was so special and close to us. The
Relay is not just a bunch of people just throwing things
together. We all become like family and that is what Trenton is
to us.”
Robinson says she “looks forward to see “how God uses him in the
future because he has a pure heart for Him and is willing to do
whatever work he is sent to do. Trenton is a huge asset to Relay
for Life and loves what it is all about. Saving lives, one
person at a time.”
Trenton and his team, along with 21 other teams will again be
working hard at this year’s Relay for Life held on July 25th and
26th. Hopefully, the next generation of millenials will continue
to carry on this tradition of selfless service.
[By ANGELA REINERS]
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