Despite heat, humidity, thunderstorms, cloud bursts, a stuffy, crowded, overheated gym, and bugs galore, something extraordinary happened Friday and Saturday at the Greater Fall River Relay For Life.
As regular readers know, I am the chairperson for the 2012 Relay. Under normal circumstances, I post here nearly every day, but this week my duties as chair for that group ate every minute of every day–and never mind that I also captain our Walking with Jane team for that event.
Thursday, local temperatures were in the upper 90s with a heat index well over 100. While Friday was cooler–temperatures were in the low to mid-90s, the humidity kept the heat index over 100 throughout the afternoon. I went around the track over the course of the afternoon as teams set up their individual sites to visit with each team for a few minutes. I encouraged everyone to drink plenty of water–we place free bottled water around the track–and to take a break every half hour or so. I also reminded people that we had a medical tent on site and that they all needed to keep an eye on each other for potential heat-related issues.
I went through nearly half a case of water myself on that walk–and I was still barely keeping up with what I was sweating out.
Just before 4 p.m., we got word that we might be facing serious thunderstorms around 6 p.m., just the time we were supposed to do opening ceremonies and the survivor lap.
And just as the survivors arrived, the rains began.
Relay is a rain or shine event, however. A little rain is nothing compared to the assault cancer makes on the human body. We prepared for the National Anthem.
And then there was a bolt of lightning and the crash of thunder. We evacuated the field. We had decided earlier that we would send people into the gym and cafeteria if we had to get people off the field. What we did not realize was how quickly those areas would present problems of their own.
Just before 7 p.m., we asked people who were not members of teams to leave. At 7:15, we were on the verge of canceling the rest of the event. Then the rain eased.
I went into the school and announced we were going on.
People cheered–and moved back to the track. I fully expected many people would pack up and leave. There was more rain in the forecast and lots of water on the field and track. And, to be honest, a few people did.
But the vast majority stayed. They knew we would not raise as much money as we had hoped–the people who visit and make most of the purchases had gone home. But we were here to celebrate the progress against cancer. We were here to remember the people we had lost. We were here to show the world–or at least our corner of it–that we were going to find ways to fight back.
And a little heat, humidity, rain, and lightning were not going to get in the way of that.
When the sun rose and another band of showers started to move through–this one without thunder–most of the teams were still there. They had walked through the night, played some bingo, some Relay Scrabble and some Relay Poker.
And they had done something more as well.
Before the rain, we had been 95 teams individually determined to raise money to fight cancer. When we emerged from the gym, those 95 teams had become a single unit with a common goal. I had been amazed by the energy and dedication I had seen at the 2011 event. What I saw develop Friday night into Saturday morning dwarfed that.
I can’t wait to see what that energy, dedication, and teamwork will build in the years ahead.
Cancer, you’re in big trouble.
(Note: As of yesterday at noon, the Relay for Life of Greater Fall River had raised over $274,000. While that is well short of our committee goal of $350,000–and my personal challenge of $400,000–it is within spitting distance of the ACS’s goal of $288,000 for our event, despite the heat and rain. Donations made between now and August 31 will count toward our Relay total. If you want to make a donation, we will not say “no.” ACS spent about $1 million on NET research last year–about one-third of the total funding for research into that form of cancer. I will continue to lobby them for increased spending. What Walking with Jane raises at Relay events does not go directly into NET/CS research but does give us a better platform to make the argument from.)
(Second note: I am taking next week off to sit on my deck and watch the hummingbirds fight over the feeders. This will be my first break since the summer before Jane got sick. I need a week to breathe and try to be a “normal” retired school teacher and widower. My next post will be July 1.)
