Returning to the Relay For Life of Escalon in 2016, the Cancer Stampers team has done a number of fundraising activities already and are gearing up for the onsite festivities next month.
Escalon’s Relay will be Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26 on the football field at EHS and there are currently 13 teams, accounting for 134 participants.
Team members Gerri Andrade and Debbie Megenney have been mainstays of the Cancer Stampers for years and are looking forward to another good Relay event.
“We have Spain as our country,” Megenney said of this year’s Olympics theme for the Relay. “We are working on a couple of Spain-themed activities; we will have some Spanish food, non-alcoholic Sangria.”
Also back are the popular ‘walking tacos’ that the team serves up, a hand held item that is perfect for eating while you walk around the track. They utilize small bags of tortilla chips, layering in the seasoned beef mixture, provide a fork and send you on your way.
The team’s Fight Back message will focus on lung cancer and Megenney and Andrade also serve as co-chairs of the Survivor and Caregiver committee, helping plan a variety of special activities for the cancer survivors and their caregivers that attend the event.
“I like the camaraderie,” Megenney explained of being involved. “You meet people that normally you may not connect with. And this (cancer) is something that most people have experienced, someone in their life.”
The team has already raised over $1,700 prior to Relay, and both Andrade and Megenney said the fundraising is important, with the two encouraging the community to come out and support the event.
The American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, the money from Relay goes toward patient services, research, education and advocacy.
“Fundraising is my way of giving back,” Megenney said. “My dad is a 17-year survivor now … this is my way of giving back to something (ACS) that gave to him.”
The next meeting to plan this year’s Relay For Life is tonight, Wednesday, May 11 at the Escalon Community Ambulance building on Ullrey Avenue. Committee members meet at 5:45 p.m. and the team captains gather at 6:30 p.m.
All those interested are encouraged to attend and get involved in the Relay; more teams and participants are always welcome.
Next week, another team preview for the 2016 Relay.
