Two Relay for Life events taking place locally this year
By Bill Rea

The annual Relay for Life has been so successful for the Holland River Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society that they're holding two versions this year.

King City resident Jane MacLennan reported the first event will be June 8 at Lambert Willson Park and Aurora Family Leisure Complex on Industrial Parkway North in Aurora. The other will be June 22 at Pickering College on Bayview Avenue in Newmarket. Aurora Mayor Phyllis Morris will be the honorary chair June 8, and Pickering College Headmaster Peter Sturrup will be honorary chair at the other event. As well, Doug Bowers will be the honorary survivor at Aurora, and York North MPP Julia Munro will handle similar honours at the college.

"It's all over Canada," MacLennan declared.

She said there were 306 Relays across the country last year, and they raised some $37 million. There were 82 in Ontario, with about 61,000 people taking part to raise roughly $15.1 million.

Both events will start at 5 p.m. with receptions for cancer survivors, and then they will lead the way on a Survivors' Victory Lap around the track, as a celebration of their courage and strength, as well as providing a source of hope and inspiration.

Candles will also be lit around the track at dusk, and MacLennan said they will provide illumination in honour of those still battling the disease, and in memory of those who have succumbed. She added a lot of the funds raised from the Relay go toward supporting people in the community who are living with cancer. "We want the survivors to give hope and inspiration to those who are living with cancer," she said.

MacLennan, herself a 29-year cancer survivor, said she's trying to drum up participation in both of these events.

"Basically, what I'm trying to do is get the survivors out of the closet and the rest of them off the couch," she remarked.

There will be teams of 10 walking the track all night at both events, once the Victory Lap is complete. The nights will also feature entertainment, including music, dancing and karioke, and MacLennan said there will be food available.

The teams will set up tents, and there will be contests for costumes, best decorated tent, etc. "A lot of people just have their party at the tent," she observed.

MacLennan said they are still looking for teams for the Aurora Relay. they can be made up of colleagues from business, members of fitness groups, "or just a group of friends."

Teams can register on-line at www.cancer.ca/relay, or by calling the Holland River Unit at (905) 830-0447.

MacLennan said survivors wishing to take part are asked to register too, largely so organizers can make sure there's enough food and favours at the reception. they can do that on-line, by calling the unit, or by calling Survivor Chair Janice at (905) 898-8112.