by Colette M. Armijo
RATON — It’s celebration time at Raton’s Tiger Stadium where preparations are being made for the 14th Annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Fifteen teams are lined up for a fun-filled overnight event which will begin on Friday, June 26 and end in the morning of Saturday, June 27. This year’s event is themed Back to the 80s and is a culmination of months of hard work and fundraising done by the teams and committee members.
The relay will start on Friday at 5 pm with the survivor’s reception where approximately 100 survivors will be honored for all they have been through. Following this, survivor speakers Mark Mills and Tyler Luksich together with Caregiver Speaker Noby Gomez will share bits of their own experiences. The opening ceremony will then take place with the presentation of colors by the Colfax County Young Marines.
The evening will continue with several laps around the stadium by the survivors, caregivers and teams. The traditional reflection lap, done following the lighting of the luminaria, will take place after the sun sets. This has a reputation for being very heart warming and soul touching.
Colfax County’s Relay for Life is packed with excitement for all. Non-stop fundraising activities are planned which will include a wide variety of yummy treats and commemorative jewelry on sale. Zumba and yoga sessions will keep things pumping and there will be music and dancing all night long.
The Relay for Life committee is led by Mercy Swanson and Jami Esquibel. Both have been touched in deep and personal ways by cancer. They have both had friends and family members who have fallen in the fight against cancer. They also speak proudly and confidently about the number of friends and family members close to them who, with the help of the advances made in medical science, continue to celebrate being alive today.
So, as the event fast approaches, fundraising continues and it’s not too late for you to join. If you can’t make it to the actual event, you can donate via http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY15GW?pg=entry&fr_id=67017
Remember “every dollar counts” and we each have a responsibility to do our part to make a difference in the world around us. If you’re an action seeker or a ‘foodie,’ be sure to check out Colfax County’s Relay for Life at the Tiger Stadium for lots of treats in store all night long.
