"We Have a Dream" Team

A few months ago I was asked if I would be the honorary chair of the Port Charlotte Relay for Life event, which is to take place May 1^st – 2^nd at Port Charlotte High School. The proceeds from the event benefit our local American Cancer Society and the programs they have to provide education and support for cancer patients here in Charlotte County. I’ve known about Relay for Life for many years, but I’ve never been involved. I didn’t know what exactly happens at Relay or how the event raises money. Nevertheless, I was honored to be asked and I agreed to help. Now I’m learning about what it is and how it works. It is a pretty impressive fundraiser with enthusiastic leadership.

This year the Port Charlotte Relay for Life theme is “Hopestock” -- a sixties “Woodstock” reference. The organizers are hoping to have 55 teams participate and raise at least $140,000. I decided that if I am going to be involved, I’m going to be “all in” in raising awareness and money.

The first thing I did was ask my colleagues at work to help me form a team, to which they all readily agreed. They also agreed that there is no point in doing this if we aren’t going to give it our all. Game on!

The name our team selected is “We Have a Dream” Team – harking back to the 1960’s civil rights movement and Martin Luther King’s famous speech. Of course, our dream is that we finally make progress in the war on cancer, which, like the war in Vietnam, seems to have gone on and on with no end in sight. Our dream is to “stop the dying and end the war” by finding a cure for cancer.

There are six of us in our office and we are each charged with finding 10 team mates (friends and family), who will join us to walk the track May 1^st and 2^nd. I am hoping that by the end of this month the six of us can find 60 people to come out and join us. We are asking each person who joins our team to register online and commit to raising $200. That alone gets us to $12,000. We hope to raise another $3000 with small events in the coming months, starting with a Rummage Sale being planned for Feb 27^th at my office. (If you would like to donate stuff to sell, contact me at tecappiello@gmail.com for details.)

There are lots of ways to contribute to Relay. You can sign up to create your own team or you can join our “We Have a Dream” team or another team online at www.relayforlife.org. (Look for our Port Charlotte event by searching by city.)

If you would like to help draw attention to the Relay for Life event, consider making a $25 donation to have a flock of pink flamingos planted in a friend’s or neighbor’s yard.

You can honor someone you know who is fighting cancer or has lost the battle by donating any amount for a Luminaria (candle bag) that lights the track the night of the event. If you’re a business, you might consider making a $115 donation for a Sunshine Sign that will line the track on event day.

Sadly, you don’t have to look hard to find someone you know – a friend, co-worker, relative -- who has been affected by cancer. Each year the American Cancer Society estimates the number of new cancer cases and deaths in the United States. In 2009, 1,479,350 new cancer cases and 562,340 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in the US. Fully one third of those deaths – 160,000 -- are from lung cancer. Progress is being made in reducing the incidence and mortality rates from cancer but progress can be accelerated if we support cancer prevention, early detection and treatment.

Demonstrate your support with the “We Have a Dream” Port Charlotte Relay for Life team!