The staffs at the Daily Grind and Edward Surovell have teamed up to join the Relay for Life fundraiser and have called their team “Downtown Neighbors.” Any local business is welcome to join the team during the relay. T-shirts that read “Fresh Squeezed” as a reminder to women to get regular mammogram checkups are for sale with all proceeds going to Relay for Life. T-shirts are $15. To make a purchase, call Pat Van Camp at 424-7463 or Shelly Dunn at 605-9564. Downtown Neighbors will have over 50 participating at the relay. Photo by Jim Lincoln.
By CRISTINA TRAPANI-SCOTT
This Friday at noon there will be a crowd gathering at the Tecumseh High School football stadium. They won’t be there to watch football. They will be there to walk and to support walkers in the Third Annual Lenawee Northeast Relay For Life to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Local groups and businesses have formed more than 30 teams this year, and they will have tents with various events planned to help raise money in the fight against cancer.
This year’s theme is “Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back.” As part of the fight back, Lenawee Northeast will challenge participants to make a pledge to do something in their lives that will help prevent cancer.
Heading up this year’s event is past chairperson Jesse Pizana and new this year Jesse’s father, Dwayne. The Pizanas have been involved with Relay For Life for many years, beginning with their involvement with the Lenawee Central event held at the Christian Family Centre in Adrian.
A survivor of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Jesse has been chairing the Tecumseh event since its inception. Now that he’s in remission, he’s fighting back by getting fit with the help of his doctor and staff at Carter Rehabilitation Center on Industrial Drive in Tecumseh. This year, the fitness and rehab center has put together a team. “We are just inspired by Jesse and the whole Pizana family,” said Carter Rehab Team Leader Candace Kintner.
Teams from Edward Surovell and the Daily Grind have come together to raise funds for the event by teaming up to sell T-shirts, showing the comradery the event builds between businesses in the community. Bailey’s Water Care will be offering bottled water for sale during the event with proceeds going toward the fight and many more local businesses and groups are offering different goodies and activities.
Cynthia Pepple of the American Cancer Society has billed the Lenawee Northeast Relay For Life as a family event. She said that all are welcome to participate in the festivities even if they are not on a team, and she encourages all local residents to attend the event.
Pepple and the Pizanas also welcome survivors to participate in the Survivor Victory Lap, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday night. Also, as the darkness falls on the stadium the luminaries will be lit and names will be read.
The Lenawee Northeast Relay For Life kicks off at noon on Friday, May 9, and runs until noon, Saturday, May 10. To learn more about the event and teams that are participating go to www.relayforlife.org [1].