| EARLENE
WARD - YOSEMITE HIGH SCHOOL
EARLENE WARD
Cancer survivors and others participating in Relay For Life get ready
for the start of the 24-hour fund-raiser that began Saturday.
EARLENE WARD
Sam Rowlett receives a special teddy bear from Bill Atwood during Relay
For Life activities. Bears are returned when a recipient’s cancer is beaten,
hopefully by next year’s event.
BRIAN WILHITE
A view of the Yosemite High School football field and track, complete
with Relay For Life luminaria, tents and booths.
More than $110,000 was raised
this past weekend at the American Cancer Society’s Eastern Madera County
Relay For Life. The fourth annual event was held at the Yosemite High
School track. Over the four years the event has been held here, approximately
$350,000 has been raised for cancer research, education and patient services.
The top money-raising team this year was Evangelical Free Church with
$15,207; second, Oakhurst Lutheran Church, $11,175.83; and third, St.
Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, $6,613.50.
The top individual fund-raisers were Karen Gemmill of the EV Free Church;
Pam Mussa, survivors’ team; John Shaw, Positive Living Center; Jay Schrank,
EV Free Church and Kaylene Freisen, EV Free Church. Crab Cakes Restaurant
won the Spirit Award for all of the enthusiasm generated for the Relay.
For 24 hours, from 9 a.m. Saturday, May 17, until 9 a.m. Sunday, May 18,
one member of each of the 29 teams was on the track walking or running.
More than 5,100 luminaria lighted the track and bleachers at YHS Saturday
evening, burning in memory of those who have lost their battle with cancer
and in honor of those who are winning the battle. (The luminaria were
made by the dedicated efforts of the Yosemite High Special Ed students,
under the direction of teacher Lori Blate. Boy Scout Troop 134 helped
distribute them all.)
District 5 Madera County Supervisor Gary Gilbert told those at the opening
ceremonies that there were 470 new cases of cancer in the county last
year and 195 deaths from cancer.
Janice Ellis was the event chair assisted by Gail Gilbert, past chair.
Plans will begin immediately for the fifth annual EMC Relay For Life for,
as the slogan reminds people, "There is no finish line until we find
a cure."
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