American Cancer Society: Relay for Life

I need your help.

Late last year I took on the task of being the captain for my company’s Relay for Life team which raises money for the American Cancer Society. Since then we’ve put a good sized team together and started some other fund raising ideas, like a golf tournament.

While I know this is off-topic from our usual Lost, Sarah Connor and (ugh) Prison Break discussions, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read this blog post and give it some thought.

What is Relay for Life?

Relay for Life is an awesome event from what I hear and this will be my first time participating. The event in my area is being held on April 5 from 6pm to 6am, at the Marcos De Niza high school track in Tempe, Arizona. The track of course is that big oval surrounding most high school football fields.

The way it works is that each team has to have at least ONE member on the track at all times throughout the 12 hour event, from sunset to sunrise.

Since it’s held on their athletic field, people bring tents, sleeping bags, grills, food and whatever else to have a great time. There will be music, events, games and keynote speakers.

I think it sounds like a blast and I can’t wait to be out there all night.

Why do I need your help?

Since I’m a member of the team, I need to raise as much money as I can to help support the American Cancer Society. I have small goal of $250, but I honestly thing I can do better than that and maybe even get to $500.

But I need your help with that. You can visit my Personal Page on the Relay for Life site to find out more and see the ways in which you can donate to the cause.

Gifts can be as small as $5 or as great as whatever you can think of. Remember, it’s not going to me, it’s going to the American Cancer Society.

Anything is welcome, whatever you can do. No gift is turned away.

I’m also putting on a Charity Golf Tournament this March 29th to raise even more money for the event, and if you have anything to help me with there, like prizes, giveaways, sponsoring of holes, whatever, just let me know.

Why am I doing this?

A guy at my work asked for someone to volunteer to be the captain of our company team and for some reason, I just felt like I was supposed to do it. I’ve really been feeling God push me lately to do more for others and this was like a big loudspeaker saying “MIKE, do this.”

One main reason for my involvement in Relay for Life specifically is my mother-in-law, Karen Jackson. She’s a breast cancer survivor going on five years now and I’m so proud of the way she beat it. She rarely got down even amidst all she had to endure and her smile never disappeared.

There are so many people out there who are just waiting for a cure and so many strides have been made just from this Relay alone. A girl at one of my meetings for this event told us how the medicine used to save her sister-in-law’s life wasn’t even around 20 years ago, and it was developed by a guy who received a donation from this Relay event.

That’s pretty awesome.

Thanks

I appreciate you taking the time to read this and to help out if you can. I know there are a lot of things in life that demand our extra money, so if there is anything you can do at all, it will mean so much.

If anyone feels like stumbling this, digging it or just passing it around on some blog you write in the coming days, I’d be grateful.

Thanks,

Mike