More than 400 survivors, volunteers and supporters came together to lap cancer Friday night at the eight-hour Dr. Seuss-themed Relay for Life event held at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds.
The East County relay at the fairgrounds was different than in years past. Instead of comprising most of the weekend, this year’s event started and ended on Friday. Event chair Virginia Grandorff said that the goal this year was a “festival feel,” and she believes that goal was accomplished.
“I feel like this year’s event had a really good vibe,” Grandorff said in an email.
“With the addition of Bark For Life and having the food trucks out there, it created an atmosphere of a party and of being very relaxed,” she continued.
Bark For Life works to honor the services provided by canines in regards to cancer, and calls to attention the difference a canine companion can make in the life of someone fighting cancer. In honor of their service, owners were invited to walk their dogs around the track of this year’s Relay for Life. Food trucks were an addition that was clearly appreciated by people and dogs alike. The latter, at the very least, enjoyed aromas coming from trucks manned by Kern’s Kitchen and Moose Lodge 1210.
“We came out to support a good cause, meet good people and cook great food,” said Kern’s Kitchen owner Kern Dolby, who was working the event with his daughter, Alexy Dolby.
However, good vibes and a party atmosphere did not lead people to forget why they gathered at the fairgrounds. From booth to booth, almost everyone could speak to how cancer had touched their lives either personally or through a loved one.
Debbie Hill was there to raise money for the American Cancer Foundation in honor of her mother, Mary “Ba” Beerbower, who died of leukemia in 2006.
“I’m here, but it’s because of her that people support us,” Hill said, “she was a much loved member of the community.”
Georgette Hiles said that her sister is a cancer survivor and that she lost her parents to the disease. Hiles, her husband, Craig, and son Erik designed a Doctor-Seuss themed bench to honor the loved ones they have lost to cancer as well as those who have beat the disease. It read “One wish, two wish, I wish you wish for a cure.”
Tiffany Peek, a cancer survivor herself, has been involved with Relay for 10 years.
“Relay for Life is such a magical and emotional event and if you attend it once, you find yourself coming back year after year,” she said in an email.
Peek has done just that in an effort to support those within the community who have been affected by cancer. She stays involved, “To watch the community’s survivors walk the survivor’s walk, to be there for the somber luminaria ceremony to honor those we lost, to have an amazingly fun time in-between celebrating reasons for living and to raise money to help fund research to help those here in our community.”
Funds raised so far this year have passed the $32,000 goal and are right now sitting at around $36,000, Grandorff said. Last year’s goal was $27,000 with a final total reaching $39,000. Grandorff “has a pretty good feeling” that $39,000 can be achieved again this year before the end of the relay season with donations being accepted until Aug. 31.
“The shorter hours for the relay did not seem to affect our fundraising as we have surpassed our goal,” Grandorff said.
This year 16 teams participated in the event. As of now the top two teams are Team Willapa with more thyan $5,000 and the Garden Gremlins with more than $3,000, but donations are still coming in. The top two individuals are Lisa Poisso with more than $2,000 and Clint York with more than $1,500.
“The overall feel of the relay in East Grays Harbor has always been like a family reunion,” Grandorff said. “Some years everyone makes it, some years they do not but there’s always great support from our community and sponsors.”
