LaBelle Relay For Life 2017 was a huge success raising over $50,000 this year! We have 13 teams who have been working hard together since September 2016 to raise funds for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life. Just some of the fund-raising done by them was The Haunted House at the Civic Center, Krispy Kreme doughnut sales resulting in 500 boxes of donuts being sold and Cooking for a Cure. The grand finale was Relay For Life held Saturday March 25 at Barron Park. What an awesome event it was with so many people coming out from the community to support such a worthy cause. Cancer has affected every one of us in one way or another and it is our hope that one day all cancers are curable.

The money we raise for Relay For Life help fund life-saving cancer research, patient support programs, prevention information and education, detection and treatment programs. 150 Million dollars was devoted in 2015 to groundbreaking research. 1 million people were helped through the phone, email and online chat services that were provided ( 1-800-227-2345). 316 thousand rides were provided free of charge to cancer patients for treatments. 361 thousand nights of free lodging at The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge facilities were provided to patients and their families. When people ask me how does the money raised in LaBelle help those in LaBelle these facts are what I tell them. Personally I feel if only $1.00 of $100.00 that I give is the dollar that makes the difference in finding the cure for the type of Leukemia (that is not curable at this time) that my father has it will be $100.00 well spent. There are so many resources available to everyone who has heard those words “you have cancer” through The American Cancer Society. Relay For Life is so much bigger than helping a single individual with a gas card or cash.

Thank you Mike Boyle and The City of LaBelle for allowing us the use of Barron Park to hold this event. Terry Woods and his crew for always being willing to help in getting the park ready and making sure everything is in order to host so many people. You are our unsung heroes. Thank you to our Explorers Honor Guard for presenting Colors to open our day and the VIP Volunteers Pat & Wayne Anderson for traffic control. Thank you to the Boy Scouts for putting out a record number of Track markers surrounding the park and the Girls Scouts for manning our luminary tables. Thank you to each and every business and individual who purchased Track Markers or Sponsorship’s.

Thank you Donna Nau for your hard work in organizing and taking care of our survivor/caregiver area and supplying side dishes for the dinners provided them. Also a huge thank you to Mary & Corky Risley for providing the meat and Jimmy Orlinski for cooking. Thank you Whisper Creek RV Resort for providing the tables and chairs for this area. Thank you MSJ Enterprises for supplying Golf Carts for survivors not able to make the lap on their own. Thank you Kim Marroquin with Ragin Graphics for making and donating the banner that was on display at the park entrance and to Dave Lyons at Lyons Printing for providing all the lettering for the big thermometer banner displayed at Southern Heritage as well as the panels to make the Memory Boards that were on display at the survivor area. Thank you Robert Grassi for once again coming through by providing a dumpster free of charge and to Gulf Citrus Harvesting and Hauling for providing Porta Potties.

Thank you so much Patrick Mclymont for being our MC for the day!! Outstanding job! Thank you to our entertainment chair Kelly Boone for lining up such a wonderful day of games and entertainment. And thank you so very much to the following for that entertainment, it was all just wonderful. Press On, Ladies of the Mop, Ms. Pat Bedingfields Twirlers, Country Rhythm Cloggers, Country Oaks Elementary School Choir, Showtime Cloggers under direction of Debbie White and The Walker Experience with Robby Music.

Thank you Preston Long for an outstanding job with setting up the sound and manning it all day. And to Tara Sherrod for working so hard on the memory video and luminary/fight back ceremonies. Thanks Ellen Woosley for always saying yes to get on stage for openings and MC because I just don’t do stages. I appreciate you!

Congratulations to Rising Starz Childcare for winning custody of our Purple Pig for a year in the Paint The Town Purple event. Second Place was The City of LaBelle and third was Vision Ace Hardware. LaBelle did a fantastic job of getting their purple on to bring in the week of Relay For Life.

Thank you Teams, without your personal commitment and dedication throughout the year this would not have been possible. I know how hard it is to keep going but we all know Cancer doesn’t discriminate and it doesn’t sleep. That is why we all keep fighting. From the bottom of my heart I thank you and I love your passion. Team Suncoast Credit Union, Team TaTa’s, Team Mammash Helping Hands, Team Two Peas Cafe, Team City of Labelle, Team Save-A-Lot, Team Hendry, Team The G Stamps, Team Walmart, Team Vision Ace Hardware, Team Southern Heritage, Team Oldies but Goodies & Team Hendry County Sheriff Dept. you all rock!!!

And finally a Huge thank you to Amanda Dreszer with American Cancer Society for your leadership, passion and willingness to receive my text at 3 A.M. because I work in my sleep, thank you! And to my committee Mary Risley, Charla Longnecker & Roberta Reynolds. Thanks for helping me pull it all together. If I have missed anyone please accept my sincere apology there are just so many people that have given so much. I have been truly humbled and Blessed to have been a small part of this.

If you are interested in having a team next year or would like more information about how you can be involved with LaBelle Relay for Life please feel free to give me a call, Like our page on facebook, Relay For Life of LaBelle, FL.

SAVE THE DATE: March 24, 2018 LaBelle Relay For Life.

Vicki Reynolds

Event Lead

863-234-2405