The first lap of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life was led by cancer survivors, pictured, each wearing a purple shirt to highlight their victory in their personal battles against cancer. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday. (Photos by Rick Stilson)
Owego’s Glen A Warner VFW Post 1371 provided a color guard to escort the cancer survivors during the ceremonial survivor’s lap at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y. on Friday, and during the annual Relay for Life event.
Cancer survivors, wearing purple shirts, participate in the ceremonial survivor’s lap at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y. on Friday, and during the annual Relay for Life event.
The second lap of the 2013 Relay for Life at Owego Free Academy was taken by both cancer survivors and their caregivers. Cancer survivors Nina Jackson and Robert Holmes are in the front of this group of survivors and caregivers, wearing purple shirts as they walked under an archway of balloons at the Relay for Life event held in Owego, N.Y. on Friday. The event will continue into Saturday.
Some of the caregivers shed tears as they passed under the balloon archway that marked the starting line of the 2013 Relay for Life. Caregivers joined survivors for the second lap of the relay. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday.
Luminaries will light the way for walkers Friday evening. Each bears the name of a victim of cancer, or a survivor. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday.
Several teams were formed to help raise money for the fight against cancer. This team is from Candor, and is part of the TOPS, Take Off Pounds Sensibly program. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday.
The Fay’s Fitness Team is pictured Friday at Tioga County’s Relay for Life event. From the left are Fay’s Fitness proprietor Barb Fay, Val Towers, Barb’s husband Ron Fay, cancer survivor and local journalist for the Community Press Anne Stout, and Jean Dewey. Barb Fay said that she has had a team each year. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday.
These walkers organized under the team name Donna’s Divas & Dudes to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday.
Fairbanks Karate of Apalachin put on a demonstration of their skills during the 2013 Relay for Life. Their July 12 demonstration shows some of the health benefits of exercising through the discipline of karate. On the far right of this picture is Master Black belt Cathy Fairbanks, who owns Fairbanks Karate and has taught instructor Robert Kage, kneeling in the foreground on the left. Kage trained with Fairbanks for 15 years, and also teaches in his master’s studio.
For the 18th year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and local volunteers from Tioga County held the annual Relay for Life event. This year’s event began Friday, and will run until Saturday at noon at the Owego Free Academy located on Sheldon Guile Blvd. in Owego, N.Y.
“We have a good time, but there is a serious part too,” ACS Staff Partner Peg Blackman said. Along with raising awareness about cancer and the fight, survivors are celebrated and those who were taken too soon by cancer are remembered during the Relay for Life.
This was Blackman’s first year participating in the Tioga County for the Relay for Life after Denise Woods, who ran the event in Owego for years, stepped down recently. “It’s the only one I hadn’t been to,” Blackman said, remarking that she has been active in the fight against cancer for a long time.
Like so many other volunteers and participants, cancer has touched Blackman’s life: she lost her father George Klein to cancer in December.
When asked about how the Relay for Life in Tioga County compares with others in the Southern Tier, Blackman said that the volunteers are so dedicated and passionate that the event could almost run itself. “The volunteers here really know what they’re doing,” Blackman said.
Blackman also praised the Owego Pennysaver for its support. The Owego Pennysaver continues to be a of the event. “Many people have contacted me because they learned about it in the Pennysaver,” Blackman said.
The Tioga County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) was very active in the Relay for Life. Robin Baker was co-chair of the Fight Back Tent, and she’s also the Tobacco Free Tioga Coordinator with CCE. “There are two reasons why I’m here,” Baker said, “my mom fought with cancer, and second is my position with Cooperative Extension as Tobacco Free Coordinator.” Baker’s mother, Marie Story, passed away in December.
In her job as an anti-smoking advocate, Baker said that she works to raise the awareness of the link between tobacco use and increased cancer risk. Tobacco Free Tioga’s mission for more than ten years has been to reduce the use of tobacco among adolescents and adults through prevention and help quitting, according to Baker. They also work to create smoke-free entrances and public spaces to reduce exposure to second hand smoke.
It was the first year for Janis Higgins, who was on the Relay for Life organizing committee. “I walked into a group who has been doing this for eighteen years,” Higgins said, “they are very passionate.” Higgins also said the local volunteers who work to enable the annual Relay for Life are real pros. “They have this down to a science,” she laughed.
Although there were plenty of smiles and cheers for participants and survivors of cancer, there was also the somber reminder that not all of cancer’s victims make it. Over a thousand luminary bags were purchased to remember a loved one who did not make it. Those bags were set up around the area where participants were walking, and a candle inside them lit the way.
Nina Jackson is a two-time survivor of cancer, and donned a purple shirt to walk the track with the survivors to kick off the Relay for Life. Each survivor held a brightly colored paper plate on a Popsicle stick with a number on it. Jackson’s number was 13 – the number of years she has survived her first bout with cancer in 1999. She praised the ACS for their support during her fight against cancer 13 years ago and then again in 2010, adding that the Cancer Society was able to give her contact information for services she needed as well.
Robert Holmes also survived a fight with cancer, and wore a purple shirt for the survivor’s lap. “I’m really thankful for Relay for Life,” Holmes said, “I’ve survived for four years, and I thank God for His faithfulness.”
“The Relay for Life funds the mission of the American Cancer Society,” Blackman said. The funds raised during the Relay for Life go to prevention, raising awareness of the importance of cancer screenings to find cancer early, and the search for a cure according to Blackman. The American Cancer Society is celebrating their 100th birthday in 2013 as well, marking a century of service in the battle against cancer.
Niki Fairbanks shows off some of the moves she has learned from instructor Robert Kage and her mother, Master Cathy Fairbanks, owner of Fairbanks Karate of Apalachin. Niki is a Second Degree Black belt, and is performing the traditional fan form. The fan is a traditional weapon in Japan. Fairbanks Karate put on a demonstration during the 2013 Relay for Life event. The Relay for Life began Friday at the Owego Free Academy in Owego, N.Y., and will continue into Saturday.