Relay for Life

This year, like most years, I will be participating in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
For those who don’t know what the Relay is I’ll appropriate the explanation straight from the CCS website:

"The Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life is more than just a fundraiser. It is an opportunity to get together with family and friends and celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and fight back in the hope of finding a cure for this terrible disease.

Relay is fun, fulfilling, and your participation gives strength to our mission to eradicate cancer. Walk with us in this inspirational 12-hour overnight event as we come together and fight to make cancer history.”

How did I get involved in this wonderful cause you ask? Well it all started (I’m guessing here) about ten years ago. I was a young sprightly lad. A friend of a friend had recently lost his father to cancer and having heard about the relay decided to participate. The closest location at this point was in Waterloo. Despite my loathing of walking, my ground shaking snoring (it’s been compared to the sound a gopher being fed through a wood chipper, don’t ask me how this person knows what that sounds like) and my utter lack of social niceties I was grudgingly invited to join the team so the others wouldn’t have to walk so much. Being starved for invitations to anything I jumped at the request and signed up. Off we went to Waterloo. Our “campsite” consisted of a cooler and a couple of chairs; finally the couple with the tents arrived and at least we had shelter. The team beside us had a Hawaiian theme; complete with fake palm trees, grass skirts, coconut drinks and possibly Don Ho playing his uke. We chalked our dismal site up to the fact that it was only our first year participating and then we found out it was the first year of the event.

The following year one of our teammates, who had lost her father to cancer, decided to volunteer for the CCS. Her volunteering meant that I once again would be participating in the Relay. I’ve always described her as 5’ tall and 4’8” is mouth. She’s also Pig’s mother for those who have read earlier entries and know who Pig is.

This one took place at Birchmount Stadium and it was raining so hard that the event was moved indoors. It didn’t have the same feel as the Waterloo Relay. We all sat inside a hockey rink with no ice and those on the “track” circled the outside of the boards. Unless you were willing to brave the rain and go outside you had to sleep in the seats. I get pretty uncomfortable just sitting in those seats. My ass and knees start to ache after about half an hour so no, it wasn’t quite as comfy as my pillowtop Serta mattress.

The third time was again at Birchmount but was warm and sunny. Groups were off playing soccer or playing catch. One guy asked us if we wanted to play Ultimate. Not having any idea what Ultimate was we all readily agreed until we found out it would involve moving (I thought it was a board game of some sort) and then politely declined.

My volunteer friend eventually became chair of the event which of course meant unless you were in a body cast there was no way of getting out of it. Just over four years ago I lost my mother to cancer. While I’ve participated in this event many times over the years it obviously means more to me now.

Should you care to pledge me, start your own team or get more information, please click on the incredibly long link below or the one at the top right of the page:
https://secureccs.ca/eventmodule.aspx?lng=en&did=2&eid=33&pg=personal&inv=bf659e7d-0712-4382-9c25-2d2fe28f403e