Woodstock Relay For Life: Western General is event sponsor for Relay For Life in Woodstock in 2014

Insurance company donates $7,000 to annual Canadian Cancer Society fundraiser

By Mark Schadenberg

The timing is ideal for local organizers of the Canadian Cancer Society’s (CCS) Relay For Life.

The three co-chairs for the 2014 major fundraising event for the Oxford Unit of the CCS all used the word ‘exciting’ when discussing the recent announcement regarding a $7,000 corporate donation from Western General, a division of Economical Insurance.

“It’s exciting to know we have a financial commitment of this size at the beginning of our planning for the 2014 event,” said Sandy Smith, co-chair of the steering committee alongside Debra Moss and Bob Axon.

“To receive this level of support is a real inspiration to our organizing committee,” continued Smith.

Western General will be the ‘event sponsor’ in 2014.

Relay For Life in Woodstock raised $297,000 last year, which is an impressive number (seventh place in the province), but actually a reduction from the previous year. The number of teams was also slightly lower last year.

The 12-hour all-night event in 2014 is scheduled once again for College Avenue Secondary School, June 13-14.

With more than 65 teams participating last year and as many as 300 volunteers involved in various facets, Relay For Life is a significant money-raising event – dollars directed t various areas -- cancer research, advocacy, education, and also for volunteer drivers to bring patients to appointments.

The 2014 theme in Woodstock will be ‘Rediscover A Decade’.

"We want teams to pick a decade and celebrate that decade," says Axon, as he is encouraging costumes and fashions, plus music to represent past eras.

The CCS already has placards which note the scientific advancements or cure accomplishments over the years.

Moss notes that the $7,000 sponsorship will help tremendously in reaching their goal of $300,000 for 2014.

On the provincial level, both participation and money raised declined last year, so the Ontario-wide theme is ‘Rebuild’.

“Rebuild and recruit,” says Moss. “Recruit more volunteers, sponsors and participating teams.”

As sponsorship chair, Axon used a comparison in talking about the importance of the Western General donation.

“It’s a thrill to receive this contribution. It equates to having the money raised by five new teams. This is fantastic as it’s the biggest donation we have received from one corporate citizen in a number of years.”

The key to receiving the Western General donation came from a company employee, Dawn Alexander, an agri-commercial underwriter, and also a Woodstock Relay committee member. She played an important role in writing and submitting a community-giving request to support the 2014 Relay.

“Economical Insurance has been a great supporter of many chapters of the Canadian Cancer Society and we’re excited about this new commitment,” said Ken Worsley, operations manager of Western General from its Woodstock office at 959 Dundas St.

More details, and information about registration, may be found at www.relayforlife.ca/woodstock, www.woodstockrelay.blogspot.com, by calling the Oxford CCS unit office at (519) 537-5592, or on the Facebook group page: ‘Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay For Life in Woodstock’

PICTURED: Debra Moss, Relay co-chair; Sandy Smith, Relay co-chair; Tracy Bucholtz, Oxford unit Canadian Cancer Society; Heather Irwin, Western General; Dawn Alexander, Western General and Relay committee; Ken Worsley, Western General operations manager Woodstock; Bob Axon, Relay co-chair.

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Relay For Life

To learn more about Relay For Life in Woodstock – June 13-14, 2014, plus background information on Oxford County events in Ingersoll (June 20) and Tillsonburg (June 6) as well, be sure to read other posts on this blog site. Many updates will appear as Relay approaches, including reminders about the Kick-Off Rally on Thursday, March 6 at Quality Inn (7 p.m.), the two captain's nights at Fanshawe College, background details about registrations, sponsorships, luminary sales, volunteering, silent auction, registering as a survivor, entertainment, and the logistics of setting up the over-night camp at CASS.

To sign up or sponsor a participant, see: www.relayforlife.ca/woodstock or call the Oxford unit office at (519) 537-5592.

If you would like to contribute a story (Why you participate) or promote a Relay team fundraiser, send details to: tbucholtz@ontario.cancer.ca or mschadenberg@rogers.com.

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