Woodstock Relay For Life: February 2017

Monday, 27 February 2017

Relay Kickoff to include update on cancer research projects

Be sure to attend on March 1 to register, pick a campsite and purchase luminaries

Canadian Cancer Society has set a goal for Woodstock Relay to hopefully raise $150,000

By Mark Schadenberg
Lots of information will be available at Relay Kickoff on March 1, and often the most important news is answering the question to participants about exactly where the research dollars are directed.

RELAY SUMMIT

If from the outside you think the formal dinner on a Saturday night of Relay Summit two weeks ago was all about socializing and the exchange of thoughts from one city to another, you would only be partially correct.

The Relay dinner featured two guest speakers, including a young cancer survivor, who I believe was diagnosed with cancer basically in the same week she was graduating from high school and thought the entire world was ahead – university and beyond.

Instead, Sheena Garcia was enduring chemo-therapy and other treatments as a tumour had been detected.

Garcia’s thoughts were summarized by the fact she wanted to thank all volunteers at every Relay For Life for assisting in finding a cure for cancer as survival rates continue to improve.

RIOT Team

The second speaker had everyone’s attention as Dr. Ryan Dowling is a research specialist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto and his team is making great advancements in discovering a cure for breast cancer as they are now in their third level of clinical trials (testing) with cancer patients (from around the globe) on the utilization of Metformin as a drug to cure as many as three forms of cancer.

Metformin is commonly prescribed already as a drug for Type II Diabetics. Dowling notes among the important reasons why this discovery would be great news is that Metformin is now sold as a drug with its patent expired so it’s not expensive. He added, however, that the flip side to that is that many pharmaceutical companies don’t like to mass produce it because there is not large profit possibility.

The CCS RIOT team is an interesting acronym for Research Information Outreach Team. In other words, CCS funds the best research projects in Canada and that is what the CCS often repeats to its donors, but that at the same time the world must know about all the advancements in cancer research and the updated stats on survival rates to see that cancer cures can be found. Dowling is an important outreach person from the microscopes in the labs to the ears in the banquet halls.

LINKS:
https://torontoriot.com/riot-members/

http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/breast/breast-cancer/?region=on

http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/breast/research/?region=on

www.thepmcf.ca

https://breast-cancer-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13058-015-0540-0

https://strategis.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ich-epi.nsf/eng/02231.html

A May RELAY Meeting

In an effort to increase participation levels in 2017, the Woodstock committee for Relay For Life will host an information night on Wednesday, May 3. Springtime is a great time to join the signature fundraiser for CCS nationally, so an open house will be held at the office at 65 Springbank Ave North from 5:30 - 7 p.m.

If you have never attended Relay, call the CCS office anytime for more details as you can also register (for $15) at www.relayforlife.ca/woodstock and begin collecting pledges and donations today.

Tuesday, 21 February 2017

"Cancer Changes Everything. So Can You."

The annual Relay Summit conference reinforced old ideas and introduced new items to CCS guidelines

Relay For Life is all about community and raising dollars to fund Canada's best research projects

By Mark Schadenberg

“Cancer Changes Everything. So Can You.”

Encouragement, education, camaraderie, slogans, motivation and a ton of great ideas.

The annual Relay For Life Summit in Toronto is designed to discuss what is brand new to the Canadian Cancer Society’s signature fund raising event, but to also remind local committee leaders about the true fundamental basis for the event.

Relay For Life in Woodstock is June 9 and the local goals have been set -- $150,000 to mark Canada 150, plus 30 teams and 300 registrants. The Woodstock committee expects many more than 300 participants as that number is always enhanced by our wonderful survivors (not all survivors register and raise money through pledges), their caregivers, and a large integral group of volunteers.

Co-chairs for 2017, myself and Don McKay, attended Summit to essentially be reminded about the basics and how to reinforce the feeling of ‘community’.

Between speakers, smaller group sessions, a keynote speech at the Saturday dinner by a research doctor, and by listening to CCS provincial director Mark Hierlihy at a lunchtime gathering Sunday, the leaders from the many Ontario-wide Relay events had their instructions to go forward.

I personally like the idea that Hierlihy describes the provincial guidelines for Relay as the “guard rails” along a roadway. In other words, all Relay For Life gatherings are different, but are also the same, stressing that participants always comment on the solemn and community-bonding moments created by the survivors’ lap and the luminary ceremony.

“People have a reason to Relay,” said CCS Ontario staff member Leslie Ring to the audience representing the various Relay events around the province. “Relay funds Canada’s best cancer research. Cancer survivors bring living proof of the difference (CCS) makes.”

Each event in each community is organized by volunteers. The success of Relay is thanks to its local committee volunteers.

“The volunteers are empowered and supported by staff,” added Ring. “You each have the ability to deliver the best Relay you’ve ever done.

“Relay is a meaningful and emotional event. Relay is a community event.”

Ring’s time at the podium was on Saturday morning as a method to lay out the framework for a weekend of learning and motivation.

Woodstock event co-chairs Don McKay and Mark Schadenberg,

along with CCS Huron-Perth office staffer Laura Pethick

The guidelines for Relay For Life were again described as a path as each event is unique, but the timetable and format are quite similar across the province.

“The Relay model is successful. Each event has the tools to succeed – recruitment to fundraising,” said Ring before casually introducing what could be a new slogan for the event by saying: “Fund raising isn’t all be do, but everything we do depends on fund raising.”

Ring refers to creating monetary support for cancer research, but also to support and continue all forms of advocacy and education, along with the Wheels of Hope volunteer driving program, but also programs pertaining to eating healthy, stop smoking campaigns, sun awareness, and other cancer-related topics.

The actual new sell line for Relay is:

Cancer Changes Everything. So Can You.

Plan on attending the 2017 Relay Kickoff on March 1.

If you want to volunteer in any way call the CCS office at (519) 537-5592 or contact Mark Schadenberg at (519) 537-1553.

Watch for many more updates here, including details on cancer research as presented at Relay Summit by Dr Ryan Dowling.

Cancer Changes Everything. So Can You.

Indoor soccer tournament to raise funds for CCS

Event scheduled for April 1 at Cowan Park in Woodstock

Promote your CCS and Relay For Life fundraisers here

ADULT CO-ED INDOOR SOCCER TOURNEY
The Canadian Cancer Society is lucky to have many great volunteers and people organizing events to raise money for cancer research.
Sharon Docherty, who is well known around Oxford as a soccer coach and sports convener, is planning an adult co-ed indoor soccer tournament for April 1.
The "Kick It For Cancer" charity tourney will be at Woodstock's Cowan Park. Sharon is seeking Over-30 and Adult Rec and/or Competitive teams to enter. The signup fee is $300 per team and all proceeds will be directed to Cancer Research!!
Contact Sharon today at sdocherty@sympatico.ca if you and your team are interested !! Keep in mind, you can create your team for this tournament -- a group of friends having fun and assisting to find a cure for cancer. The winning teams receives a trophy and $100.

Cowan Park - Woodstock

YOUR EVENTS
Keep in mind, if your Relay For Life team is planning a fundraiser such as a garage sale, bake sale, Zumba night or any other event specifically created to raise money for Relay For Life, consider this one of your locations to post details about your team and your event.
The Woodstock Relay For Life committee will also share details about your event on Twitter (@ccsoxfordcounty and @rflwoodstock), and the Facebook group at 'Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life in Woodstock'. If you have not joined or Facebook group, you should.

Wednesday, 1 February 2017

Relay Kickoff is set for Wednesday, March 1

Quality Hotel & Suites is site for annual rally to promote this year's event

Our fundraising goal for the year of Canada 150 is: $150,000

By Mark Schadenberg

Relay Kickoff is Wednesday March 1, 5-7 p.m. at Quality Hotel & Suites in Woodstock.

Relay For Life is Friday, June 9, beginning at 7 p.m. at College Avenue Secondary School.

With those two dates established, now is the time to reveal more news about this year’s Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) major annual fundraiser locally.

After about 7 or so years on the organizing committee, I’m taking on the task of being a co-chair this year.

Last year’s co-chairs Sandy Smith and Deb Moss are still certainly on the committee, so the transition and communications will be smooth. Smith and Moss, by the way, are leading the group of food tent conveners and are already in discussion with Boston Pizza on returning, and many other food in-kind sponsors. Watch this space for many updates on sponsors as Relay For Life appreciates the support it receives from many businesses.

If you’re wondering who the other co-chair is, well . . . drum roll please.

Don McKay has agreed to assist in a significant capacity this year. McKay has an extremely extensive and impressive resume, which includes long-time mayor of East Zorra Tavistock township (since 2004), former warden of Oxford County Council, and owner of the store YFM (Your Family Market), which is essentially an outdoor fresh produce market next to Home Hardware during the non-snow months of the year. Also, in the last federal election, McKay ran under the Liberal Party banner. Don McKay was also an informative speaker at the opening ceremony in 2015.

Don McKay. In the background is Jan Cunningham

Many other familiar faces continue in event organizing including CCS Oxford community office manager Jan Cunningham, along with Pam Noels or Kelly Jorgensen. The committee itself continues a strong fabric with Marie Bowerman, Maartje VanWely, Linda Torkelson, Tracy VanVliet, Ryan Noels and Mary Ann Hogan.

Every three years or so, the CCS introduces new sell lines or slogans. Many participants, including myself, always liked: ‘Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.’ That particular slogan was essentially retired about four years ago and replaced with variations on: Ready? Set. Relay! . . . or Ready? Set Walk!

Additional promotional words have included: It’s A Journey. Go The Distance! or Accept The Baton! All those lines are still fine for promoting Relay For Life, but the new tag line is: “Cancer Changes Everything. So Can You.’ The premise is that if you or a family member receives a cancer diagnosis there is certainly a major shift in your lifestyle, but the CCS is there to assist in your journey. On the serious side of discussions, the CCS is there for advocacy and even with a volunteer driver to assist in transportation to a medical appointment. Fitting in the category on an under-statement, battling cancer is a ‘defining moment’ in your life.

Pictured: Mark Schadenberg, Sandy Smith and Deb Moss

GOALS AND ASSISTS

The Canada 150 theme will be seen everywhere in 2017, so you will see it as part of our theme and goals for this year’s Relay For Life.

The goal for overall fundraising will mirror Canada 150 as it’s $150,000. Last year, $146,000 was the final tabulation.

The registration goal is 150 x 2 or 300. Last year, there were 310 registered contributors. As a quick point of clarification, that is 310 people who signed up and paid a registration fee and collected pledges and donations. Relay For Life continues to invite cancer survivors and their caregivers to participate, especially in the survivors’ lap at 7 p.m. and not all of the people in this group are necessarily registered participants.

Many agenda items will remain unchanged. For example, the cost of a luminary has never changed in 17 years of Relay . . . always $5 to honour someone who has survived cancer or to recognize someone who has died from the disease. The luminary ceremony will again be held around dusk, and is always the most somber and thought-provoking moment of the entire night.

The night’s activities will include theme laps, a children’s tent with games, team pictures, dinner and refreshments for all participants, live bands, and countless opportunities to share your stories with friends and team members.

Teams

Our local committee would like to promote the idea of attaining a team goal of 30 entries this year, but we also firmly believe that a team can be you and your friends across the street for a total of four, or you can register a group of 25 if you can recruit a large number of pals, co-workers, fitness club friends, volleyball teammates, card night companions, hobby buddies (your stamp collecting club perhaps), and church parishioners.