Woodstock Relay For Life: "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.