Relay for Life event at high school brings out scores of walkers celebrating life
by Angie Asam, Staff Writer
The 2009 Relay for Life of Presque Isle County will kick off this Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. and run for 24 hours in an effort to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Presque Isle County has come together for the effort for eleven years. Opening ceremonies are set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Rogers City High School east parking lot with the ?Star Spangled Banner? by Nicole Grulke and the display of the American Flag by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post #607. Team introductions will follow.
At 11 a.m. the wagon/stroller/cart-decorated lap will run and at noon the lunchtime event is to dress as your favorite food. Also beginning at noon the amazing survivor race will begin for students in grades four through six. The Wild West and wacky eyewear lap will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the polka party at 2 p.m. with the Nowak Family Polka band. Fancy aprons will be a sight around the track at 3 p.m. Greg Altman will take over the music at 3:30 p.m.
A Mexican Fiesta will be at 4 p.m. and at 5 p.m. is the green lap for Presque Isle Electric and Gas co-op. Survivors will register at 5:30 p.m. and House Call will provide music beginning at 6 p.m. A fight back ceremony update and hair cutting to support wigs for cancer patients will begin at 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m. the recognition of cancer survivors will begin as the survivors and caregivers take a victory lap around the track. The Rogers City Pickers will start music at 7:30 p.m. The Luminaria Ceremony will begin at 9 p.m. with the lighting of candles, survivor speaker Ron Krawczak and the reading of the names of both cancer survivor
At 10:30 p.m. is the memorial lap complete with a pizza party. Pizza will be provided by local pizza places and will be $8 per pie with all proceeds to benefit the Relay for Life. Midnight will come as the pajama lap sets in followed by the glow in the dark lap at 1 a.m. From then on each hour will have a specially themed lap beginning with the ribbons and bows lap. Other themes are the fancy pants lap, the football jersey lap, the think pink lap, the good morning (worst hairdo) lap, the happy anniversary (25 years ? Silver) lap and the flower power lap.
The Chinese auction winners will be announced at 8 a.m. and closing ceremonies will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday. Much entertainment will be going on including a Chinese Auction, kids games, and plenty of food booths will also highlight the day. The Sportsman?s club will offer chicken dinners from 3 p.m. until sold out, Peace Lutheran church will have a food booth, Kiwanis Club will have food and many 50/50 raffles will go on throughout the day. Please join the many volunteers that work all year to put on the Relay and raise money for the American Cancer Society by participating in this year?s Relay for Life.