Sweet Relay Goodness

When you read shocking stories like this, where the state of Washington is suing a gal who faked having brain cancer, it's easy to find myself disappointed in people. It's hard to imagine someone using a disease like cancer for their own agenda - for sympathy, attention, or just a few days off.

I think of the people in my life who are so affected by cancer themselves - either through their own battles or the battles of their loved ones. To think someone could be so callous and selfish is shocking.

And then I read stories like this. Just simply refreshing.

The Relay For Life of Hurricane
Hayden Wright, a 12 year old cancer survivor (who was diagnosed at 2 years old) starts and chairs a new Relay For Life event. The best quote?

Wright's father Russ said although he and his wife, Heather, supported Hayden in his quest to chair a Relay for Life, they didn't do much of the work.

"If he (Hayden) needed help, he wasn't afraid to ask, but that was pretty infrequent," Wright said. "He's a great young man. He puts everyone's feeling and needs ahead of his own."

Last week when I spoke out at the Grays Harbor Relay meeting, I met a gal whose gone to family camp with the sisters for years. She starts telling me about their wildly successful fundraiser that they are doing...and it dawns on me. This is what Debbie had been telling me about...this is what she said we could do next year. They have these incredible bracelets that they put together, and have sold more than 750 since January. I couldn't stop laughing at what a small Relay world it was...this gal was the captain of the top team out at Grays. She reminded me so much of Debbie.

In true Relay-family spirit, I started emailing with the gal on their team who is my counterpart on the St. Andrew's team out there (we're the multimedia geeks of our teams), and she shared everything we need to know to make it a success. It was so awesome.

Jonathan and I attended our first Thurston County meeting together last night. I was invited to speak on fundraising...and so they got to hear (the working title): Five Ways to Kick Ass at Relay. The official title? Six Weeks to Take Your Team to the Next Level.

It was an awesome group, with a ton of new captains, and we are so excited to be part of their event this year. Don't be surprised if you see the blog go purple shortly. :)

Other sweet stuff?

Diana Miller, who is the most beautiful singer and master chef and my dear friend, was invited to sing again at the luminaria ceremony in Tacoma this year. She sang for me in 2004. When she rocked the house that night, the national peeps that were there remembered her...and invited her to sing for 15,000 Relayers and Congress at the Celebration on the Hill in Washington DC in September 2006.

You won't want to miss it. Friday, May 30th at 10 pm.

She also came up with an awesome fundraising BBQ lunch for next week...so if you have your heart set on yummy BBQ goodness for a great cause (to benefit Team Merrill Lynch in the Relay in Tacoma)...you shouldn't miss it. Lunches are $10 and will be packaged so you can take them for dinner that night as well. Wednesday, May 21st.

One last thing that made my day a bit more purple...
I found out a few weeks ago that I was invited to be part of the National Training Team for the Relay For Life! The people I've met through the NTT are something else...and I'm so excited to get to work with them at Summits and events throughout the nation. Whoo hoo!