It's time to Relay!

The Relay For Life of Thurston County starts today!

We're so close to our $20,000 goal - just $645 away!

If you've been touched by cancer and want to fight back, please consider donating to our team. Each dollar brings us that much closer to the cure.

If you are in town, stop by Black Hills High School - opening ceremonies are at 5:45 pm, with the Survivor Lap at 6 pm. The Midnight Memorial is at midnight, and we'll be on the track until 6 pm tomorrow!

Thank you! ♥

The Countdown to Relay: The Fundraising

(Photo by Steve Ringman, the Seattle Times)

Fundraising has always been one of my favorite parts of Relay. Debbie and I, two of the more competitive people in the world, always loved the 30 day push just before Relay...where nothing was impossible and the sky was the limit. Without deadlines, nothing would get done!

Ultimately, to me, the fundraising isn't about the dollar amount...it's what the dollars do that counts.

Survivors make it personal

Researchers make it happen

Supporters make it possible.

Over the past few years, I've been invited to speak at a number of different Relay events. 90% of the time, this is the topic I'm asked to speak on. For the Leadership Summit this fall in Reno, I'm in the process of completely redesigning the fundraising workshop to incorporate some of the top fundraisers from our division. I'm really excited to see how it's going to turn out.

Occasionally, you hear stories about how people choose to raise money that are so unique that you almost can't believe it.

Laura D'Asaro is one of those stories. She's a junior at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle. She decided to break the world record for a mile...by crawling. Crawling. Actually crawling around the track. Honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to crawl around the track...but she did. She trained throughout the spring...and here's an excerpt from the Seattle Times feature on her:

Crawling into the record book
Seattle Times • June 8, 2008

Now, it's safe to say Laura D'Asaro crawls faster than anyone on record. At least faster than anyone on record with Guinness.

The Nathan Hale High School junior set a new world speed-crawling mark Saturday by covering a mile in 22 minutes and 4 seconds — on her hands and knees. The old record, held by a Toronto man, was 23 minutes and 45 seconds. "It's my best time yet," said the 17-year-old.

D'Asaro's feat was the culmination of months of hard training and preparation. In addition to setting a world record, she raised more than $4,000 to fight cancer.

For weeks D'Asaro practiced by crawling around her neighborhood, on the Burke-Gilman Trail and at her high school. "You can only train for crawling by crawling," she said.

On Saturday, D'Asaro covered her first quarter-mile lap around Woolsey Stadium at King's High School in Shoreline in less than five minutes, her hands covered in thick gloves and her knees protected by heavy padding. She had duct-taped elbow pads to her shoes to keep them from ripping apart. "Come on, girl," some supporters yelled. She was doused with water several times to keep her cool.

Her father, Eric D'Asaro, followed her with a video camera, to document the achievement for Guinness.On her fourth and last lap, the crowd got excited. "Let's go, Laura," they began to chant. "Eye of the Tiger," a song made famous by one of the "Rocky" movies, played in the background.

When she reached the finish line — shaving more than a minute and a half from the previous record — the crowd erupted.

In case you want to see actual video footage...check out this YouTube video from the Times:

The Countdown to Relay: Nancy Peck-Cook

I love the internet. You can find all kinds of things in all kinds of places.

The other day, when reading through the blog of my good friend, Nancy Peck-Cook, I found some photos I hadn't seen in ages...from the 2004 Relay in Tacoma, the 20th anniversary of Relay, that Brian and I chaired together.

After an late night (and everyone who knows me knows that my "late night" is any time after 9 pm), I remember the advice of my wise friend and mentor, Barbara Patterson. You should take some time to just sit and absorb the Relay. The time flies by, and you don't want to miss it. Especially when it's dark and the luminaria are glowing.

So I did just that. I pulled up my blankets into the stands around 4 am, and watched the Relay until I fell asleep. That Relay was a little lonely for a number of reasons - the main one being that my entire family (except me) was in Spain while I was Relaying.

Two hours later, my grandma (a cancer survivor, by the way) called me at 6:30 am to say hi. She woke me up in the stands, where I realized that while I couldn't be seen at night...I definitely could be seen in the daylight. So much for being incognito. :)

I can sleep through everything.

These photos on Nancy's blog surfaced in a number of places - my ugly mug snoring away. The most random place they surfaced? In Slovenia. In the official international Relay For Life training PowerPoint. Everyone got to see my fabulously drooly self. God knows if I had written the PowerPoint, that photo would NOT be in it! :)

Anyway, this post is a little shout back to Nancy...from her post to me.

She is the head of national corporate initiatives for Relay For Life. An amazing leader, fantastic photographer, great encourager, and dear friend. She helped me get on the Energy Bus, and is someone whose friends I treasure...even across the US. She was instrumental in my increasing love of photography...and encouraged me to enter the national competitions for Relay photos. This photo was one of her early faves. It's still one of mine! :)

Nance, thank you for your friendship...I am blessed!

And since I love her photos...here are a few of her shots that I adore from that event...




And her photos from Celebration on the Hill in 2006...

The Countdown to Relay: Thurston Joys

We had our last team captain's meeting tonight.

It had the most people of a final TC meeting that I've ever been to...it was awesome.

Things that rocked?

• At the beginning of the meeting, they handed out the event programs so we could look through them and ask questions. So incredibly helpful.
• Also at the beginning, they handed out the team accounting showing where every team stood in terms of fundraising. For the competitive people, we all got lost in the details of how we were doing versus everyone else.
• At the end of the meeting, they handed you a full list of every single donation your team has received since you registered as a team. It denoted the date received, who it was credited to, amount, and how it was received (online donation or offline check/cash). Every single donation. I was almost in tears with joy. I didn't think it was possible to be so detailed and accurate...but Dawn Gadwa rocked it. With the exception of 5 matching gift forms that I had turned in directly to ACS in May and one online donation that was received today -- every single penny was accounted for. Being the type-A personality that works with finances every day, I could not have been happier.
• At the end, they assigned tentsites (talk about motivating your captains to not miss a meeting!) and handed out the event tees that your team ordered. Exceptional detail to managing costs and keeping the meeting flowing.

It was so fun.

Jonathan and I decided to bring Lap Beads to Thurston County this year. Let it be known that this is not our original idea. We are absolutely copying the Beach Babes, led by Sarah Conlon and Danyal Henderson, team captains from Tacoma.

When I was at the University of Nevada's Relay in April, I was chatting with the chair from the Reno/Sparks Relay, and she was telling me all about starting the lap beads at her event this year. My first words? "You should really talk to Sarah..."

She cut me off. "Sarah Conlon? Oh, we email back and forth through www.relayforlife.org and it was her idea that inspired me!"

I loved seeing the reach of one team from Tacoma. Sarah's willingness to share the idea and teach others defines the spirit of Relay. She provided detailed instructions on how to do it at an event and the American Cancer Society published it on the Society Link for Relayers across the nation to learn from. The forums on www.relayforlife.org are filled with ideas and help that started with her assistance.

Sarah, thank you! Your spirit will be felt down in Thurston this year! :)

The Countdown to Relay: Dylan

Relay For Life of Tacoma, May 2008

Little Dylan Walsh, the cancer survivor in the purple shirt...surrounded by teammates and Robin's son, Tanner...

He has grown so much since he was diagnosed in 2002...one of my favorite joys during the survivor lap is to see his bright, smiling face that gets older each year. :)

His grandparents, Bob and Joyce, have been such a gift to me over the years. I quote Bob all the time at Relay events...early on when I was volunteering, he impressed the significance of this difference: being committed vs. being involved.

My impression of his lesson?

Being merely involved means showing up on the day of Relay. Thinking it about one period of 24 hours during the year.

Being committed means day in and day out...just as those with cancer face their struggle each day, so we should be committed in our resolve to fund and find the cure. It doesn't start at Relay...it ends at Relay. A culmination of the year's work...and then looking ahead to the next year.

This is the Friends and Family of Soundview Mortgage's 17th year Relaying.

Excerpted the News Tribune article I wrote in 2005...

Friends and Family of Soundview Mortgage have Relayed for 14 years.

Never did they imagine that cancer would find their littlest team member.

Dylan walked his first survivors’ lap in 2004 as a cancer-free survivor. A diagnosis of Burkitt’s lymphoma in 1992 would have given him a 5% survival rate. Thanks to research, his 2002 diagnosis gave him a 75% chance of survival.

Today he is a healthy, happy four-year-old. Proud grandparents and team captains, Bob and Joyce Walsh reflect, “What if there wasn’t an American Cancer Society and no Relay For Life? Nothing would have been done!”

Truer words have never been spoken.

The Countdown to Relay: The 2008 Team Tee

One of my favorite things about Relay is the "why". Everyone Relays for their own reasons...and this is one of the best ways to visualize all the different reasons we Relay.

My first year of a team tee was in 2003, when I was the captain of the St. Charlie's Angels team - filled with kids from the St. Charles Youth group. Each of the kids picked someone that they loved who had survived and someone who passed away from cancer, and Relayed for them.

The only year that our team tee held just one name was in 2004...the first year of our Merrill Lynch team. That year, one of the advisors in our office, John Moller, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, and passed away six months to the day from his first seizure in the office. We Relayed for him.

In the years following, as more of our Merrill family was affected by cancer, we expanded the team shirt to include the names of those we celebrate and those we've lost. Each year, the names grew longer.

2008 is the first year for our Connolly, Tacon & Meserve team. It's the first team tee (out of six) where Mama G is listed under "remember"...

The names Jonathan and I personally added to the list this year...

We Relay to Celebrate our Survivors

Kay Bottenfield

Rich Brown

Kathleen Devin

Tony Marino

Bill Roberts

Dave Stickland

We Relay to Remember Those We've Lost

Corazon "Mama G" Gatbunton

Jan Halliday

Monica Lyons

John Moller

Mary Sprouffske

In addition, the sisters (Kathie, Debbie and Cindy) have a handful of names included that are included in those close to them. We are Relaying together through our teams, even though we are now in different events.

It leads to the question...why do you Relay? Who do you Relay for?

The Countdown to Relay: Sweet tunes

A few years ago, to inspire the mentors of the Relay in Tacoma (they help the teams get ready to Relay), something was needed to help connect the emotion of Relay to what they were doing.

There's no better way (in the off-season, at least!) than pulling together a number of songs into a mix!

I asked a number of Relayers close to me to share their most favorite songs that remind them of Relay...and here's what they came up with.

• I Run For Life - Melissa Etheridge
• Into the Fire - Bruce Springsteen
• Dream Big - Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband
• Walk On - U2
• I'll Stand By You - The Pretenders
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
• Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
• You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
• Celebration - Kool and the Gang
• I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
• Walk Down This Mountain - Bebo Norman
• Love Can Build a Bridge - The Judds
• I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack

Debbie, Kathie, Cindy and I continue this tradition each year - we're on volume 4 for 2009 - but these are my absolute favorites. From happy to emotional, they fill you with hope throughout.

I uploaded the PDF of the CD insert -- with the names of the people who chose them, and their reasons for doing so. Click here to read through it...

The reasons will bring tears to your eyes.

The Countdown to Relay: Mama G

A year ago today, Mama G passed away.

It's still hard to believe -- after her decade long struggle with multiple myeloma, and subsequent battle with her aggressive small cell carcinoma of the parotid gland which ultimately took her life. A year has passed.

Today was the Memorial Mass, held on the anniversary of her death at St. Vincent de Paul. Just like it was yesterday, it seemed like we were walking through the doors of the church for her Rosary and funeral Mass.

It was truly a beautiful Mass - one of the most poignant moments was following the Eucharist, when Fort played the clarinet to the instrumental version of "To Where You Are" by Josh Groban. They gave us the lyrics...and there wasn't a dry eye in the sanctuary when he was finished.

Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory's so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration - can it be
That you are mine, Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile, if only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream
And isn't faith believing
All power can't be seen
As my heart holds you

Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
Cause you are my Forever love
Watching me from up above
And I believe that angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star I wish upon tonight
To see you smile, if only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away's not far
To where you are

I know you're there
A breath away's not far to where you are

The night Jonathan proposed (June 1, 2007), my blackberry buzzed. In it was a photo of her smiling in Arizona, holding a "Congratulations Jonathan and Shelley" sign. With as sick as she was, she was still connected to the grapevine, and heard he proposed a few hours earlier. And she sent her love.

During the toasts at our wedding, Michael G gave us one of her knit hats that she wore as her hair fell out from treatments. In a small physical way, she was there...but through the communion of saints, she was especially present at the Wedding Mass. It was an immeasurable gift to us.

I had saved a voice mail of hers from my birthday in 2006 - when she and Fort sang to me and invited themselves over for cake. :) She always made me laugh - even and especially through tears.

Jonathan and I learned so much from her family - about sacrifice, love through service, trusting in God even though sometimes it doesn't make sense, and offering up your pain through the struggles of life.

I hope you'll take a few moments to read through these past posts (both mine and Michael's) - if someone you love has had cancer, or you have parents or children that you love. These are among my favorites:

• Musings • June 2006
  One of my best reasons to sum up why we Relay
• Food For Thought • September 2006
  Excerpted from Michael's post
• Wonderful Thoughts and Reflections • September 2006
  Written by Mama G, just after her birthday party
• Prayers, Please • May 2007
  Excerpted from Michael's post about the last days

Looking back over time...here are a few of my favorite images...

From Mama G's last Relay...the honor of helping her with her survivor medal
Relay For Life of Tacoma, June 2006

Part of the Gatbunton Family at Relay

The extended G family...
Mama G's birthday celebration, September 2006

Mama G's luminaria from my team, 2007


At her birthday celebration...as Fort was preparing to sing "Lady in Red"

This is one of my most favorite photos of her...ever. ♥

I miss you.

The Countdown to Relay: Pat Flynn

Relay For Life of Tacoma, May 2008
The Flynn Family Team

Affectionately known as the "Mother of Relay", Pat Flynn has been there since the beginning. With Dr. Gordy Klatt, she was one of the key people who helped to transition Gordy's 24 hour run in 1985 to a team event - the first one taking place at Stadium Bowl in 1986. Over the upcoming years, she helped train and inspire countless thousands across the US - teaching them how to fight back through Relay.

A little over ten years after the first team event was held, the number of Relay participants across the nation numbered 1,000,000. The following year, 1998, Pat was inducted into the Relay For Life Hall of Fame.

The following year, Relay exceeds $127,000,000 in cumulative funds raised with 2,500 community events.

Four short years later, Relay exceeds $1,000,000,000 in total contributions to the American Cancer Society since Gordy's first laps around the track at the University of Puget Sound.

This weekend, Pat celebrates her 70th birthday. While I couldn't make it to her celebration on Friday, I want to share why she is such a joy to me.

Over the years, she's been an inspiration, a friend, confidante, Relay muse, editor to the Relay newsletters that I've created, and even took time to help edit goodies for my wedding to Jonathan last December. She's one of those people who "sees the big picture", challenges people to grow and learn, and is a genuine joy to be around.

You are a blessing to me, Pat, and I treasure your friendship! ♥

The two of us, Relay For Life of Tacoma, May 2005

Pat and Debbie, Relay For Life of Tacoma, May 2008

Pat and Phylecia Wilson, May 2004
Like Pat, Phylecia was inducted into the Relay For Life Hall of Fame (2001). Friends from opposite coasts (Phylecia is from Georgia, home of the largest Relay in the world), they have seen Relay grow from Tacoma's beginnings to an international movement.

As Pat's Relay For Life letters always say...

Survivors make it personal

Researchers make it happen

Supporters make it possible.

What a gift she is! ♥

The Countdown to Relay: Celebrate

From the catwalk at opening ceremonies
Relay For Life of Tacoma, May 2005

Celebrate • Remember • Fight Back

You'll find each of these at every Relay event. The first -- celebrate -- is what happens at the beginning of every Relay. The opening lap is filled with survivors on the track.

One of my favorite images from the last year I chaired the Relay in Tacoma...the survivors filling the track awaiting their first lap.

It's a moment filled with joy, tears, celebration for all those we love who are fighting cancer right now. Survivors are most often found in purple Relay tees, with survivor medals around their necks.

One of my favorite quotes, excerpted from the story I wrote in the Tacoma News Tribune in 2005 for our Relay insert...

The Baker Bulldogs formed their team three years ago when team captain Juanita Fejerang was diagnosed.

In her first year as a survivor, she was determined to be part of the Survivors’ Lap. She had no hair and it was more than she could bear. She began weeping.

A gentleman with pancreatic cancer walked up to her, put his arm around her, and said, “It’s okay. I’ll walk with you.”

She smiles, “That was just like God, sending a friend when I needed it most.”

If you haven't attended Opening Ceremonies before...don't miss your chance. For our Relay, opening ceremonies are at 6 pm on Friday, June 27th at Black Hills High School. :)

You should be there.

The Countdown to Relay: The Cure

Sunset at the Relay For Life of Tacoma, May 2008
as Willie Stewart was receiving the Tom Mosich Leadership Award

A few things under the theme "did you know"...

• Fifty years ago, of those diagnosed with cancer - just one in four survived (25%)
• Thanks to medical breakthroughs, now 2 in 3 survive (66%)
• The American Cancer Society is the largest non-governmental source of cancer research funds in the United States
• Relay For Life is the largest health-related fundraiser in the world
• An excellent piece on where our fundraising dollars go in Washington is found here

As Dr. John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society, said at our Relay in 2004...

"We now know that our lifelong journey
to find the cure
is neither a sprint nor a marathon;
it is a relay - our Relay For Life."

The Countdown to Relay: Sweet things about Thurston

Relay For Life of Thurston County, June 2007

Jonathan and I were raving the other night about the things that we've really loved in the transition to the Thurston Relay...among our favorites:

The Loopholes
One of Thurston's top teams...and they sent us a welcome basket! Nothing like great, friendly competition! :)

Dawn Gadwa
The accounting chair for the event, also captain of Venture Bank's Banking on a Cure. Until working with her, I had no idea that accounting could run so smoothly, and so accurately! We have both been amazed at her attention to detail, and her meticulous accounting of the teams' fundraising. This is one of the best changes so far.

Bobbi Hudston
Thurston's online chair - she's done an amazing job with helping everyone get up to speed online, especially with our new team. Super helpful...and gave me some fabulous advice a few weeks back. But more on that later. :)

We're getting ready for a big Relay push in the next week or so as we head into prime time...we're right around $5000 now, and will be logging our Rummage For Relay in the next few days! Watch out!

The Countdown to Relay: The Lougheeds

As Debbie and I both Relay on new teams this year (she with Team AHBL in Tacoma and myself with Connolly Tacon & Meserve in Thurston County), one of the things we both worried about with Team Merrill was who the 'next generation' was. Where we would leave off...and who would step in.

We shouldn't have worried. :)

Joan Lougheed and her family rose to the challenge.

Joan and her husband Tim began Relaying in 1994 at the Auburn Relay, when the son of one of her co-worker's passed away from cancer. Over the years, they've Relayed in several events (including Gig Harbor with Brian Marlow, back when he was at Merrill), and finally settled on Team Merrill Lynch in Tacoma, when we formed a team in memory of our colleague John Moller.

2008 was her first year being a fundraiser for Merrill - so she began a contest for her incredibly yummy baked goods. Whoever donated the most online would receive baked goods - one a month - for a year.

Today, she passed $10,000 in funds raised, and is on track to be the top individual fundraiser at this year's Relay in Tacoma.

What do I love about her fam?

Relay's always been a family event. In fact, one of their friends has a small team in Lakewood this year, so Tim, Joan and the girls are joining her this Friday night to walk with her team.

Her daughters, Sarah and Becca, always look forward to Relay and to their time on the track. This year, they wanted to have a larger part in the team, so they pulled their beads together and brought them to Relay. They had all the Merrill kids making necklaces that they sold from the tentsite on the track. When all was said and done, they raised $300 for the team.

And since posts are so much better with photos... :) Here's a look at the Lougheeds over the years...

2004 • Debbie with Becca and Sarah, in our last year at Stadium High School
How little are they?


2005 • The Lougheeds at Relay in 2005, our first year at Mt. Tahoma


2006 • In the stands in 2006, in the "I Run For Life" year


2007 • As Incredi-bull superheroes


2008 • Walking in the all-team lap for Team Merrill, with Stewart between them


And my favorite this year of Becca...check out that grin!


Joanie...you, Tim and the girls are a fabulous gift and blessing to the team and to me!

Thank you for all you do in the fight against cancer! ♥

The Countdown to Relay begins...

A year ago today, I turned 30. Jonathan proposed to me at the Relay For Life.

The last year's been filled with change, which I've never been good at, but it's been so worth it. We're Relaying this year in a different event, with a new team, and we're Relaying together. It's the best birthday gift.

We decided to do an almost-month-long countdown to Relay this year, starting on my birthday. To highlight the things we both love about the Relay For Life and reasons why we Relay. You'll find photos (big surprise!), stories, and cool quotes about all things that relate to one of our most favorite events...from now until the event happens on June 27-28!

In the meantime, for this very first post, I want to celebrate my husband, Jonathan...because he does so much for me and our family. This is why I love him:

1. He is so competitive. And so am I. Let me tell you - it's WAY better being on the same team and merging our competitive spirits for good, rather than evil! :)
2. His sense of humor
3. The fact that I received two gifts this weekend - one to celebrate my birthday, and one to celebrate our engage-a-versary. He actually remembered it. :)
4. How much fun it is to captain a team with him
5. How he supports me in my passion for curing cancer...because he has the same passion
6. The songs he sings to me
7. How he's been working non-stop on our house for the past few weeks - and our team's Rummage For Relay was the best beneficiary!
8. How well he takes care of me, even (and especially) when I'm grumpy
9. How he says no to me and stands up to me :)
10. That he knew the perfect time to propose to me...at a place we both love...where both of our teams won sweet awards!

And some sweet old links if you want to look through...
The Proposal • Happiness Is...