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Walking all night fights cancer in Eagle

Taylor L. Roozen
troozen@vaildaily.com
Eagle, CO Colorado

EAGLE, Colorado – One member of each team walks around the track throughout the night during the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Eagle, Colorado, said Jane Bennett, team development and fundraising chair for the event.

Bennett, who lost her mother and aunt to cancer, expects that there will be 300 total walkers at the event. The relay, named “Cowboy Up for a Cure,” will take place on July 24 at Brush Creek Park and Pavilion in Eagle.

The 26 teams also will provide a variety of services for donations, ranging from face painting, barbecue sandwiches, from Moe’s Barbecue, and cake, to a bouncy castle, country western dance lessons and coffee from Yeti’s Grind, said Jane Bennett.



There will also be a load of contests going on during the night including golf putting and ball tossing, she said.

Cancer survivors will walk the first lap alone, and will be joined by teammates for a second lap. There will be a reception for cancer survivors and care givers after the opening ceremony, she said.

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Once the event is under way, there will be a silent auction until 9 p.m. with items ranging from a grill to a homemade quilt, she said.

Airborne will play during the auction with guest member, Brent Gordon, from the Harry Baxter Band, she said. A Mexican dance troop will also perform during this time, she said. The Mountain Harmony singers will perform from 10:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., she said.

White paper sacks called luminaries will line the track, she said. Anyone can purchase luminaries to decorate and dedicate to cancer survivors, fighters and victims. You can dedicate a luminary for $5.

At 9:30 p.m. all those who have had a luminary dedicated to them will have there name read one by one, Bennett said.

There are many other ways that you can benefit the relay, said Bennett’s teammate, Susan Watt.

You can write a check directly to the American Cancer Society. When businesses or individuals donate $100 they will have a 18 x 24 field marker posted next to the track. Field markers can be ordered until two days before the relay.

And anyone can sign up a team to walk at the event, make a Web page, and take donations, she said.

Organizers ask that each participant raise at least $100 in donations if they plan to join a team. Some individuals have raised up to $3,000, Bennett said.

For more information on the luminaries, field markers, or putting together a team, e-mail janie@vail.net. For general information about the relay, e-mail eaglerelay@yahoo.com.


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